Thanks Dianne,
Everyone was very excited when we told them that we are trying to get pregnant; especially the guys... When we told the guys that we are trying to get pregnant, they were all like, "yay! We're going to get to have a kid hanging around the fire station with us!" Our baby hasn't even been conceived yet, and I'm already having a funny feeling that when he or she grows up, they will be a firefighter. Lol. 🙂

Yay MayMay!!!!!

I'm so excited for you both! That's a huge decision!

Hey Dianne,
Yeah ever since I moved in with my firefighter hunk, I haven't been as attached to all my electronic devices as I used to be. Don't worry though. I'm still going to post when I can. My firefighter hunk (I love saying that. LOL.) and I are actually trying to get pregnant. (Well he's trying to get me pregnant. He can't get pregnant because he's a dude. LOL.) 😀

Thanks Tillie and Dianne and Roxie.
This morning I cleaned the chimney and did some other stuff outside, then wrapped present, and am now heading to party, no time to shop today!! Giving a gal a ride back to our town, so cant stop to shop to de stress after party. Deep breathe, I can do this.

I wasn't going to tell this but here goes.....

Ok time to stop beating myself up. New day. And maybe if I wait a bit I can get to the point where I give some of that stuff to the Interfaith Center. Those sherpas and a bright tee sure would be a nice gift for someone to get for free. So cozy. 🙂

Wow, miss a day, miss a lot!

Roxie, congratulations on getting those dishes and counters done! Yes the *shopping for others* can fool us for a bit but it's just the same old problem with a different twist.

Good morning everybody 🙂

Hi Jess 🙂
WAY TO GO! with using the vacuum! 😀
Did you toss any of those old candles?

Hi MayMay 🙂
Happy to see you again. 😀

Hi Karl 🙂
Enjoyed catching up with you in the chatroom last night. 😀

Hi Diane 🙂
Have a wonderful time at the party. (((hugs)))

Hi Roxie 🙂
WAY TO GO! for getting the tidied up! 😀

Yesterday I totally cleaned the diningroom area.
Washed the walls, washed the light fixture, washed & polished all the furniture, washed all the things I put back in there.
Today I am catching up on other stuff & giving myself a break.
My plan is to totally clean the livingroom tomorrow.
Today I am doing some laundry since the weather is nice enough to hang things out on the clothes line.

Hey, kids. It's not okay to harm yourself if you overspend. It's okay to make mistakes, then get back on track. I can understand Dianne's "shopping for others" since that has tended to be my own shopping fix in the past. You know all the rationale for that one. And Diane, I'm glad you understand the reasons behind your shopping binge and that you really don't want to do that. Mistake, dust off fanny, recover and move along.

Hugs

I'm in the chat room right now.

wow, I have missed out on all the great stuff posted here, I like Dianne, was off on a shopping spree, the high was great until I got home and had to deal with it. Two solid days of long hours of shopping. I think isolating after working around so many people the past 2 months, left me feeling lonely. Turning 65 this week and having only a few casual friends, no family, and no male love interest,, brought lots of feelings I did not want to feel, so went to craft fair, got ideas of things I could make and shopped non stop for 2 long days for things to make for non existent friends.
I am so grateful for chat last night, feel like shopping is not the answer.
This morning I washed all dishes, and there were lots. Cleaned inside of microwave.
Grateful for the work I did yesterday, an hour of scrubbing with pumice, removed several years of hard water ring in old toilet. Adjusted inside stuff so now doesn't continue to run after flushing. Tightened nut at shut off valve that was leaking. I smile every time I look at that clean toilet. I am so grateful you all post here, makes my aloneness less painful for sure.
Dianne, so happy you posted about the addictive high we get from shopping, it is so inviting when things are difficult, that quick happiness. With all the anger you had over repairs, it was a diversion, nice you are so honest. Today, I will continue working on kitchen to get it back to being useable so I can prepare healthier food this week. First will clear off counters, move paint cans out of kitchen, yes tillie they are still there. then if energy will work on clothes on dryer, clean, and piled there. Grateful I can see there is hope after shopping binge. Today, we are fogged in, grey, gloomy, great day to go shopping, but NO, will make it more cheery in here, and shower and curl hair, wrap gift for party tomorrow, and focus on all I have to be grateful for. Thanks to you all for continuing to battle this cunning hoarding disorder.

I like this website.

unf*** your habitat

Don't check it out if swearing upsets you.

