Good Afternoon Everybody 🙂

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
WAY TO GO! for all your accomplishments! 😀
YES! Paint those shelves turquoise, that will look so lovely.
Hope the cats cooperate in keeping the floors clean. ;D

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Very good thinking processes you have going there making those keep, donate decisions! (((HUGS)))
Happy to share my daily doings with you. 😀
I learned to sew out of necessity as a child.
Loved Home Economics in school where I learned how to sew even better.
Then I took an advanced altering class at the University of Arizona, 4.0 gpa 😀

If anybody wants to do a non-shopping challenge or any other type of challenge I will be glad to partner with you.
Just let me know. K? 🙂

Well today I cleaned the house real good.
Bathroom, floors, carpet and everything in between.
Right in the middle of all this Nate dropped by for a visit.
It was a really nice visit! 😀
Now I am waiting for evening and will get out and water the grass & flowers.
Over 100 degrees here today. 😛
Looking forward to tomorrow when I can spend all day doing something fun.
Have fabric enough to make a fancy dress but once I do that I will have no fabric stash laying around.
No sewing projects left.
Maybe then I should crochet lace, I have a ball of cotton thread.
But then what would I use the lace for?
Decisions, decisions. 😀

When the weather gets hot everybody knows to drink plenty of water but sometimes we need to do more to keep the heat from getting us down.
Salt is important in the proper amount but many people neglect potassium.
So, eat foods rich in potassium too. 🙂

Good morning! Great to see your posts and progress! You are motivating me. I just finally picked up my winter boots off of the floor we here they've been collecting dust. I brushed them off and put in donate pile. They are still good and do not leak but for some reason I figure I'll buy a new pair next year. I wore these two winters, and since I'll probably buy a new pair next winter, why keep them now. I also washed my gloves and put a pair in donate pile together with a very cheap tshirt I bought to sleep in but didn't fit right. Since I'm never going to use it, I can either cut up for dusting cloth or donate. I chose to donate.

I need to vacuum today. Trying to get on a weekly or twice weekly schedule. I'll keep you posted!

Tillie how I wish I could sew! How wonderful to be able to take s nice dress and alter it to fit! I appreciate all your help in establishing a maintenance schedule. Reading about yours helps me see that I can work it in to my day. Tess and Anony and Diane and everyone else--keep up the good work! You motivate me!!

Yall have been getting a lot done lately! All of you have! Its wonderfully encouraging to read about!
I got 3 big bags of crap off the shelves in the kitchen today! I also dusted some cleared spots! It does look nicer! At this point in my life, i have more control over my place, than anything else in the world! Ive got some specific plans for getting some more areas cleaned up! Once i clean the 2 sets of shelves in the kitchen, im gonna paint them turquoise! Itll go nice in there & brighten it up!
One of the cats tried to bring another bird in to eat, but i was in there cleaning, so she dined on the porch & my feather-free floor was spared another day! ha ha ;D

Hi Tess 🙂
We posted about the same time.
Glad you had some rest and recreation today.
You are doing GREAT!
Progress, not perfection is fantastic! (((hugs)))

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Wishing you peaceful restful sleep in your fresh clean bed. (((HUGS)))

Was wandering around outside this morning and noticed a thin 18 inch long stick on the lawn.
Walked over to pick it up but it ran way from me.
I really should wear my glasses more often.
It was a small gopher snake. LOL 😀
Today I finished altering a dress that I bought the other week for 2 dollars.
Really liked the style and fabric and colors but it was about a 2X and I am a medium.
Now it fits me. 😀

Thanks for your kind words, Tatoulia. Sorry to hear things didn't work out with your brother today. Hopefully you can get together soon. I need to plan a sibling date with my brother and sister. I haven't seen them in months.

I love your comment about going through a transition. I have to keep reminding myself of that. Now that I've recovered from this morning, I can look at it all in a different light. Yes, I had a mess, but the place is 100000 times better than it was just 2 weeks ago. Two weeks ago, he wouldn't have been able to walk a straight path out of here. Is the place perfect? No. Is it as clean as I would like it to be? No. But I have to let go of perfection and be content with good enough in this case. I doubt he will talk to my landlord. If he does, I might be a little embarrassed, but I'll survive that too. I'm still proud of the progress I've made. I'm going to tuck this incident away for when I need a little extra motivation to keep going.

As for the rest of the day, I cleaned my patio furniture, took out 5 more bags of trash, and swept the floors. I also found (amongst my own belongings) a mirror that works perfectly in my living room. I cleaned it up and hung it up. Then I spent the very hot and humid afternoon relaxing, watching movies, and reading. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest anyway!

