CM I frequently get confused too! We read things and start writing, and forget things along the way!

Keep up the good work! Today I am working on my mother's large laundry pile if brought home. I am getting haircut tonight and pretty excited about that. I am also fasting today.

Tonight is garbage night. After haircut and visiting mom, I'd most like to find my tax documents and get going on that. Ridiculous. I think I owe so I've not been in a rush. I hope it's not too much, meaning under a thousand is preferred.

Tillie my dear please be sure to rest your eye. I'm so sorry about that!

A little addendum to my earlier post:

Got mixed up earlier - it was Tatoulia who mentioned not liking the heat. Hard to remember sometimes who said what unless I write a list. My bad!

I meant to say to Anonymoniker re getting unstuck -what helped me was how the social worker I have helping me sometimes got me focused on eliminating cardboard boxes. Such a simple thing - but it seems to eliminate my tendency to dither at the beginning. It also helps me get to thinking of better ways to store the stuff I take out of the boxes. And to throw some of it away! 😉 It doesn't have to be boxes, just some easy to focus on goal that you can just jump in and do to get the ball rolling. Whatever works for you.

Porter, absolutely hope is what I want to have.

Tatoulia, thanks for the kind words. It's feeling like things are moving along more than they have for a long time. I looked at the storage unit before I left today and thought that if I had to move into the one I'm hoping to switch to, I could probably be ready to go ahead. It would be tricky but possible. A few weeks ago I would have been horrified and not known where to begin. I pray this means it will happen not too much longer from now.

Just a quick drive by to let you all know that last evening I got something in my eye and it scratched it and it is very hard to look at the computer.
Sorry, but hopefully it will be better soon. ;/

Thanks for the nice long post CM! Great to catch up and am impressed by your time & effort at storage! WTG!!!

Thanks for the nice long post CM! Great to catch up and am impressed by your time & effort at storage! WTG!!!

I glad you birthday was nice. Hope would be my gift.
I always hoped I could live without a hoard I. My house. My hope became very strong one day and kept going. I hope you keep your hope Alive.

Hi, and thanks for the birthday wishes! I got mini cupcakes at Walmart - white with white frosting which is bad for you but totally my favorite and I don't do it all the time, so there, LOL. I found them delicious! Shared with my quilting ladies.

It was a good birthday - one of my quilting friends treated me to lunch, and later I managed to get a little of this and that done. Took a box of stuff to thrift shop, basted a couple of doll dresses I plan to sew when we get the stuff moved back from the area I work in - that is one of the inconveniences still from waiting for our repairs, but not a major one. I have plenty of projects, and as you know I tend to jump around from one to another anyway!

I also got some nice birthday wishes on Facebook. I'd meant to go somewhere and ask for a senior discount, but ran out of time and couldn't think where to go. But I can get that discount whenever now! And no point buying unneeded STUFF. 😉

Last night my roommate got a text from repair guy, with explanations of family emergencies. Said he could do our work today, but whatever was going on must still be, or a different emergency. I waited a little while and then went again to quilt for a little while and to lunch again with my friend and to a fabric store she wanted to go to.

Then home to attend to the dog, and back out - to my storage unit! 😀 I spent about 2-1/2 hours. Originally I was only going to make a quick run but I got on a roll. Got 2 black trash bags of flattened boxes & assorted trash, another box, & a broken plastic crate into the dumpster.

Found my capri pants I'll be wanting for spring weather, and some photos of my dad that had been in a flimsy box. I'm going to scan those photos. It gives me happy memories to look at them. And a few art supplies.

I've also been making collages out of select papers and painted cardboards that I hoarded - as I go through and purge a lot of it to give to someone with little kids to crayon on. I'm only pulling out the nice stuff for my own use, and enjoying making quick compositions of cut or torn paper, which I'll embellish with marker and acrylics and mixed media. I started doing that the other day with some I found in the van and thought, why not do the rest of the batch and purge at the same time. Having a blast with it all.

The stuff that came out of the beat-up cardboard boxes in the storage is getting put into tubs ready for transport when the time comes, and neatened up in the process. I'm finally getting to sort through hastily packed stuff from my moves and put like with like. That thrills my OCD soul! Hee hee!

Have a great evening and a bright tomorrow! Hope Joan, Tillie, Tatoulia, and Porter and anyone else is feeling well again. Anonymoniker, probably best not to buy the truck if you aren't sure - I wasn't about my van and had the aggravations of lurking problems. It is doing well now and is a workhorse, but it took time and $$$ to get it going well. I know what you mean about summer heat! I don't like it!

I like the look of lilacs but not the scent of them, really - too strong for me somehow. Roses, though, I love, and jasmine, and carnations that have that vintage clove spice scent. It's fun watching each growing thing awakening.

