Thought it was time for another update. We've been plugging away at the garage and shop, with a little of the yard, too, though it's hard to tell. Mostly because what's been going on is that Tara's friend J has been by some more and has been taking one load after another of old transmissions, engines, &c. And while that is certainly very nice and quite welcome (and has given us some more cash) the things leaving the property have kind of been from all over the place, since my father stored engines and transmissions mostly at random (outdoors, in the shop, in the garage, &c). So no one place has gotten 'cleaned' in any kind of methodical or localized fashion. Stuff has come out from under benches in the garage, though, and I for one am beginning to be able to envision an actual end to the stuff in that one room, at least. We need to consolidate and tidy a bit though before I'll be able to get some photos that look like progress has been made.
We have gathered up some more stuff for an iron run (or two, now that there's a bus involved) this week, so that also is on the Plan.
So. It is moving. It is even, still, I think, accelerating, which is a wonder to me; and I will get some pictures. I know in the back of my mind that though I think it doesn't look like anything has changed, I will be able to see it in a picture.
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9 comments:
The sheer weight and volume of stuff you've gotten rid of continues to amaze. Seriously.
Since you're saving receipts anyway, if you can estimate the weight of the transmissions easily, a chart of stuff leaving the property might be cheering.
It is amazing that even when you are down to the bitter end like me, even a little clutter can look like quite a bit.
focusing on one area at a time sometimes doesnt feel like the best way, but it does give you those wow moments.
Some months ago I discovered this same DSM-IV source for the diagnostic criteria of OCPD and applied it to my hoarding mother. It was a dead-on match right down to the making of lists. My mother has always taken lined notebooks and meticulously hand-draws columns on each page into which she enters dates and details of events, appointments, incoming and outgoing phone calls and the like. These "ledgers" are never disposed of as she fears that some occasion might come up where this detailed information will have to be recalled. Her hoarding is, for the most part, "orderly" with items being boxed, bundled, and stacked. ALL of the excessive pieces of furniture are covered by layers (as many as three)of blankets, table cloths and other protective covering. Her kitchen counter-top has every square inch covered by items -- each of which is sitting atop layers of foil covered cardboard, trivets, doilies and cutting boards. The apparent effort she puts into trying make her voluminous hoard appear orderly, belies the chaos that must lie with her heart, mind and soul. The deliberate nature by which each and every item is dealt with screams of some twisted thought process that has no hope of being understood. The scales of regard that I have for her are always vacillating between unspeakable frustration at her denial and avoidance of the problem, and pity for such a troubled, tortured and unhappy existence. It is difficult to be a daughter to this.
Wow, Anonymous, that just sounds so much like a fundamental mis-wiring or flaw in the structure of the brain, doesn't it? I don't know if denial and avoidance even come into something like that. I mean with my father anyway he couldn't even begin to recognize it; it's like asking a color blind person to tell the difference between red and green. They just can't.
It is difficult, oh I know, obviously. You can't do anything but work around it, I guess. And you can't even really do that, because they are incapable of letting you, you know?
Dave--I keep thinking of the advice I've heard about seriously remodeling a home--get one room up and done, to completion, with the nice furniture and everything else first. So when you are tearing your hair out about everything else, you will have that one room to go sit in and relax, and remember what your purpose and goals are.
Rosa--That's a good idea. I don't know how many transmissions J has taken yet, though Tara could probably figure it out. Yesterday he took at least 8 or 9? I think? Plus an engine or two? Tara and I had laid them out in a row the day before, and then he took a couple more. We figure they probably weigh like 100 pounds or so, depending on the type. It's amazing how heavy that stuff is. We have these galvanized tins, I'd say like 10 x 18 x 6 inches deep; when filled with bolts and bits of iron they are easily 70 pounds (we weighed those). It adds up fast.
Yeah, that's what made me think a weight chart of outgoing would look pretty good. Your dad's hoard is, like, industrial high density hoard.
The one nice room is very, very good advice too- but you did that, right? All those books gone...
The other good advice is starting with the functional rooms - bathroom, kitchen, bedroom. And I think you did that, too, is that right?
Yeah, pretty much; the inside of the house is doing all right now for the most part. I mean not that I'm a neat person, really, and not that there aren't some issues with shared space still.
But no, you're right, we did get the plumbing all up and functional years ago; and I've been working on my studio room which is very nice. (I'm still sorting and moving stuff in there, but it's painted and functional and clean.)
As far as the junky parts of the property go, though, no, we haven't got any one place cleaned up to a decent standard yet.
I just noticed the "Therapist Approved," banner.
Love it.
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