Sundownr's blog: Goals to Get a Grip on Hoarding

I want to utilize this blog as a barometer for the steps I’m taking to cure myself. My eldest child recently called me a hoarder! What? Well, after looking around with that perspective, it’s true! How the heck did this happen? With a bit of research, it seems my hoarding may be the result of the natural progression of life and how I’m dealing with it! For the last few years, illnesses, deaths, retirement, empty nest, etc. have caused me many periods of depression, frustration, and distress. Combine that with being a tad obsessive-compulsive, along with a naïve (or arrogant) philosophy that I had control over anything certainly laid the groundwork for my recycling hobby to evolve into a landfill of obsession and regret.

Since everything can be recycled into something, then everything is a raw material . . . right? Yes it’s true! Kitchen scraps = compost; old fencing and concrete mesh = garden trellises; cinder blocks = well, way too many building and craft projects! I have stacks of materials gathered for too many projects already, and there’s all that maintenance and gardening that needs doing! I refuse to be overwhelmed again for another year! I hope to divide and conquer the mess I’ve made for myself. It’s “use it or lose it” this year.

Goals to Reduce Hoarded Materials (in order of ability to get done):
1. Dollhouse converted to a Little Free Library (http://littlefreelibrary.org/) to reduce book hoard
2. Deconstruct material for crafting: aluminum (http://www.walkerswayweeds.com...), glass, newspapers, plastics, etc.
3. Replace arched trellis garden beds rotting wood frames with cinderblock hoard
4. Outdoor furniture projects fixed (storm damaged), finished (mosaic projects), or tossed
5. Combine collapsed cold frames into small greenhouse or one large cold frame
6. Front courtyard constructed with hoarded concrete pads, planters, stepping stones, etc.
7. Finish planters, fountains, and install fire pit to reduce recycled hoard of propane tank parts

With every goal met, our living space and property appearance will improve. Even if all of my goals are not met, I’ll be happy to have acknowledged and taken steps to remedy my problem. This is going to be a difficult and busy year!

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