DEAR HARRIETTE: I spent the summer out of town and have just moved back home. What I am facing here is more than I can handle.
I basically abandoned my home, packed up my essentials and left without tidying, organizing or anything. I have been fighting with my husband for the entire year, and my house looks like it. It’s a total mess. I don’t even know where to start.
He is of no help, but I need to climb out of this mess.
I don’t really want to ask friends to help, because it’s embarrassing. How do I go about getting help?
— Under a Pile
DEAR UNDER A PILE: You probably need to get some counseling to deal with the emotional issues that have precipitated the physical ones.
Believe it or not, hoarding is considered to be a mental condition that often needs mental health therapy to address. Start by finding a therapist who can work with you on the things that are bothering you.
You can also research cleaning companies that specialize in hoarding who can come in, assess your needs and create a plan for cleaning out your space. This may be hard for you to do, but if you find experts, they can help you tackle your home and create order where there is none.
Take it slowly, but stay the course. This is not easy to do, but with professional help, you should be able to make some headway into your clutter — both emotionally and physically.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been suffering from a bad cold for a couple of weeks now. I still have had to work and go about my life.
I have taken several COVID-19 tests — and every other test that the doctor would give me. All they say is that it’s a cold, but I continue to cough, so people look at me like I’m going to kill them when I am out. I often pipe up and say that I don’t have COVID.
I stayed home as long as I could, but I have to work. I feel bad that the cough is lingering. How can I make others feel safer when I’m still hacking up a storm?
— Lingering Cough
DEAR LINGERING COUGH: While you are still coughing, you may want to wear a mask. That will help you avoid sharing your germs with anyone else and will show others that you are trying to be considerate. That is the new sign of precaution, thanks to COVID-19.
While you say you have to continue with your life, you may also want to give yourself some grace and get more rest.
Even though a cold is not the same as the flu or COVID or something even worse disease, it is still real. When our bodies are fighting off germs, the best thing we can do for them is to treat them with TLC.
Go to what you must, but stay home as much as possible and allow yourself time to heal fully. When you are out, the mask will help you to send a precautionary message to others.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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