Projects-what are you all doing currently?

Sunflower49 · 15-10-2012, 23:26

Apart from work/sleep/recreational stuffs? Are you working on creating a better home or garden, or voluntarily assisting with anything in your community or similar?

I am currently helping somebody with their house-a guy who is a mega hoarder and is living in substandard conditions due to past years of ill health and circumstance..The house is full of junk and also items he's collected over the years, and he also has no real flooring, nor hot running water! The electrics aren't operating properly either.

I've began by clearing a lot of junk out (he's reluctant to rid of most things, so this has been a bit difficult!) and I've tiled the bathroom floor and cleaned his kitchen up, it was filthy and full of junk (he hoards old tupperware boxes, margarine boxes and the like, for example) and I've created some space by moving things around. I've cleaned the floors and put a lot of things up into his loft, put new bedding on his bed, had the windows open as the house was smelling fusty, given him my old tumble dryer... Taken LOADS of stuff to the local tip, sold some stuff on eBay for him-I can't think of much else but the place is looking better. Obviously I can't do much regards his water or electricity situation as I'm not skilled or licensed for that sort of thing. I'm just doing what's within my capability and so far I've got it quite a bit better

Are you doing anything at the moment that's a work in progress?

Mog · 16-10-2012, 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707

Apart from work/sleep/recreational stuffs? Are you working on creating a better home or garden, or voluntarily assisting with anything in your community or similar?

I am currently helping somebody with their house-a guy who is a mega hoarder and is living in substandard conditions due to past years of ill health and circumstance..The house is full of junk and also items he's collected over the years, and he also has no real flooring, nor hot running water! The electrics aren't operating properly either.

I've began by clearing a lot of junk out (he's reluctant to rid of most things, so this has been a bit difficult!) and I've tiled the bathroom floor and cleaned his kitchen up, it was filthy and full of junk (he hoards old tupperware boxes, margarine boxes and the like, for example) and I've created some space by moving things around. I've cleaned the floors and put a lot of things up into his loft, put new bedding on his bed, had the windows open as the house was smelling fusty, given him my old tumble dryer... Taken LOADS of stuff to the local tip, sold some stuff on eBay for him-I can't think of much else but the place is looking better. Obviously I can't do much regards his water or electricity situation as I'm not skilled or licensed for that sort of thing. I'm just doing what's within my capability and so far I've got it quite a bit better

Are you doing anything at the moment that's a work in progress?

Not doing owt for anyone else Sugar, But I have just moved into my new home. (Well a Flat) and spending loads of time redecorating and getting it furnished etc. Today it is tidy the garden day. Its bad luck that I live in Kent. I could do with some help from a Samaritan like you.

Sunflower49 · 16-10-2012, 11:53

Hey I'm not doing it for nothing

as I travel so much for work, he's offered me somewhere to stay basically any time I want, in return, so whenever I'm in this neck of the woods

(Although to be honest each time I take him up on the offer I am scared for my health lol).

Are you buying new furniture? One main thing about this place is, I don't want to spend much money-it's not my house, for a start and it's just not of a condition where buying new things is justifiable.

Less · 16-10-2012, 19:11

I like most others am doing what I do, I don't need to tell the world, I do it because I can.

maxthecollie · 16-10-2012, 19:12

I used to do voluntary work for P.A.T ( Pets as Therapy) Dogs. If anyone wanted to register their dog to do hospital, nursing homes or other places.My role was to assess the dog to see if it was suitable to go in these places and that their temperment was ok. I had to give this up due to other committments. I miss it.

Bob Dobson · 16-10-2012, 20:32

Sugarmouse, I'm surprised you can find time to get onto the computer. There was an item on TV recently about hoarders.

Find a skip in a nearby street and make several trips to it 'out of hours'

There can't be many houses without hot running water

Restless · 16-10-2012, 21:46

Well my current "project" so-to-speak is finding a customROM that I like the most for my phone. I have kinda become a bit of a flash addict(no not that kind)

Sunflower49 · 16-10-2012, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

I used to do voluntary work for P.A.T ( Pets as Therapy) Dogs. If anyone wanted to register their dog to do hospital, nursing homes or other places.My role was to assess the dog to see if it was suitable to go in these places and that their temperment was ok. I had to give this up due to other committments. I miss it.