Those pesky reminders ,
They work in reverse too, remembering why my wife and I married .

She said it was for our daughter. But I had to remind her neither of thought we could have children. Funny how something so important gets fuzzy in the past. I was not as much a hoarder with my first wife.

Too sleepy to make much sense, I'll drive by later gators.

We had very warm weather yesterday and I slept with windows open and ceiling fan on. Very good night's sleep.

Working from home and doing some puttering. Want to wash down jacket and donate. I love my wool coats but the down jackets lose their charm after two years, so I'll donate now after washing. I'm also getting rid of my boots. I am much happier getting rid of this stuff and starting fresh in the fall. I also have some walking shoes to get rid of.

Spring fever!

I need to remind myself of how unhappy I am in the summer when its hot and my house is a mess. I need to get it into shape now.

Hi, everyone!
~☆~Happy Birthday, CM!!!~☆~
...well, i chickened out on buying my old truck back...it was not practical. It wouldve just distracted my time, efforts & money from my place.
Astrologically, i know this summer would be a perfect time to get my place fixed up. I do know my aversion to getting more stuff is very real! Its really just cleaning & fixing that needs done. Im looking for some kind of drastic way to force myself into it...it ridiculous how stuck i am!
.....part of why i havent posted larely is cuz my dang internet addiction has my vision so blurry i cant even see to read yalls posts...ha ha
I have been having fun doing other things tho....altho, while it was nice spending time with my ex, i was reminded why we broke up..ha ha
~☆~Happy Full Moon!~☆~

Happy Birthday, dear CM!

Good Morning 🙂

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CriticalMass 😀
Did you get your cake/cupcakes???
If so, please describe in detail what kind. 😉
Very happy you & room mate & Kitties will not be keeping your lives on hold while waiting for the repair man to get around to you. (((hug)))

Hi Porter 🙂
Sorry the phone wiring needed work.
I am sure you handled the mess very efficiently like you always do. 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Thank you (((hug)))
My Granma had a lilac hedge running the length of the driveway.
When it was in bloom I fondly remember her & I standing there almost all day enjoying their scent.
She said that heaven must smell like that.
So when I stand out there enjoying my lilac hedge I feel so very close to my beloved Granma again. 🙂

Hi Joan 🙂
Wishing you many more lovely strolls through the forsythia. (((hug)))

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Missing you (((hug)))

Cold, cloudy overcast this morning.
Still need to re-do 4 tree wells to be all caught up & up to date on the garden stuff.
When I was out there yesterday I was tired after all I did get done and allowed myself to not have to get everything done all in one day.
I used to do it all in one day but I am much older than I was then.
It's not that I am leaving things half done, it's just that now slow & steady is the best way for me to get it all done. 😀

Thanks Joan that inspires me to go take a walk just for pleasure.

Joan! What a great day for you! So happy to hear.

My forsythia is blooming.

Today I went for a walk. It has been years since I was well enough to walk.

Good weather has lifted the mood.

Glad you are feeling better, Tillie!

I am shredding mail tonight--mine, brother's and mom's. I took two bags of garbage out and am about to do some vacuuming. I went to work today even through I frequently work from home on Mondays.

Have been fighting a headache for two days. Not fun.

Going to vacuum a little and then perhaps call it a night. Have a lot to do here but headache is a bother.

I am glad you are keeping cool, CM. Very frustrating re waiting for handyman. At Christmas I really started to lose my patience without my bathroom sink.

Tillie and CM, the lilacs sound so pretty. I love lilacs so much although I must admit my eyes are watering just thinking about them!

Take care everyone! Keep up the good work!

Well, another day and another no-show of our repair guy. I finally left the house around 4:30. My roommate and I have decided we're just going to go about our lives and quit putting the cats in the back room in the mornings. The repairs remaining are non-emergency, and when he is able to come and we know for sure, we'll just have to tell him to wait outside until we get the cats put away. He's helped us a lot, but apparently we have to come up with workarounds like this for when he gets occupied with other things. He does a lot of work for a lot of people and I think maybe stretches himself too thin.

If last week hadn't dragged out and gotten behind, I might've been in a position today to go work at the storage unit. I sure hope we get more nice days before they start getting hot, or are stormy, etc. But I do what I can where I can.

Porter, I can sure relate to you about repairs causing stuff to be strewn around and how depressing that can get. Hope yours wrap up soon and you're able to get things back how you like them.

Tillie, our lilacs are blooming too. The pear tree already did, and around town various redbuds are blooming. It's looking pretty.

I'm at the library, and on the way home stopping to buy Easter cards for friends/relatives and buy myself a birthday cake or cupcakes for tomorrow.

I didn't lose my glasses , it was two years ago.
I still take that pair to work.

