Hi all,
Diane--enjoy your time with Max. If and when it is time to bring another dog into your home, you will know and it will be right for both of you. Dogs (and cats) bring joy and balance into our lives, but they also add to the dirt and clutter.
Tillie--I always look forward to your posts and progress reports.
Today is Sunday and I am taking a day of rest. Other than the daily maintenance chores of dishes and keeping the cooking area clean, I am not working on the house. I do use Sunday night to look at my calendar for the week, see what obligations and appointments I need to work around, what deadlines I need to meet, and try to set a few goals for the week.
I find that if I can take a day of rest, I am more ready to go full steam ahead on Monday. If I am able to get a good productive Monday under my belt, I am more likely to keep up the momentum. This works for me. It is not everyone's lifestyle.
For those of you who find Sunday a good day to get things done, do what works for you.
We are having a blizzard here in the midwest. The snow is accumulating rapidly and many places are closed for the day and anticipate being closed tomorrow.
I am safe and warm in my tiny home and have plenty of food---and I can cook in my newly clean kitchen. (One of my fears has been that we would have a snowstorm before I got the kitchen clean enough to store food, cook and eat in.)
`

Can someone explain why the little "envelopes" alongside each thread are either red or blue?

Good Morning Everybody 😀

Clear blue skys again today! 😀 YEA
Have some laundry out on the clothesline.
Once it warms up out there I plan to get outside and do some more yardwork (play).
All the cats will be out there "helping" me. 😉
All the snow has melted except along the north side of things.
I am house sitting the big house again for the next two months.
Nothing to do over there except bring in the mail and water the plants.
It's an easy way for me to make a little money.

Hi Cory 🙂
Lucky kitties! 😀
I have always wanted an outside enclosure for cats. Keeps them happy and safe.

Hi Diane 🙂
WAY TO GO! so happy you have the loaner dog to keep you company! 😀
Wonderful day you have planned.
It is very possible to maintain.
But you need to stay connected to the people and activities you employed to help break the old habits.
You need to be accountable.
While doing all this hard work of decluttering, making a million decisions, doing needed repairs and deep cleaning you have to address all your emotions.
Don't try to run away from feelings or you will just bury them all again.
This is why we wish that everybody could afford and find a therapist who is trained and very experienced with hoarding.
But since that is not always an option available to everybody the next best thing is to find someone like Cory who will generously give his knowledge and to find and read everything written by the true experts in the field.

CBT

Diane, you CAN do this and keep it maintained. (((hugs)))

Tillie your story about helping clean cluttered house was very inspiring. I need to believe it is possible to maintain a clean house after all the work I am putting into making this place livable and even pleasant!! I know many people on this site, do great for awhile then disappear only to come back with sad stories of returning to old ways. I have to believe it is possible to maintain. I have lived in shameful conditions for 20 years so have to really make permanent changes so I don't fail again.

Every time I see "Cory" in spot who last posted, I smile and hurry and open it up. Thanks Cory for letting us know your plans, sounds like a good plan for the day. I was sitting here with little motivation, a bit tired, then reading your statement about using our day wisely I realized sitting is not my best use of time, thanks.
I am so happy I have loaner dog this week, we have been playing fetch for an hour. The toys he ripped the cover off of, I sewed sox on with extra crinkly plastic in, so he is so happy. He is motivating me to get out for a walk every day, so good he is here.
Clean sheets on bed
Today I will start a new donation bag, walk through every room and see what I can put in it. No pressure, just make it a fun search. When sun is in yard, will work on a new walkway with stones or bricks or stones and bricks, whatever my hidden artist wants to do.
Hope you all enjoy your day, see you at 5pm

Use your Sunday wisely!

Hope your day is a great one!

Dave so happy you are working together to make life better. She is more important than "maybe
projects.
Max and I just came in from going for a walk and working in yard. Sun leaves my yard at 3 in winter, cold today but beautiful.
Shock: I had a spinach salad with sliced boiled eggs, actually looked pretty, first salad in forever. Ate it while soup was cooking. Shock of all shocks, washed dishes as I went, even put them away. I put fresh spinich, my new organic potatoes, black beans, and frozen broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower, also red pepper boxed organic soup. Turned out delicious. A clean house can open the door to all kinds of surprises. I think I was really depressed after Molly died, and didn't realize it until Max came for a visit, he is such a delight. Sunshine helps too.
Did you have fun in your yard Tillie?

WAY TO GO! Dave and Mrs. Dave 😀
Wonderful job making all those empty plastic storage bins! 😀

If my wife keeps this up, my next horde within the hoard may be empty Sterlite plastic tubs. (In case I want to save something. 🙂 ). The outbound pile increased by considerably more than a ping pong ball today. ( her work, not mine.)

