hello, my name is ... and I'm a hoarder!!

[jenniferalan]

(hoarder anonomyous!)

I'm trying to free up space but most things i own i think i will use in the future so i put them away, for "future use" then i forget about them and they are never used... or less i keep things cos they hold memories.

My partner has told me to be ruthless but it is just so hard!

anyone in the same boat? ...i would really like to post more things here and help recycle....

ps i have stopped buying and for any item i receive i try to give away something

[gillo]

Hiya, Jennifer. I'm a bit of a hoarder and my husband is not much better. We hate to bin ANYTHING that might be of future use, that's why I love this site so much, you never really have to throw out anything. But since passing on some items on here, the feeling of making more space is brilliant. I've cleared out my bookshelves of all books I've read and in turn made room for some new ones I've acquired. You could try this, set aside stuff that you've been hoarding and if you haven't used it by the time 3 months have passed, resolve to advertise it and pass it on! You could also trawl through the wanted section and just discover that you have something lying around in your way that someone else is dying to get their hands on. The feeling of making someon's day when you pass on something they really want is second to none. Good luck, hope this helps a bit, Gillo

[jenniferalan]

Thanks for the advice Gillian, glad someone else is in similar boat lol, ive cleared up my cds, books and dvds so far lol, videos next, then clothes (find it hard to get rid of them) but the worst is ornaments!!

you are right, if feels so good to declutter and house always seems bigger... maybe i should allow myself to keep a certain amount of things and then give away the rest - after all they are not going in the bin they are going to someone else who will hopefully make good use of it!

[summersun]

Hi Jenniferalan....Will you stop talking about me .... me a horder... never.. I am a super hoarder... My husband wants to do "wife swap" with Linn or Bettybooboop and for me to go away for a fortnight ... he says i wont recognise the place when i return ha ha it will all have been given away on jt and the house will be empty and happy jters all over Ireland..

you know Jennifer, i am glad i am not the only one who puts things away... only thing is i when i finally find them, they have grown out of them or they are unnwanted, so they got sent to the charity shop..

And i partially blame the husband as HE WAS THE ONE WHO TOLD ME ABOUT JT... But i have foung some great people to chat to on here,


So i am happy being a hoarder glad to hear i am not the only one... Linn and Betty could be our advisors, in our attempts to declutter

take care
Summersun

[Moeby]

I find when your house is culttered, your head is cluttered. Usually a good spring clean is in order it's just finding the time to do it. I used to take any recycling items to the local centre until I found jumbletown. I think its brilliant it amazes me what people are looking for.

So do yourself a favour Jennifer have a good clearout, be ruthless and it's amazing how good you'll feel. I intend doing it as soon as I get over this horrible flu. Best of Luck.

[kilk]

if you really want to declutter.... get someone else to do it for you!! its the only way.

[Marathon Man]

Indeed, like us all, you're a hoarder - with the same 'mmmm I'll be able to use that for something in the future' philosophy. The only thing we're guaranteed to use in the future (and please forgive my morbid tone) is a coffin.

Now in fairness one doesn't come across many of these on Jumbletown (if anyone has one let me know) so I'd suggest if you do get offered a nice one, hold onto it and get rid of all the other clutter. You could always use it as a linen box until you really need it..!!

:-)

[kilk]

and no doubt there are some who wouldn't be seen dead in one!!

[Marathon Man]

That's aaawwwwful...!!

Was going to say 'put a lid on it' but in hindsight, that's even worse.....!!!!

:-)

[trigger]

hi junnifer, i was a bit like this and i began to get really ruthless. when i got rid and recycled it made more space in my house but also in my mind. i began to get clear about a lot of things in my life and it allowed to be more free . i hope this helps regards.

[mammasboys]

When clearing stuff out I always try to think of stuff as a commodity and whether the space left by its removal is a more valuable commodity. Inevitably the space is more valuable. Even if you do pass stuff on, I have found that if you really need something, it will eventually make itself available to you again. This attitude really helps prioritise your immediate needs.
Over the years, people seem to have become very dependent on possessions, viewing them as a measure of themselves and not just things to enhance their lives.
I am always impressed by the creativity demonstrated by other JTers and the satisfaction they must feel when transforming and re-using unwanted items into something wonderful, really must enhance their lives, and their surroundings!
PS I'm lucky, my hubby is a hoarder, but we have a big shed!

[kiara]

I used to be borderline shopaholic, I suppose I still am when it comes to my daughters clothes, but I figured out (not that long ago) that I would rather be able to find things that I did need instead of routing through all the stuff I didn't need so I started unloading on JT, and my partner is very relieved... I buy less and hoard alot less, my house is tidier and I'm happier!

