Upset
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I hate my house conditions

I am very messy for some reason and I don't know why. My parents just came over and my mom told me that she was feeling claustrophobic and like she needed a Xanax (prescribed). I hate that she feels that way every time she comes to my house. I try to keep it clean, but it never stays that way. I hate how I live, but I don't know how to change it.
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ArishMell · 70-79, M
I can certainly empathise with that, though I think your Mum is being over-dramatic.

Tidy and I are miles apart though I do keep the important areas reasonably clean - not quite tidy but at least sufficiently clean for hygiene.

Many people are like us and I see or hear assorted ways to deal with the problem. Indeed I've already read previous replies on this thread, though I don't go as far as scatology.

Really, we need find what works for us.


If we have rather expansive hobbies in a small home for example, we may have many items that are not rubbish because they have specific uses in those interests. So we need find and dispose of surplus, replaced or duplicated items first.

That can include glossy magazines or club journals dedicated to the hobby. It was a wrench but I threw out two large collections of special-interest magazines, keeping less than half a dozen for particular articles. It seemed a hideous waste but the problem is finding anyone who might want them, and really, I was fed up with them taking up so much space.


Things we have just hoarded, perhaps that were irresistible "bargains" or "the latest xxxx to have", we can be more ruthless. Unfortunately, where I live at least, it is harder to sell things privately now, as local newspapers no longer publish classified ads; and the major on-line sales sites are a complete, very difficult faff prone to mis-users trying to defraud you.

Ordinary household items, clothes, books etc. in good condition can be donated to charity shops. I have moved quite a few things on in that way.



If the clutter is accumulated general magazines, newspapers and the like... that's easy. Into the "recycling" bin they go. A few years ago my clutter included a large number of filament lamp-"bulbs": unused but obsolete. I kept a few for particular reasons but took most to the Council waste-skip yard.


What approach? I am chipping away at it. If I am expecting visitors I try to have a quick "tidying" but otherwise, go through things a bit at a time, slowly reducing the amount of "stuff".

.......

I appreciate you may not have such services where you live, but one class of waste that should never be thrown in the ordinary household refuse is scrap electrical and electronic items. Those should be disposed of via proper "recycling" services.

On which.... NEVER put old batteries in the normal refuse bin. The old type zinc-carbon cells were safe enough but the modern Li-ion type especially, can and does cause very costly fires in refuse bins, collection lorries and waste-processing plant.

Similarly with waste chemical products: gardening products, paints, oils, etc.

''''''
Hope this helps! Good Luck!