Did not do too much at house today. Time with my brother went down the toilet--very difficult day--but I showered and have clean sheets on the bed, and I'll be doing the dishes before the night is over.

Hope you are all well. Nice to hear about the gladiolus, Tillie!

Good Morning

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Hope your mammogram went well.
YEA! for loading the dish washer!

Hi Diane 🙂
Glad you got out and about and had some R&R.
Tomorrow I will clean the toilet here, promise. ;D

Hi Tess 🙂
WTG! for getting all that done.
Sorry about that morning intruder on the balcony.

Planning to dust today. It's pretty thick in here.
Oh well, life in the desert with a dirt road upwind of me.
Tomorrow planning to do the usual general cleaning, bathroom & floors, etc.
My gladiolus are doing great and I managed to get them braced upright alright.
I planted 6 deep red ones and they are blooming first.
The 6 pinkish ones have yet to blossom.

TTYL 🙂

Hi Tess! First, let me thank you for all of your cheerful support--it is so nice to log in and see your posts!

Second--yikes. But, the house is a mess because your going through a transition. Just move forward, you are doing a great job. I know when someone saw my house near its worst, I said, oh I'm sorting through my mother's stuff trying to decide what to do. At that point my bedroom and bathroom were fine, and the story had some plausibility to it. So I think saying, to yourself and everyone else, that you are going through a transition and you are looking forward to reclaiming your space is perfectly accurate AND a perfectly acceptable remark to any snoopers.

You are doing so well! Very pleased and happy for you at your accomplishments!

I got rid of a chair yesterday. At this point, I'm going through my stuff again to see what to get rid of. My main problem (as I can define it today) is that the house is simply not clean. There's some isolated areas of clutter but it's mainly the lack of cleanliness.

Am spending some time today with my brother, who for some reason hadn't called me yet, and I'll see what cleaning I can accomplish tonight.

It is about to get much hotter and much more humid here, and I hate it when my house feels sticky and it's filthy. I hold the keys in my hand. It's up to me to not spend another summer lamenting that I didn't do the heavy stuff back when it was easy. Maintenance takes no time. I'll keep telling myself this for today.

Coffee clinks!

I'm up bright and early this morning. With my heart pounding like I just ran a marathon. I woke up to someone knocking. At first I thought it was a dream. And then I heard it again. I sneak check the front door. Nobody there. Turn around and he was standing on my balcony!!!! And I was standing in my living room in undies and a tank top! He used a ladder to get up there and couldn't get back down. So, I unexpectedly had to let him use my apartment to get in and out. I left my bags and boxes in the living room, so I had a mess. While he was out, I threw everything haphazardly into my bedroom just to get it out of sight. On one of his trips out, the door opened and he saw in. I'm mortified!!! That is always my messiest room. The extra crap made it look like a hurricane hit.

I'm thankful the place is in better condition than it was a few weeks ago, but now I'm afraid he's going to report me to my landlord and I'll have an inspection. *sigh* Happy Sunday to me. Hope you're all having a better day.

Anony - permanent decisions are tough! When I was in a rush to get the house presentable a couple weeks ago. So I was a bit heartless when tossing stuff. Now I'm going back through the stuff i stuffed away. And it's a lot harder now that the emergency is over. But I'm doing it slowly. And I'm sure you will too! Good luck with redirecting your energy. Use that heartbreak for good!

Diane - only one more day with the dog. You made it 🙂

Tatoulia - hope the mammogram went well. And I'm glad you did the dishes. You guys motivated me to do my dishes too!

Today (Saturday) I didn't do a whole lot. I finally hung my new curtains and I love them. I went through 7 more more bags of junk and decided to pitch most of it. What I am going to keep (mostly clothes that still fit and shoes) has been sorted and is ready to be washed or put away. My clothes dryer is broke, so I hung up a laundry line so I can wash a small load tomorrow.

It just took minutes to empty dishwasher and fill with dinner dishes. Thank you again Diane. I was going to be lazy for no reason whatsoever.

It just took minutes to empty dishwasher and fill with dinner dishes. Thank you again Diane. I was going to be lazy for no reason whatsoever.

Diane, I wasn't going to do my dishes tonight til I read your post. Now, am I happy or mad??!!

Happy--thanks for reminding me.

Great to hear about your day and thought process!!

