|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 24, 2015 20:31:17 GMT -5
I am having balance issues. Last week I fell and injured my rotator cuff. I have family coming to visit in just under a week and the place looks just like it did six months ago. I don't have the cash to hire help. And I dejected.
I want to just toss everything right now, but I don't have the strength to do it.
I know... I know... One step at a time.
The house is in grid lock. It's at full squalor in every room. No rotting food or pet feces. And there aren't any goat trails. MOST of the floor is visible... But there's so much clutter. And I feel as if I can't make any headway at all.
Detail: The fall wasn't squalor related. It happened as I was leaving a restaurant in Seattle.
|
|
|
|
Post by iprocrastinate on Jul 24, 2015 21:09:17 GMT -5
 Hang in there Bethel, do what you can and let go of the rest!
|
|
|
|
Post by angela on Jul 24, 2015 22:47:46 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you fell and got injured @bethel!
Could I ask, what is the clutter composed of? Is it trash? Things that have a home but aren't in their homes? Things that don't have a home?
You are miles ahead by not having any Level 4 squalor issues right now. AND visible floor.
So take care of your injury, be safe, and do small tasks. Use chat, 8 minutes, working in threes, or another motivator to help you take those baby steps that will start to add up to huge strides.
|
|
|
|
Post by phoenixcat on Jul 24, 2015 23:39:49 GMT -5
 Bethel Are they staying with you? If so, do they have any other option? And, if they aren't staying with you, could you avoid having them over? An injury would throw anyone for a loop if you were trying to get ready for company. Just wondering if you can tell them that you've had a serious injury and see what else can be worked out. Our best friends came to visit us at our old location. We had two cats die of cancer in the 2 months leading up to them coming. I was too depressed to do an all out cleaning and our house looked and SMELLED awful. I was so embarrassed -there was no way I could have them visit. I arranged for a friend to let them use her apartment. They were there 4 days and never stepped foot in our house. And, I was honest with them - they are cleanies and the place was just disgusting. Any local friends that can help you with some of the lifting? Most people are good with clutter - not having rotting food, etc. - you are ahead of the game for sure!! They also probably want to see you more than anything!!  PC
|
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 14:31:23 GMT -5
Bethel Are they staying with you? If so, do they have any other option? And, if they aren't staying with you, could you avoid having them over? An injury would throw anyone for a loop if you were trying to get ready for company. Just wondering if you can tell them that you've had a serious injury and see what else can be worked out. Our best friends came to visit us at our old location. We had two cats die of cancer in the 2 months leading up to them coming. I was too depressed to do an all out cleaning and our house looked and SMELLED awful. I was so embarrassed -there was no way I could have them visit. I arranged for a friend to let them use her apartment. They were there 4 days and never stepped foot in our house. And, I was honest with them - they are cleanies and the place was just disgusting. Any local friends that can help you with some of the lifting? Most people are good with clutter - not having rotting food, etc. - you are ahead of the game for sure!! They also probably want to see you more than anything!! PC My son and my partner are going to help. They both have the same issue, in that the house has nearly always been one kind of a mess or another, and neither is a neatnick. So when I ask for them to clean, they do a bit... But mostly just move stuff around. The company is partner's mom and step dad. They know their son, and so don't expect perfection. And they'll be staying at a B&B. So that's a load off. Truth is, I'd be stressing about cleaning up even if they weren't visiting. It NEEDS to be clean. The house needs a roof repair and some electric repairs. When we had the electrician in he said we would need to "get rid of the clutter" before work can begin. And he was nice about it... But.... |
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 14:37:29 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you fell and got injured @bethel! Could I ask, what is the clutter composed of? Is it trash? Things that have a home but aren't in their homes? Things that don't have a home? You are miles ahead by not having any Level 4 squalor issues right now. AND visible floor. So take care of your injury, be safe, and do small tasks. Use chat, 8 minutes, working in threes, or another motivator to help you take those baby steps that will start to add up to huge strides. Hello Angela. The clutter is mostly crap I need to either give away or toss. Some is stuff that doesn't have a home. One big issue is that the truck is full of peg board we picked up for free. And it hasn't come out of the truck because the shed is full of Partner's tools. So we can't load up the truck. Which means we can't get rid of the clutter. It was pretty good going for awhile, but we've been in gridlock one way or another for a year. Partner has decided to work on the shed today, and I will be working on son's old room. I am in a mood to pitch EVERYTHING so ... Wish me luck. Maybe a free pile out front? Yeah. That might work. |
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 16:17:49 GMT -5
One box of give away filled, and a half a black garbage bag. Taking a break now. DS is making progress in the kitchen. Partner is doing something in the shed. Best not to disturb him.  Taking a 20 min break now to hydrate and play my computer game. Two rounds and I'll get back to work. |
|
|
|
Post by TML on Jul 25, 2015 17:32:17 GMT -5
Hi Bethel,
Sorry to hear you are having balance issues and fell. It sounds as though you are getting some help and at least the company is not staying with you.
