My Minimal Hoarding Life - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Here I am with another week of getting rid of the hoard. I am actually feeling accomplished.

I had sort of, in a way, stopped working on what mattered the most. The home itself, because of waiting for the section of flooring to be replaced in the kitchen and I went to the basement to get rid of trash down there. I got back to the home part although the floor is not finished, I can work in the other rooms. Yes, it was furnished, and no all that stuff is old and was not, in my opinion, good enough to keep.

As life is at the moment I am splitting my time from the old home place and my own home, and work as a caregiver.

However, I am making progress and keeping up my own home.

Saturday - April 20th.

I did little work inside here at my homestead then went out to plant tomatoes and make a small garden so I played in the dirt.

Sunday 21st.

While it is Easter Sunday I did not do any cooking, on the way to go eat out I removed more from this house, jars and more jars. I did add more to the trash from here to the old home place.

Back at home I cleaned the laundry room, taking the large rug up and shaking it outside before vacuuming it. I mopped the floor and wiped down the washer and dryer, applying a clean cloth over the top of the dryer.

I got the kitchen swept and mopped, and the counters wiped down and the dishes clean.

Monday 22nd.

I got the quilts and throws washed, dried and back in use.

Changed the sheets on one bed. and got those clean. Total of 2 full loads washed dried, folded and put away.

Wiped the lower cabinets down with warm soapy water.

Changed the curtains in the spare bedroom from white allowing full sun to block outs, to keep the house cooler.

Swept the kitchen after dinner dishes were washed.

Tuesday 23rd.

Back to the old home place/rental house.

I began to go through more of the stuff I had put in the front bedroom. I also pulled everything from the closet out. I have a couple tubs of books and holiday decor to get rid of.

I half filled the trash can and set things aside to donate.

I just worked a couple hours

Wednesday 24th.

I finished cleaning the closet, swept it out.

Next I cleaned out the back bedroom, there was not much left in there but I did pull out the rug and finished filling the trash can with old books.

I had and extra 3 trash bags full, I will take those to my sisters trash can.

I have a load ready for the dump and I took another load to donate.

Worked 3 1/2 hours and I have two rooms and the closet cleaned and ready to be painted. One room the floor will be replaced first.

Thursday 25th. 

Went to work as a caregiver.

Friday 26th.

Another super clearing and cleaning day.

First I took a load to the dump before they closed, all furniture that no one wanted.

I filled my sisters trash can with stuff that could not be donated or recycled.

I make another load to donate, more Christmas decorations, CD`s, yarn and cross stitch stuff. An entire tote of pillow cases, these were part of an inheritance and I do not need that many.

When all the hailing was done I swept and mopped the room that had all this stuff in it. I just have one chest left to go through, some stuff to deliver to someone else who wants it and this room is clear.

I worked several hours, most of that time was hauling stuff off.

Now that its Saturday the 27th of April I will rest from working on the rental/hoard and take care of the homestead, I have grass to mow.

How did your week go? Are you still seeking the minimal lifestyle? 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - You Might Think "What A Nasty Hoarder!"

A friends hoard I cleaned up 2015

I know I would if I  was following a blogger like me, writing a real time "deal with the hoard," clean up life, what a mess, thinking oh that is nasty!

And you would be right. Big swallow from me along with a big deep sigh.

I also add "it was not all me."

But..... but....

It was and I will own it, why? I had the power to say no but I listened to what was called other peoples reason and that was " I might need that later."

Let me tell you now, later never came!

What came was rooms of rotten junk that was never used, that was "given" to me and it was already broken, people asking me to keep things for them and they never came back for them and they rotted, things I got when people died.... All a bunch of crap!

Don`t do as I did, learn to stand up and say No! And it doesnt have to be a rude no, just a no thank you, if they push just let them know you do not have room for anymore.

This past week really got to me, I wanted to get it all done and move onto the repairs and making it all pretty again, minimal and pretty, easy to clean. To put this vision in my head to work on the houses.

Trying to keep up the cleaning and mowing at two places is so hard, and work on top of that, you know the pay the bills and earn money work.

Here is a little of how my life went....

April 14, Sunday

I got busy here at home, with the yard, it had grown up over the week of running back and forth and with the rain and sun. I used the riding mow from 2 pm till 6 pm, I got the whole thing, fields and front, except the back yard inside the fenced in dog area that has to be push mowed.

Monday - 15th.

I did not do much except clean up the house, I had errands to get done. I wanted to mow the back late evening but the mower would not work. Big sigh.

Tuesday - 16th.

I loaded up the recyclables and took those off to the bin. I went to the old home place and tackled the grown up grass there, the side (where I used to have a garden) had not been mowed this year, it was grown up waist deep, so I mowed that, took me over 2 hours, I got the next little level up while I was at it. I worked so hard I could not go any further.

While I should have taken a load of junk to donate I was just to tired.

Wednesday - 17th.
 

I changed my bed sheets and  wash, dried, folded and put them away. Washed a load of dishes, by hand. I cleaned out the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet that contains food, I threw most of it out.

I loaded the car with recyclables, aluminum cans, to be sold on Thursday.

After working on the push mower, I push mowed the back yard and around the old green house, I applied a bundle of straw to try and retard grass growth. I trimmed shrubs back away from the sage bush.

