Hoarding

Are you a hoarder?  If you cannot see your floors because they are covered with a bunch of junk then the answer to that question may be "yes". 


I was watching the Hoarders show and saw a young woman who said she was never taught the system to prevent hoarding...so i decided to put the information out there for people who may have the same issue..


First...the very first thing you want to do is pick ONE room and start there.  DO NOT try to tackle the whole mess or you will just get overwhelmed.  Start with one room...preferably the first room you walk into when you walk into the house.


Get a bunch of trash bags because you are going to need them.  Now, I have noticed on the show people have a hard time letting things go...they come up with a reason to keep something...here is what you need to do as far as thinking when you pick something up and contemplate it:

1. Is it broken? Throw it out...so what if you think you can fix it...if you have had it this long and it is still broken then it will always be broke. 

2. Is is stained up, if so throw it away, the rest of your home is covered with plenty of clothes/linens that can replace it.  Want to use it for a rag...no, because i am sure when you get further into the home you will find your stash of home made rags and they will be many...no rags...just throw it away

3. Is it dead?  Then throw it away. There is no further discussion on this...dead=throw away/bury.


4. Do you have multiples of this?  If so, break it down to like 5 or less and throw/give the rest away. If you have 5 sofa's then get rid of all but one or two...depending on how much space you have to work with and how much seating you truly need.


5. Is this trash?  If it consists of old newspapers, random papers, magazines, empty cartons or bottles then yes this is trash and can be thrown away/recycled.  Save the earth and recycle all of the things in your home that are trash.


6. When it comes to food, only keep what is up to date, and can fit in your fridge and pantry.  If it cannot fit then you do not need it.  You will not starve or run out of food. Donate/throw away.


7.  If there is mold on it, throw it away...that stuff will make you and your loved ones sick or worse.


8. Get things down the the basics...if you are cleaning your living room, all you will need is furniture, a tv, and a few knick knacks...everything else is NOT NEEDED.


9. When it comes to the kitchen and you have 10 sets of everything...break it down to two.  Have one dish set for every day use and one dish set for company...the rest...donate.  The same goes for pots and pans, storage bowls, anything.  Only keep what you need, you should only need 3-4 pots and 3-4 pans.  When it comes to storage bowls...more than 15 is too many.


10.  Bedrooms...these should only have a bed, dresser, possibly a nightstand, maybe a tv, a bookshelf or desk even.  Everything else can go...clothes go in the closet and dresser.  If you cannot fit anymore clothes in your closet or dresser then you have too many clothes.  Go through your clothes and throw away what is stained up, worn out, holey and keep what is good.  Also, if you cannot fit in something just get rid of it because it is taking up space.  Whatever is in good condition that you don't need, donate it.


11.  Shoes....10 pairs of shoes are more than enough...anything more is too much and should be donated or thrown away.  If you love purses then 5 purses are the maximum and i am being nice here.


12.  If you have things stored in bins and have not seen or used the stuff in years...guess what...you can throw ALL of that stuff away because you did not need any of it thus far so just get rid of it.


13.  When it comes to kids toys...if it is broken throw it away, if your child is 9 and the toy is for a 1 year old then throw it away/donate it. If the child has 20 doll babies...narrow it down to 6.


14. Knick Knacks....Put one shelving unit in the living room, one in your bed room and pick 20 of your favorite knick knacks and clean them up and place them...the rest...donate/throw away.


15.  The bathroom...DUN DUN DUN!!!  Throw out all empty bottles...ALL OF THEM...you do not need them!  If you are saving the bottle just to remember the name of the product...write it down or take a picture and throw the bottles away!!  You only need one tooth brush per person so if you have a bunch of toothbrushes from years ago...throw them out immediately.  You should throw your toothbrush away and get a new one at least every 3 months.  If you are overstocked then organize what you have (only keeping 5 or less of that one thing) and donate the rest.  The world is not going to run out of toilet paper and shampoo.


16. The porch and yard...if there are broken things in these area's...throw them away.  If there are unfinished projects...finish them or get rid of them. 


Life is too short to be worried about keeping a bunch of stuff that is hazardous to your health.  I know hoarding goes deeper than just throwing things away, many people need counseling...but if you are ready to change then try these steps on your own.  When you die you cannot take ANY of the stuff you hold so dear with you so what purpose does it really have?  Do not put a memory into a thing, clean your house up so you can have family and friends over and make memories that way.


Once you get the mess cleaned up, scrub the walls, dust EVERYTHING from ceiling to floor.  I am telling you...when you clean the clutter out of your home it changes everything.  You have a feeling of newness, freshness and freedom.  It is like the closet of your mind is cleared out also.  


If you need professional help then either contact hoarders or contact a local professional that specializes in hoarding.  If you are able to do this on your own then congratulations...you are a strong person.


The best way to make sure you do not get cluttered up again...for every thing you buy...you must get rid of something else.

Summer Time Treats

Summer time is in full swing and the heat is bearing down on us.  Here are some yummy treats I found around the web that are do-able on a trailer park budget:
 I found these little treats on www.glorioustreats.com and they are easy to make and the kids will love them.  Just simply get your family's favorite fruit and find your favorite cookie cutter.  Cut thick slices of the fruit, use your cookie cutter to cut out the desired shape and then take a straw and shove them through.
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These little treats are ultra simple to make...just slice up some of your favorite fruit and stuck a toothpick in it.  Walla quick snack that the kids will think are fun.  I got this idea from www.5papers.com.

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 And last...a simple glass of something cold.  Weather it be the classic lemonade, iced tea, cold water, whatever your heart desires.  Put your favorite fruity drink in a large jug with some ice and serve!