Hoarding and cleaning

[1001 others]

I love watching shows like filthy house sos on c5 (with the lovely Brendan) and previously it was obsessive compulsive cleaners with Lynsey queen of clean that was my guilty pleasure. I love seeing the participants lives get improved and what they do with the houses once they are free of all the clutter and dirt, it makes me feel good about my home but you will probably find me clearing out a drawer or cupboard after watching it as I get some motivation from it too. I think mostly they have no idea how to clean, let life get on top of them after some sort of trauma or are buying all these material things to try and fill some sort of emptiness within them. Some episodes can be quite emotional!

I am generally tidy but will procrastinate and think I'll sort that later with some tasks, my home isn't huge (new build) so I definitely need to keep on top of our belongings, I really enjoy having a good clear out. Having a toddler I've had to be really on top of the baby stuff as kids grow and move on to the next stage of toys / clothes so fast plus they take up a lot of time and energy so definitely have to prioritise selling and donating the baby stuff or end up overwhelmed.

I love those shows too! I like how on Filthy House, they talk you through what they're doing rather than just filling the show with unrelated stuff. I always feel inspired to get cleaning on my own house after watching them, even if I've done all my housework and it's late at night!

I started collecting little pottery and tin houses - the sort that you put fairy lights or battery-operated candles in - and I have a collection of about 20. I do like them but they're taking up space on a buffet in the kitchen which could be better used for something I use regularly, such as my cake mixer (I don't like things clogging up my bench). So I'm wondering if I should just let them go ...

 

[hypoharpy]

I love those shows too! I like how on Filthy House, they talk you through what they're doing rather than just filling the show with unrelated stuff. I always feel inspired to get cleaning on my own house after watching them, even if I've done all my housework and it's late at night!

I started collecting little pottery and tin houses - the sort that you put fairy lights or battery-operated candles in - and I have a collection of about 20. I do like them but they're taking up space on a buffet in the kitchen which could be better used for something I use regularly, such as my cake mixer (I don't like things clogging up my bench). So I'm wondering if I should just let them go ...

Have you got any space to put dedicated shelves or a display box up ? Then you'd have room for your gadgets on the buffet.

 

[1001 others]

Have you got any space to put dedicated shelves or a display box up ? Then you'd have room for your gadgets on the buffet.

No, unfortunately ... I don't really like shelves (dust collectors) ... although they are so pretty, that I'm tempted just to put them on top of the dresser in our spare bedroom (which currently has nothing on it).

 

[1001 others]

Today I've been helping a friend have a garage sale at her mother's house - her mother is a HUGE hoarder and is about to go into a home. I've had to bite my tongue several times when people have asked if they can have such-and-such for a certain amount and she's come out of nowhere, only to grab it and say it's not for sale! It's incredibly frustrating.

 

[Sardine]

A lot of people have called me a hoarder. To be honest I’m not sure if I am one. So I do have a lot of shoes, clothes etc. But mostly I like to bulk buy/collect. I know I use mostly bath and body works shower gels, so when there’s a sale, I stock up. I have about 12 “back ups” because I have a fear of running out. Same for random things like hand sanitisers, makeup, hand soaps etc.

If something is a really good price and I don’t buy it, it’ll play on my mind all day.

I read somewhere that hoarding is when you collect things that have no purpose or are meaningless. The things I collect or ‘hoard’ I know I will use (eventually, very slowly), but in the meantime, it takes up a lot of space.

I do that!! My boyfriend used to laugh at me because we had about 10 tubes of toothpaste as what I call "stock" as I too have a fear of running out. Toilet paper we will always have a pack of 9 spare in the cupboard. It wasn't so funny when he needed that in a pinch . If we don't have any stock of stuff I get really anxious and have to replace it.

For me, I know this comes from being poor and learning from my dad as a kid because he does the same. When I visit he let's me do "shopping" and take some of the excess cleaning products, a few tins and bags of pasta.

