Recovering hoarders?

I take what Teacher Terry says to heart. Your last paragraph really shows your insight into how you got into this mess and show's a real desire to get out of it. And job well done today.

I ventured down to the basement today and it was even worse. It's so dark and depressing, I just can't get motivated to tackle it. But there are things of mine I want so I am going to have to at least partially face the mess. I have one disorganized corner of my room left to organize and then things are more or less set up here and I have no more excuses. Well, except for cleaning out DD's room. She left behind tons of clothes to consign and lots of make-up, perfume and jewelry I actually like. So she has a few days to come claim what she wants and then I'm going in.

Freshstart's, how is the basement worse? You said your mom can't go down there. Is anyone adding items to the basement? Also, who gets the money from the consigning?

if DD comes over and helps get the consignment stuff ready, she can have the money. If she leaves her whole room up to me, she's not getting it. So I would think this would motivate her.

the cleaning lady gets sent down to find stuff for my mom and she doesn't stack the boxes back up neatly. instead they are in the narrow (very narrow) walk ways. Then the basement goes around a corner and I never really looked in there, Omg what a mess. I think it's mostly my 43 yr old married brother's old stuff. If I were my parents, I would give a date that that stuff has to be out of here. It looks like junk.

Keep all the money!

Yeah, I would say if she does all the work, sh gets the money. If you do the work, you get the money. Then decide if it's worth the money. Maybe you'd rather ignore it and start finding your stuff in the basement?

FS: once your Mom is gone do you think your Dad will be open to cleaning up the basement? If so then maybe you can enlist someone to help you since you can't physically do it. I would be careful down there so you don't hurt yourself.

my dad borders on hoarding but I think if she was gone he would give the ok to clean it out

I want to focus on DD's room because i need to sell a piece of her BR set to fit the treadmill in there. So I have to at least empty that out. The treadmill is in the dark recesses of the basement and I will never use it down there.

That makes sense. Why not sell it as a set unless you or her need some of the pieces.

the room is used as a guest room, one dresser holds a tv and the other dresser makes the room look furnished. Eventually, when her clothes are gone, I will use the pieces for storage.