[cavalin]

oh my god this is like a support group so yes 'l,m a horder as well' only thing is l,m working on it really l am.we also have a big shed but its got to be dehorded as soon as its warmer.jt won,t no its self when the sun comes back.

[jeana]

Everyday time that I declutter I end up filling all the empty spaces back up with newly aquired clutter- so I'm keeping my clutter...lol- saves me money buying new stuff.

[Linn]

Hi Jenniferalan....Will you stop talking about me .... me a horder... never.. I am a super hoarder... My husband wants to do "wife swap" with Linn or Bettybooboop and for me to go away for a fortnight ... he says i wont recognise the place when i return ha ha it will all have been given away on jt and the house will be empty and happy jters all over Ireland.
Ive been asked to do many a thing in my life but never wife swop lol. Maybe i could be an agony aunt and solve all the hoarding problems. Maybe there should be a section where '' LINN CAN FIX ''.
My mum is the biggest hoarder ive ever seen. My parents live in a beautiful home and if you open her wardrobe you'll find clothes dated back to the 70's. In one handbag at the weekend she found my enrolment letter for secondary school dated jan 1981. In her attic you'll find our copies from primary school.
But my jumbletown magic is rubbing of. I left on saturday with 4 black sacks and my husband came home today with 2 more from my mums.
Some people just dont like to let go. My best piece of advice is PEOPLE GET A GRIP ''JUMBLETOWN NEEDS YOU''

[jenniferalan]

haha Linn, i think id prob be like ur mum if i was let!!

i agree with the previous posters when the place is cluttered ur head is cluttered and u cant sort anything cos the place is in a mess!

i have given away alot today on the site and im hoping they will all go asap so i can make space!...may this be the first of many give aways...helping others and clearing space woohoo my good deed done for the day lol!

(partner is giving out cos were buying our own house and he says all my stuff will never fit lol)

[Teish]

Hands up. Im a hoarder too. But like alot of you I'm trying - for everything new I bring in, I try to move something else on or out. Not so easy though because I'm so attached to every little thing.

A few times in the past I've been "ruthless" to clear my space & clear my head & then always, eventually I forget that 'that cute little top that'll go great with these jeans' or 'those fab patterned tights' or 'that huge teddy that my niece will love' have been moved on & I miss them all over again.

My advice - out of sight out of mind - put all the stuff you love in a box in the attic or a wardrobe or cupboard & keep it for as long as it takes until you only like it.

[elbo]

We Mums keep things because they are sentimental to us and remind us of the time our daughter/son wore/passed exam/knit/wedding days/baby/etc.etc/
How can we let go of the memories?

[MandyD]

I still have the stubs off my Debs tickets o^O

I'm a super hoarder too.

I swear it, I am going to clean out the press under the stairs (as soon as the doors I got from JT are out of the way of it and HUNG!!) if I don't kill hubby first.
And I'm going to have a clear out of all the books in the attic too... I think I still have toys up there from when the kids were babies....oh dear...when I think of all the stuff I have aquired and not gotten rid of...... *scratches head*

[Faroutthere]

My motto was ....... only have what can fit in a backpack.
unfortinately I no longer live by this and have now had to get more shelving for my new garage!!!!


Just dump it

good luck!

[bluecurlygirl]

I'm a super hoarder too. Within a very short time of moving into the house I still live in, I had the attic stuffed which is a fire hazard I know. I have my son's teeth. I have four broken dvd players, video player, stereos.... when I get round to it all ye jumbletowners will have a field day (I hope). Gotta get my camera fixed first (oh yeah, I've about 3 broken digital cameras!!) And my head is completely cluttered. The worse room in the house is my bedroom. Every time I sort out another room I put stuff in my room "temporarily". One of these days the wardrobe's gonna fall on top of me with the weight of the stuff on top of it.

Kilkie, the best way to declutter is to get someone else to do it for you? Are ya offerin'? I'll pay for your bus fare up to Cavan if ya are ;-)

[Gabsdot]

I am definitely not a hoarder. can I still contribute to the discussion. Some of your houses sound like Disneyland to me. I like nothing better than a good clear-out.

The only exception is that I have kept all my son's baby clothes, toys, playschool art etc. But it is organised and kept in boxes in the (very tidy) attic.

Please don't hate me.