 

[Amelia99]

I’m definitely the other end of the spectrum as I have no desire to hold on to stuff. I’m not sentimental so unless it’s useful or particularly beautiful I’ve no desire to keep things.
My mother in law holds on to all sorts of junk and if anything is being given away free she will take it. When my husband moved out of his parents home I insisted he only took what he actually really wanted. He cleared out his wardrobes and bagged some clothes up for the charity shop. His mum said she’d drop them off but lo and behold they were hung back up in the wardrobe next time we visited
Occasionally I’ll buy multiples of the same item of clothing in different colours if it’s something I truly love but other than that I’m definitely a minimalist. I do have to reign my husband in from time to time though as he’s a bit too much like his mum for my liking

I’m the same. i have quarterly clear outs, all my drawers are organised with dividers etc, my clothes are hung in in type and colour order and tops and underwear folded and organised in Marie Kondo style. I guess that makes me a tad OCD. But I don’t care, I just really like cleanliness and order.

 

[Scorpihoe]

I do that!! My boyfriend used to laugh at me because we had about 10 tubes of toothpaste as what I call "stock" as I too have a fear of running out. Toilet paper we will always have a pack of 9 spare in the cupboard. It wasn't so funny when he needed that in a pinch . If we don't have any stock of stuff I get really anxious and have to replace it.

For me, I know this comes from being poor and learning from my dad as a kid because he does the same. When I visit he let's me do "shopping" and take some of the excess cleaning products, a few tins and bags of pasta.

It is very useful though, whenever you need something you know you always have it. But the worst thing is I always need a solid backup. I can’t work through the whole stash and then replenish, I need to keep stocking as I use it up, does that make sense?

Just so I have a healthy stock at all times lol. They weren’t laughing about the stock of toilet paper when everyone was rushing to buy it in the pandemic were they?!

 

[Sardine]

It is very useful though, whenever you need something you know you always have it. But the worst thing is I always need a solid backup. I can’t work through the whole stash and then replenish, I need to keep stocking as I use it up, does that make sense?

Just so I have a healthy stock at all times lol. They weren’t laughing about the stock of toilet paper when everyone was rushing to buy it in the pandemic were they?!

Oh nope sorry he wasn't. This was towards the end of 2019 and we'd just moved in together. He's used to my ways now

Ah the only things I continually stock up on are things like washing powder and kitchen cleaning sprays. The toothpaste I tend to work through till the last 1 or 2 before we stock up again

 

[Scorpihoe]

Oh nope sorry he wasn't. This was towards the end of 2019 and we'd just moved in together. He's used to my ways now

Ah the only things I continually stock up on are things like washing powder and kitchen cleaning sprays. The toothpaste I tend to work through till the last 1 or 2 before we stock up again

I think I’m worse than you I use up my stockpile so so slowly that it ends up growing more than being used. Or I get gifted a lot of stuff (promise I’m not an influencer lol), so it just keeps adding to the pile before I can use them

 

[under the ivy]

I used to be a hoarder to some extent, I'd keep perfume bottles that were empty cos they 'looked nice', kept make-up packaging, clothes incase I would wear them again (never did!!!). Since my break-up last year I had a huge sort out of clothes etc, including some sentimental items that I just kept for the sake of it. I used to buy skincare all the time but I unfollowed a lot of IG 'skinfluencers' and I know what products work for me now. I still enjoy buying skincare as my 'thing' but at one point I had 20 serums or something stupid and I only managed to use not even half

I do a seasonal clear out now - I make a pile of clothes that I know I'm going to wear, a pile for Ebay and a pile for charity shops (when they're open). I feel a lot more clearer now, if that makes sense!

Cleaning wise - I clean everyday, it helps my anxiety. I also stockpile items, I like to be 1 in front e.g if I open a toothpaste, I'll go get another. It's just habit I've got off my family.

