Compulsive hoarding is a mental disorder that is just beginning to be understood. As a hoarder, I have acquired things over the years with a specific purpose in mind at the time of the acquisition, used some of those items for their intended purposes, forgotten the goal for different objects, but now that I find that they have outlived their purpose in my life I am struggling to rid myself of those same things.

You can read the start of my journey here.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

The box is empty!

So the box I worked on for 4.5 hours yesterday and another 4 today is empty. FINALLY! I have a handful of things to file yet, but the box is empty, and the filing cabinet is ready for use. It will make things much easier as I clean off the desk, the top of the filing cabinet, and go through more boxes of paperwork. Did I mention the box is empty?

I realized that I labeled some files that I'm not going to need, and there are more files that I'm going to have to label. Right now they just have little stickers folded over for tabs, because I have no idea where the little plastic doodads are that are supposed to be the tabs. I'm hoping to find them, as I get through everything in the study.

I had 5, count them FIVE bags of shredables spring forth from the box. "What are shreadables?" you may ask. To which I would reply, "Why they are papers that are bound for the shredder of course!" They take up much less space before shredding than they do after shredding, and the bags are somewhat heavy. I can get quite a few papers in a grocery bag! They are then carted off to be commercially shredded, because I honestly don't have the time to shred them all myself.

To keep myself from wanting any of the things back out of the shredables bag, I tear whatever paper it is in half or quarters. Not only does it make it less likely for me to get it out to try and save it (the taxes I spoke of yesterday are an exception), but it makes it easy to see at a glance that it's shredables and not trash. Some might say I'm on the verge of paranoid about identity theft. I resemble that remark.

I'm going to attempt to file the last little bit of the box tonight, but I'll be okay, if I don't get to it. Sleep is important, too, and I will get it filed tomorrow. No. Matter. What.

We'll be working in the basement tomorrow and Sunday trying to finish up, but we probably won't get it all done. We have to hang the rest of the crown moulding, patch any nail holes and paint over the patches, and caulk them. We still have to get trim for around the windows and paint and install it. We have to use the router on the doors, so we can install the hinges and get the doorknobs installed, and we have to put the final coat of paint on them.

Half of the basement used to be one room. We now have 2 rooms. The smaller one has 2 of the 3 windows that exist on that half of the basement. We decided to get a door with glass panels in it to let the natural light through the rest of the basement when the door is closed to that room. We still have to stain and install that door.

We also have to re-wire several of the outlets and put extenders on them, so they will reach the edges of the walls. Before the basement flooded last year, there was paneling on the walls. We put up drywall instead, and it's amazing how much thicker it is! So yeah. We have to make a few accommodations. After that, all we'll have left is to install the light fixtures.

Yep. We won't finish this weekend, but that's okay. We'll be making a major dent in things, and it will help towards dehoarding in the long run.

Yeah. I think I'll finish filing that handful of papers tomorrow. I've got a long weekend ahead of me, and I need all the sleep I can get!

Besides. The box is empty. :)

6 comments:

  1. I'm very much enjoying your blog. I come from a family of hoarders, and I started changing before the show, but since it's been on, it really lights a fire under me.
    I'm very impressed with what you've done already and your commitment to get rid of what you don't need or use. Trust me, you won't miss it, and wait until it's all gone and how easy it is to clean the house... it's very very liberating.
    I'm also very impressed at how you're making money off of it too (the $450 post) that was amazing. Doesn't it feel great?!
    I'll be bookmarking you and coming back to see. You've already got a group of supporters, count me as one too! We're here to cheer you on!!

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  2. Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. :)

    Nice to meet you, Mikey. :) It's nice to know that there others out there who were successful at being able to change, so their possessions don't control them. It makes it more of a reality that we will get 'er done! :)

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  3. wow,i'm late to your blog and reading through from the beginning,you've made amazing progress!!! I feell I can tackle my filing cabinet now.at the moment its just chocckas with unfiled unsorted paperwork,and the same as yours tips over when opened.

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Welcome to The Closet. Feel free to take off your coat, hang it up, if you can find the space, and sit a spell. I just love your visits. :)