Good morning, everyone! It's actually just last noon here in the East Coast. I went out this AM and worked on the ice out front. Our gutters are making huge icicles --everyone is having giant problems and I've decided not to get upset, it will work itself out soon enough and money can fix the problem, so I'll just not focus too much on that.

Channelling our Tilllie, I am issuing a challenge to myself today and if anyone would like to join in, please say the word!

I will go put all dishes away, wipe off kitchen counters and clear away any papers, etc out of the kitchen. Now, I have a small galley kitchen with no table in it. And I bet I can do all of this in 20 minutes, it's not a race, mind you, I'm trying to prove to myself that it takes no time at all.

Mind you, I ran the dis heather yesterday or the day before, and I didn't empty it, and all of my other dishes are now hanging around. Where they do not belong.

Roxie, do not try anything stressful like vacuuming. This isn't a challenge to tax ourselves, it's a voluntary challenge to learn that it's really not time consuming to pick up our socks or put away he cleaning supplies in the bathroom or change the roll of toilet paper and throw out the old tube.

Anyone care to join me?

Diane
I had to pause and reread, I thought I read:
"I glued some socks together ...."

Tillie
Now that's a caution. More trees than socks. What's a body to think about that?

Roxie, I'm glad you are able to be with your brother so he can give you the care and support you need right now. Continue the baby steps in regaining strength and stamina. Vacuuming can wait. 🙂

My Tat!

So good to hear from you again Tat!!

I'll join you by the campfire, Diane! Tillie, are you in? You too Dave. I'll bring marshmallows.

I am celebrating, my post showed up, can't stop me now!! This morning I did my homework for class tomorrow. Took 1 hour 15 mins, then spent 1 hour 15 mins organizing stuff in here and washing dishes. Washed work clothes and hung out on line. The rest of the day was outside. I chopped some BIG pieces of firewood with ax. I felt so proud of myself for whacking those monsters. Took a ripped up tarp off a pile of 2x4's that I chop up for kindling, and organized pile neater and more solid. Then found stuff to get rid of in yard. A guy stopped over yesterday and I was so embarrassed about some yard tools in odd places, messy. So today was motivated to finish some cleaning up and putting away things.
the word squalor came into my mind several times today, it is an ongoing process to get my life in order. Baby steps is better than no steps in the right direction.
The last hour of daylight, I glued some rocks together in stacks, art sort of, did it by fire, was such a luxury. Ok enough about fun. Warm thoughts going to each of you.

Hello everyone, so great catching up on your lifes.
I tried to post a few days ago, 3 times, kept disappearing, so tonight really want to say hello.
Tat I want to apologize, my weatherman said our warm weather is causing your cold weather!!! We already had such miserable weather so I can relate to all of you easterners. I am so grateful we are having over a week of sunshine, it is record setting as was the cold, strange weather. Past two days I made fires in fire pit and pretended I was at a campfire!! My yard is looking good.
I did not go to the squalor web site, although I am happy it is helping so many, know I can get support here.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your ups and downs. I am so fond of you, reading your posts warmed my heart tonight. I have avoided drama recently. So was a little upsetting reading some of the other threads, so will stick to this thread.

Dave, it's crazy here with the snow. I love the snow and I love big storms. This year I worry less than previous years because my trash hoarder no longer lives in squalor and he has a nice clean place to live. So although he complains re boredom, I no longer worry and cry.

Oh for a sled to take me to work! The walk in has taken me over an hour each morning. Completely insane but at least I can work from home several days a week.

It is fun and scary and boring and other things all at once. It is not, however, motivating, I need to work on that!

Before this last storm, the snow was taller than me. Now it's just out of control.

Roxie,
Let your brother know your forum friends are grateful he is providing you shelter from the storm and respite from racoons and exploding pipes.

Roxie, I hear your concerns about the "grimness" of your financial situation. I don't have any spiffy words to allay your fears. Maybe for the moment it is enough that you have a bed, a blanket, can breathe and have a chance at some hot soup or chocolate.

I have a little Buffalo china restaurant mug. I wake up in the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom with my sinuses welded shut and my hands hurting like hell. I heat up some water and put a little bit of instant hot choc. powder in it and sometimes it helps me to feel better. (In fact I set it out on the stove tonight with a little Chocolate Rasberry powder (from 2008 🙂 ) for the wee hours in the morning.)

Walking and strength are good too. You'll get there.
Dave

so we just picture you dashing off to work in a white cloud, riding your snowblower through 9" of snow. 🙂 🙂 🙂

(It sounds like some folks really appreciate you. you are very generous.)