Otherwise, it says the things that I would say and often do say to my hoarder. 😉

Busy weekend, in a good way for a change. Sorry I missed the chat -- when I finally got back to the computer, everyone had left. I'll try an off-schedule chat on Monday, 6pm PST / 7pm MST / 8pm CST / 9pm EST, for people who'd like to hear about how things went.

Hi everyone! 😀

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. 🙁

I've been super busy lately. I can't believe it's almost thanksgiving. This year has gone by so fast. It feels like just yesterday I was preparing for the 2012 apocalypse; that never happened. lol. 🙂

Today I went to work; took Cory, Matt, and Snuggles for a walk in the park; and then went to the grocery store.

Okay, one more goal...

Since I posted about the old candles I have they have been bothering me. I just want to throw away a minimum of three candles. Knowing myself, I'll probably go through them all but I'm trying to encourage myself to take it slow.

Roxie -- I'll have to try that breathing technique. I almost always end up counting in repetition to soothe myself but sometimes I think that makes me anxious by itself. Always good to try out things that could help!

Dianne -- I definitely understand the high of the buy. I've always thought it was ironic that I love love love to buy organizational products. And office supplies!! Can't get enough. I too am a frequent cart-filler and then put-backer lol Whatever helps reel us in I suppose.

Tillie -- Your dusting tips inspired me to try out the new vacuum I finally decided to purchase. Over a year after our wedding shower where we received gift cards for such things. So yes, I was avoiding vacuuming because when I start I feel like I have to move all the furniture in every room but I managed to make a compromise. It bothered me but the important thing is that I got something done.

Karl -- I'd love to hear how the party went! 🙂

Today my goals are to put away the laundry I washed yesterday. My closet is a mess so I got stuck but I don't want to keep that clean laundry just sitting there. Realistically, I cannot clean the whole closet today the way I want to so I'm going to try to just refold the remaining dresser drawers I have and put the clothes there. For whatever doesn't fit I'll have to figure something out.

The other goal is to pack a bag to visit my parents and inlaws and get on the road at a decent hour. I'm awful at packing. I bring way too much stuff and get so anxious about forgetting something that I "need" that I end up stalling and leaving later than I should.

Good morning 🙂

Hi Karl 🙂
How did the party go? Hope you had a wonderful time. 😀

Dianne, thank you 🙂
That's all I ask, is that you try. (((hugs)))

Sunday,
sitting here on the interwebs, drinking tea, thinking about making a big dish of macaroni and cheese today.
I could cut it up into meal size portions, wrap it and freeze it and have home made mac & cheese any time I got the craving for it.
My hoarder has Monday off work & will be here.
I have no hopes that he will do any thing so I won't be let down. 😉
I am planning to do a major cleaning of the house this week.
This means pulling all furniture away from walls,
dusting walls and vacuuming/washing the baseboards.
Washing all the furnishings with Murphy's oil soap, polishing the wood and washing all things that go back into the spaces.
Won't be hard or take forever.
These are my "no Clutter Zones". 😀
I want to banish all the dust from Summer from my life this week.

Hope to "see" you ALL tonight in the new Sunday chat room. 😉

Thanks Tillie and Susan.

Susan I have tried making feelings like little personalities in the past and had conversations with them. It's a pretty cool technique and I do like it. Miss Crazy and I have had some great times but I'm sure she has many other friends to visit. 🙂

No progress on a new home yet.

Dianne,
You can thank Miss Crazy for helping you feel good in the past, and tell her you now have other healthier ways to feel good about your life. Shopping is no longer your only source of happiness.

When I have tried to stop my hoarder from one of his crazy wild spending sprees it always ended up badly for me.
He would get extremely angry at me if I said anything to question his purchasing choices.

How would you react if someone popped your balloon?

But somewhere deep down inside him he must have heard my voice and my logical reasoning.
All on his own now he has begun to slow down and take the time to think things through before getting to the check out register.

He must have wanted to make the buy/not buy decisions all on his own.
Hates being told "no". Feels deprived when the big bad bully won't let him enjoy the high of the buy.

Before you get to the check out counter STOP and reel yourself in.
It is perfectly alright to fill your cart full of everything you can grab and then not follow through with actually buying it.

STOP and think it through.

Look at each item and ask yourself "WHY do I feel the need to own this???
"What do I already own that is just as good/useful/a joy to own as this new item???"

Then remember that you can always go back later and get it if you find that you really do need it.

Part of the hoarder's buying high is achieved from getting immediate gratification.
Force yourself to wait.
Take time to reevaluate each item.
Think about all that you already have sitting neglected at home.
Learn to distinguish between what you truly need from that what you only want.

