Happy 4th to all. The fireworks around here last night weren't all that bad, just steady bang bang bang for about an hour at a reasonable hour. We'll see tonight. It is legal here to buy fireworks and some folks spend a ton of money on it. Silly and dangerous to me.

I might go out later and buy a hot dog and fries...if I'm feeling less lazy.

I know sometime today I'll rally and knock some things of my long list of to do. Probably put away clean dishes and wash up the dirty ones. Round up the laundry and maybe even, what the heck, start a washload? My my what a concept.

Diane, I too rely on this board being active to keep me going.

Hugs to all

Happy 4th of July! 😀

We are just relaxing and hanging out at home.

🙂

Karl,
would it be possible for you to explain to me how to make clickable links on this site?

😀

The one way that I know to make clickable links does not work here.

Hi Roxie,

Trust me, you wouldn't want me to be a therapist. I'm really screwed up... I suffer from depression and anxiety, I have really bad OCD, I have ADHD, I have suicidal ideations from time to time, and I also have some "hoarding-like" tendencies myself. So yeah... I would not be a good therapist at all. Plus there is no way I would be able to get through all that schooling. I took 2 psychology classes when I was in college and I absolutely hated them. I thought they were so boring.

I note that these Canadian bombing suspects seem to have also needed some help with their living conditions.

Happy 4th of July Cory! 😀

HI Cory! 😀

Thank you so very very much for giving us this message board and chat room. (((HUGS)))

We miss you but do understand.

Have a HAPPY and safe 4th of July. 😀

Hi Everyone,
I want to apologize that I have been absent so much lately. My world has gone crazy lately with the business and trying to juggle too many things. I am hoping that it will soon calm down but with the franchising, it is not looking too promising. We are trying to restructure and I have been traveling back and forth to our other office which has been a huge commitment.

I love seeing how active the message boards have become. This social interaction is incredible and the support you give each other is monumental to say the least. Everyone keep up the great work on your homes and yourselves. You are doing incredible work AND having fun at the same time!

Happy 4th of July to everyone 🙂

Cory Chalmers
HoardingCleanup.com

Tillie my mouth is watering as you describe your meal!!!! Good you are going to make it happen!!

I have a big craving....
Haven't eaten out in a couple of years but I want to go to a diner or cafe and get a real hamburger.
The old fashioned kind
with the toasted sesame seed bun and the lettuce, tomatoe, pickles and onion sitting on the side of the plate so you can assemble it the way you want it.
Where you have the catsup and mustard bottles on the table and you add it just the way you like best.
One that comes with the lined plastic basket of thick cut sizzling hot fries.
And I would order a chocolate milk shake made fresh in front of me with real ice cream and lots of chocolate syrup. 😀

Thinking I need to work on making this happen.

Roxie, WAY TO GO! on getting the garbage out there! 😀

Diane, no nail polish, just clipped and cleaned. 🙂
It was nicer last night and early morning. Glad you got some good rest. Hope we get back to normal temps after today.

Hi Karl 😀

MayMay,
they are advertized separately but are the same company, same people.
;D

Maybe it would be possible to work for a generic cleanup company and just request not to be assigned to crime scenes?

So glad to sign on and read your posts, this is a tough project to do without support. Tillie, glad you have a relaxing day planned, it has been a tough week for you, and today will be so much fun for you, red white and blue nails? I watered this morning, then worked in big bedroom for over an hour, see some progress.
Was going to a friends tomorrow, not sure if I will, depends on weather, she doesn't like me to bring dog, and will probably be too hot here for my dog here, turn off AC when I am gone, due to old wiring.
I am more optimistic today, slept with fan on last night and did sleep more.
I need to be ok with moving slower in the heat. I have bagged stuff up, and need to start posting on July challenge, that is always a positive motivator. Thanks for posting on here, sure helps me when I feel so alone in this.

Thanks, Karl

MayMay, "my" cleanup company is predominantly a crime scene cleanup company that got sucked over into hoarding cleanup because he got so many calls for help. There are only two such companies in the whole state that I could find.

The owner/cleaner was my "consultant" and lead worker. I would guess if you work for any company that does biohazard cleanup, crime scenes would be included. Perhaps you'd rather fall into the professional organizer aspect of the whole picture? Or get education and license(s) to do hoarding therapy?

I hope everyone has something nice in mind for the 4th of July. I personally will lay low, play my video game, and try not to mind too much when all the fireworks and such go off. I don't mind early evening noises, but sometimes these folks don't know when to quit.

Yesterday, I did finally round up garbage and wheel it all down to the street, at about 1:00 a.m. I felt relief from my own nagging then.

