Mom! I Can’t Find My Shoes!
Growing up as a little kid in Kansas City, my house seemed like it was a treasure chest. It was filled with all sorts of cool old things. Our house was a bit different from others. Stacks of old newspapers and magazine were all over the place. My mom had her treasures piled up in a room that we weren’t allowed to go into. Mom told me that her stuff was so valuable that we couldn’t risk having anyone come over or spend the night. Living there seemed like a super cool treasure hunt that never ended.
My Home’s Not Like My Friends
When I visited my friends homes, they seemed empty, like a new house and I told them mine looked like a cool chaos party. As I got a little older, I had to come up with some pretty creative excuses why my friends couldn’t come over, because I was really worried what they would say and tell others about how I lived. After having firemen visit our school and talked about the dangers of hoarding, I had nightmares about being trapped in my house as it went up in flames.
The Stress of Trying to Find Things
Every day was like solving a stressful puzzle. Finding my school stuff felt like searching for hidden treasure in a jungle of things. Getting ready in the morning was like going on an expedition for among all of the stuff, searching for matching shoes and clothes. Sometimes as I frantically searched the house for something I needed, the sunlight would peek through the mess and reveal hidden treasures like long since forgotten birthday presents or homework that I never could find.
I Needed Help Getting Rid of the Clutter
As I grew up, the mess just kept growing too. I desperately wished for a normal space to call home. So, I decided to tackle the mess head-on. Trust me, it wasn’t easy. I got some awesome help from a school counselor who understood and was able to help me by getting my parents some help too.
Fixing things up had its ups and downs. There were times I felt like giving up, moments of “uh-oh,” and even plenty arguments with my parents. But guess what? I wasn’t going to let the mess win! With my friends cheering me on I started a “Go Fund Me” page and some really cool people pitched in so that we could tackle the mess with some help from a cleanup company. Once they started, our house started to quickly change. It felt like magic – room by room, things started to get better. Our house was turning into the cozy home that I always wanted.
And you know what’s super cool? With some help from counseling my parents started to see things differently too. They jumped in to help keep our home clutter free. We put in a rule that every time we brought something into the house, we had to get rid of something. With each box we cleared and every corner we tidied up, our house felt more like a place full of warm memories.
Helping Other With Their Clutter
After all the challenges, I felt stronger and kinder. The mess taught me a lot of important stuff. So, I decided to learn even more, and now I want to help others that are dealing with too much clutter. I’m aiming to be a super listener and a helper for people going through similar messes.
I hope that my story is like a shinning light for people in a similar cluttered situation. Even when things seem tough, you can find strength and make things better. My journey shows that growing up in a cluttered house can turn into an exciting adventure, where you find hidden treasures and discover your own path to happiness!