SPRING-Clean Declutter - Need Help

Good work on the linen cupboard @Former-Member. Hope you get the hot water sorted. When I lived in SE Asia, it was commonplace even in the most modern of apartments to only have a cold water tap in the kitchen. I used to either boil water or bucket it from the bathroom to wash the dishes.

Hope you are feeling better again soon. Don't over extend yourself. Rest is important and necessary for healing.

Hi @Former-Member, @Former-Member, @soul, i had a good sleep this afternoon which was good as i have found it hard to sleep for awhile. Tomorrow is rubbish day so i am going to aim to let go of some recycling & rubbish. I read a post that @lapses put up about decluttering with points of how to & the 15 min rule. That method sits well for me, i will try that 2morrow as well. There have been 3 things i promised i'd do even in my worst time which is: feed & care for my cats, take my meds & eat usually breakkie & dinner. I can't cook because i cant see my benches, so i buy prepared. So, armed with the 15 min rule i've know about now, i will begin in my kitchen tomorrow. I hope you all rest well tonight & i will let you know how i go releasing the recycling tomorrow. I am so encouraged by your positive posts & efforts, so thanks for being brave & putting yourself out there for me to find you! BFN, @1stepup61

Hey @Former-Member, hope your checkup went well. I look forward to getting to know you as well. I agree with what u said about hoarding being a part of MI & we do so need all the support we can get & fellow clutterbugs like you all i have met here are the best support, because you understand, so i feel lucky to find your threads. Prior to my breakdown I had always managed to function by using my OCD & GAD to keep me going having rituals, then i got ill 9yrs ago & couldn't do anything for myself. I feel like i've gone from one end of being over the top organised to the other end of totally unorganised & not knowing how to do any thing? So now i am in a good position where i can start again and learn a better way to manage my daily life. So i guess that will be my incentive to let go off stuff i dont need anymore. The wall is coming down 1x 15 mins at a time very slowly & thats ok. Sleep well, catch ya tomorrow! BFN, @1stepup61

Hey how cool are u, @soul, you did heaps today, you must be so proud of yourself. Doing weeding and sorting out the cupboard is great. i am so inspired from your sharing with me! i am deffinately going to try in the morning to! Good night! 🙂

Hi @1stepup61 - pets are good for making you responsible for something. I have a dog and bird living with me so feeding and looking after them including giving the pooch a walk puts structure in my day.

All the best with your decluttering today.

Thank you for being so honest @ 1stepup61, and brave disclosing the extent of your CLUTTER, hoarding and depression struggles. You said: "I can't cook because i cant see my benches, so i buy prepared" 😞

I have learned, with my hoard, that "when the clutter interferes with daily function - Activities of Daily Living (ADL's) - we need help! I can't afford one of those 'professional organisers' and my psychologist doesnt see it at a priority... So this is one of the things I love about saneforums - we can help each other. How can we overcome depression when we can't even function in our home environment? It needs to be a priority in therapy.

With PSYCHOLOGICAL HOARDING - I have read that our physical environment reflects what's going on in our psyche (our hearts, soul, mind, emotions...), a reflection of occummulated unresolved internal conflict, a trafficking jam within so to speak. ✴Sometimes starting to clean our hoard will unlock / resurface some of this unwanted psychologic pain we've been running away from. So do be prepared for this, aware, but most of all - be gentle with yourself - your heart, be self-compassionate. Process the feelings a little by noticing them briefly, acknowledge that part of you (dont deny or push it back down. sometimes i catch myself out and say 'thats interesting' or ouch that hurts - i hear you...'. Take a deep breath, a moments silence, or as long as you need, and continue with the task at hand, as able). Thats what I wok at doing - if it helps. It helps with 'grief work too). But its very hard - I know 💜

"Two steps forward, one back, Is still moving forward" ☺

So yes, start in the kitchen, Get that bench clear (so you can think clear), the stove (so you can be creative again) & the sink clear (to cleans for fresh starts). Then cook an omelette or pumpkin soup - you'll be so proud of yourself 😇

Easier said than done but we'll get there. I've been there and will walk you through what i know.

One day I was so cranky with my messy dysfunctional kitchen I grabbed a plastic washing basket, put it on the floor and filled it with all the dishes andcthings needing cleaning. Then boxed non kitchen things to put away later... eventually I could see the benches and wiped them clean🎉 - felt like a miracle ✴✴✴✴ The washing up was still waiting in that basket, but the work space was clear to do it - and I felt in control again Sometimes it still gets bad with relapses, and maybe bad habits, but we sufferers really have to get determined, focus hard, at least for that first 15min ❤❤❤
✴TOGETHER WE CAN!✴

😒Hmm, guess getting out of bed will be a good start for me in the here and now lol Hi Darcy, Soul - Get back to yas soon 🙂

Hi @Former-Member, thank you for your very supportive post. i put my rubbish out for collection today. Plus, i cleaned out my fridge, i have room in my fridge now! I have started! I hope you have a great day! BFN, @1stepup61

Hi @soul i am much better with pets. My cats have learnt to knock on my bedroom door, when i feel low & i have wanted to pull my blankets over my head, they give me an hour or 2 and then they start to knock & they will not take go away, as an answer! Having the responsibility for them has been my saving grace really. i was going to get a puppy, so i could have a walking companion to, but fate had other ideas a stray, sick and mistreated cat came in to my life who was pregnant. We have been good for each other. I hope you have a great day! BFN, @1stepup61

Loved your story about your cats @1stepup61 even though I'm not a cat person. My walking companion aka my pooch, is slowing down in her old age. I give her two walks a day but when I want to actually get some more vigorous exercise, she stays home.

You could aim to fill your bin every collection day or even sell or give away excess stuff you don't use or need.

Good morning @Former-Member. Checking in to see how you are going. I hope your health has improved and that you're well on your way to a full recovery as near to anyway.

Hows things with your parents going? Were you still planning on making that trip to see them? And the house? Any news on that front? I think you were doing some work in the garden last time you were talking.

Hope you have a beautiful day. Say hi to the birdies for me.