Do you have to show them the entire house? I know when some company visits they expect the grand tour. If you don't have to show them the house, I would prioritize so that the areas they will be in will be done first and then the rest is just bonus.
Minimum I would think would be reasonable guest bathroom, kitchen area, living room for sitting, hallway into house, and any area you can see from those areas. However closets and places with doors to shut would be last. Also think of where you might have last minute storage space - shed? plus if you can afford some boxes from staples the kind with the lids. Sometimes things look neater tossed in boxes and nicely stacked up against wall in spare room.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 18:21:40 GMT -5
Hi Bethel, Sorry to hear you are having balance issues and fell. It sounds as though you are getting some help and at least the company is not staying with you. Do you have to show them the entire house? I know when some company visits they expect the grand tour. If you don't have to show them the house, I would prioritize so that the areas they will be in will be done first and then the rest is just bonus. Minimum I would think would be reasonable guest bathroom, kitchen area, living room for sitting, hallway into house, and any area you can see from those areas. However closets and places with doors to shut would be last. Also think of where you might have last minute storage space - shed? plus if you can afford some boxes from staples the kind with the lids. Sometimes things look neater tossed in boxes and nicely stacked up against wall in spare room. Hi TML. Thanks for the thoughts. The house is very small. There isn't much stash space, and what there is is suffering from previous stashing events. Right now I'm hoping to clear my son's old bedroom completely. Then I can work on the laundry room and garage area, stashing any "keepers" in that room. It's hard to describe the biggest issue here. Gridlock. Can't clean one area because there's no place to put stuff... Lather Rinse Repeat for every room. But I'm making progress. Sorted two boxes of books just now and have one ready for give away. I just need to figure where I'll stick the keepers. |
|
|
|
Post by angela on Jul 25, 2015 20:58:04 GMT -5
I totally understand the gridlock issue Bethel. I've been experiencing it myself.
What finally broke the dam for me was taking a bunch of things to donation, another bunch on Freecycle, and consolidating things into boxes that could stack higher.
Well done getting some books ready for go-away.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 21:01:03 GMT -5
When my cousin died suddenly in 2008, I was the only family member in the state, so I had the unenviable job of identifying him and collecting his effects. I sent his sister everything she asked for and sold off what little he had at a garage sale. But for some reason I kept the big envelope from the coroner. I just ran across it in the pile of random stuff in my son's old bedroom.
Seriously? WHY did I keep it?
One cheap watch (Goodwill!) his driver's license and wallet (TRASH!) A single dollar bill (piggy bank) and his teeth? Because? WTF were the teeth doing in there??? I guess when Seattle cremates someone they save the teeth for some reason? I dunno.... Anyhow, he didn't have any gold fillings, so I just tossed them into our garden with a wish for my cousin to enjoy the flowers there.
OK. Onward. More decluttering to do here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 25, 2015 21:03:56 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by _Linda_ on Jul 25, 2015 22:42:32 GMT -5
Bethel I'm so sorry that you're hurt. You're doing great, given the circumstances. I'm sure it's very frustrating right now, but you will get there. 
|
|
|
|
Post by sue5000 on Jul 25, 2015 23:51:58 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Bethel on Jul 26, 2015 3:07:30 GMT -5
Quitting for tonight. I got about half way through the room. I'll be back at it tomorrow. Found some stuff I didn't remember we had. Including an ugly clown statue that my husband's cousin gave us twenty years ago. "Oh My GAWD! THE CLOWN!" I cried. Partner Drew turned to look and gasped in horror. My son came running and said "I KNEW it was that one!" It's dusty. Tomorrow I'll wash it off and maybe share a photo if there's any interest. Right now I can't decide whether or not to get rid of it or keep it. I mean... it's ugly... but it's kind of legendary now.  |
|