I already have several tubs that have turned up in the garage that I rescued from the recycle center or bought at goodwill that I am starting to have a great deal of trouble justifying keeping. I think a few will be useful outside in the spring, but I think I have gone beyond that number.

Diane 🙂
Max is a lucky dog! 😀
Sunny & clear here today.
Planning on doing some yardwork (playing) when it warms up a little.
(((HUGS)))

YEA! DAVE!!!! 😀

WAY TO GO!!!! 😀

Once upon a time, long long ago...
I found myself tricked into helping a very reluctant housewife clean her house.
She was not a hoarder but for many years had just left all her stuff pile up all over until there was no more usable space for her family in the house.
The family brought me in because they were miserable and always getting sick from the squalorous conditions in the home.
I agreed to do this for one week, not the whole month like they wanted.
My first rule was that when she picked up an item she had to make a decision as to keep, donate or toss the item right then.
OHIO = Only Handle It Once.
If she decided to keep it she had to explain "why?"
She was ornery and argumentative the whole time.
When we got to decluttering another area,
she then dug in her heals and told me "I am not going to decide on this!"
I said "OK, so your decision is to not to decide."
She said "NO, I said I will not make a decision!"
I explained to her that deciding not to decide is a decision.
She continued with the decluttering.
We filled truck loads for donation and truck loads for the dump.
I trapped too many mice and had the husband locate and cover all mouse holes.
Since she had not been doing any housework all these years I taught the two teenage kids and the husband what needed to be done daily, weekly and monthly to keep the house clean so they would all stay healthy and not keep getting so sick.
It was fun teaching them, they all wanted a safe clean home so badly and were willing workers.
By the time I left, the kitchen and bathroom were sanitary. The rest of the house was properly decluttered and the family had been taught housekeeping.
The family was also very itchy with skin rashes.
The wife had been stuffing so much laundry into the washing machine that all the clothes had so much residual detergent on them they had to all be rinsed four times to remove all the soap.
Their skin healed up immediately.
With husband pressuring his wife into doing a To-Do list daily while he was away at work.
Three months later I returned.
The house was CLEAN. Walls & ceilings washed. Bathroom and kitchen sanitary. Laundry washed and put away. No more mice. The kids rooms had only the kid's stuff in them. No more dust.
The squalor was gone.
The house has remained clean all these years later.
Anyways....
The moral of the story is that deciding not to decide is a decision and that decision is what leads to squalor.

I know, TLDR ;D

Sister Tillie we posted at the same time again!!!!
So happy you got sleep, so did I , makes life so much better. Max got a massage this morning, lucky dog. Thanks for your input on my work paying off in the end, I appreciate you so much and all the help you give me. And yes, even though my income is so low, having a cleaner come in once a month for 3 hours would be so helpful. Just until I get caught up. Sun is out here hope you have sun today also Tillie. Hugs, really appreciate you Tillie.

@Tillie

( Red Face )

I just put a ping pong ball back in "Outbound".

Thank You!

Barb, I can relate to every word you said. This morning I went into the kitchen and there were 4 items on kitchen counter that did not belong. Putting them away, gave me such a sense of accomplishment, thought, no one would understand, but I know you do!!!!!!! I haven't been eating healthy food often enough and that is what I want to focus on in my clean kitchen. It is 7 degrees here now, so I am content being in here and plan to cook something healthy. Soup is my favorite on cold days, good plan, will get that started.
As for the enormity of hoard, I have felt that too, and make myself focus on progress. I stuffed more stuff in other rooms to make this area livable when Sandy came here Thursday, I know that will be done, but for now I am enjoying my clean areas and maintenance will be my focus like never before. Organize don't agonize is something I read last night, love it. We can only keep going, doing this with support from the folks here, so happy we have this site.

Good morning everybody! 😀

Got a good night's sleep last night and woke up with lots of energy. 🙂

Hi Sandy 🙂
WAY TO GO!!!!
Fantastic that you had the sleep over! 😀
So wonderful that you hired help and now most all your home is clear & clean. (((hugs))) 😀

Hi Diane 🙂
What your hoarder friend said is all wrong...
You work on your hoard daily and depending on how fast you can declutter, in a month to a year your entire home is then clear, clean, peaceful, serene and a place for you to truly relax, a real sanctuary.
Doing all this hard work of decision making, repairs and deep cleaning is really worth the time and effort.
Sad to think that your friend is content to die in a hoard having had no quality of home life.
15 dollars an hour is a good price to pay for a house cleaner. She can do some work for you to free you up to get the other rooms decluttered.
(((hugs)))

