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TIPS
2009
for people who hoard -
from people who hoard
SFMHA Support Group Representatives* |
MORE TIPS FROM 2009 CONFERENCE ON HOARDING AND CLUTTERING
Self Directed Recovery Session
Tips from members of the Support Group*
What really helps a person
with severe hoarding issues is to be approached in a non- judgmental manner.
One should understand that many people who hoard have a thinking process that
makes multiple ways of categorizing and so over-categorize. Each item can be
placed in a unique category by itself, thus the indecision of how to group
things takes too much time and becomes exhausting! It is easy to become
overwhelmed. Below are four people's suggestions to help this problem.
IMPORTANT PAPER PROBLEMS
SUGGESTION 1
The most important first thing to do
to keep from losing critical papers is to put them
immediately upon opening mail into two brightly colored (Green)
labeled folders.
a) Bills to pay
b) Taxes - anything
receipts, forms, papers that will be needed
at tax time
SUGGESTION 2
Use labeled folders
(12)for each month, for any event you might want to attend.
SUGGESTION 3
Consider
Emergencies and what critical papers would be important to rescue.
Put
these together.
Use a Tote Bag or something easy to carry all the valued files out in a
hurry.
Keep those files in there all the time.
Know where it is all the time.
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EMPTYING THE STORAGE UNIT (S)
Ÿ
Storage Lockers have many draw backs:
Expensive; Late Fees; Subject to facility moving you
without your knowledge; Travel expenses going to and from locker; Auctioning of
your goods if overdue on bills; Consider Time, Energy, and Cost of the locker
and your time.
Ÿ
A Helper is wonderful to have when working on the locker. When
selecting a person to help, be sure they are empathetic, validating and strong
Ÿ
Preparation
Have an Alarm Clock- wake up early. Friend / helper should do so
also.
Bring your medicine if needed and Head and mask covering for dust if needed.
Proper clothes
Chair to sit while sorting / Music/radio
Gloves - Nitril type are good
Cell phone for emergency
A long stick grabber used by the handicapped
10 Gallon Garbage Bags- ties / Boxes
Alternative to storing favorite old clothes, etc. is to save just a small piece
of fabric.
Take pictures of favorite items. Donate, Toss.
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WORKING ON GOALS
Reducing Clutter by breaking
the big projects into small tasks
Because one needs time and energy to reduce clutter and we are
living in a high stress
environment with little time available, it might be wise
to look at project management
models as follows.
Visualize end result of goal completed
Picture the end product - what you want the table, room, bed to look like.
Work
backwards
from that picture by picturing how to do it in
small tasks.
Work by committing daily time to small chunks: 15 minutes
per session are usually feasible. See if you can do the next 15 minute chunk as
you get into the swing of it.
Clear in sections until the end goal is reached; Tidying as you
go; Not bringing in more items.
Sometimes these are serial tasks; sometimes parallel tasks. ( See
handouts )
Finish the series or all parallel tasks.
Project is complete. Done!
Move on to the next Goal/Tasks
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