Operation Rich Peasants

I'm a hoarder. I don't just mean "I collect stuff" or "I couldn't be arsed with the housework this week LOL" but a proper "let's put this freak on a TV show" hoarder. I've been working on this for years. Counselling, CBT, regular sessions where my friends come over and help me sort through my stuff.

As I've improved - and by 'improved' I mean that most days you can see floor space big enough to walk from one room to another, although there's still nowhere to sit or put down a cup of coffee - I've realised that is isn't just me who has a problem. There are two adults and a child in this house and I'm the only one trying to make changes. Somehow, although it's supposed to be just me with a problem, and just me getting therapy, no matter how much I improve the house never gets any better.

So after many years of frustration I declared war on the house. I reached the point where I was ready to pack a change of underwear and a copy of These Old Shades, and walk out the door. I couldn't stand being in the house any more.

Enter Operation Rich Peasants, so named by the Minininja because "we're like peasants because we don't have much stuff, but we're still quite rich".

The first stage is to pack up the entire contents of our house and move it out to the shed. It's a big shed, four car sized. Right now the entire back half is piled with - well mostly with rubbish, which will also have to be cleared out. The front half, where the cars usually live, is now temporary storage for our Stuff.

As of this evening, about half of our movable stuff has been sorted, packed and moved out. I'm surprised at how little there is, now that we've been going through and throwing stuff out. We've thrown out about twice as much as we put in the garage.

Gone so far:

  • 2 wheelie bins of rubbish and recycling
  • 3 trashpacks of... everything, really
  • a trailer load of big stuff (old washing machine, old lawn mower, old heaters)
  • 3 4WD loads of books, toys and clothes headed for goodwill

The front hall is piled high with the next carload of discarded clothes and books, and the loungeroom is empty enough for a game of carpet bowls. Next: clearing the kitchen cupboards.

All this and I'm even up to date on the washing.