Hi Dave 🙂
So what are you planning to do with all the loot you acquired while helping your wife?
I have this problem too.
When I declutter my own possessions my hoarder goes through the trash can and donation bags and gathers up stuff to add to his hoard.
I hate getting rid of things only to later see them again so much so that I now smash all smashables, burn all burnables or bury things deep under cat box scoopings in the trash can.
Unfortunately, he will still dig stuff out. 😀

Hi Barb 🙂
WAY TO GO!!! for having a clean stove and preparing better meals!!! 😀
Just keep chipping away at the kitchen clutter and very soon it will be all done.
Make sure to take regular breaks and to keep your focus on one small do-able section at a time.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Roxie 🙂

Hi Dianne 🙂
Good luck excavating that room and I hope you find that crucifix right where it should be in there.
If your daughter can help you that would be great.
This is a wonderful opportunity for you to finally get that room decluttered.
With help I think you would be able to make more decisions to donate rather than store more stuff.
Good luck (((hugs)))

Happy Saturday morning, everyone.
Yesterday I decluttered the top of my stove, washed down the walls around the stove, stove top, vent hood, burners and drip pans. Inside the oven does not look bad---a few burnt drip spots---it will wait. My stove is clean, clean, clean!
Anyway, I cooked supper for myself, ate, did up the dishes, wiped down the stove again and it is clean and ready to use again today.
That may not sound like much to some, but to me it is a major accomplishment. I can actually cook healthy food and eat it again. I have been surviving on sandwiches, microwaved food and eating out for weeks. The sandwiches were a recent addition since getting the refrigerator cleaned out.
Today I plan to clean off the counter next to the stove. Little by little I am taking back my kitchen!
A major winter storm is moving in so I may well be housebound for the next few days. They are predicting snow and frigid (below zero) temperatures. I may as well use the time to keep going on the decluttering and cleaning.
I woke up this morning and started to be depressed about the hugeness of this mess. Some days it just seems overwhelming. It would be easy to just play computer games all day and mentally block off the world.
So, I focus on the clean parts of the kitchen, narrow my focus to the task at hand, and remind myself that I WILL get it done, one small part at a time. And I reread all the posts from my friends on this site. It is your stories and comments that keep me going.
Knowing that I can share my little successes here and know that others hear me and understand is priceless.

Oh, Sandy, I am so glad for you. What you have done for your daughter and yourself is magnificent! And thank you for posting your success. It gives the rest of us such hope and encouragement.
When I was first married, my husband and I both made good money. I was trying to finish my master's and he was teaching all day and then two night classes a week at the university.
I had a friend of a friend come in on Thursdays to clean the kitchen, entry, living room and bathroom. It was well worth it. I went into every weekend unafraid to let people in the main area of the house. I could keep those rooms neat and clutter free. We used to have the kind of house where people felt free to "drop by."
I want to have that kind of house again.
In my area, $20 an hour for someone who works freelance and does a good thorough job is fair. Sometimes they require certain cleaning supplies that they know will do a good job and are non-toxic.
If you can afford it, Sandy, go for it. Having someone keep the living areas clean will give you the opportunity, time and energy to tackle the clutter in the other parts of the house.

while you are waiting for Sandy's reply:

2,080 hours in the year at 40 hr weeks. So, maximum income for year approximatly $30K. Assuming this person reports income and pays taxes; Fed Inc tax, State Inc tax, and both halves of the FICA tax. Health insurance. Cleaning supplies and transportation. Your car shop probably gets $70-$100 per hour, mental health professionals probably get $100-$150 per hour.

On the other hand I did my first clutter cleaning consulting job the other day (helping my wife with a box that was troubling her). I got two pennies, two rocks, several sea shells and an "antique" rubbermaid coaster in payment. Violating one of the cardinal clutter cleaner consultant's ground rules--"thou shalt not appropriate thy client's crap", I also got two binder clips and two picture frames.

Gives you a range to think about and decide if "reasonable" should fall within or outside of it.

Sandy the more I think about what you wrote, the more I want to hire a cleaner, it may motivate me to unload the rest of the hoard. My neighbor charges $15 an hour, is that normal? She works for my friend that is a minamolist cleanie, and does a good job in a beautiful home, not sure how she would react to an old trailer, but only lives 2 blocks from me, so at least wouldn't be a commute. What is your opinion?

I am tired right along with you Tillie, hope tonight for both of us. Sandy, great story, I want to get to the point where I can have a cleaner even once a month. I am still confused why I choose to hang onto stuff in 2 hoard rooms and garage. Having clean living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom has me looking at the hoard in such a different light. I finally can see and feel the burden it is and how it is ok to enjoy a clean life, and my fear of being destined to fail doesn't have to be true.
My hoarder friend said, "I can see it now, you work on your hoard daily, then you die, what is the quality of that life?" My feelings were a little sad, but today when I can relax and enjoy this area being free from clutter, I know I am doing the right thing. 2014 is already so much better, even though I am whipped from being so sleep deprived, I feel such a sense of serenity in here. I am so grateful we all found each other.

