Just a quickie to say that the bookshelf now looks fabulous and houses all my photo albums along with the books I wanted to still keep and are sorted into their respective categories. A small achievement, but I will take and have celebrated that.
Now as I go out the door I smile as my entrance looks so much nicer.
This has now snowballed into more movement within the home front in a positive way. Little by little, bit by bit more is being tossed that needs to be tossed and those items that need to be dealt with before tossing is also well on the way.
For example, all my VHS tapes that hold all sorts of vision, I am dubbing down onto DVDs. Don't like the medium, but it sure does save on space. So I shall lump it. In the case of family memories. I am holding onto those VHS's only and making sure I have several back ups. In some cases I even have the film stock. But only family footage. The rest goes. All this will be now kept in one area, instead of here there everywhere.
Will place all of my Mum's albums in this bookshelf as well as I find them. So nice to now be able to access easily.
As for the Jason Recliner that I pictured in my last entry, well, the minute I put that up for sale, was snapped up by a dear friend who I know will get much joy and use of this still very comfortable chair. No biddings so he is getting a bargain and I am throwing in the Homedics Shiatsu Massage Pad as well for him. Helps him. Saves me. Win win if you ask me.
This will again help with my domino of stuff as it makes room for the chair that I have had in storage for 10 years to finally be used as there will now be room for it. This then moves more from under the carport, which has been at a standstill till now over winter.
Spring has sprung and once the rains are done with, I will be out there once more to shift more of the stuff. Not so bad on pleasant temperature days. But on those blistering hot or freezing cold blustery days, well, not so pleasant. If it was a garage then my work would have been done sooner, as then I could have still worked on, even in inclement or unpleasant conditions protected from the elements. But, I do not have that luxury.
This was the photo of the chair that I put up.
Was thinking of naming the site, 'ANITA'S NIK NAK TREASURE TROVE'.
What do you think? Catchy or too much?
Will have to work on it quick smart, as I do not wish to delay once the weather improves. Would like to have the home front looking more 'schmick' before my daughters wedding or let's get real wishful here and try for before this Christmas! Good heaven's that would be an achievement if I did do just that.
Huffington Post Live contacted me a second time now, to participate in a group skype discussion on those who struggle with the issue of hoarding along with an array of experts and those who suffer and those who have family with the issue and so on. They wanted a few from varying angles to chat about this topic.
I see this as very healthy as long as it is proactive and helpful. Being that the skype interviews are done from the east coast of USA, and at the time of the interview I am tucked up in bed and in the middle of the night where I live, I am not at my best or bright eyed and bushy tailed to speak, let alone concentrate on the discussion fully at that time in the morning. 2 am approximately for me.
Apparently, I am on some sort of top 10 recommended blogs that are about 'hoarding'. Nice to know and glad that I have had an impact in a positive light.
I hope to participate in one of these discussions in the future and in time I more than likely will.
This interest, I see as a good thing in order to get information out there to help those who need it most. As long as it is positive and proactive, then I am all for it. The more discussions we have about uncomfortable issue's, the more informed the community will become and be equipped with the right information and knowledge, that will enable for a better and healthier outcome all round. Just makes for common sense to me.
In the meantime, those who have recently found themselves struggling with too much stuff as it can snowball due to a series of events, be it stuff stuffed into one room behind a closed door that looms larger than life with a heartbeat of its own to be hidden from all eyes, or more rooms than one, or spilling over every bench surface, or the garage filled to the gunnels and yes, even storing stuff in the boot of your car or just in the car!
Just remember one thing, don't forget 'be kind to thyself'.
This makes the task of addressing and dealing with the situation and issue more achievable.
Break it down into easy doable segments and give yourself permission to take time. Not every one has the same energy levels to get things done. I can type fast, but my body doesn't move as fast as it once did. It is all relative. Being hard on oneself just brings one down and then we achieve less rather than more and defeats the original intention and purpose.
I have found, if I find happiness and laughter in a situation, I get a lot more done. Go figure.
You may find benefit in listening to your favourite music while purging.
Have a trusted friend over and chat and laugh while purging.
Have a relative help you with the purging, as they may like to hear the stories that come up when an item surfaces that has been long forgotten and is all about your mutual family members. It then becomes a nice shared experience.
Make the process enjoyable. You will thank yourself in the end. Not only will you have a 'good time' and the time passes by without notice. Afterwards, you will also see that you have achieved something much more in the end. Even if it is just one small area. It is one small area done. Celebrate these and do not allow negativity to overshadow these yet small achievements.
Now I do have to scoot to sort my initial avalanche of 'stuff' to be photographed for others to enjoy eventually via all methods I can think of.
I know that once I do get 'that' job that has my name on it, this process will slow down markedly. I would like to get as much done as possible while I have this time in which to do this. As we all know, time waits for no one.
Now, before I go, I asked myself, hence this entry, 'Have I achieved what I set out to achieve, when I pushed myself to write this rather open and honest account on what happens when inheriting an overload of hoarding and blog about it, that I first started some three years ago, on what has been, at times, a very uncomfortable seven year long journey?'.
Well, I can only speak for myself and can say now looking back over these last 7 years, I have for myself, achieved much and the process of putting it out there has had the desired result with some unexpected happy benefits as well.
I now have vastly less stuff than when I first commenced and feeling lighter, brighter and happier within myself.
I have made new connections that I would never have dreamt of.
I have even helped others, even though no one would know it. Others who have felt so bad about themselves and their individual situation. Many have come up to me quietly whispering that my blog has made them realise that they are not alone with this issue and that has helped them cope better and start to deal with the issue their way.
That was more than I could have hoped for. To help not only myself, but others.
Now, all I have to achieve is to make it not such a shameful thing to happen to anyone, under whatever circumstances it takes shape. And I mean the majority of situations of 'too much stuff'. With those few percent who have found themselves in so deep in stuff that they cannot move to do basic daily functions and infestations have started or have become a health issue, then, that is a job for specialists and medical professionals. I am just thinking of those who have found themselves in a situation that has overwhelmed them, but not to the point where they are no longer able to save themselves.
Unfortunately, the shame and stigma attached to this very issue drives people underground and to be quiet and so do not seek help or share their plight, which in turn only makes the issue fester more in most cases and get out of hand into overloading the person who only needed a lending hand to help them from getting to this point in time in the first place.
It is not the end of the world when you find this happens to you. It is just bloody awful to go through. But, it is also as I said not the end of life as we know it.
Take heart and take pride in your achievements no matter how big or small they are.
As for me, this blog has been a blessing on all levels. I know I am slowly making my Mum proud as this was a job she couldn't get done due to illness and felt very badly for leaving it all to me to cope with.
In my case grief and situations slowrf me down, but thankfully not forever. I got down, sure. But, I also didn't beat myself up continually over a situation that I could not stop. Nor should anyone who finds themselves neck deep in horror.
I made that decision to be kind to myself. I made another to take my time, but give realistic and achievable deadlines instead. I decided to use humour to get through. I highly recommend it.
There will be tears. But why not some happy tears in the mix.
Just take your time as I have and be kind to yourself and make the task and journey as pleasant as possible.
That is all that matters.
In the end, it will be you who reaps the rewards.
Ciao for now,
Anita
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