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sew and sew · 08-03-2012, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifi.G

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuZen

Quote:

Originally Posted by sew and sew

Yesterday I helped an old woman sort papers. She paid me. I didn't realize what I was getting into. Sorting papers sounds pretty easy. Her house has always looked basically neat. Turns out she has papers hidden inside many areas, all unorganized.

I think she's on every mailing list that exists, and she prints stuff off the internet (quite often) rather than bookmarking anything.

Her guidelines about how to sort everything evolved during the process. I only got to about 30% of it. Did as much as I could before today, as now she has company staying at her house.

What most people wouldn't think twice about tossing out she wants to hold onto. You don't want to disrespect the person, especially an elderly person, and attempt reasoning with them, essentially suggesting a lifestyle change...and I was fighting going down that road. The worse part is that she's charitable and has upteen thousand organizations trying to get money out of her (mostly political causes) and you can just tell the organizations are self-serving businesses foremost. There are SO many of them out there.

So having to HOLD onto that stuff...let alone create folders for the organizations, was difficult. But not my call. She could have a massive bonfire with all the paper, not ignoring the fact that paper burns fast.

Would love to see the job finished (might actually do it for free since it slightly haunts me that the other 70% is soldiering on either unorganized or unshredded), but I think she'll be okay with it all again after company leaves

My FIL is like this. I think he is depressed since his wife died and he just doesn't care -- plus they both had hoarding tendencies. He gets a TON of political mail asking for money, and although I've gotten him to (mostly) not contribute, he reads it all carefully and then puts it in a pile to read it again.

I go over there every week to sort through his mail and file the important stuff. I sometimes sneak the political and other junk mail into the recycling when he's not looking. I hate to be so sneaky, but I feel I have to.

The floor in his living room is piled with magazines and newspapers that he hasn't read, but he won't toss them. He can't vacuum because of all the piles.

Also, I found out he hasn't washed the sheets on his bed since his wife died, 7 years ago!! (got them washed now.)

That is sad. I've known people who used to have spotless homes, became depressed or over whelmed with health problems, and slowly gave up and in to hoarding.

It is

I'm not sure when this ladies husband died (think it's been more than a few years) but she does live alone. I'm really tempted to touch base with her again after a trip she's taking. I'd love to finish the job, just refresh her space, and money doesn't even matter considering the time I have on my hands, and how much of a sweet person she is.

At first I was a little miffed how much she was talking with me and pulling me away from the task but then it dawned on me (yes, a little slow..) that a big part of it for her was simply having company, in a really everyday setting type of way, too.