Hello everyone! I cannot believe that you are doing outdoor work! We are buried in snow and have had FIVE work snow days in huge last three weeks. Luckily I could work from home so now real backlog at work.

I love the snow but find as I get older that I'm not as willing to walk in a blizzard as I used to be, although I will tell you I walked downtown in the midst of a big snowstorm to have dinner with a colleague who was stuck here (works in a different office, out of state).

I am puttering these days, which is ultimately helping. General puttering and the coffee table is still buried. But the puttering around is doing me good-- polishing dining room table! Keeping up with dishes, keeping counters clean and clear. Have taken some things to goodwill but the sidewalks to my parking garage are just little goat paths at this point so I can't really take anything to the car. I've been picking up meds for elderly neighbors, and that makes me happy. Worried about some of my "people" but have kept them in food. Cannot really take anyone out since it is difficult to drive. But I try.

Hope you are all well--oh, and let me just say Roxie!!!

Keep up the good work everyone and I'll send you a few feet of snow if you'll send the sunshine my way. I need some bright flowers to perk me up. Did not get usual Valentine's Day flowers from BF due to the fact that deliveries are iffy at best right now. But he did have some beautiful soaps for me and my skin feels nice.

Thanks Dave 🙂
WAY TO GO!!! 😀
for getting your clippings processed!

No tree shortage here where I am located.
Looking out my front window I can see over 50 trees on my property.
Never counted them before. LOL
And there are a lot more trees out back and in the side yards.
All the squirrels in my area are the ground type, gophers & such.
Yes, there is a big problem with the logging of all the old growth trees and the taking of dead trees that have established nests for owls and other forest creatures.
Good luck with that mulberry, sounds like a real booger.

WTG with the clippings! We're not allowed burning so I have to ship mine out.

Re gravel: you are doing a gentle service for the world about you in providing some trees to help the air. (I think there might have been an article in the Nevada Nugget about the winter crisis in squirrel condominiums in your area due to logging operations 🙂 )

Colder weather is beginning to be really hard on me-maybe more about that another time. There was a warmer day the end of the week-didn't get out until chillier evening, but got another batch of stuff cut for my trash cart this coming week.

I think Mulberry trees might be a symbolic tree for hoarders. I have a 5' high "stump" buried within a fence that I have tried to top off again (with a hand saw). I have to string 100' of extension cord to get a drill motor out there to get fence pickets off and to run the electric chainsaw (which is also still broken) so I am not getting the problem fixed at its root. At any rate, there is a large proliferation of little branches and they go off any which way, whereever the tree chose to put one down.

HEY DAVE!
I got the rest of my pruning clippings all gathered up and moved to the side yard.
Still a whole lot of work to be done out there.
Would be so much easier if I just had gravel and no plants or trees. 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Take care with all that snow!
Thanks for letting us know and happy Valentine's day to you too. 😀

Hi Roxie 🙂
Great to hear from you!
Sorry to hear you went to hospital again. 🙁
Wonderful that you are feeling better. 😀
All message boards, forums and comment sections I regularly read have been very slow with new postings the last few weeks.
Seems to go in cycles.
People get busy in real life and the interwebs slow down.
Sounds interesting reading about Truman. 🙂
Take care and please keep in touch.

I went to the hospital about 3am on Tuesday with breathing problems. Got home again Friday afternoon. I really have to stay out of the hospital for about Medicare coverage to "fill up" again or I have t pay out of pocket. Gee, thanks. What if I have another heart attack or stop breathing? 🙁 Meanwhile, I'm feeling better, thanks.

Happy Valentine's Day!

been dealing with a lot of snow--missing you all and will catch up soon!

Hi Dave! 😀

Busy day for me today.
Went shopping. Bought 3 new summer weight night gowns at the thrift shop. They still had the tags on them. It was a bag sale day so cost 4.00 total.
Then went grocery shopping.
Mr. Hoarder did extremely good at the thrift shop not buying much at all but still wanted to fill the grocery cart full at the grocery store.
He still has way too much food from previous shopping trips.
I always buy almond milk but today there was cashew milk so I decided to try that, tastes good.
Came home, washed the new night gowns, made egg salad for sandwiches.
Played with the cats out in the garden.
The bees are all awake, looking for food.
I was busy removing over two dozen bees who had gotten inside because I had the door propped open.
These bees are docile and are used to pollinate the alfalfa fields and other crops.
Looking forward to spending the day outside again tomorrow playing with the cats and maybe even do some yard work.
😀

My yard must not have been bee habitat. I never had any trouble with the bees while hunting 4 leaf clovers.

It seems like I found a 5 leaf clover once.

