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Hello everyone my name is Nery and i live in Miami Florida... I have a problem with clutter... i am soooooooooooooooo depressed i can't even start to tell u.. i can't get myself to throw anything away, i just go around the house looking around and i always end up sitting back at my computer... i hate it but i can not stop... i have been collecting stuff for 32 years... and i keep buying stuff... so i have an addiction to junk ! as u would say i am a hoarderer i guess... pleaseeeee helppppppppppppp i am desperate with no light at the end of the tunnel... =(
I would 1st suggest seeking a professional's help. If not, start small, with a drawer, closet and once you can tackle the small I think you can overcome large projects. Good luck.
I'd say flowerjen is right, especially if you think you are THAT bad, and are serious about the addiction, and not just poking fun at yourself.
But...yes, do start small. VERY small. I have to teach my kid this: "The trash can is your friend."
There are things that help me when I do get the urge to clean out and these are some of them (courtesy mostly to Flylady):
>>>"If you don't use it or love it, get rid of it."
>>>"The trash can is your friend"
>>>"I am NOT using this, nor do I EVER use it...someone else certainly would like to have it" (and into a 'free box' it goes, which goes at the end of the driveway, or if it's clothes, to the S. Army bin)
>>>"I have not worn this in X number of years. It's still nice, but I don't wear it. Someone else who doesn't have nice clothes would love to have this."
>>>"I don't wear this because (small rip that you never get around to repairing, it has an itchy spot, has another spot, some other insignificant reason). I will never wear it because of this, and I know I will NOT get around to fixing (button, tear, stain). Someone else would love to have this, and will take the time to fix it."
>>>"I like these (dishes, knick-knacks). But do I LOVE them, or will I ever swap them out with what I am currently (using/loving) for some variety now & then? No. But they are still good...I really don't want to give them away..." These items go in a yard-sale pile.
I DO have things that I have accumulated, but will EVENTUALLY use. Things like large baskets that I got for cheap at a y-sale, but I know eventually the ones I am using (for planters outdoors) will deteriorate, and I will use them. They get to stay.
I work in an office where paper is delivered often for use...the reams come in nice sized boxes, and I would take one or two home as they got emptied, and fill ONLY ONE box at a time.
Do you have a handy DH? Can he build you some shelving units in your basement? This was THE single-most great thing that my DH did for me over the last year. He got as sick of looking at my 'stuff' as I was (I used to do some major couponing, and have a literal 'shopping store' of many of the same items available).
He made me two units- one under the previously useless space under the stairs in the basement, and another one in another area of the basement. These (plywood & 2x4s) are big enough to hold large totes such as the ones that I store all my Christmas decorations in. No longer a mess in the middle of the basement floor, I have either gotten rid of 98% of the "stuff" or it's stored away in totes or up on a shelf.
***IMPORTANT NOTE!!! THIS IS NOT A SHORT-TERM PROJECT!!!! We built our house in 2003, and I was 4 years just doing a few minutes here & there of sorting out the "use it or love it" items, and had 3 HUGE yard sales in the meantime.
Oh, and here's another thought: Many of my items I donated to the town school as they were having a large fundraiser yard-sale. Find a charity to which you would donate the shirt off your back if they needed it, and feel good about giving your stuff to someone who can use it more than you can. This was a huge warm-fuzzy for me, and my basement got clean, too!!!
I second everything Blooms said, and must emphasize that it
does not happen overnight. While I have always been a bit anal
with regard to organizing, stuff has a way of piling up, even if it
is out of sight. You have to begin somewhere, take it slowly and
do one thing at a time. You will see progress.
My suggestion is to begin on a new day. Don't wake up and
think today is the day you must do it all. Take a nice hot or cool shower,
have something nice to eat, be calm and focused.
With today being August 1, this would be the best day to begin.
Start at the front door. Open, enter and stand against the door
with your eyes closed. Open your eyes. What is the first thing you
see? I don't mean the entire room. I'm talking about the very first
thing you see out of place. Let's say it is a magazine.
Ask yourself the following:
What is it?
Is that where it belongs?
Why do you keep it?
Where does it live? Or where should it live?
If it does not have a valid reason for staying in your home, toss
it, take it to the Goodwill, recycle it, etc.
If it has worth (a recipe, an article, etc.) pull the pages you admire,
and put them where they are appropriate. Recipe? Put it in your
cookbook, toss the magazine. Beauty article? Put it in your makeup
box / drawer / whatever, then toss the magazine.
One thing at a time, one day at a time, one project at a time.
You might also find Mobi's "10 Minute" thread helpful [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] Doing things for short amounts of time like that doesn't seem nearly as overwhelming as thinking that you have to spend a whole day on some huge mountain of stuff.
Cheesecake, fudgesicles, those cute little pink and white animal cookes
that have sprinkles on them and chocolate, indeed!
There are days I work very hard to keep my routine. Then I reward
myself with a nice shower, a cold glass of something and a few treats
while I watch something shameful, like television court. LOL.
If you think it's a psychological issue and in many cases it is, you may want to see a psychologist. It is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. From what I read when it is a psychological disorder the person has an emotional reaction to throwing things away and instead of saying "This is trash, throw it away," They go through steps, "What did I use this for? Will I need it in the future?" about EVERYTHING. There is a lot of good information online about compulsive hoarding.
Quickly take a plastic bag and pick up 13 items that are dragging..later in the day, look in this bag and put 3 back into their designated homes, and the rest, perhaps if they were dragging, off to garbage or a good home...I also have a bin that broken items, sewing items go into..once a week they are either repaired, mended or garbage they go...if you get into the habit of doing this regularly, you'll be ahead of the game...
I also try to never leave a room unless I give it a quick glance...if anything doesn't belong I take it with me and put it in it's proper location...
Nope, I'm not nutz..just love a clean/tidy home with everything in it's place...
Almost girls...not alpha but by color hues...aren't I awful...even stained glass pieces are in color co-ordinated drawers...lol...I'd better get myself a life..that's what happens when you are on your own..nothing better to do with yourself...
Betty I'd like everything in it's place but with my hubby, a 4 yr old and an almost 1 yr old, nothing ever stays where it should :) At least MY stuff for the most part stays where it should. I do have our clothes closets colorized.
