Dianne,
Thanks for posting about your German shepherds. I miss my Trooper. He died shortly before Christmas two years ago and was my husband's dog. They had a very close bond. German shepherds are a very special breed of dog. They are very intelligent and don't tolerate stupid or indecisive people very well. They are not for everyone. I always knew Trooper would lay down his life to protect me but would "stand down" if I said so. He had a sixth sense of who could be trusted and I knew to trust his judgment of people.
One afternoon, we started out on our daily neighborhood walk when he suddenly stopped and insisted on turning around and going home. When we got back, a strange car was in my neighbor's driveway. She was not home. Trooper led me around the house. A strange man was trying the back door and looking in the windows. He was trying to find a way to break into the house. How did Trooper know that something was wrong at home? I don't know. But I always felt safe with him around.
My Miniature American Shepherds will bark loudly if someone comes to the door and they are a lot of fun. But there will never be another Trooper.

Roxie, yeah my guys are purebred, the grandparents are German and Czech all Schutzhund trained to the 3rd level which is most advanced. The breeder here had an accidental breeding and put out a sign on the road. I took the largest male for protection and a few weeks later she talked me into taking the runt who ended up growing as large as his brother but has multiple problems.

Good morning everybody 😀

So good to read all your thoughts.
That even though you struggle you keep working at it.
You are all so much stronger than you realize and have overcome so many obsticles.
This is what keeps me going, to hear how very hard you all try.

BIG WAY TO GO!!!!! to all of you! 😀

Wish my hoarder would find the motivation to just "try".

Today I am cleaning up inside the house.
The usual weekly general cleaning.
Bathroom, floors, vacuum, dust, generally straighten.
Sun is shining, sky is clear and blue. 😀
Have 3 loads of cat blankets out drying on the clothes line.

Keep up all the GREAT work! ;D

Hi, Dave, Thanks for posting your thoughts yesterday on letting go of stuff. I just read "To Lead is to Serve" on Kindle.
I have been a volunteer since my early Girl Scout Days and find it helps balance my life. Since I retired from my job Dec. 20, I want to keep volunteering regularly one or two days a week. As an extrovert, I need to get out of the house and socialize with others. It also fills my own need to be needed and appreciated.
Your insights and analogies from the book give me a new attitude in letting stuff go.
Many of we hoarders have suffered great loss. We hold on to stuff to fill the void. I am posting a quote from Shar McBee's "To Lead is to Serve" on the Encouragement Quotations page. It is on "Sacrifice".

When I got up and saw more clutter I missed last night, I wondered if it will ever end------then read your posts and felt so comforted, without you I would be in a very dark place. Thanks for reminding me of the progress I have made. It is a process, seeing more areas that can be improved. My mind goes to what areas are still bad, have to focus today on progress.
The SUN is out today, hooray!
Dave did you remember to take breaks after 15 minutes, that seems to help when I remember to do it.
Roxie you express your self so well and are so kind. they brought out tons of potatoes in huge boxes. Most were good, maybe 3% were damaged, we got to pick through, any soft ones were given to cows. I cooked some red ones and they were so delicious.
Dianne, always enjoy your posts.
Barb, so happy you are here
Tillie, read all the antenna stuff, thanks.
Hope 2014 is a cleaner year for us all!!

Diane,
Wow! Really great progress!

Karl,
Sounds like a lot of hard work, congratulations on working through all the choices.

Roxie, just a note. That book has nothing to do with hoarding, or really even the ideas I expressed. I took a little nap and those thoughts popped up as a synthethis of that book and some other things I've read. The actual book is about managing volunteers in voluteer based organizations. I am having to find new ways to think to attempt convincing myself to do things I have no desire to do.

Good morning. Karl, WTG on getting the patio cleared.

The apartment management recently sent out fliers, one of which said that they're planning to do "power washing" of this building January 2 and 3, and everything should be removed from the patio. So I spend some time tonight moving the busted electronics over to the dumpster area (I don't know if I can actually dump them there, or if I'm supposed to contact e-waste recyclers). I moved my bicycle and related stuff over to a fence in a public area that should be out of the way for now.

Housemate says she's already cleaned her own stuff off of the patio, but I see there's still a couple of unopened sacks of potatoes (likely inedible after this much time), a case of bottled water, a tray of kitty litter (just in case she ever gets another cat), and a card table. Maybe she'll be able to deal with that stuff once mine is out of the way.