Hey Tillie,

Oh really? 😮

I always thought that he had the "Hoarding Clean-up" and the "Crime Scene Clean-up" separate from each other.

Good Morning 😀

It cooled off over night and has been pleasant so far this morning.
Supposed to heat up again into the low 100s today.
Chance of thunderstorms this evening.

Today I am taking the day off for a much needed rest, physically and mentally.
Will give myself a manicure and pedicure. Watch some movies. Relax and eat proper meals.

Long Holiday weekend coming tomorrow.
Wishing you all fun and relaxation.
Remember, even while doing this work you still need to live and love. Eat, drink and be merry. 😀

So, anybody have any plans for the Holiday?
I was given some sparklers but can't use them because there are NO outdoor fires allowed around here due to wildfires right now.

Stay cool, stay safe and be happy! 😀

MayMay
Cory's company would also have you cleaning up crime scenes. 😀

Roxie: Yes, feel free to share the song.

Hi Roxie,

I've never thought about that before; I never even knew that there was such a thing as a "Hoarding Clean-up Consultant". Sounds like a cool idea. 🙂

Did you meet with a "Hoarding Clean-up Consultant" before your clean-up?

I did look into working for cleaning companies near where I live, that are kind of like Cory's company, but all I could find were crime scene clean-up companies. The crime scene clean-up companies also clean-up hoarded houses. but if I worked for one, then I would also have to clean-up actual crime scenes too. And I don't think I would be able to cleanup an actual crime scene without totally freaking out. 🙁

What I'd really love to do is move to california and work for Cory. I think it would be awesome to work for him. 🙂

Since the western Unites States is having a record breaking heatwave
Just staying cool and hydrated is GREAT progress! 😀

Everybody has been doing wonderful.
Decluttering items and sorting out emotions and thoughts. WTG!

Been watering plants and can't tell yet what may recover and what is totally dead.
The lilac hedge, mountain laurels, roses, lawn, honeysuckle, chrysanthemums, day lilies, wild currant and trees all show signs of damage but their roots may still be viable. 😀
The cat mint (catnip) had left a lot of seeds so that may all reseed itself.
The iris & daffodils are risomes and bulbs so they may come back next Spring.
Time will tell. 😀

Roxie,
If it were my photo album/scrap book I would ask the Son if he wanted them.
If he didn't want them or even just parts of them I would have a ceremony and let them go.
Leave painful memories in the past because they keep us from moving on into a healthier future.

Susan, fun to read how you are going about unloading the boxes of stuff. You are doing great.
Roxie, sounds like you are doing the best you can with the health issues. Tillie says to take photos of stuff you want to keep but don't want to keep---you know, in the case of the album, would it fit in your sons room so he could see it later? If it makes you feel bad, has to be somewhere else, or gone they say on here. I Do have trees, just normally cools off at night here, just not this week. The east side has a deck, so sun beats down most of the day, the west side has steps and cement patio then garage, so no tree there. Sun is really hot, guess could have roof there. I have done next to nothing today, and it is ok, still close to 100 out. one more really hot day then supposed to be 85 on Thursday.

SusanL, I'm doing a happy dance (well, in my mind at least; bod won't cooperate) for your adventures in trash hauling. How'd you find the folks, may I ask? I have a big old refrigerator sitting outside that has to go.

I think you plan of action is good and works for you, so keep it up and keep posting. This all seems to work best when we encourage one another, no matter what stage we are at.

LynnS, how is the hives situation and how are you doing? It's been a few days since you posted.

I so much want to respond to each of you individually but I am not sure I am up to it. When I awoke late today, I had a very hard time getting to "normal" (for me)... coughing, struggling to breath, unable to get up and move around more than a few steps at a time. It was hard and scary. The cats inside and out were perturbed by my lengthy "sits" as I worked to be able to feed and water them for the morning.

I am better now, calmer, able to breathe and sit here. And I brushed my teeth while I read and contemplated. I had four days in a row then blew off yesterday, so I'm starting again.

I went out the other day and mowed the front and side yards. When I parked the riding mower and turned it off, I heard loud mewing. I look inside the empty box from the dishwasher (big box) and found a lone, black kitten, maybe 7 days old. Eyes still closed. I had an idea it was one of the feral girls' kitten, but no idea which as neither had appeared pregnant. I presumed it was the Tortie. I held the kitten (how dear it was, curled up happy in my hands) and tried to call mama, to no avail. I dragged out a large cat carrier, put a clean cloth inside and deposited the kitten.

