Welcome & Hello to the Newbies!
Sorry for the 'Perfect Storm' of events that caused your descent into squalor, but I'm glad you found your way here & are reaching out to learn how to start digging yourself out to begin to start reversing the slippery slide. Members have found their way here after a variety of circumstances such as depression, divorce, illness, death of loved ones, not having learned the necessary routines of how to keep house, etc.
Sometimes even taking the 1st step in stepping out of squalor is difficult due to the overwhelming feeling of undertaking such a gargantuan task or not knowing where to start. The important thing to remember is that it didn't get that way overnite, so it will take some time to get it back under control. Small, consistent steps will help you achieve your goals.
Sorry for the length, but here's a bit of a guide with several helpful, clickable links to help you navigate the site:
A Few Common Mantras you'll find here are:
MOTIVATION FOLLOWS ACTION Sitting around waiting for the 'urge' to hit to motivate you to begin probably won't happen. Get up & do one thing & a forward chain of momentum to continue will usually follow.
BABY STEPS Baby Steps performed consistently will move you forward. Be gentle with yourself.
It didn't get that way overnite & marathons will lead to crash & burn.
AMNESTY You have permission to toss out 'perfectly good' items without 1st finding the perfect way to dispose of it, recycle it etc.
As Mimi likes to say, "Good is Better than Perfect & Stays Done Longer."
As to where to start, it's different for everyone. Some suggest getting a bag & starting where you are now & beginning to toss the visible trash or things that you can part with that are near you. Some like to start in an area that will show the most visible difference with the smallest effort, such as in the bathroom.
If self-starting seems too overwhelming, many like to join the
Working In Threes thread (
WITs) in the Listzilla section, where one lists 3 things to do, then returns to complete them & receives kudos for their efforts. The steps can be made as small as necessary to make them do-able.
Some like to work together in real time in
Chat (see the Chat button in the upper right). People perform 'chat challenges' together & return to tell of what they have accomplished & receive their kudos.
Chat Information(<---clickable link)
Some like to perform the
Dice Game (<---clickable link) located in the General section where they have made up a list of things to do, & roll a dice, pick from a hat, or use random.org to help lead them in their chores.
Still confused or overwhelmed? Try following the
The 3 (or 5) D's daily!(<---clickable link)
When you're ready, feel free to look around the
Favorites Section (<---clickable link) located in a sub-board under the General section for lots of sage advice & techniques as well!
Regardless of what method you choose, best wishes in your journey of stepping out of squalor! Keep us posted on your progress if you are comfortable with that, & feel free to ask questions & keep coming back so that we can help cheer on your efforts!
I hope you find this a safe, non-judgmental, helpful & friendly group!
Good Luck!
TOGETHER WE CAN
HELPFUL FORUM HINTS:How to access emoticons:You should be able to insert emoticons by hitting the 'reply' button
in the upper right corner & selecting the yellow smilie emoticon for the drop down list.
You won't be able to use that if you use the 'quick reply' button in the lower left corner,
since it doesn't seem to allow emoticons.
How to 'tag' someone:You must use the 'Reply' button, not 'Quick Reply' to see this button for the Quick, Easy way to tag someone:takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/post/338840&
takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/21978/taggingHow to avoid 'lost posts' by adjusting your profile:takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/21664/lost-postsHow to Delete a post you created:Under the gear icon button on the upper far right--
just select Delete from that drop down menu-- Voila!
takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/21251/delete-post(Feel free to check in the tech section for additional help!)