Well I finally took some stuff and hid it in the bedroom. Tomorrow I will vacuum everything, make sure all clutter is out of entryway, deck and living areas and bathroom. Funny I spend days stressing over a visit that will probably be less than an hour. The positive is that it forced me to really organize living areas, and tomorrow they will be totally clean. I am more aware of the importance of daily maintenance and really completing an area. I was making rooms "neat enough" and now I want them to stay organized like they are now. For the first time in 20 years, I can see the possibility of having a comfortable living area, that I am not ashamed of. I see that as I live in a clean area I will be able to see what I need and what is extra stuff that I do not need.

I read some chapters in a book called To Lead is To Serve today. So it strikes me that a [reforming] hoarder could lead space and things by serving them.

By discarding broken things with gratitude for their service, one can honor the people who made them for their work, honor the things for their service, and one's own space by allowing it to contain useful things.

By giving away useful things that one is unwilling or unable to use, one honors the things and the people who made them by granting the things an opportunity to serve someone else who requires their services.

By removing broken and unused things, one honors one's space by giving it the opportunity to display beauty and tools useful in supporting a person's requirements for daily living.

T,hanks for posting, so great hearing all that goes on in your life. Thanks Tillie for antenna info. Got up and got to work on cleaning, then at 9am sue called and asked me to go with her to go an organic farm that had a bunch of potatoes freeze and were giving away free organic potatoes, since could not sell the good ones because exposed to bad ones. It was miles out in the country where I had never been. We got lots of good little red and gold potatoes. they are out on towels drying off now, Leave dirt on and store in dark place, they were a little damp so have to dry before putting away. Wasted lots of time laying them out and flipping. Gave some to neighbor today, will give some to Sandy when she brings Max tomorrow. Still have tonight and tomorrow to finish cleaning. I love my living room now. Have to take a picture so don't start leaving stuff around again. I like the colors in here, great art, nice job putting things together that are pleasing. It is really self care having a clean living room that I feel serene in, thanks to all of you on this journey with me.
Took all the donations to thrift store today.
Went to Bimart and bought lots of the old type light bulbs since they can not make them anymore. I love those bulbs in winter because they have heat, then use the newer ones in summer that don't make heat. They were almost sold out so I was happy I got them today. They did not have 100w, which I like to use to help prevent depression in winter. 75w is ok. Is it true the new kind have mercury in them, just heard that today.

Dianne 🙂
WAY TO GO!!! for recognizing your triggers and going so far as to leave the store with the minimum.
Stores spend MILLIONS of dollars to set up merchandise to work on our subconscious.
Having to go back to get the rest of your list is a small price to pay for breaking their hypnotic hold on you.
Keep up the great work and you will begin to become immune to the psychology.

(((HUGS)))

Tillie, my mom used to make a big corned beef and cabbage dinner every New Year's Day for the Irish side of our family. My dad's Scottish tradition was to wrap coins for each of us with our names and the outgoing and incoming year on them. Leave them outside on a windowsill on New Years's Eve and bring them in on New Year's Day for prosperity all year. Between the two traditions we always had enough. 🙂

I went to several stores this morning with specific purchases in mind. As usual there was way too much calling my name. So I got what I can't make ~ milk, apples, green peppers ~ and some dry goods and came home before finishing my list. I was kicking myself for wasting the time and gas to make two trips since I have to go back out but I needed to break the *buying trance* that was coming over me.

Happy New Year All!
I love starting a new year. It always seems so full of promise, new beginnings and possibilities. I used to try to write resolutions with lofty ideals for the year. No more. I am learning to live like my dogs---one day at a time, one moment at a time. They know how to live in the moment without the burdens of the past or fear of the future.
I wish for all of you peace and good health in 2014.

Good morning 😀

Hi Diane 🙂
When the dog gets there just have wonderfully doggy type fun! 😀

Hi Roxie 🙂
WAY TO GO! for all the things you have accomplished! 😀

Hi Dianne 🙂
Doggy sleepover sounds so cute. 😉

Sleepy today. Gunfire & fireworks got the cats all spooked and it took a while to get them all back in bed.
Have laundry hanging out on the clothes line under clear blue skies. 😀
Tomorrow will be a BIG cleaning day for me. Mr. Hoarder finally goes back to work, YEA! So whatever I clean will stay clean for at least a few hours. 😀
Wish I had corned beef & cabbage. Supposed to eat corned beef & cabbage new year's day. Oh Well.
Rather than buy expensive beef, instead I bought a 3 pack of new undies for me. ;D

Diane

grounding antennas

how to do it

read these links and if you still need more info just search "grounding roof antennas" for more info. 🙂

Hey Roxie, was wondering how you were. I was hoping for quiet here too but the inevitable fireworks went off. I thought big explosives for private use were illegal in Maryland but we're in a rural area so it must be who cares? But part of me thinks it's pretty cool too because the next door neighbors are building really amazing family memories for their brood with all the activities they have going on there.