[Hotlipsxx01]

i feel you pain, its similar to my own

i want to keep everything, i ask myself why, i have a glass of wine, i look at the chaos and I sip some more

swopping is a good idea though

I think I could bring myself to do that

[kiara]

my boyfriend is a money horder lol
he thinks bad of spending money, we have a new baby so i dont work, when he gets paid of a friday, we split money after bills, my money would be gone by the monday and he would still have money on the following payday, probably because im like kiara----shopaholic for the kids, ive only the one and every time we go into tesco, dunnes stores or penneys i race straight to the baby section, i cant leave the shop without something for her, even if its only a hat or booties or even a blanket, i have to buy something..

but im not a horder! lol


Tut tut... denial! When your ready to admit you have a problem we'll all be here for you, lol, Kiara x

[lee2009]

hi hun,
im the very same i have things since i was a child,
things ill never use,
that are stuck up in my attic,
1 in perticular is a glass coloured fish my dad gave me when i was about five,
its tail is all broken and i stil ave it in a box in my attic:-) but my opinon is is its in the attic and not in ur way hold on to them, cause ther nice to look back on,

lee2009 x

[erica]

Kilkie, the best way to declutter is to get someone else to do it for you? Are ya offerin'? I'll pay for your bus fare up to Cavan if ya are ;-)


Don't you dare make Kilk an offer like that!! I've just come back from decluttering a room for him and I had to pretend I wanted some of the stuff so I could take it to the bin!!

If he de-clutters your house it will end up in his house and Oh NOOOOO... I'll have to start all over again.

Please please.... don't go there!

Kilk, your secret is out.... this thread was written for you!

[Mumof3]

There is a saying that if you havent used something for 1 year then you should get rid and I usually do that. But now that I have got used to Jumbletown nothing will be binned now and I have felt terrible putting things in the bin before but now it will be much easier knowing that there is somebody who wants the stuff that I am now finished with... regards.

[bluecurlygirl]

Don't you dare make Kilk an offer like that!! I've just come back from decluttering a room for him and I had to pretend I wanted some of the stuff so I could take it to the bin!!

If he de-clutters your house it will end up in his house and Oh NOOOOO... I'll have to start all over again.

Please please.... don't go there!

Kilk, your secret is out.... this thread was written for you!

Hee heee, nice one Erica. Oh kilk I'm so disappointed now. I thought you were super efficient. I hope you at least made Erica a nice cup of tea for her efforts. Then do you wanna come up Erica and do mine?

[kilk]

im sayin nothin an gonna keep on sayin it!

[erica]

Hee heee, nice one Erica. Oh kilk I'm so disappointed now. I thought you were super efficient. I hope you at least made Erica a nice cup of tea for her efforts. Then do you wanna come up Erica and do mine?


Yea, he makes a good cup of tea, I'll say that for him! And yes, I'm good at de-cluttering cos I am most definitely not a hoarder! Problem would be to find the time.... so if you come and clean my house and do my ironing, I will de-clutter for you.... Deal ? lol

A friend of mine moved about two years ago and finally de-cluttered but now she is accumulating all over again..... it's like her house grows smaller every time I visit cos she has more and more stuff! I think it is hard to change the habit of a lifetime.

[summersun]

Superhoarder me .... but i know where it comes from... As a child i lived in several different countries and the rule for me and me alone was I HAD ONE SUITCASE AND EVERYTHING I WANTED HAD TO FIT IN THE CASE BUT IF I COULDNT CARRY IT ... IT DIDNT GO. so most of what i wanted didnt go.... but my mother and father had different rules. So i suppose i am making up for it now.

Six years ago this March coming we left the big city lights of London to move back to Monaghan, we rented for 3 and a bit years and built a home which we have been in just over 2 years and in my attic are loads of boxes that still havent been opened since London, but i cannot bring myself to let go.........

Memories memories memories.... that's why my husband would love to do a wife swap with super "Linn"... she is ruthless, nothing is safe around her, LOVE YOU LINN REALLY, wish i was more like you, maybe in my next life ,he dreams of opening a cupboard or wardrobe and nothing falling on his head ha ha or no toys on the floor, he should have stayed a batchelor

Erica, you could do a fab job for me, but if i was honest i would probaby be chasing around after you with an excuse to keep 3 out of 4 items...

So i am a "super hoarder" but at least i can admit it and i am happy, so i dont think i will ever change, but jt is helping me at least i can pass some things on to a new home..


Summersun

[Pia Gone Bang]

Or if you want to get something back for what is 'clutter' to you - at least clothes-wise - you could try to swap clothes at:

http://www.swopshop.ie/about-us.php

Disadvantage is there is a service charge, but it seems this is just €5-10 on like for like swaps which is not bad considering you can inspect and try on clothes prior to swapping or parting with anything, the absence of which for me personally is the big disadvantage to the online sites or 'e-caveat emptor-bay'!!!!

[Lily75]

I'm finally despairing of my clutter. It's so bad that I've mislaid both the USB cable for my phone and the charger for my camera. When I find either, watch out JT !

[TIGERT]

Hi JENNIFERALEN i LIVE IN LIMERICK AND CAN TRAVEL TO GALWAY DAILY NO PROBLEM. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN THE PHOTOGRAPHIC LINE.
THANKS

[mrsmouse]

There's a fab website for coping with such things: www.flylady.net

Best of luck! (from a fellow OCD with hoarding leanings)

[jenniferalan]

That website has really good tips, thanks!