Hello everyone, nice reading all that is going on with you. Yesterday I tried to leave dog, I heard crying, ripping, came back in and he had ripped all of my "repairs" off broken dog door, so I took him with me to rock show. He was so excited to see all the people and other dogs, it wasn't much fun for me, did get to talk to a few interesting people, then left. We went out in the country where we were both happy. Today I watered all plants outside, watered tree wells, thanks Tillie. Funny reading about storing unused things out in another area. I have done that too, then when I need to get in that area, I wonder what I was thinking keeping that crap. I go through phases where I am so sick and tired of dealing with it and making decisions, I ruthlessly get rid of it. Same with garbage, I have been filling cart weekly with stuff, even when have to find stuff to put in it. Tillie gives us amnesty for throwing away stuff we would normally store until later, or have to clean to donate. I always say "amnesty" while tossing useable stuff. Dogs dad emailed today and said he will fix dog door or put new one in. I said I think he will break any dog door, need to make plexiglass door or metal, not fiber stuff the dog doors are made from. I really did not want to post today because still have not cleaned bathrooms, then after reading your posts and especially your post Tillie, I am ready. Realizing how hard it was to clean that crappy bathroom the first time, had years of water minerals in toilet and sink, had to scrub with pumice etc. and now it is so easy, it is just realizing that it is really easy now, and making it a new habit. Have been doing dishes daily, last year, I would wait until kitchen was unuseable before I would wash, because it took hours, now it takes minutes. Worked on the deck stuff some, a lot of it is rocks I sorted a long time ago, and they do not belong on deck, put out in yard. Now see I have to have poo pile of rocks that I can't see for rocks I now know I won't ever tumble or cut. A rock friend taught me to have poo pile, just thought I might want to do something else with them, reading posts on here made me remember some day, never comes for stuff we don't use. Fence edge always wants more rocks so dogs don't dig out. I cut more buggy branches off trees. Want to go and saw off a big branch when sun lower in sky today, after clean toilets of course!!!!!!! Thanks for all the updates Oh, keep forgetting to ask about gladiolas, one of my favorite flowers, hope they survived

Coffee clinks!

Getting a mammogram today. This is another Saturday that I've had "off" from taking care of family. Yay me!

Tillie, a day of lounging is perfect! Anony, yes there is emotional weight to things. I bet you are so glad to have the feathers cleaned up. I'm one of those people who hate feathers--as a child my mother would take about germs and parasites and other things and to this day, a feather freaks me out!

Tess--you are inspirational.

Diane--hope you are well! Glad the dog's "dad" came to his senses.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Tess 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!
That sounds like a really great plan.
Good luck finding the remote! 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Hi Joan 🙂
Hi Anonymoniker 🙂

No plans for today, just sorta hang out around here.

I started looking at areas & future projects as the psychic & emotion actual weight that they are, converted to an estimate of weight in physical pounds. I figured that area of bird feathers, believe it or not, was about 200 pounds, only cuz of the futileness(if that is a word?) of the cats bringing in a constant stream of birds, PLUS, trying to sweep bird feathers is very challenging, cuz they will fly everywhere, AND vacuuming them, they will wedge and clog that bendable vacuum hose. The sentimantal & trauma oriented items are much 'heavier'....these older memories have been somewhat 'eclipsed' by the heartbreak memories, so i figure they arent as heavy now....? 😀

I started looking at areas & future projects as the psychic & emotion actual weight that they are, converted to an estimate of weight in physical pounds. I figured that area of bird feathers, believe it or not, was about 200 pounds, only cuz of the futileness(if that is a word?) of the cats bringing in a constant stream of birds, PLUS, trying to sweep bird feathers is very challenging, cuz they will fly everywhere, AND vacuuming them, they will wedge and clog that bendable vacuum hose. The sentimantal & trauma oriented items are much 'heavier'....these older memories have been somewhat 'eclipsed' by the heartbreak memories, so i figure they arent as heavy now....? 😀

Thank you for all the encouragement!!! For me, at this point, any movement is good! Everytime i change anything, it is an amazing feeling of power! That clean side of the kitchen greeting me everytime i walk in there is wonderful! My main mode for heartbreak survival is to channel that energy into changes on my place!
Joan, i did 'The Forum', which was a later version of EST Training, and that one got me down to....'i am that i am isolated'....well, that wont happen as much with a place i can be proud to invite guests to?!! Improving my place will be easier that letting my heart crumble....i think... 😀

Anony, I understand your approach. I applaud your new focus on yourself, as opposed to an abstract view of what your home "should look like". I have realized in just the last few months that when my home does clear up, the areas I use most will start to clear first. I am well enough to see that now, and now that I do see it, it makes such obvious sense.