I tossed out some cheap cat food for my crow family of 5 and will set out some finch food and a little something for the squirrel friends. Hopefully their bellies will be full and they can hunker down the next few days. Mr. Fox gets the bigger leftovers and can eat anything. I try not to get them dependent but in bad weather they seem to know there will be food, shelter and warm water here.

Hi, my chatty friends. Miss one day here and look how busy you are. It's great to see.

To each of you I wish you a happy and prosperous year to come.

Thanks Cory, we all appreciate this site so much.
Tillie, funny girl, yes the dog will appreciate all my work!!!!!!!! Actually, as soon as she leaves the dog and I will go play in the yard and get as dirty as possible. Thanks for the laugh. Thursday at about 4pm, I will be stashing and dashing, actually should be ok by then.
Is the wire aluminum or steel that goes to ground? Thanks for input.

Happy New Year Cory (((hugs)))

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all have a safe night and here is to an incredible 2014 for each of you. Keep up the hard self work, and keep using this message board to find the support that we all need through life. I wish you all the best in everything you do. You are all my friends and so happy you found this site 🙂

Cory Chalmers

WOW! so many posts to read! 😀

Hi Barb 😀
Great to catch up with you and hear how you are. 😀
Looking forward to working along side you this new year.
The grocery store was pretty empty of people and I only had to wait 2 minutes for my turn to check out. Perfect timing.

Hi Diane 😀
WAY TO GO! on all your tidying up!
Hope the dog appreciates all the hard work you have done for it. 😉 lol
I don't know if being in a tree is good or not for reception.
My antenna has a long wire on it that goes to the ground and is attached to a grounding rod that is driven deep into the earth.
So, if lightning hits it the bolt will be directed safely into the earth.
(((hugs))) we all have occasional melt downs, no need to apologize. 🙂

Hi Dianne 😀
You have a wonderful way of saying things. (((hugs)))

Hi Karl 😀

Hi Dave 😀
So very sorry you got that nasty paper cut. 😉
WAY TO GO! dealing with that paperwork!
I think papers are the hardest thing for people to make decisions about. Even I have a hard time deciding what to do with papers so I just throw them all away which tends to not be the right decision at times.

Unclutter your life in one week?
The only way that my hoarder could accomplish that is if he hired Cory's company. ;D

sorry it is going so slowly Dave, glad you keep at it, in spite of frustration

Pressure of having unwanted company Thursday really kept me moving today. Things are looking better. Took donations to garage, then realized have to load car. I cram-packed the car with donations. No wonder garage looked so bad, had so much to donate.
I was waiting to have a pick up, so just kept gathering stuff, then today, just loaded it into car. Did not go to store, just worked all day. Nothing like company to put the pressure on to clean.
I attached a cable to the huge antenna, it is about 10 or 12 feet tall with really long arms. It is so big, I don't want it to be visiable so I stuck it in a big aspen tree. Not sure if that is ok. I will try it on tv tomorrow. When tree leafs out, will I still get signal? Is it dangerous for lightening? Hurt back while tying it to tree, so resting now. If it doesn't work, it may live in the tree! I cleaned more stuff from deck and entryway today. she is coming between 5-6pm with dog so at least it will be dark so she cant see my hidden stuff. Tomorrow will continue to focus on living area where she will be. It is looking better, still need to finish some areas.

Barb, that book is on the main page of the unclutterer site I mentioned earlier.

Yeah one week, wouldn't that be sweet? 🙂

Karl, I moved my answer/question over to your Techie thread.

Diane,
I have, last night and today, learned what you are really coping with that I really haven't recognized. I don't have the time right now to make that make sense, but I think you are showing strength, flexibility and resilience in the things you are doing. 1 comparison thing, I spent over an hour today, even with some help, dealing with 14 pieces of paper, mostly receipts. (I also whined at great length when I cut my finger digging around in the recycle bucket for an envelope I wanted to reclaim. 🙂 .

I hope you are able to continue doing your good work.

In my area, Big Lots had 8gb ones, for, i think, under $10.

OK, Dianne, next question -- do you have a small portable drive with a USB plug on it? This is sometimes called "thumb drive", "flash drive", "data stick", or "pen drive"; the Wikipedia entry has a picture and more info. If you do have one, do you know how much storage it contains?

It's not critical that you have one, but one suggestion I found online was to boot your computer off of a thumb drive instead of the hard drive's operating system, and then wipe the hard drive from there. Since thumb drives have even made an appearance in the impulse shopping rack at supermarket checkouts, I figure there's a reasonable chance that you've encountered one.