Sometimes in our fellowship on 'Stepping Out of Squalor' we forget that this site is here, first and foremost, to improve our living environments as it pertains to squalor. We do that by eliminating clutter, hoarding and uncleanliness.
We are
not here to say that squalor is okay. Living in filth hurts people in so many ways. We are
not here to enable anyone.
Beating squalor takes a confrontation of the condition and the behavior that got us here in the first place. Sometimes this process is itself messy and unpleasant. Ignoring the very real harm squalor causes is not only dishonest, it cuts out critical motivation to clean it up.
The following are ways squalor hurts us. For most of us, none of this will be news. We live with it daily, after all. Afterward is a short list of self-sabotaging methods to avoid. Hopefully, it will help us avoid excuses for taking action and participating in enabling behavior.
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The Ways Squalor Hurts UsHealth issues:Squalor subjects us hourly to mold, dust, waste matter, and rotting detritus that can
seriously threaten our health. Worse, it endangers our significant others' health, the health of our children and the welfare of our pets, no matter how much we love them.
Safety issues:Squalor creates debris that makes it hard to navigate our homes, making it easy to slip or dump heavy objects on people or pets, risking broken bones. It creates a fire hazard by giving fire fuel and blocking exits. It creates impediments to emergency crews coming to rescue those needing immediate medical help.
Maintenance issues:If we have a maintenance problem in squalorous surroundings, we're less likely to call for help due to embarrassment, fear, or an inability to access the work area. This means tiny problems become big ones, sometimes causing structural damage which is
much more difficult and expensive to fix. Lack of water or heat becomes a health risk. Lack of water also makes cleaning virtually impossible.
Real estate issues:Squalor makes even the nicest home unattractive at best and a danger to inhabitants at worst. Property values not only go down on the property itself, but also the surrounding property, making neighbors unhappy. Those who rent face eviction. Those who own face fines, lawsuits and property condemnation.
Social issues:Squalor limits social contact to outside the home. Shame can cause withdrawal from friendships and romantic relationships. It curtails spontaneous acts of friendship for fear of exposure. Those who are discovered to have issues are not treated very kindly by society. Squalor isolates children from social interaction with other kids and causes devastating isolation and shame due to body odor and dirty clothing. Children can feel like they take second place to things in their parents' lives. Meanwhile, those children do not learn healthy housekeeping skills from their parents. Protective services are
far more likely to step in to remove children from a home with neglected health and safety hazards.
Financial issues:Lost bills means angry creditors. Deferred maintenance means bigger repair costs. Lost items get replaced so that we have many unnecessary duplicates. Warranties and receipts are lost so defective items can't be returned. Missing tax statements make filing taxes difficult. Squalorous real estate looses substantial value for the home owner.
Quality of life:We can't find the items most important to us in the debris field of our home. We can't see or enjoy the beautiful things we possess because of the clutter around it. Keeping meaningful items in pristine shape becomes impossible. Carrying out hobbies is more difficult because of lack of space to work, time needed to find tools and supplies and a place to display handiwork. Shame and fear robs us of our self-confidence and tranquility.
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The Ways We Sabotage Ourselves• Denying that we live in squalor
• Denying that squalor is a debilitating condition that physically and emotionally damages us and those around us
• Forgetting that first and foremost, we must CLEAN to overcome it
• Being unwilling to endure discomfort to de-squalor
• Being so focused on enjoying time with those who understand us here that we forget socializing is not the primary goal
• Trying to over-analyze the reasons before attempting to clean
• Letting shame and guilt stop us from cleaning
• Letting the big picture overwhelm us
• Giving up and resigning oneself to the status quo
• Not taking care of health issues that can contribute to cleaning difficulties
• Forgetting that we must KEEP cleaning a little every day to keep squalor at bay
• Letting a temporary setback discourage us into giving up entirely
• Being so concerned in taking care of others that we forget to take care of ourselves and our own space
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