It wasn't my phone cords it was my wiring. So I had workers in the house. So some of the clutter I brought back home is getting dragged out and stacked in unorganized piles. I see it , I don't want that way anymore.

What's been goin on ...?

Hi Everybody 🙂

Cats & I went outside this morning and did stuff in our little garden oasis.
Watered & spread steer manure/compost.
When neighbor friends were fixing to move last Autumn they gave me all their yard stuff.
Stuff to kill weeds, stuff to kill bugs and all different sorts of plant/lawn foods.
I used a bunch of that stuff today. 😀
My lilac hedge is starting blooming. It doesn't all bloom at once but in waves.
Makes getting to enjoy them longer!
Yellow jacket queens are in full force starting to build hives.
I killed a bunch of them. ;D
It was a GOOD day.

Absolute mayhem here.
But I share details when My fears and reality departed from eachother.

I lost my glasses.
I went and bout two pair for $60
The earpieces broke off in 4mo

I looked on utube.
I eventually settled on using the spring from ink pens to jam the earpiece over the mounting .
And walla.

It's a crooked as hell. I look so goofy.
But I can drive, and do all things I can do while wearing the glasses as opposed to being nearsighted..

Try it. You'll hAte it but , it will get you through. And is free for hoarders cause no self respecting hoarder goes without a collection of ink pens . Or is that just me.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
I have experienced times like those too.
Where everything just keeps going wrong.
(((HUGS)))
Hope you are well rested today and everything goes smoothly for you. 🙂

Still taking it easy but doing much better day by day.
Hoping everybody is having a wonderful Sunday 🙂

Greetings from Bedlam

Actually, today is better. But last night was a doozy. There is some phenomenon that occurs to me when delving into clutter. Being a science geek I think of it as sort of like disturbing something that has been in a state of homeostasis. Crazy stuff can happen.

It started after my decluttering I did yesterday afternoon. I had moved just enough stuff in my bedroom that the balance was disturbed, and was sitting on my bed chilling for a bit after my efforts. A plastic bag of smaller plastic bags (that I'd been using to put small items in) fell off the table. I got up to pick it up and put it back. Then I sat back down - on my glasses, which I often take off when doing close work. Broke the earpiece off. I had paid 40 bucks to replace one of them, can't remember which, last year or so. These are rimless frames and there's a stress point on the wire earpieces, and once it breaks it's too thin to repair.

I'd been thinking about getting new glasses at some point, and to me it'd be throwing good money after bad to repair these again. I'm going to look into a program that helps low income people like me with glasses. Hope I qualify.

I handled it with more cool than I usually do, though of course I was dismayed that for a couple bucks' worth of plastic bags I broke a $40 earpiece. This sort of thing has happened to me before - a cheap item will hit an expensive item somehow, and guess which one will break.

Later, after a hectic evening for both me and my roommate, I was doing okay, winding down to go to bed - when suddenly I spilled an entire glass of tea on the bedroom floor! I managed to move files and things out of the liquid's path in time, but I lost it emotionally and shed a few tears and whined while swabbing the floor with bath towels. At least I didn't have a cussing fit. That's a bad habit I'd gotten into that I've been working to break.

It just seems sometimes like my life is this mad Rube Goldberg device-like setup where one tiny thing triggers a chain of aggravating repercussions. And usually right at the point when I'm recovering from the last bout of such craziness.

It's been like a rollercoaster. Today, as I said, was calmer, and I even got a nap in. I'm just pet sitting for my roommate's dog and the cats as she'll be gone till late, and doing the usual things for the bunnies. I'm not going to attempt any big projects for the rest of the weekend. I need a BREAK.

Tatoulia 🙂
We cross posted again 😀
Keep up that happy feeling! 😀

(((hug)))

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi LR2014 🙂
Great job of lightening that load in your vehicle.
WAY TO GO! 😀

Hi Porter 🙂
Hope you get those phone cords figured out without too much hassle.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
So much going on at your place!
Hope you & the cats can find some peaceful easy time this next week.

Feeling better today.
There is a limit to what I can physically do and I pay dearly if I overstep that line.
Wind is blowing relentlessly for days now.
Some rain, maybe some snow.
My lilacs are starting to bloom and I hope the buds don't freeze before I get to enjoy them.

TTFN 🙂

Tillie, my dearheart, I hope you are feeling better. Rest up and drink lots of liquids. See if Marty or Scooter can give you some extra loving. I'm not sure if it's physical, emotional, etc but my prescription is the same.

LR so glad to have you back!!!!

Everyone, I slept til 12:30 today. Fended off hungry cats and everyone else. A waste of a day but was it? I feel happy and rested. Going to see brother then mom. Will see BF also for a minute here or there (he's working today and office is near my parking garage). He and I have plans tomorrow that I am looking forward to. Tonight I just want to take care of mom and maybe do something about my house.