It's good to hear of everyone's progress. I have had a great triumph. I held my daughter's birthday sleepover last night, and it was a great success. I worked for days to clear out the junk in the house, and I managed to do it all except for two downstairs rooms that we did not use. I then hired a house cleaning service to clean up after the junk was out. The lady from the service said that my house was quite dirty, and perhaps I would like to hire her to clean on a regular basis. I said yes I would. Then she said, "I've seen worse. I have cleaned the house of a hoarder. But you're not a hoarder." I thought to myself, "Oh, yes I am a hoarder. You didn't see the house before I cleared the junk." But I didn't say anything. Now the house is clean except for my daughter's room and the other upstairs room where the kids ate. The kids made a mess. But it's a mess I can and will clean, because the rest of my house looks and feels great except for those two downstairs rooms that are still full of junk. I still have work to do! The folks in the Sunday night chat were a big help. Thank you.

Good morning 🙂
Still morning here for a few more minutes.

Scooter had some GI upset last night and kept me up with him, for company.
I am exhausted. My brain is fuzzy and I can hardly think.
So many things I wanted to do today....
Oh Well

Will reread the message board again when I can concentrate.

Wonderful to see so many posts! 😀

I love, love, love reading the stories you all have written, and I hope you share more, especially about you and animals.

Dianne my windshield wiper broke weeks ago and the replacement I bought is still in the trunk, guess I will go out and put it on today, since you reminded me!!

Dianne, what a challenge going through that bedroom,
I totally understand moving something to a safe place, and not remembering where that safe place is.
Max woke me up several times last night, so am pretty tired today, and still so grateful he is here. And extremely happy my living area is so clean. Reading your post dianne, made me think of all the crap I have to deal with in other rooms.
when boss was here she asked questions about hoarding. She asked about a 36 year old relative who has clean living area but everything else is a mess, bags boxes , no organization etc. It brought me back to my late 30's and how I had one messy room and over the years the hoard kept growing until it filled every room. It was very clear to me that my inability to make decisions was at the bottom of much of the hoard. Indecisiveness continues to be a big part of why it is taking me so long to get rid of the hoard. I need very little to survive, and thrive for that matter, so why would I keep all this stuff that gets in the way of me thriving?

It is bitterly cold here, wind chills down to -10. But the brilliant sunshine on the snow is beautiful.

The room is mostly filled with clothes, shoes, purses, stuffed animals, decorative pillows and everything she ever had as a child. I really hate to start shoving everything in bags and dragging it to the storage unit. But I don't want to make decisions either. So it's major avoidance.

Thanks Barb, for sharing about Trooper. He sounds like he was the very best of what you can have in a GSD. That says a lot for you and your husband as owners.

Diane, my fuzzy eyesight first read ~ Well Max the hoarder dog is here......for a split second I envisioned him piling toys in his bed. You did a great job of prepping for his owner to come and well deserve a break. Congratulations!!

Well Max the loaner dog is here, and I am so happy he is. I was so exhausted from cleaning all day, but it was worth it. When she was here I felt ok. Don't plan on working at all tomorrow, this was a long week preparing for visit today. Do plan to take pictures tomorrow. Cleanest it has been in years.

I suppose I'm going to get into trouble here! My experience with German Shepards as a door to door salesman is that they are by and large mean, nasty, vicious animals. There was one who, even though I was talking with its owner in a calm voice, over a fence and the owner had not given it any verbal clues I was aware of, was barking and lunging. The owner told me that they often even had to lock it up when their daughter visited.

Fortunately for me, I did meet some friendly ones too. I pulled up in one farmyard which looked deserted, hopped out of my car and headed for the house, when around the corner of a barn came a herd of about 6 or 8 of them. I thought my new name was "lunch". They just gathered round and gamboled happily with me up to the house. ( I can't remember for sure, but I think the lady of that house was outside around the corner hanging up laundry so that potential threat got a little more under control fairly quickly.)

The best trained dog I ever met was, I think, a doberman pincher. I pulled up in a driveway. There was an old? dog lying on the porch. It didn't appear to show much interest so I got out of the car, went up the porch steps leaving the dog alone and reached up to knock on the door. I suddenly noticed the feeling of little points on one of my lower extremities. I put my hand back down by my side and the points went away. I backed up and turned to look at the dog. The dog just sat there and looked at me. I decided we both knew who was in charge and went back to my car. I wish I had been able to meet the dog's owner to compliment them. No barking, just did what it was trained to do. That was the most carefully controlled animal bite I have ever received. (Much different than trying to drag a cat out from under a car! 🙂 )