Savers Or Hoarders

My 3rd sister-in-law is a handicapped since birth. She has to use clutches at home and wheelchair for mobility when she is out. Tell you, she likes going out, wheeling around in her wheelchair, taking bus and MRT to her church, shopping, mostly by herself and sometimes with her church friends. Fortunately, we are in Singapore where now most of the footpaths and public transports are handicapped-free!

About a month ago, my husband decided to ask his handicapped sister to move in our house so that she can rent out her whole 4-room flat for better rental income for herself. With another mentally retarded sister currently staying with us, our domestic helper can look after both of them at the same time.

That means, I have to give up our master bedroom for her 2 sisters and the maid because of the convenience to use the master bathroom... That means, I have to give up my current lifestyle and way of living after 13 years of marriage in this house. Thinking of the situation and for the benefits of everyone in the family, I have to agree on that.

Persuading her to move in with us was also not an easy task as that means she has to give up her lifestyle too! We finally persuaded her after some "forcing" and hard tactics and she agreed to move in before June 11 because she got to do a lot of packing...

Look at her living room and bedroom...

Her Bedroom

Her Living Room

She is not working now but did some sewing and handicraft works during her pastime and most of her income is from collecting rental from her 2 other rooms. Well, after several weeks passed, she still has not succeeded to "pack" her things... So, I go over to help, hopefully to throw most of her things away!

She is clearly a hoarder! Yesterday, I started with her living room ONLY. She has 7 sewing machines, bags and bags of unused cloths that she wants to sew, numerous threads and unfinished handicraft books and materials. She kept lots of plastic bags, uncountable bags, containers, boxes, exercise books, outdated diaries and magazines, cookbooks, etc and simply does not want to throw any of those. She also collected many chairs and tables where people do not want. End up, she packed all the stuff and books in her collection of bags and we threw only about only 1% of the things in the living room... ***Faint***


She really don't know how to classify her various things and she also simply refused to throw. (Guessed she may have sentimental value to all her things or because she has the habit to "SAVE"???.) I told her umpteen times that she will not be able to finish reading all the books or use up those things that she had now. Those stuff that she kept for years were not even opened / touched until now, let alone be using in the coming years. I have to keep "ranting" at her to organise, to throw this and that.  However, she threw some away quite reluctantly with "pain" on her face and most of the times, she will say that she will give those to her friends, etc. (Not sure those things that she want to give her friends will be staying in her house for how long?)

Now, I am starting to worry that my agreement to let her move in with me is a bad decision. If the rate of throwing is still as such, and wants to move all her things to my little flat, I will become a "forced" hoarder! I can't imagine how my nice cosy home will be like....