Hi y'all. I did some net searching today and was amazed to find I am not alone. I have let my house deteriorate to the third degree. I didn't know until today that there ARE degrees! I was really motivated by the before and after photos... seeing that someone else out there has come back from letting things go way farther than me.

My biggest obstacle to getting started is that I let my gas get turned off, and they won't turn it back on unless I have a technician come out and examine all appliances to make sure they are safe. Of course I can't do that because I can't let anyone see my squalor.

Well, without hot water, how the heck do I clean my mess? sigh

I am 36 and divorced, and living with one kitty. I have gravitated to long distcance relationships, because I can go visit them, so they don't see my house. The thought of dating someone in my own town terrifies me. But I have gotten so tired of being lonely. I can't let this problem of mine continue to keep me so isolated.

It really makes me feel so much better just knowing that other folks out there have this problem, and have regained their lives. I am hopeful that I'll be in a much better place by summer.

I have been making small changes already. I try to pick up a couple pieces of trash everytime I get up. I picked up all the junk off my bathroom floor. I increased my floor space in my living room by about 50%.

My project this weekend will be the front room, so I will no longer have to panic when I hear a knock on the door.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Welcome. Just a thought, but does your kitchen have a back door? If so, I would start there so you can get the gas turned back on.

Just shut it off from the rest of the house, and tell the Gas Company to come around back when they call. They don't have to see the whole house.

Nothing like hot water to raise your mood.

What ever you decide, it sounds like you're already making progress. Hang in there.

KerowynA

cold water will clean just fine. If you're worried about germs (and you haven't been up 'til now :D ) then a little bleach in cold water or any old cleaner with ammonia in it or even rubbing alcohol.

Sounds like you're making good progress. The resolve is the thing. Glad you've come to join the rest of us in plugging away at it.

Do you still have electricity? What about an electric KETTLE?

I am (as posted eleswhere) and OLDE CAMPER and have lived for long periods (3-6 months) without various appliances, not because of squalor but because of reno-problems or $$$ problems.

AND I truly believe that what people see first is not dust and dirt but CLUTTER!!!!!!

Good luck and keep going!
Luv from Script

KerowynA, unfortunately, the gas company says they have to come in to check the wall heater in the bathroom, the central heat system and the water heater, so basically they will see most of the house.... no avoiding that. At least I have a gym, so I can take hot showers elsewhere!LOL!

Vildachaya, yes, I was thinking about the bleach and wondering if that would be good enough. I bought some yesterday, and some thick rubber gloves so I won't dry out my hands. I have been using disposbale stuff a lot so I could avoid washing, and heating water either on the stove or in the microwave, but it's such a pain!

Script, yes, I have electricity, and I heat water like that at times. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about heating it in larger quatities to fill a sink! I'd just been doing it with individual items. Thanks for pointing my thoughts in that direction!

Thanks to you all for the input... wish me luck, and I look forward to reading more about how y'all are handling things too.

I was just thinking that if it's going to be a pain to obtain hot water, you would want to minimise the amount you have to heat, so don't dirty up your clean hot water by squeezing the wet cloth/sponge back into the same container. Have a second container for collecting the dirty water. Rinsing can probably be done with cold water too.

Apart from that, best of luck to you and I look forward to reading how you rise to meet the challenge!

love,
pigpen

when my hot water went i was heating my water in huge batches lin a stock pot.. i would boil it up and fill the sink half with boiled water.. washe what i could and top up with hot water as it cooled

it happened in winter for me so all the water boiling had a great side effect.. for once the house was not dried out feeling!

As I'm sure you've read, babysteps are the key.

And, like Script I believe pointed out, people don't notice dirt, they notice clutter.

Try to get the horizontal surfaces as decluttered as possible, and then worry about cleaning.

I mean, I understand you wouldn't want random strange gas men to have to climb over your junk, (I wouldn't either), but they can walk on an unscrubbed floor. Their shoes are probably dirty anyway.

Maybe if you're dejunked enough, you can let them in, and then have your hot water turned back on and get to some serious scrubbing.

Good Luck and Lots of Hugs!

Love
Catie

I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you can get in a diamond. -Mae West

Been there, still near there lol... and I have had problems alllll across the bvoard with physical mental and financial squalor to deal with, either mine ofr a partners....so please don't feel you are alone! So that the gas can be turned on, get the main areas they will be viewing...and as anotherposter said, clutter up first, then clean...the clutter is the noticable thing right off....many of us challenge here on the boards or in chat, and some on yahoo or aim too, so you should always find a clutter buddy...there is someone up somewhere all the time as this is an international board Good luck and turn here when you bneed a boost or a hug either one! happy scrubbin'! And welcome , friend! Jennie

SCATTEREDMAMA

You are NOT alone!!!

Do you have a microwave? If so I'm thinking you could boil a bowl of water in there for cleaning.

welcome to a place that honestly saved me. i have been here about 4 weeks and let me tell you i was EXACTLY where you are now. 30, divorced, 1 8 yr.old son, 2 cats, 1 dog and no hot water. the bottom had fallen out of the hot water heater. but there have been periods of time over the past that my gas has been disconnected. i was so severely depressed that the thought of trying to start "picking up" depressed me even more. the best advice i can give is what i did. i picked up enough to let the plumber do the work and i mean the most minimal and more often than not those guys that work for the utility companies have seen it all. it doesnt have to look great it doesnt have to be clean. Hide stuff, seriously, you can deal with it after you get the gas turned back on and have had a long hot shower. its not gonna happen over night. little steps. i have been decluttering and de squaloring for 4 weeks and my house is not perfect but i have regained the use of space that has not been utilized in YEARS. youve done yourself a great service by coming here it was one of the best things i ever did for myself, my son, and my mental well being.

WELCOME! WELCOME! WELCOME!
Anytime you want to do a chat challenge let me know and keep us posted on your progress!

dancingmessymom

which is good enough to clean a surface in order to administer a home IV.

I mostly lurk around here, but I wanted to add to the welcomes. You sound like you are in the right frame of mind to make some changes -- stick around here and you will definitely find the support to keep going. Please keep us posted on your progress!

I'm having a problem similar to yours. Although I have gas service I can't use my oven/stove right now because of a problem with the connection. The line that runs to the stove has a leak in it. We were very lucky that someone came in and smelled it one night, by that time the house had filled with gas and I didn't know it!

Anyway, I've been using the oven by turning it on at the floor and then turning it off when I was done.
The other night I turned it on stepped back and a broom that I had leaning against the wall fell and broke off the handle at the floor. After a moment of panic I did manage to get it turned off.

I now have to have the Gas company come in to repair that and the stove gas hose. Right now I just can't do that. I do know that when they turn it off to work on it they need to check all of the gas hookups, meaning they'll need to see a lot of my house/mess. This right now is one of my goals. Good luck with yours, I understand. Please keep us updated !


Laura