Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Thanks for your encouraging response, @Dimity ❤️

I didn't end up finishing last week's bag, so haven't got a second one in from the shed. I think I'll make a document with the weeks on it, showing my progress.

Has your handyman got back to you yet?

A big well done for finally managing to lodge your paperwork with Centrelink, despite all the setbacks and difficulty!

I met with my stepmother and (abusive) father for lunch yesterday, so that was a big deal. It went better than expected.

Good luck tackling the living room, if that's your aim for today...

Family isn't always easy @NatureLover especially when there's history...

Charting your progress sounds a great idea, especially if you can look back later and see how far you've come.

Yes the livingroom was my aim but I've had a bad day. I'll have to do what I can before bed.

The handyman is willing but there's more to resolve.

@NatureLover I did some tidying...

---

@Dimity wrote:

@NatureLover I did some tidying...

---

Well done, @Dimity ! 👍🙂

I'm sorry you had such a bad day on Thursday...hoping things are better now...

I've shelved the boxes in the shed project at the request of my psychologist. I saw her yesterday (Friday) and she said I needed to allow some space for grieving, and to put the unsorted bag back in the shed. She said just to work on maintaining my space daily and don't put more pressure on myself at the moment.

So this weekend I'm hoping to just sort out the grocery bags on the kitchen floor and do some laundry.

I hope you can get stuff resolved with your handyman. Do you think he would take stuff to the Opp Shop for / with you?

Good luck with your sorting...

@NatureLover @Dimity omg searching for a handyman is a pain, i know the feeling. It is exhausting. I used my neighbours gardener and he came yesterday and usually does the weeding, but I got him to mow as well. It was such a relief as I normally do everything but lately my health has been worrying me. But man he got 2 bags of oranges from the orange tree without my permission. I had one bag for him but while I was inside he helped himself. Sneaky lol.

@NatureLover@Dimity @Bow @Eve7 @Shaz51 I was drawn to this thread as I do suffer from mild hoarding and have been a germophobe since I was a kid. I know it is a trauma response. I struggle with rashes as well, especially on my hands. Luckily I found mild PH liquid soap from Envirocare Earth which helped me a lot. I found it at a health food shop back in 2005. I just buy direct from them now. It's not ideal as a bit expensive, but with my compulsive washing, I would be in a lot of discomfort 😕 and a lot of steroid cream...

It is nice to see people sharing their progress with the help of pacing. It is the light at the end of the tunnel. Thx for sharing 🙂

@NatureLover be gentle with yourself. You'll have the neighbour's shed for a long while yet. It will be good to see how things work out now you're not buying as much online.

3 mature shrubs were cut down when I thought the other owners had agreed to a moratorium until a meeting. Things ended messily with my helper. And my plans to deal with the stuff in storage were derailed.

I've rearranged the livingroom a little more, which cheered me. Otherwise things feel a bit hopeless.

Glad you had help in the garden @scruffypuffball but shame about the greedy gardener.

---

@scruffypuffball wrote:

But man he got 2 bags of oranges from the orange tree without my permission. I had one bag for him but while I was inside he helped himself. Sneaky lol.

---

That is very rude, @scruffypuffball ! Especially when you'd already given him a whole bag!

Interesting that you said that germophobia is a trauma response - I knew hoarding was, but hadn't fully articulated that germophobia was too. I agree with you.

I also struggle with itchy and raw hands from too much hand-washing. I've been trialling soap bars but hadn't actually considered liquid soap. Thanks.

Thanks for your kind words, @Dimity .

I think I'll only have the neighbour's shed for another 10 months...but I admit I'm very relieved to be able to put off those shed boxes. My space is already less stressful as I've stopped the online buying.

---

@Dimity wrote:

3 mature shrubs were cut down when I thought the other owners had agreed to a moratorium until a meeting. Things ended messily with my helper. And my plans to deal with the stuff in storage were derailed.

---

Oh no, I'm very sorry to hear all that 😞 No wonder things feel a bit hopeless.

Is it going to be difficult to make another plan to deal with the stuff in storage?

Well done on rearranging the living room stuff at least.

I didn't tackle the kitchen floor stuff yesterday, but I'm trying to be gentle with myself and remind myself that my pattern seems to be to do nothing for a while then tackle and knock it off all at once. Whether it's that I've psyched myself up enough, or suddenly have some energy / motivation, I'm not sure. I seem to need some sunshine to tackle things.

(There is sunshine today, so maybe today's the day...will see how I feel after my morning routine.)

Sending hugs... 💚

It's good you have bursts of energy @NatureLover... then you can later relax and enjoy what you've done. Reducing the incomings is a big achievement. I don't know if it means you can think differently about your workflow.

I caught up on some cleaning today, and hope to do more during the week. There seems to be a roadblock with getting access to the stuff off-site, when I thought I could finally start moving ahead again. It's very difficult. And triggering.

Today I noticed a new daffodil flowering, beside some pink native daisies.

Take care, and have a good day tomorrow.