The steps I take so far with my own living space are still almost exclusively ways of living with or around hoarding, not resisting hoarding. I am working hard 24/7 to build my own system, and I cannot add in the demands of resisting hoarding on top of my routine. When I am feeling better, small things do get cleared automatically; VERY small things. The establishment of a healthy, functioning humsn system is what I strive for every day. As a result, it is becoming easier to get through my days. EST had a saying, "What you resist, persists." I do not belueve this is true universally, but for me it is true of my hoarding. When I no longer feel the need to clear my living space, I no longer hold onto things, either. Then the problem becomes a matter of being healthy enough to be able to clear out spaces.

Way to go, Anony! Good work! I've been struggling with vacuuming and sweeping all week and have been so pleased with the results! Glad to share this with you!

When I cleaned out my stuff from my closets here, there were definitely things that I wasn't ready to give up. After cleaning and clearing up, and after the passage of time, I was able to make different choices. I thought of it in levels. So definitely, level one on the clothes will be to put away for now! No need to have those things blocking you mentally or physically--get them packaged up, put in the trailer, and continue on! I know those mental blocks and it is important to do away with them so that physical progress can be made!

Very proud of your hard work and your perseverance while dealing with heartbreak! Keep up the good work!!!!

Much love from Tatoulia

I just got the kitchen floor swept & vacuumed of bird feathers from the cats! It looks awesome! Im realizing that the way it is now, the overwhelmingly nicest part of my place is the back yard where my ex-soulmate fixed it up. I need to rebalance my own power over my own place. That has to be where i focus this emotional energy from heartbreak. ~♡~

I just got the kitchen floor swept & vacuumed of bird feathers from the cats! It looks awesome! Im realizing that the way it is now, the overwhelmingly nicest part of my place is the back yard where my ex-soulmate fixed it up. I need to rebalance my own power over my own place. That has to be where i focus this emotional energy from heartbreak. ~♡~

Tillie & Tatoulia, since the stuff in question is stopping me from putting laundry away, i feel its better to go ahead & just get that stuff out. Its not like its blocking a back room closet or anything, The things i wear are all on the floor of my bedroom in bags. Once the things idont wear are in that back trailer, it wont be right in my way. Even if i get my tight tummy back to wear some of that stuff, i doubt id pull it out...maybe some...but im too stuck to not make this step...also, i have lots of room in that shed now cuza all the stuff i threw out already...i see your point, but for now itd throw a wrench in the momentum to complicate it with permanent decisions....it seems....thank you, tho....id love to re-evaluate in a year & then toss! I can & have done that....the initial transfer gets perspective changing! 😀

Yay Tess!!! Great job!! So proud of you!! Enjoy your party tonight and we will catch up tomorrow!!!!

Hello everyone!

Like Tillie, I marveled at reading Diane's post about beat drawers! Yay! My bathroom is still filthy, and I hope that by reading everyone's posts I'll work on it today! I have kept up with keeping clothes off the floor--it's truly cleaning that's demanding my attn.

Anony--could you consider donating the clothes if after a year you still haven't been able to wear them? That might work too. I had a huge storage space for years and years filled with some treasure (desk made by grandfather, oriental rugs, antique chairs, etc) and some trash (boots that didn't fit right, old bedding, duplicates and triplicates, eye) and eventually I got rid of all of it. It took me seven months but I did it. I kept nothing that didn't fit nicely in my home. I gave some to sister and the rest was donated. No regrets. I was paying over 350 a month for storage.

So maybe if you can't say goodbye now, could you say, i give it a year??

What are your thoughts?

Hope everybody is having a good day!

When I did my big clean a few weeks ago, I did toss 500lbs of stuff. But I still have a lot of things in garbage bags hidden around the house and basement. My plan this weekend is to sort through at least 15 bags and toss half the stuff. So far, 2 bags down today. I'm using the bankers boxes to help me sort. I kinda tossed the stuff in the bags haphazardly. I haven't seen my remote in weeks. Lol! I have to go to a party tonight (Introvert me doesn't want to go). So, I'll get back to this tomorrow morning.

My goal for tonight is to catch up on all these posts. My eyes are too tired right now 🙁

Not I...
That was supposed to read
HI Anonymoniker 🙂

I Anonymoniker 🙂

Please don't hate me for speaking my mind here.
Your plan sounds to me like a whole lot of procrastination.
Rather than make those keep/toss/donate decisions now, you have made the decision to pretty up storage bins and store the whole lot for some future date where maybe you will make keep/toss/donate decisions then.
Procrastination on making decisions is how so many hoarders became buried in their hoards in the first place.
(((HUGS)))