"How to Declutter
Taking 15 minutes each day to declutter an area, using the 27-Fling Boogie, and clearing your hotspots are among some of the most powerful tools you can use to create a more peaceful home. Remember: You cannot organize clutter - you can only organize the things you love!

I've included my tips on how to declutter. Put your home on a diet. If this is difficult for you, try reading one of my favorite books, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston.

When to Declutter: Decide how often you are going to declutter a zone. Do a little every day - use a timer. But be warned - this can become compulsive! Once you get started you will want to clean like a banshee! Don't burn yourself out! Only do small amount at a time. The house did not get dirty overnight and it will not get clean overnight. When you set the timer you can only do two sessions at a time. This goal may seem unattainable right now, but you can do it in little pieces. In a couple of months, the whole house will be decluttered.


Decluttering Equipment: You will need garbage bags, boxes, magic markers, and a dust rag. Label the boxes "Give Away", "Throw Away", and "Put Away". Line the "Throw Away" box with a plastic garbage bag.


Set your timer: for 1 hour (or 30, 15, or 10 minutes - it does't matter how long). Just do the job as fast as you can and do not pull out more stuff than you can put away in that length of time. This means just one drawer, one closet (or even one shelf in one closet), one magazine rack, or digging under just the furniture in the zone. Not all of them at once!


Start at the entrance to the room: Then, work your way around the room clockwise. Do not skip a spot. Whatever happens to be next, just do it.


Declutter Away! With boxes at your feet and dust rag in your waistband, start off by cleaning out and getting rid of the things that do not belong in this room. Put garbage in the "Throw Away" box, donations in the "Give Away" box, and stuff that goes somewhere else in the "Put Away" box. Don't worry that you do not have a place for everything right now. By the time you finish you will. That's a promise from FlyLady!


What to declutter? Things to ask yourself as you get rid of your clutter:
Do I love this item?
Have I used it in the past year?
Is it really garbage?
Do I have another one that is better?
Should I really keep two?
Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see the item?

Cleanse this room of everything that does not make you SMILE.


Sing this song: "Please release me, let me go" as sung from the stuff's point of view. It needs to be loved by someone and if you don't love it - GET RID OF IT!


Get rid of the garbage! When the "Throw Away" box gets full, pull out the garbage bag, close it, and put it in the trash can, the pickup truck, or wherever you keep your garbage. Put a new garbage bag in the "Throw Away" box and keep on Flying until the timer goes off.


Donations: When the "Give Away" box gets full, seal it off, and put it in your car. The next time you are out, you can donate to the area thrift shop. Do not save your clutter for a yard or garage sale, you will be blessed by giving it away. The value can be deducted on your income tax. Remember you are trying to get rid of clutter - not relocate it somewhere else in your home. Now, grab another box, label it "Give Away", and get back to work.


"Put Away" Stuff: When the "Put Away" box gets full, take the box in your arms and run around the house (good thing you have shoes on - right?) and put the items in the room where they belong. If they have a place, put them there, if not put them in the room where they logically belong. By the time you have finished you will have a place for everything and everything will be in it's place.


Timer Goes Off: When the timer goes off, you have to put away all the boxes, but first you have to empty them all. Go as fast as you can. "

[minnie pal]

I very badly need to declutter, it is 'doing my head in' I want a sparse space because I believe in the quiet mind is reflected in the home. but I love stuff. Yeh, stuff. Not a lot of it is of value but it is quirkey or aesthetic. I am thinking of ways to help declutter by having say, my cd/dvd in a very tall tower instead of all over the place.
Corner cabinets to display, repurposed and creep up walls instead of onto valuable floor area where it can all get messy and hazardous.
I think in each room ONE wall should be blank with a small item on that.
The more cupboards and chests of drawers you have, the more room to stuff stuff!
Any clothes you have not worn for three years recycle.
the worst things are soft toys and ornaments, especially the ones I find in charity shops.
weak spots, lovely mugs, books, ceramics, glass, scraps of material.
x minnie pal

[minnie pal]

needing to declutter in a big way as only living in three rooms, I 'bagged' EIGHT bin bags of old artwork, drawings, sketches and scribbles, from Art College days to today, 30yrs on. Some of it was quite good, but I was ruthless. I have not a clue what I binned that day but it was a mighty good feeling really, things had got SO out of hand.
minnie pal

[TallStanley]

Sometimes I still feel something like that (need to save/leave for later/etc) but once I just tried to hand the things that weren't in use for long. I've found hints that are helpful in letting things go. For example, every time when I have doubts I recall a thought that in someone's hands it may be more useful, maybe someone is in need of this right now and searching for affordable offers. This way I learned to make charity donations either. Feel better every time now.