In April of 2007, I decided, just after Easter Sunday, that I didn't want to live in squalor anymore. I took the entire week (we had school vacation during it) and bagged up ALL the trash. I ended up uncovering failed attempts at bagging trash and stacked all the trash in each room in one corner of each room.
I was ashamed that I had let myself live knee deep in 2nd to 3rd degree squalor for so long. I was ashamed to be seen taking out the garbage, even though realistically no one really cared that I was getting rid of garbage. I believe that during this time, I had found squalor survivors. At the final count, I believe I had over 120 garbage bags that came from 3 yrs of neglect.
I slowly ate away at the garbage bag piles, revealing damaged carpet, sticky floors, and dingy walls. I was slowly freeing myself from depression.
The last of the garbage bags and boxes filled with garbage exited the apartment in October of 2007. My parents came to visit a short time later (Nov 2007). They helped me push my apartment into the maintained level it is today. My dad paid to have the carpet replaced. He painted the walls. My mom helped me hang pictures and paintings, and we went shopping for curtains. My apartment was becoming a HOME again.
In October of 2008, my parents came to visit again and I was blessed with brand new furniture. This has been a wonderful journey out of squalor and into a new healthy life.
I realized that with this week being just after Easter, that it has been 2 years since I declared war on my squalor. I am proud to report that the garbage is being taken out regularly, the cat pan is being cleaned regularly, and the laundry is no longer allowed to pile up.
I still backslide occasionally and forget to put the laundry in the baskets, but the situation is EASILY handled within a 10 minute period. My floors are clean and my home is happy.
Thank you to Squalor Survivors, Stepping Out of Squalor, and to the numerous friends I have come in contact with throughout the past 2 years. The support and cheering on that I received over the course of 2 years is amazing and is what has gotten me to where I am today. I can't wait to celebrate 3 years of "Squalor Sobriety".
