Honestly, my house is such a mess

Personally I blame 3 for 2 or buy one get 2nd at half price. I have unworn MS tee shirts from a few years ago on this offer and so many bottle of shampoo or body lotion from Boots. Irresistable at the time, but I get bored with them and they are too good to throw away and take up too much room.

But I will not buy any more shampoos etc till they are all used up. They will probably outlive me.

As I say to my husband I don’t hoard i just know things will come in handy for someone someday, and you never know it may be us

fancythat

Books that is.

Books are my friends I think. I surround myself with them. I tend not to read these days [prefer podcasts] but still buy them.

Books that is.

And some cupboards needed sorting. Especially those with drawers.
Have been able to get rid of about 6 pieces of furniture so far.
About 2 more to go.

I will buy another bookcase though.
They are still in some corners and in loft.

I had stuff in corners and behind sofas. And in loft.
It didnt look too bad to a casual visitor.

I am on 38 years of being in the same house too Cossy.

As I have written elsewhere, I am on year 7 of the declutter.
I think I will finish this year. Hurrah!

I have done it at my own pace.
I expected it to have taken 1 year.

My place is a bit of a mess too, but I can't bring myself to worry about it.

One reason is that bending is painful, so I leave things out and to hand rather than put them away.That's my excuse anyway!

Also my kitchen diner is also my art room so the island in between the two is covered in art materials (cooking gets squeezed in where I can). It is also my music room - so there is sheet music everywhere too!

But it is my home ......

A hoarder friend has resorted to child proof cupboard locks to keep hers closed. They are like these. I may have to buy some soon 😅

Isn't this the red hat ladies poem?

anyway, it's not even 6 and I've poured myself that wine older son wants a teapot and some expresso mugs I am throwing out and I've offered him my bread maker...

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Plevey08

I love the poem MayBee. I almost can't wait 🫷

I too love that poem, almost as much as I love “Dust if you must” and “Warning”

Honestly, I really respect your openness, his my house to a tea X 6 adults plus 4 dogs plus 38 years of living here 😱😱😱

I’m just so pleased I’m not the only one

I love the poem MayBee. I almost can't wait 🫷

I've got 50 years of accumulated stuff in my house plus my ex's stuff and his dads train books and jigsaws. Toys. Things I've bought for the cottage I was going to live in in my old age [divorce put paid to that].

I think half the problem is having large cupboards…….we can open the door, put stuff away and it’s out of sight, out of mind! Then we just get to the stage where we have a full cupboard, of random stuff, some out of date, some outgrown, some in its wrong place and we thought it was lost.
It is quite therapeutic though, culling a cupboard!

You and me both .
I find housework boring and tedious .
I've done far too much of it .
Besides it's to hot .
When I tidy -I promise myself a treat at the end of it .
I'm watching Sky Arts now and that's my treat ìn advance !

Here lies a poor woman who always was tired,
for she lived in a house where help wasn’t hired.
Her last words on earth were: "Dear friends, I am going
Where washing ain't done, nor sweeping, nor sewing,
And everything there will be just to my wishes;
For where they don't eat, there's no washing of dishes.
I’ll be where loud anthems will always be ringing,
But having no voice, I’ll get clear of the singing.
Don't mourn for me now; don't mourn for me never,
For I'm going to do nothing for ever and ever.

This poem is in the public domain.
I saved this years ago although the version I saved is slightly different. Sadly though, I can't relax with the mess around me; I was a filing clerk in my youth and need everything to be neat and tidy and labelled and in it's right place. If I can't achieve that it scrambles my brain and I shut it out. My drawers and cupboards are immaculate but the bits you can see are a complete clutterfest. And instead of doing fun things like reading books with the time I spend not cleaning and tidying I just procrastinate on the internet [or sleep]. Which is what I'm doing now...

However I'd love to be like you MayBee70 as I've never seen on anyone's headstone 'I wish I'd cleaned more'

AmberGran's advice is good. I read that you're more likely to get it done if you focus on one room at a time, drawer by drawer and corner by corner. Don't think of any other room until you've completed one. Makes it seem more manageable. It's easy how builds up again though 🤣 I'm a bit like Sago as too much clutter sort of overwhelms me and I don't feel peaceful....Def something to do with childhood trauma.

I've found that just looking at my clutter drains all the energy out of my body. If anyone feels their house is a mess I'll send them a picture of mine. I'd put it on here but I'm too ashamed...

but the door shuts so all is well

Oh Sago
Always finish one job before you start another
🤔

How do you do this??? 😫

Try not to beat yourself up about it, JaneJudge, feel good about what you are achieving, little and often is key. Do not forget to reward yourself (not with shopping!) frequently
I'm very much the same as you Sago and for much I suspect the same reason,

I think you’ve done brilliantly JaneJudge! You deserve that wine! My DGD came on Monday and she did the utility room with me so that was fun and she loves organising! I try to declutter as I go along but it doesn’t always work, there are some things that are hard to part with …

I love that Doodledog downstairs is tidy because it all goes upstairs 🤣🤣🤣
My kind of tidying too