Decluttering.

I made some progress decluttering my home today.10 years sgo I had a hoarding problem,the house got unlivable and was damaging my mental health,it got sorted but that was 10 years ago and my house got cluttered again.I inherited a laod of stuff when my mum sold her house and went into a care home.Also I had a filing cabinet full of old paperwork,which today I manage to empty it and take outside,it was in the fromt room upstairs,its meant to be a bedroom but its turned into the cats's room and a storeroom and I have bookcases in there full of books.So I made more room in there by getting rid of filing cabinet and some books are going to charity and next year will pay to get rid of old computers.Once I've tidied away the paperwork and bookshelves it will be a lot more tidy.I am buying a small armchair for in there.

I plan to rearrange the lounge tomorrow and am gonna store some photo frames and generally tidy.I have bills old paperwork two boxes to throw away but will need to do shredding.I am moving the cd record player to the sideboard which makes it easier for me to use and making room on the table for a crystal bowl and photos my mum gave me.

At some point in a couple of weeks got to sort my wardrobe get rid of clothes I won't ever wear and make room to hang my clothes that I do wear.Slowly I am getting on top of each room.I have loads of ironing to do.

I have planned all the decluttering and cleaning that I want to get done before christmas this year 2020.

I got a lot of housework and decluttering done today even though I was depressed and slept in until 4pm.Once I did the dusting and vaccuming ,changed the sheets and duvet covers,and then sorted the filing cabinet I felt a lot better.I did get confused and disorientated but that was cos my PTSD got triggered about the hoard 10 years ago and it felt for a bit I'd gone into psychosis again.

My extended family were perfectionistic they used to make me feel dirty and bad if my house wasn't perfectly clean and they called my mum dirty cos the house wasn't always perfectly clean and organised.I felt shamed and bad and dirty and I still feel that way if my home not perfect or at least how I like it.

I am upset cos my carpets need replacing and the walls and woodwork need painting but I am not physically strong enough to do it nor can I afford new carpets.

But to remain positive I am making progress and I am sure I will get the place looking right and How I like it for xmas,I bought new tablecloths and plates and placemats to make it nice for when my niece visits,I am also buying her vinyl records of her favourite artist and a nintendo switch game.

Does anyone else here have issues with decluttering?Tell us how you are getting on?

Oh my God Yes!!!!

I live in a tiny flat 1 bedroom. I can't keep it clean. I struggle to keep on top of the cleaning as I just get too distracted. This means it piles up. I start cleaning say my 2 smallest rooms (kitchen and bathroom) but my biggest challenges is my bedroom. I haven't slept in my bed in over a year as its too messy. You can't see the floor or bed. I've been sleeping on my sofa the whole time. My Sister came to help me cleaned and I mean she was on her hands and knees cleaning my floor etc. But I'm so embarrassed I refuse her entry into my flat.

I haven't had a visitor ie friend or family up in over 4 years I'm so embarrassed. My CPN has gave me a date in Nov I must of cleaned by or she or someone in my mental health team will come and cleaned my house. But I can't have that happening. I can't have them thinking badly of me

Don't be ashamed Miss Laura,accept the help,you can't carry on sleeping on the sofa.I do understand I had to have strangers help me 10 years ago but they were so kind and caring and understood.When we are ill its hard to keep our homes tidy and clean,we are only human we can't keep up standards when we are ill,we don't have the energy or strength.Honestly your mental health team want to help you,please let them,you mustn't let your shame keep you stuck in the mess.Just feel the shame,accept it and realise it doesn't mean you are a bad person.I am here to support you anytime.I have exhausted myself today getting some of my mess sorted.It can be done,if I can do it you can do it but we might need to accept help from others.

I always wonder if there is any inexpensive service or even volunteers who can help with clutter? And if someone does offer, maybe it’s good to let them come and clean?