 

[1001 others]

I do stockpile things that I know we will definitely use, especially if they're on special - handwash, shower gel, dishwashing tablets and liquid, toilet rolls, toothpaste cleaning products, long-life lactose-free milk ... and gluten-free things because for some odd reason the supermarkets near me only seem to restock their GF selections monthly. I don't go crazy - I have an extra shelf in a cupboard that is for "extras" of things; I don't buy anything else until that starts to look empty.

I was cleaning out my pantry earlier and found some never-opened things I don't think we'll ever use (beef stock, some GF bread mix that doesn't look appealing, some GF cookies that I bought several boxes off but didn't taste very nice [my Labrador and Golden Retriever wouldn't even eat them]), so I've bagged those up and will drop them off to the food bank for someone else to enjoy.

Last week I bought some new work shirts and pants and suddenly realised I might need to buy some more coathangers as I had none spare. Then it occurred to me that I should go through my entire wardrobe and list for sale anything I don't wear anymore. I was surprised at how much met that brief! I spent last night listing it all, and have already had a few bids on things. Yay, win-win.

 

[silkytoes]

I've always found shows about hoarding interesting because I was worried it would be me. I feel like my dad's a hoarder, he clings on to loads of rubbish. He had a study he couldn't get into for years. They have a storage unit of stuff right now that they need to clear out. My room as a teenager was just overflowing with rubbish dating back to when I was a kid like old school books and magazines etc and it got loads worse when I moved back from uni and had nowhere to put everything. It would really stress me out but I didn't know where to start organising it and throwing things out.

It's got so much better now I've moved out and I keep on top of what I own more, especially as I do actually have the space to keep the things I own. But I do still like my 'stuff' and have way too many things still. I tend to go through phases of obsessively buying things - make up, skincare, tea, perfume, gin, candles, houseplants, notebooks. I'm trying to get through them all and cut down on the amount I own and I've gotten better at organising it all too.

 

[Sally1993]

We have a couple of rules -

1. if clothes don’t fit, throw/donate
2. If you haven’t needed the object within the last few months, get rid
3. If you forgot you had it, definitely get rid!

 

[Saddlesoap]

I am not a hoarder and my husband isn't, but he does like to 'collect' things.

Years ago when we were moving I packed up a load of old band t-shirts that were in his drawer, but no longer worn. I told him if he could tell me which ones were missing he could have them back. He didn't even try, after a couple of offerings they eventually went to the charity shop.

More recently he went through a phase of buying DVDs and putting them in a soft file case type thing so they took up less room. He still hasn't watched most of them

 

[Amelia99]

In terms of keeping things for sentimental reasons, I have what I call a memory box. It’s an old picnic basket and in it I have favourite old photos, some small things belonging to my late parents and other bits and pieces that remind me of special times. I hardly ever look in it but I know it’s there and that’s comforting. I don’t hang on to anything big like clothes and furniture for sentimental reasons.

 

[Keet]

Does anyone know of any good sites to sell books on? Having a declutter and loathed to just put them to charity. Tried zapper and the return isn’t great with them.

 

[Black.bird]

I've been watching Filthy Houses SOS (I think this series is a few years old).

I can't believe how truly lovely and genuinely the two cleaning guys are. The blonde one especially, has a real way with people and seems far more respectful of the clients than that awful Dr Zaza or whatever her name is, from Hoarders.

 

[becca7721]

I’m being evicted for being a hoarder as it’s too dangerous for me to remain living here. There’s been zero support for me from anyone. Shelter, mind, council all support me being put on street, I’m filthy and lazy. The only ‘help’ was students with bin liners who were sent as part of their course and were so rude I didn’t let them in. People lie they understand and have done the one and only course in hoarding disorder but they haven’t. I’ve even made attempts to end my life because of it.

Today four bags of recycling and four bags of waste have been taken. I put them out for collection. I didn’t sleep last night and am devastated today. It was literally cardboard (which I’d kept for warmth) and actual waste.