I've read a bit about this-think this is such a good idea.Dogs have so much to offer us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

Sugarmouse, I'm surprised you can find time to get onto the computer. There was an item on TV recently about hoarders.

Find a skip in a nearby street and make several trips to it 'out of hours'

There can't be many houses without hot running water

It's a ridiculous way to live I agree. His boiler broke about ten years ago, and he attempted to fix it up but something went wrong with the ordering of new pipework etc and he gave up on it and hasn't bothered since. He can wash because he has an electric shower.
I did write to channel four, 'The Hoarder Next Door' and they came to look around, seemed interested then said they wouldn't do it as this house is more of a mess, than a hoard. I've taken tonnes of stuff to the tip, but he likes to keep everything and I have to respect that-he's done well in letting me get rid of what I have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless

Well my current "project" so-to-speak is finding a customROM that I like the most for my phone. I have kinda become a bit of a flash addict(no not that kind)

^ I wish I understood this

Restless · 16-10-2012, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707

^ I wish I understood this

Want me to elaborate ?

Sunflower49 · 24-10-2012, 14:02

Sure!!!

I'm always up for learning new useless/ful (!

) information.

Okay I've been too busy to do anything on this house this week , and last week I caught a bug (quite possibly a result of spending time here lol) so prescribed myself a rest from it.

I'm back here now, so far all's I've done is the laundry!I honestly feel overwhelmed, so decided to sit here and have a coffee, and hope that somebody on AccyWeb will give me a kick up the aristotle and tell me what to do next!

I know it's difficult without having seen the place, but I want some outside perspectives-if you were sorting out a messy hoard, trying to make somewhere look like a home, say your house burnt down and you had to stay in such a place temporarily-where would you start?

I've put some rugs down, covering bare floorboards-that's made a major difference, for example-it looks much more cosy and homely now. I've gone around the sitting room with a huge cardboard box and chucked in surplus bits and bats, he won't be upset because I've not thrown them away, but they're in a box, taking up a few square feet, rather than making the whole room look cluttered...

Less · 24-10-2012, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707

so decided to sit here and have a coffee, and hope that somebody on AccyWeb will give me a kick up the aristotle and tell me what to do next!

Well, you asked, so here I go,

Why with this 'project', (personally I would have called it helping someone), aren't you busy doing it, getting on with it, feel proud of yourself when you've finished by all means, but don't come back on bragging about it.

Charity is best done by folk that do it then drift into the background.

The one's involved in any such action, that shout the loudest probably did the least.

Sunflower49 · 24-10-2012, 21:03

Well, I think I've done quite a lot, considering I have a few other things going on and I haven't been doing it for very long.
I think I am helping, he is grateful for my assistance anyway.

I guess I just like conversing , hearing other people's experiences similar-I will not post again if it's grinding people's gears, I didn't realise it would.

steve2qec · 24-10-2012, 21:23

I'm currently upgrading a replica "Red Special" (Brian May's guitar) Including full rewire, new pickups, pots (vol and tone controls), machine heads (tuners). At present the upgrades have cost me more than the guitar did!!
Seem to be having some earthing problems with the wiring - don't think my soldering's up to much.

Sugarmouse, that's what you call a project...haha!

Sunflower49 · 24-10-2012, 21:27

Also I've just re-read my post and still cannot see it bragging, apologies it it comes across that way to others.

I've asked on other forums also, many people seem to have had to clear out houses before or assist others with their clutter problems, and as such I thought maybe people may want to share.
Do you mean I should have called the thread 'Helping Someone'? Sorry I found that bit hard to understand.

Sunflower49 · 24-10-2012, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve2qec

I'm currently upgrading a replica "Red Special" (Brian May's guitar) Including full rewire, new pickups, pots (vol and tone controls), machine heads (tuners). At present the upgrades have cost me more than the guitar did!!
Seem to be having some earthing problems with the wiring - don't think my soldering's up to much.

Sugarmouse, that's what you call a project...haha!

Lol respect! Hope the end result sounds amazing.
Brian May is one of my favourite folk at the moment!