(((hug)))

Thank you Tillie, you are always so supportive! {{{hugs}}}

Any advice on how to stop the crazy before it runs away?

Dianne 🙂

(((hugs)))
Happy the shopping/buying spree was for others and all you got to bring home was a good feeling for helping/treating others. 😀

Hi Roxie 🙂

There are several ways to tackle dust.
One thing I feel is important is to try to contain it to keep it from all going up in the air and settling on other stuff.

The vacuum with the attachments is great for sucking it up. Sucks up spiders too. 😉

A damp rag, one wrung out real well, is also a great dust grabber.
Often times you will need to rinse the rag out a couple of times before the job is finished.

I don't know how well those fancy "dusters" work since I have never used one.
I hear they are expensive and you have to buy replacement dust pads as they get dirty and can't be washed out.

Sometimes I use a bucket of water with some Murphy's oil soap and a soft rag to wash dust off.
Makes the house smell real pretty. 🙂

When looking at that dust and procrastinating about dusting remember what you are really allergic to is the dust mite's poop contained in all the dust.

Hope I answered your question, if I left something out let me know and I will try again. 🙂

Wow, everybody is doing great with getting things done! Roxie, I am especially proud of you for all the medical tasks accomplished!

After coming off the spending high I was feeling a little guilty. I tried to tell myself at least it was for others and I didn¡¦t bring anything into my house.
?º

Karl, you are making progress and I am proud of you. What have you been able to do about a new place to live?

Good morning 😀

Been listening to some Andrew Mellen videos on youtube this morning while going through all my kitchen finding stuff to let go of before I do a major washing the dust off the entire area.
Summertime with the windows open 24/7, living in the desert, where the wind blows a lot, off a dirt (unpaved) road, things tend to get very dusty very quickly.
Now that the house is all closed up for the winter I can do a deep clean in here & things will stay clean for a long time. 😀

I am having fun sorting out and reorganizing.
The key to keeping out clutter is to regularly reevaluate everything as to WHY do I have this?
Do I use it? Do I need it? Do I have another similar thing that I like better? Do I truly treasure it? Does having it add to my life or take away from it by my having to clean and store and take care of this thing?

Some things I have had and was happy to have them.
But times have changed and so have I.
The items no longer suit my lifestyle or tastes.
Once these items are removed from my life I find that I can then enjoy what I am keeping all the more.
This is when I can see that saying
Less Is More
come true in my life. ;D

I washed the bathroom floor, hand-washed a few dishes, and cleaned off the stove and counter top; then I took a break, finished off the last of a carton of ice cream, and checked my email.

Unfortunately one pending email involved a puzzle that I then spent a lot of time solving -- completely forgetting that I was going to run the dishwasher and wash the kitchen floor tonight. Fortunately, the dishwasher was already loaded -- I've just now started it running -- and the kitchen will probably be good enough without scrubbing, if I sweep any food bits off of the floor.

Looks like I'll need to go out tomorrow afternoon to take care of one more banking item; I have a credit card bill that's due on Monday, even though that's a holiday and the bank will be closed then. Then clean the living room and take a shower before guests arrive.

Thanks Roxie! I am trying to find some balance for sure and breaking up my chores is something I find very difficult. I ended up doing the three loads of laundry because I needed darks clean for work and my bedding should be washed separately. I also needed clean towels. So I washed three but I have a few more that I managed to leave for later.

When those were done I didn't want to put them away because then I want to take out all of my clothes so I know how to organize them "properly." It makes me want to cry to think of just folding them and putting them in the drawer. In the interest of breaking myself of this behavior I settled for refolding three drawers and putting the newly laundered clothes in those drawers with the stuff I refolded. I put away the towels and bedding. Bedding takes forever because I struggle with folding fitted sheets. I get so frustrated I have to calm myself down by counting and taking breaths. I did this hours ago but I'm still thinking about them in the closet.

As I was working on the laundry I found a few hair ties I put in my nightstand and that made me want to pull everything out of the nightstand drawers. Same went for when I needed a bandaid and had to go in the linen closet for one. I wanted to rip out everything in there. It's exhausting.

I think I'm extra edgy tonight because I have my first therapy appointment in the morning.

Today I picked up some groceries, returned the audiobook to the library, and deposited a check, before finally sitting down to a late breakfast. Party is tomorrow; I'll try to get the bathroom and kitchen adequately clean tonight, so that I can focus more on clearing the living room tomorrow.

Good afternoon. Haven't gotten much done yet today. It is chilly. Brr. I'll get stuff done, I know.