The House of Chaos

Living with your house in chaos will definetly have your family in chaos as well. When you live in constant mess, your life will be a constant mess. I am, and always do write from my personal life experience with the hopes that someone, somewhere would benefit from my chaos. This time is no different, it seems as though my own mess has slowly turned into borderline hoarding. I have found a way to get almost everything my family needs for free, and I am able to get things for my household and then some almost on a daily basis. While I am saving my family money on everything from furniture and home decor to food and household needs, I am getting so much that I have run out of space to put it all. I even find things that my family doesn't need, but that I could sell to make my family extra money, but I haven't done that yet either. It seems as though I have not only helped my family financially, but I have also hindered my family with all of the excess clutter.

If I were to take video or photos of my house, many would be shocked at how much of everything we have. There is extra everything, stacked from the floor to the ceiling. It isn't in every room, but that is to be credited to my husband who really puts up with me more than I would. It is in almost every room in my house, and the rooms not holding excess, are just a mess that need to be cleaned up. My bad habits have rubbed off onto my children. While they are not hoarders, they often refuse to do their share of cleaning around the house. I know that I am the reason for this, being so sick from having Cancer that I was bed ridden, to being in remission from cancer and piling stuff into the house daily. Not to mention my spine that only has strength when it comes to collecting and not cleaning. As you can probably imagine, the clutter and mess causes issues between my hubby and me all of the time. 

I am still trying to understand why I do the things that I do and don't do the others. Why would a woman do something that constantly causes issues between her and her husband, rather than just pushing the easy button and do what I am expected as a wife, and mother? Why do I continue to fill my home with things that I may be able to use along the way, could possibly trade for something I need, sell to bring in income, or any other reason I can think of. My husband says this is what makes me a hoarder, I have to strongly disagree. I admit, I need to be more organized in life and my household, I just hate to feel like I'm controlled or constricted even if it is by my husband for the benefit of our family. At times it seems s though I have lost all control of not only my household, but myself. I get so angry with myself when I walk through my house, tripping on yet another bin filled with dog food, all different sized plastic bags, and whatever other things I have either brought home from dumpster diving or couponing, lacking the energy to put them away. Do you know how many fights have started over someone tripping over something that has no space. I know this is an issue, yet I have such a difficult time being organized. 

I have Googled and tried more than my fair share of other people's solution to clutter, to no true avail. What works for a few months doesn't usually last much longer than that. If it isn't my physical health that drags me down, than my mental health usually gives in to its own cruel convincing that I can't do what I'm trying to do. I have even had friends offer to come help me to get the organizing under control, while I always accept the offer verbally, I don't think I could actually allow someone else to come into my home and organize my multiple boxes of sandwich baggies in all different sizes. This probably makes me look a little crazy but I have lived most of my life going without, and as long as I am able to control my movements, I will make sure that my family never has to go without. I have been able to find the means to an end, although the action in itself is physically draining. What success comes easy? None that is worth speaking about. If it comes too easy you probably won't appreciate the victory of success. So what then? What do I do to conquer this chaos that the overwhelming clutter has created? Out of the thousands of organizing techniques floating around the Internet which is the most effective in conquering the chaos, while also implementing relationship building for the family? I only wish this were a rhetorical question, I truly have not a clue. Does this make me a failure as a mother? I certainly hope not, I would think that most Uncommon Moms would feel similar, but if I am a part of some minority than so be it, at least I am able to admit that I have a problem.

 There are many reasons why aa person would accumulate so much that it leaves the category of clutter and graduated to the level of madness that will overcome the entire family.
For me there are a few different things that I can say attributed to my madness and ultimate need for a storage locker. It began with extreme couponing, gradually got worse when I began dumpster diving, got out of control when my dad passed away, and is now just being fed by dumpster diving to the point of being overwhelmed. I have so much that can be resold yet I am lacking in the motivation to get it all done. This is what has caused the chaos in my home, I am my own undoing. For some it may just be years of collecting random items, and for others it could be that a death of a loved one causing mass accumulation. Whatever the reason, the stuff has piled up to the rafters leaving little to no room to even live. To conquer this clutter will take longer than one day, even a week but the first step in accomplishment is actually admitting that there is a problem and asking for the help needed to overcome it. You just have to be certain that the person or people you ask for help are truly there to help you and do not have some alterior motive. Seek the help of others who may have been in your shoes at one point, those with no motive to form judgment, and those who you know will never use the help they give as leverage or ammunition to belittle you.

It is very important to conquer the clutter before it gets out of control, yet if you are like me it is too little too late. It is time for an overhaul in life, not only with your clutter. Taking baby steps, not overwhelming yourself, and seeking help when needed are sure fire ways to begin to conquer your own personal monster of clutter. Now it's time for me to bite the bullet and conquer my own demons.

Helpful site:






http://www.flylady.com