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Post by mouse on May 24, 2008 10:56:38 GMT -5
Good morning,
My name is Mouse, although I go by various other names in real life, and by a couple of other handles on the internet. I chose the name Mouse for Squalor Survivors, and now for this site, because it reflects how I feel about my home and the de-squaloring process: my home is supposed to be my sanctuary, but instead it's become filled with clutter and grime, much of it pet-related. I have always lived alone (except when I lived with my parents), and am a lousy housekeeper.
I have four cats, who are indirectly the source of most of my squalor. Directly, the source of my squalor is the fact that I don't clean up after the cats nearly as much as I should. I am inconsistent about cat pans, and thus have a serious problem which has caused major damage to the floor in one room. *sigh*
I joined SS in November of 2006, and it helped a great deal. I have backslid twice (including lately), but it has been a great comfort to come back to the boards and find support and the will to start again.
This year is a year of changes for me. I am likely going to be moving before the end of summer, although I don't know exactly when, which is both exciting and stressful. I'm also leaving on a trip to Europe for a week, which I haven't done in ten years or so. That, too, is both exciting and stressful. All of this means that I must make extra efforts to get this place clean and presentable.
The move also dictates that I must repair the floor in my dining room. I also want to get rid of the most clutter possible before I leave. I don't want to have to pack my junk and carry it over to the next place: it is junk, and I will never use it.
Anyway, that's a very short summary of what's happening with me. I'm very glad that we have a new place to come and share stories and support, although of course I will miss SS terribly.
Onward and upward!
~Mouse
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Post by artsygal on May 24, 2008 11:06:48 GMT -5
My pet issues are my biggest problem as well and I rent, I'm new and look forward to getting to know you. I can really relate. I'm glad you're here.
best, artsy
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Post by eatingbonbons on May 24, 2008 15:41:53 GMT -5
Mouse, how wonderful that you have a trip to Europe coming up! I'd love to hear more about it.
My pets have become problematic for me, too. [heavy sigh...]
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Post by onwardandupward on May 25, 2008 22:07:23 GMT -5
Mouse,
I am also looking to move this summer and have the goal of moving as few items as possible through getting rid of garbage and donating items I really don't use.
I am glad to know you are in the same boat...it will be interesting to share this journey with you!
Onward
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Post by mouse on Jun 8, 2008 8:53:33 GMT -5
It occurs to me that I didn't post a very complete introduction the first time around. This is going to be a quick-and-dirty (no pun intended) introduction to me, and perhaps I shall do something a little more detailed in the future. I am 29 years old (30 in January, eep!), and live alone with my four cats in a 3 1/2 in Montreal, Canada. I have always been something of a messie, even when I was living with my parents at home. I always had piles of books and papers everywhere, and often enough clothes draped over my chair. My parents are pack rats (though not hoarders), my father is B.O. and hates to have anything out of place, and my mother is a cleanie but not obsessively so. I grew up in a household where I was taught that the only way to do something was to do it "perfectly," with a very all-or-nothing mentality. My mother doesn't believe in shortcuts, and if you're going to wash the floor then you need to be on your hands and knees with a bucket and a j-cloth. None of this "mop" nonsense for her! Same with laundry, dishes, everything. It was all elbow-grease and willpower. So when I moved out I either cleaned frantically or not at all, and the worse the mess got, the less I did because I would never be able to do it all "properly."I am also bi-polar (Type II), and spent about five years severely depressed, or hypomanic and not especially functional. There were issues with meds, and unemployment, financial stress, landlord and property issues, and more paralyzing depression. The mess of course was compounded by the cats, and that's when I got into trouble and slid into 3rd degree squalor. Here I am, six years after moving away from my parents' place, and I still haven't got the cleanliness thing totally down. I have come a long way, however. I have my mental health entirely under control (*fingers crossed*), have a better apartment and an awesome landlady, and have learned to let go of my perfectionism, and just do a "good enough" job when it comes to cleaning. I've also found a couple of short cuts around the jobs I hate the most by getting some gizmos to do the work for me, and with any luck that should simplify my life considerably. I have decided to get fully onto the FlyLady bandwagon this time around, and establish routines and babystep my way into maintenance. My apartment right now is still messy in some places, but it's much better than before. Currently the worst room is my bedroom, which is somewhere between a Level 1 and 2. The dining room, kitchen, living room and bathroom are all Level 1 and need help, especially the dining room, which needs a new floor. I'm hoping to get them all to Level 0 by the time I move this summer, and to clear out all the Stuff I don't use anymore. I'm calling this Mouse's Pre-Move Purge, 'cause I like giving names to things.  That's it for now! Hope this has clarified a bit of where I'm coming from. ~Mouse |
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overcome
New Member
Joined: June 2008
Posts: 21
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Post by overcome on Jun 10, 2008 3:03:38 GMT -5
Hi mouse
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