Have a great day everyone!

My phone cords aren't working .

LR2014, I'm renting a room from a friend and luckily our repair guy, who's also our car mechanic, is a good natured fellow who has a great sense of humor and doesn't judge. In fact he calls himself a hoarder, in jest, I don't know. He does have a lot of automotive collectibles. His family pitches in one way or another with the work he does, wife and teen/older kids, we've met them and they're good folks too.

My roommate and I both are the type who want to do more decluttering but often life gets on top of us and things get pushed back. Little by little we each are dealing with our stuff.

Porter, my empathy on losing that house. I was hoping to be able to inherit my parents' home but it got re-mortgaged and I couldn't afford to try to buy it back. My credit rating is in Dante's 9th circle of Hell from my overspending on STUFF with credit cards, when I was too stupid to know better. Sigh.

Today I did more in the van. To answer your question how it looks, Porter, it isn't at the final goal stage, because I'm awaiting that transfer to the storage unit closer to where I live. It's still got tubs in it. But the clutter around the tubs is getting gone, and then when I move to the other storage unit and store the tubs, I'll be able to clean it out and have space in it. Looking forward to that!

Today I got a box of trash out of it, including one tote bag that was full of "stuff I need to go through." I'd bet we all know what that sort of bag is like, LOL! I got 75 percent of the contents gone and pitched the bag itself because it was pretty shabby. I'm still working to get my Steampunk and Doctor Who crafting and cosplay stuff into one tub or two smaller tubs - which would probably work better, really.

It was windy here, so better working on this than trying to do the storage unit - stuff blows out of it and that can be aggravating.

Still haven't gotten our repairs done. Cats will be able to be free from now through tomorrow though, because both of us humans have commitments tomorrow, so the work will just have to be postponed. I don't like that; it has dragged out long enough already, and next week is Holy Week for me and I'd like to spend it more spiritually instead of dealing with all this mundane upheaval business. But what can a person do? So much is out of our control.

Guess we'll just do the best we can, that's all.

I'm very sleepy today , no reason. Just sleepy.
Everyone one is out doing their own thing.
I'm fasting today. And will head to the gym tomorrow morning while they sleep.

I think I just go sit on the porch.

Tillie hope you fell better.
CM what will the van look like when it's done.

For sure water maintenance is highest priorities, it damages so easily. And invites critters .

I had a insurance guy come. And he reported clutter.
Well duh, how do we get under behind and replace kitchen drawers and counters without moving everything into another room . He came while had both new and old drawers in the living room , during the transition. I was like really?.
The kitchen is being remodeled and how want to discuss clutter during the remodel.

I hate penny punchers, some times. That was the when we ran into trouble with the mortgage company.
They cancelled our insurance. We bought another premium, but the mortgage company imposed their own high price into our escrow. I put us in tight spot , never got resolved, I was in a car wreck, my wife had a cancer operation, we fell behind on the jacked up mortgage 950 a month after a winter of heating bills. We be ET got caught up.
We lost the house.

I understand the weary feelings about having others in to repair. But
Keep hallways clear.
Water rooms clear.
And the trash out like a religion.

Something else I learn over the years.
The room I spend time in .
Bedroom. I can organize it without much effort , because I'm in there so much.
So if I decide to make it a clutter free room of minimalism. Then I can spend time in the next room that needs reclaiming. I mean to say I camp in the rooms that needs clearing.

Seems that not long ago I needed to do that. But now , for now. I've eliminated the hoards and clutters. I'm have maintenance done now. It adds up. And they don't seem to have time to stick with it till its done either. Making it a drawn out process.

We absolutely will not be here in when my daughter goes to school in the fall.
She's moving to Bloomington, Indiana. Where IU is.
There's a lake near by. But it doesn't look big enough to stay there year round.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Will write more later when I feel better.

(((HUGS)))

OK, here is the re-post:

Hi, all. Thanks for all the warm welcome-back messages.

I wanted to report a couple of days ago, I got a lot of work done on my "vehicle project." I got literally hundreds of pounds of tools out of there. If all goes according to plan, then I will get more stuff out of there this afternoon.

CM, one thing that ran through my mind a day or so ago when I was glancing over the recent posts was the fact that you are getting repairs done, period. A number of years ago, I had many repairs that needed to be done where I lived, but I was too embarrassed/worried to have maintenance people come in and do them. For me, it was a big step when I finally started letting people in to do the work. These days, any time I see someone in the group posting about getting repair work done, I think, "Whoo-hooo!" Maybe you've never had the struggle I have had in that regard, but nonetheless, I like hearing that you're getting needed or desired work done. Sorry it's a pain, though! (And I relate about the 30-cents-higher gasoline sticker shock! Ouch.)

Hugs to all. Looking forward to reading more posts and getting more caught up. More later!