I myself don’t have the issue but my dad does. He refuses to let us clean his house and wouldn’t do it himself. I think maybe getting to the bottom of the issue or to the root of the problem would be helpful. To change your frame of mind so to speak. It’s a very common problem. And there is no shame in seeking help

I so wish I could let people in. I worry that people will be angry at me for living in a s£££ hole.

I erm... worry about rodents coming into my house. It is a fear and I'm trying to keep my kitchen in particular clean. I will die if I see a mouse or rat I honestly will.

I don't want people to think badly of me.... I already feel like a failure. I struggle to take my bin out and the recycling. I'm afraid to admit I have stopped recycling cause its too much to handle.

Honestly I have always been untidy ie my shared bedroom with my Twin was a tip it was a stand in joke "oh I know which side is Laura's" cause it was always cluttered etc. I moved into live with a friend and no joke I was scrubbing the flat top to bottom.

Why can't I just live in cleanliness.... ironic thing is I have OCD its a joke in the family cause I have OCD yet my flat is a tip

I feel like I can't move when my flat is tidy as I just mess up. I feel like the Tazmania Devil all the time

Its not easy to be organised and clean if you have health issues and you aren't used to tidying up after yourself.But if you get help and focus on
cleaning the mess that's there with help,there should be no shame,once on top of things you can learn to clean after yourself,Miss Laura,as you go along.
Try not to worry and feel ashamed and accept the help.

I got rid of filing cabinet and made inroads on the decluttering.My sister is taking an old broken hoover to the tip for me so that clears more space.
This weekend I am getting books,shoes,clothes and handbags ready to take to the charity shop on Tuesday and also some wine glasses I inherited from mum I have no use for myself.So that will be more stuff removed from the front room upstairs and make a start clearing clothes I don't wear and never will wear from the wardrobe.Makes more room and space!Downstairs is more decluttered and tidy,I rearranged the lounge.

Top effort Marilyn.

I find that the hardest part with decluttering is getting started. After I start to see how much better things are looking it gives me an incentive to keep going. Maybe start small, set aside an hour on the weekend and take it from there.

You are awesome Marylin!

I am not the tidiest and I tend to just zone out stuff. However I can do it (tidy/declutter) and weirdly I enjoy doing it once I begin. I agree with Rechu the hardest part is starting and starting small is good.

I love that you have planned out your targets for the next few months, that sounds like a good plan.

My sister took the old hoover to the tip,I left the filing cabinet on the drive and someone knocked on my door and asked if they could have it,so that has gone now,feels lighter!
Its taken me a while but I now have sorted books ,shoes and handbags and three big bags of clothes to take to the charity shop as soon as it opens today.
I finally went through the clothes in the wardrobe.Some good clothes that I'm giving away almost new,but I never wear them,they were just taking up wardrobe space,so better they go to others who need them.

So I got rid of stuff I didn''t want,I have more room now upstairs,bedroom is tidier and I have space in the wardrobe.
Now got to tackle the ironing,got loads to do,but we start lockdown again for a month this thursday so got that month to get on top of ironing and cleaning and any other household tasks.I am managing to do the washing up every day instead of piling it up for three days and feeling too tired to do it.

I think I made progress!

Well done Marilyn!!

We have a small kitchen, so I bought a few things that help use the space better, like a paper towel rack that has a small storage shelf above it and some shelving units for the cabinets or counters that let you to make use of two levels. You can put smaller stuff underneath and larger things on the shelf. It looks much more organized.


I also finally got my closet organized. We had a mold issue in my closet and had to treat it with lot of mold remover and mold killing paint, so I had all my clothes scattered in the living room. I bought something that you can hang on the closet bar with cubbies for folded clothes. I don't have much that needs to be hung up, so I need the space for folded things more. I threw out some old, falling apart stuff and made a bag of clothes that is is in good shape but that I don't wear to donate. There is a homeless shelter in town that takes donations of clothing in good condition.

I do not like getting rid of sentimental things even when they are damaged. It happens often but we must learn to let things go from time to time.