Well, I have survived another Friday 13th.
Never have had a problem with the date though.
I like black cats and enjoy their crossing my path.
I don't open umbrellas in the house because it makes it difficult or impossible to then get them out through the door.
I am cautious about walking under ladders since there may be some heavy thing fall off it and hurt me.
How can a rabbit's foot be lucky for me when it obviously wasn't lucky for the rabbit.
My sister was always getting stung by bees while searching for four leaf clovers.
So many other superstitions that I never follow.
Tried them all when I was a kid and they never worked.
Oh Well... 😀 LOL

YEA!!!!! 😀

Look at the new link to the left!
HOARDERS TV show is going back into production!!! 😀

Good morning 🙂

Having company today. 😀

WTG! Diane 🙂
For filling the carts! 😀

The change to declutter comes from within.
The change to only selectively acquire comes from within.
Being accountable to yourself and your goals is an important part of this change.
Having a vision/dream of your life is how to keep focused and motivated to make the changes.
Fear of the unknown future is a great immobilizer.
Worrying about all the "what-ifs".
Honestly, life is so much easier and less complicated when we don't have too much stuff.
Keeping the house clean is no longer a major chore.
You have a lot more free time to use any way you choose.
Your mind and body are less stressed without the constant struggle and juggling and cleaning and moving things about.
Motivation is key to taking on the task of decluttering.
Find your dream vision and let that keep you moving in the right direction.
Figure out the work methods that work for you.
Timed sessions, challenges, doing one room or area to completion, being accountable to someone in real life or online, etc.
Even though it is so very very hard and emotionally draining and at times traumatic keep working toward your goal.
Push yourself to do what you really want to do deep down inside even though you are resistant to the change.
Read "Buried In Treasures" do the work sheets. Go back and do the work sheets again to see how you have changed.
If you need something more to help you through just ask.
If you need to just let out your frustrations, go for it.
If you just need an encouraging word or virtual hug here it is (((((HUG))))).

I read the good bye post this morning and it really affected me, thought about it on and off all day. Wondered if I am missing out on the "cure". Then realized I have invested so much time on this site, and changing to another site may motivate me to try harder, but too much input
is too overwhelming for me. Truth is, it is up to me to keep working on change. When I mess this place up it is up to me to notice it and get back on . I have gone to every motivational speaker and class that came along, feel real motivated then go back to being same old same old. It comes down to letting go of extra stuff and only buying things I need and will use. Would love to blame it on someone or some thing, truth is I am the one that created the clutter and I am the one that has to continue changing.

Hi Tillie and others. .Love this warm weather we are having, Legal to burn today, so burned almost all day. Tomorrow is garbage pick up so this afternoon I looked with objective eyes, and filled garbage cart to the top. Also filled recycle cart. Some of the things I tossed were painful to throw out, now 2 hours later, I won der why was it difficult to let go of junk.

Good morning 🙂

Have a wash load of linens hung out on the clothes line.
Managed to get the drops into Scooter's eyes this morning all by myself. 😀
He has learned that he gets two kitty snacks after being medicated.
Need to wash up some dishes this morning and sweep the floors.
If I feel up to it I may do some more in the garden area this afternoon.
Daffodils are coming up with all the warm sunny weather we have been having.
Had a nice visit with the neighbor yesterday afternoon.
Looking forward to what today may bring my way. 🙂

NO BAKE chocolate oatmeal cookies...

Combine in a pan & bring to a boil
2 Cups of white sugar
1/4 Cup of cocoa
1/4 Cup of butter or margarine
1/2 Cup of milk

Boil for one minute.

Have already measured and at hand...
2 Cups of raw oatmeal
1/4 Cup of peanut butter (crunchy is best)
1 Teaspoon of vanilla

Mix thoroughly
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper

Work fast as sometimes it hardens/sets quickly

Good morning 🙂

Remember back in grade school when you would be given a box of those little Valentine cards with envelopes?
Remember how much fun it was to sort them all out, choosing the perfect one for everybody you wanted to give one to?
Then signing each one, putting it into the envelope and writing the person's name on it?
In second grade after we had just taken a field trip to the main post office and learned all about how our mail was shipped and sorted out to be delivered I even went so far as to draw tiny postage stamps in the corners of the valentine envelopes.
Remember how much fun it was to also receive tiny valentine cards from all your friends?

Life was so simple way back then.

WAY TO GO!!! Dave 😀
For getting some of the clippings off to the trash!

Diane:
???? 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Congrats. (Still rooting for you to find another lost item from long ago too.)

Tille:
Great with the clippings. I got some flowering quince branch cuttings from last fall into the trash over the weekend for tomorrow's pickup. I had some other stuff I wanted to put out too, but I've been hooked to the kitchen. Maybe I can get some more out next week.