Another hoard left behind for me to clean up

Thursday - 18th.

Since I was going into town I loaded the car the night before. I sold the aluminum cans ($6.60) on the way to the old home place.

Back at the old home place I finished mowing, this only took about 30 minutes to do the top level.

Next I filled the car with lamps, small tables, a small metal rack, plastic clothes hangers and a few bags of Christmas lights.

I pulled the trash can up to the door and I placed a few black trash bags in that was nothing but junk and not worthy of donation. I cleaned out the old dresser, everything went into the trash, this is now ready to be hauled off, donate or dump, doesnt matter to me, I am just done with it. I do not want a dresser or chest of drawers in this space.

Back at home I cooked dinner, changed bed sheets on another bed and washed a load, I left them in the drier over night. Bad thunderstorms came rolling in.

Art by Andria Perry

Friday - 19th.

Since I killed myself all week I decided to stay at home and sleep, slept 12 hours and then another 2 later in the day. Muscles relaxed and totally rested.

But..... I did stop by to put the trash can to the curb for Monday pick up while I was in town for diet cokes and a short appointment about work. While there, in the neighborhood, I also gave away three boxes of cake mix, a box of instant oats and a box of instant grits to a couple elderly ladies. So, I did make more progress by giving stuff away that I did not want, even though I was resting for the day.

My clothes, in my closet.

Saturday - 20th.

Its almost 3 pm and I have done little, I folded clothes and put them away, made my bed. 

Made breakfast for lunch.

The sun is peeking out and its still cold outside. I will clean house a little, go through more here at home, load up and donate at one of the little boxes. 

I am thinking of more rest so next week I can get back to the heavy duty stuff, I want to get this place cleared out of old junk, memories and ghosts. Time for new and fresh.

My kitchen,.

How did your week go? Are you still seeking the minimal lifestyle? 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - One Week Off - How To Get Back In the Swing Of Things

Becoming a minimalist after hoarding is not the easiest thing to do, I was given something by someone who has passed away and I see that person when I look at the thing.

But.....

I know good and well the person would not want me to keep "anything" that is nothing more but a rotting mess that interferes with my life now.

So, I continue to get rid of "My Hoard." Whether I was allowing people to dump their junk on me, to rot, or if it was something of mine, its still my hoard to deal with. My hoard to get rid of.

I also work three jobs :) and I have to do the cleaning here at my own home, so I am splitting work. I don`t like to do things this way but I am managing while I do not have a choice. In a perfect world I would go in and cleaning it all out in one day, be done and move on..... But that is not how life works for me right now.

How am I dealing? Read on.

March 25, Monday - Worked at the old home place, in the basement, cleaned out the corner, got rid of two trash bags filled with trash, tossed 2 chests that were rotten. Tossed out the old desk/sewing machine thing that Mrs. Smith gave me. Donated all the CD`s from the old band, 3 tubs full.

Tuesday - fixed dogs fence at home. The dogs escaped!

Wednesday - The old home place, took the table and chair out, a bathroom sink, several boxes, one wall completely cleaned, scrapped and ready to paint. Filled the trash can all the way to the top. Got rid of two boxes of books.

Thursday - Took out old pine wardrobe the bottom was rotted out, took out sewing machine. Put together 2 metal shelves and one plastic. Painted one wall, 2 coats of white paint. 

Friday - This was the day to get most of everything gone. One truck load to the dump, one to my uncle (scrap), one to a tenant and one to donate. I painted the floor where the selves were going. I mowed 1/2 of the grass.

Saturday - I cleaned out the area by the front door, took it all outside. removed the side table and set it out in the yard to be hauled off. I painted that wall one coat and the floor, I ran out of floor paint. Outside I gave my sister some of my dads stuff and threw some away, another tub was fall decor, I threw away a stuffed animal and will donate the rest. I also got rid of an old duffle bag and another old canteen.

Sunday -  Added another shelf.

Monday - April 1st.

Filled the trash can half full with more junk. painted the second coat of white on the one wall by the door, set up the other shelf. Moved all the lumber that is left over and stacked it properly off the floor. Swept the section, somewhat. The room is ready for the other half to be removed and cleaned.

I worked for another week on two jobs so I had to allow this place to sit till I got more time, however, I got so much accomplished. I am proud of myself.

April 2nd. Tuesday through Sunday April 7th.

So for the first week of April I tackled home,my home for now. I am thinking about moving so it was time to concentrate on this place, I have gotten to comfortable here. 

I totally cleaned out an entire room! Well, not the bed, nightstand, or dresser, but all the other stuff in the room. 

BUT! that is not all, I also cleaned out the jam packed full closet!

Cleaned out my own closet.

Cleaned out the lower cabinet in the kitchen.

And I took all the house plants and tomato plants I had started inside to plant next week.

I vacuumed and mopped, dusted and wiped things down. 

This place looks good and smells better.

Now, this last week? What have I been up to?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing! 

But that is how life works for me. I am a caregiver and sometimes all of his appointments fall on the same week. I take him to several specialist and for blood work and tests, then back to the primary care doctor. 

So..... that means I am back and ready to get busy on this lifestyle of minimalism. I will make a list and get busy, doing the easiest first and working my way down to the hardest.

How about you? Getting it done?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry