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Post by SetMeFree on Jul 15, 2011 16:16:34 GMT -5
This needs to be bumped up.
Priceless information.
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Post by SetMeFree on Jul 15, 2011 16:19:40 GMT -5
Just a suggestion...
Can this be retitled as Inspection List or something and made permanent?
I know many people can benefit by this info, even if they aren't facing an inspection.
Might as well declutter and clean as if one could happen any minute, since I just got a 2-day notice and am now in panic mode.
We can all use this as a goal toward become more clutter-free.
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Post by ohblondie on Jul 15, 2011 18:33:57 GMT -5
THank you to SetMeFree for bumping this thread up.
I posted earlier in this thread that I have lovely tenants but they are messy. Not necessarily hoarders but really messy. I never really forced the issue because they pay their rent on time and I know the mom suffers from some serious health issues and I really like them. As well as the statement "those who live in glass houses should not throw stones"......I guess my being nice did not do her or me any favors.
Well. the city came to do their every two year bulding inspection and the apartment failed!! I did not get issued a certificate of occupancy for them. I got a temp 30 one, and a list of things that need to be rectified.
Some things were damage caused by a previous tenant that had not been caught in previous inspections. I hired a handyman to fix all of those.
The rest were because of her poor housekeeping. Mouse droppings under the sink (I paid hundreds of dollars for an exterminator and the mice are gone. she never cleaned up). Food and boxes from microwave dinners built up between the stove and wall. food on the floor (can attract new vermin) Food spilled in the pantry and not wiped up- (can attract new vermin). The floor had been mopped but there was a build up of brown crud under the fridge that you could see, and the house smelled of dog pee. If she had opened the windows that smell might have dissapated and I would not have been cited for that.
I have paid hundreds of dollars for mice and roach and spider extermination. And if she does not clean up- my house will be shut down and I will lose my income.
So now I have to be tough on her.....but I also am being tougher on me. The major difference is- she has no clutter but filthy house. I have cluttered (ok hoarded house) but it is clean. But you can't see the clean for all of the clutter....ugh....
But yes- hoarding and messes can cost other people their jobs, income or houses. In an extreme measure- the city could condemn my house then my retirement income/housing for me is LOST!!
OK...of to create my weekend chore list....
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Post by angelpuss on Jul 15, 2011 19:02:23 GMT -5
I had a close call in one of my previous homes.
The lounge had a lovely open fireplace, which I always kept the metal fire screen in front of, except when putting wood on the fire.
Once, I had put extra logs on and, unnoticed by me, an ember shot out of the fireplace and landed on a small stack of magazines which were beside my fabric covered lounge.
I had no idea anything was wrong but out little cat, Angelpuss, who lived inside then, kept staring at the magazines and would not come away when called!( unusual for her )
When I went to pick her up, the ember had already burnt right into the magazines, I could smell it burning but it was still not giving off enough smoke to be obvious. You can imagine how horrified I was to see a neat hole through the middle of the pile!
If Angelpuss had not acted strangely, I would have left home and the whole place would have gone up in flames.
The open fireplace is set in a huge chimney with a large brick shelf in front and in front of that is a tiled floor area. The ember travelled about six feet through the air before landing on the magazines. My lounge was in front of a window with cotton curtains, the flooring is wool/nylon carpet. It would have gone up like a firework!
In Australia, rental properties must be fitted with smoke detectors. A cluttered home is a much more dangerous place to escape from in a fire and there is no doubt it puts others at higher risk too.
This is a timely reminder for us to make the safety of ourselves and others a top priority.
Lets all make our homes safe!
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Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Oct 27, 2011 11:31:48 GMT -5
And never pile stuff on stairs. Even if you can goat-step around them, rescue workers will not be able to. My brother fell in his bedroom and couldn't get up or walk (He has a bad back from his military days). My Mom called an ambulance but the workers couldn't get to him (upstairs) because the stairs had boxes and things piled on them. Mom (87, very ill herself) had to move everything off the stairs for the EMTs.
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Post by Freedom on Oct 27, 2011 13:03:00 GMT -5
Thank you, Meme  This is a potentially life-saving post/thread. I nominate for "favorite thread" status. |
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Post by sparkle on Mar 24, 2012 15:52:30 GMT -5
Thank you again, meme. We miss you. Thanks, step for finding and posting this.
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Post by seashell on Mar 26, 2012 7:23:53 GMT -5
Rereading this reminds me that I need to clear space in my hallway and around the bedroom windows. Our complex is old, with wood and brick buildings spaced closely together. Whenever there is a fire call, no matter how small, the entire fire department comes out as a precaution. Thank you meme. You are loved and are sorely missed.  |
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Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Mar 26, 2012 9:25:07 GMT -5
My sister's house is very cluttered. She also has a barn full of objects, not vehicles. Her husband "collects" things. Like hundreds of old 33 and 45 RPM records, books,etc. She has things piled high in every room. She now regularly babysits her grandchild. Everyone who knows her and has visited worries about this child. She's only 2. What could happen if she knocks down a stack of books on herself?
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Post by lil on Jul 23, 2012 22:50:10 GMT -5
Wow. Real reason's to clear your clutter to make sure fireman can save you and themselves and make sure paramedics can get to you. Safety first.
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Blackswan
Banned
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 6,388
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Post by Blackswan on Aug 23, 2013 5:58:52 GMT -5
Just realized both of my bedroom windows are blocked by piles of clutter. Scary! There is a clear way out of the door and the rest of the house is clear cause its my mom's house, but you never know. A fire could start and block my way out of the door in my room. I'm going to get rid of those clutter piles tomorrow for sure, make it top priority.
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Post by TheCatsFosterMother on Aug 26, 2013 17:33:53 GMT -5
How's the window decluttering going Blackswan? My (now thankfully defunct) habit of letting post etc. pile up and up in the little lobby by the letterbox and then grabbing it all and shoving it in a cardboard box out of the way, has caused at least inconvenience and possibly harm to someone else. I really have too much on my plate to try to sort it out now but I am feeling a good deal of regret and anxiety over it. |
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Post by whatgirl on Jan 11, 2014 2:51:51 GMT -5
Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful. I am paranoid about my landlord evicting me. I was not aware of a lot of these requirements and it is very worrisome. By keeping everything Meme listed in mind, I think it will help me prioritize when I have to crisis clean for inspections.
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Post by homesteph on Jan 12, 2014 15:14:42 GMT -5
Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful. I am paranoid about my landlord evicting me. I was not aware of a lot of these requirements and it is very worrisome. By keeping everything Meme listed in mind, I think it will help me prioritize when I have to crisis clean for inspections. Agreed, a great resource for a crisis inspection! I encourage EVERYONE who reads this to start working on any fire hazards TODAY! These safety measures protect us and the other people in our buildings. While they are definitely good to doublecheck before an inspection, no need to wait for the next inspection! Landlords make appointments, but emergencies do not! While i am thinking about fire hazards, i am going to go clean the dryer lint exhaust vent pipe...i actually cannot remember when i did that last so it must be a few years....i have been doing a lot of laundry backlog. The non-hazard-managing chores can wait... |
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Post by paristoday on May 22, 2014 21:45:10 GMT -5
Just what I need. All the criticism and shouting from family members makes me defiant. Now, I realize how awful it would be to cause someone else's death, besides my own. I'm afraid to sleep tonight because I want to clear the hallways right away. But it's almost 10 p.m., not the best time to make noise with neighbors on adjoining walls. Praying for a safe evening and gusto tomorrow.
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