Later when I broke out the food (I drove to Petsmart and loaded up on cat food again), everyone came around. Much to my surprise it was the Tabby who acted like the mother. She was furious that I moved the kitten, grabbed it with her mouth, and tried so hard to jump back into that big box. I was afraid she'd maim the kitten doing so. I stepped inside and peeked out the door window. Mom settled down on the patio with baby and all was well. She has since moved the kitten elsewhere. I don't know if it is an only "child" or what, but it was big and healthy.

I have encountered something I would like feedback on if I may ask? I do not know what to do with a scrapbook and photo albums from my long-defunct marriage. That was all part of my life, and an important part, and it was part of my son's life. But the pain of the divorce is still with me, and I just don't know what to do with the leftovers, if you understand? Anyway, thanks for any thoughts on this type thing.

Dianne, I am happy to see you posting again. Just toss one thing today, and brush your teeth, again, and I'll be happy for you, okay? I totally get withdrawal as a response when you feel down...I do that, too. But don't totally withdraw from here, okay?

Diane, if there are no trees shading your trailer, could you possibly plant one or more that would eventually shade it? I think you can get free trees from that arbor day program. It would cut the heat buildup inside the trailer and you would not have to worry about roots impeding on the building, right? I have way too many trees on my property and wish I could distribute them to you all. I intentionally have some overgrowth for the wild things, but this is ridiculous.

MayMay, perhaps you can start as a hoarding cleanup consultant? I mean, someone could contact you who is contemplating taking that step, you could visit, get an idea of how much the hoard is, what needs to happen, and perhaps act as a facilitator on their behalf with local options, professional cleaners, etc? Could you get a job with an existing professional cleanup company to learn the ropes? You could right now make some simple business cards up to hand out as you go?

Tillie, I am relieved for you to have some cooling and most definitely the water. How is the garden going? Anything survive? I'd sure love to give you free reign on my property.

AnneW, you are doing wonderful work and I love reading your posts.

Karl, love your song. If I may, I'd love to pass it along to my pro cleaner. I think he'd get a kick out of it.

Today is the day I need to wheel my garbage bin to the street, so rounding up and depositing trash is my first goal, then wheeling the bin. It does not sound like much but the trip down to the street and back wears me out.

I've torn a page off my little calendar but I plan on keeping it so I can see my progress on the teeth brushing plan. My dentist ought to be delighted, as am I in the progress so far. It does feel good to sit here just brushed.

If I've missed anyone here, I apologize and will try my best to make up for it later. Hugs all around.

Thanks all for your encouragement! AnneW, yes I was super nervous thinking about having my first hauling experience. What would they think of me and my messy garage/house. Would they even agree to take this stuff. On and on. Well they were just as polite and kind as they could be. I did all that worrying for nothing 🙂

What helped me was to view this as only the first of several pickups, rather than "have to do it ALL PERFECTLY the first time". If it's just kind of a trial run, to see how it goes, then I don't have to have everything perfect. Thank goodness 🙂

So with that it mind, I just added 2-3 boxes of stuff to the pickup pile every day whether I felt like it or not. Reading what the rest of you have accomplished really helped my motivation on days when it would have been more pleasant to skip.

So every day one box from the worst part of the basement, one box from the other part of the basement, and if I had any energy left over, something from the rest of the house. I should add the rest of the house is not too bad because I've been working on the visible part for a long time. The basement ... ugh ... but now it's time, now I'm ready to deal with it.

Every box, every single item, that I get out of the house is progress. Slow and steady wins the race.

Thanks Anne, it did help to read what you wrote, it is all so confusing to me, am I being petty? etc., so you cleared up a few things, and yes, it is taking care of myself, not going along with what others think I should do, although I was feeling guilty, until I read your reply. I had the dad that spent money wildly on drinking with buddies, and mom who had to pinch pennies to keep us fed and clothed. I think I do have an abnormal fear of not having enough because that is what I grew up with, thus the hoarding, buying all the garage sale stuff etc. After I wrote that stuff, I realized that I lived in So. Calif, at the beach for 10- years, to try the fancy life, and now am very content in my trailer on land I own, that has a view, and going to a lake, don't really enjoy all the trips my friend wants to go on. She has lots of friends with money she can do that stuff with. Right now I feel most comfortable de-hoarding, later might be different. I know that 1 day a week by some water will make me feel rewarded, and that is enough for now. Without this group, I would be shopping for sure, since this whole friend thing is anxiety provoking, since I kept people away for a few years, and just letting them back in, takes a lot for me. Going on a trip and sharing a room is not in the least bit appealing. I would much rather pay someone to clean that pay for a motel room I don't want to be in. Now that I have more clarity on this, feel more relaxed, thank you so much. already 97 degrees, yikes

Diane -- You are doing so well !!! ...Resisting spending spree & being honest with your friend re: the $ stuff and allowing yourself time to clarify your feelings & change your mind. From what I just read in your post you are doing an EXCELLENT JOB of TAKING GREAT CARE of YOURSELF!!! Keep up the awesome work & Trust YOURSELF -- because I think you are right on re: the $ thing.
I am only now learning how to live beneath my (limited financial) means.
[I grew up in a family where "overspending to impress" others was the norm from one parent while "pinching pennies," self-sacrifice (to the extreme) was common practice from the other parent -- talk about mixed messages!]
It is SUCH a WELCOME RELIEF for me these days because now I actively practice just being me -- offering what I can to friends from my heart & without any strings. It sounds to me like that is what you are doing, too. I don't know if hearing it from someone else is helpful &/or validating, but I say Hooray, Diane, for being you!!! 😀
Hope you stay cool & get some good (& well-deserved 😉 REST!

SOOOO HAPPY YOU HAVE WATER Back, Tillie!!! What a relief! =) Way to hang in there during that terrible situation! (I want to call you "Triumphant Tillie" because you continually triumph over so many obstacles! -- and at the same time you consistently help so many of us here 🙂 I know -- I'm a little silly -- But I have been thinking of you & so glad to see that the indoor plumbing is working properly again =)

Diane -- *** !YaY! *** for your courage, picnics with friends, & Lake Visits!!! You, too, are triumphant 🙂 (but the alliteration doesn't work -- How about "Dynamite Diane" because you keep on "blowin' up" the clutter! 😉 What do ya think?

Roxie -- Thinking of you! (Also, thinking of your happy teeth 🙂 & mtn.laurel & hibiscus. Hope you are getting better sleep & know that you continue to inspire me with your wise words & clear focus on maintaining a clean decluttered home for yourself 🙂 You deserve it!!!

Hugs to Dianne & MayMay 🙂

Great work Karl & Ali!

Billie & Kara -- How are you each doing?

SusanL -- I'm hoping to be organized enough by the end of this month (July) to schedule a big garbage pickup. Did you find it stressful leading up to date? Any tips of worked well for you?

Hope everyone else is hanging in there!

Susan, what a great thing you did for yourself, congrats on doing it now, and not later, weren't ready earlier, so just be grateful you were ready and it went well, so proud of you for taking action.
Tillie, so happy for you, heat is tough, and you got through this most difficult time without throwing his junk away and being locked up for murder and $125 is so inexpensive to have your comfort back, so happy for you.
It is already too hot, did go out and water this morning. was in garage for over 1/2 hour, throwing things away, and making myself focus on all the progress I have made. then hung some white fabric up outside to try to stop some sun heat from getting me today, supposed to be 101 degrees, which is hot in a trailer. Will run fan and air conditioner all day today so hopefully won't be too hot to sleep tonight. Yesterday was fun going to the lake, but place didn't cool off enough to sleep again last night, so today will leave AC on all day. Since this place is so old and wiring problems, afraid to leave AC on when gone or sleeping. I plan to do baby steps of work today. Did dishes. Now must tackle pile of papers and pay bills. Think only one is not paid, that got buried, but must find it and get rid of other pile. The camera I bought and took the hoard pictures with, does not work now after I charged it, did I wreck it or is it just a blessing so I don't look at pictures. I will take it back to Costco when it cools down and see what is wrong with it. (or with my tech skills) Without this group, I would be on a shopping binge right now. I had a discussion with my friend about the forbidden topic "money" yesterday. She inherited a bundle of $$$ and I told her my income is so low and savings has to last the rest of my life so not comfortable going to the coast and S.F. with her and paying 1/2. We discussed a percentage plan where she would calculate my % by comparing our two incomes, I don't know her income, she knows mine. We agreed on that then today I emailed and said I would rather pay 1/2 of things I really want to do and say no to things that are not in my price range, like trip to S.F. It was clear yesterday, that she can not give freely, and wants to keep a tally, so I said I would rather say no, than have a list of what she expects of me. I want to go shopping to avoid feeling the feelings of "less than" and the discomfort of saying no to her. I worked hard for all that I have, and she just lucked out and was given a huge inheritance, so part of me thinks if I had that I would be happy to take friends on trips and not keep score, confusing emotions. It felt so good to make a fancy lunch and really make her happy without any thought of being paid back. Too many feelings right now. Lack of sleep, and too hot, thus I rambled on about my confusion.