We talk about that all the time. It's so refreshing when we see a show - currently I think Bargain Mansions may be one that does it - where people say, "Oh, this needs replaced/doesn't fit the design, but it's in good shape so we'll use it on another project." Very few do. We're about to redo our cabinets and hope to save some. They are solid oak and the boxes are SOLID...but they were built in place, have no backs and are nailed to the walls with really big, long nails. As we discovered taking out a vanity, you are unlikely to move them without a sledge and pry bar.

--" my nephew is kind of over the anger, he is doing great in school, he is managing his mental health with medication but with behavior modification he is doing excellent. I'm so proud of him."-- Good for him! It sounds like that no matter the chaos and mess around him, he at least is doing 'ok' and working hard at overcoming his own issues. It is strange though that your sister assures he get help and therapy yet does nothing to deal with her own issues. Ever watch that tv series on hoarding? OMG is right. I won't even begin to think I understand hoarding behavior, cause I don't, but I wonder if the moving/partner to partner lifestyle of your sister has somehow helped create the hoarding tendency? Perhaps she views the total mess and junk in her house as the one consistancy that belongs to her and the one thing she can control with thinking 'my possessions'. IDK. Such inconsistancies. Poor son has no shoes yet the lady has a housefull of them. No clothing, yet the house is littered with clothing. No food yet hands her money to others for food. Makes one wonder why she did not hand her friend the address for the foodbank instead of the cash. Is the 'stuff' all over her home the reason she is always broke? Meaning she spends her money on all this junk and therefore has none for the things she really needs? I'm not sure there is anything you personally could do to 'help', it seems like professionals with training to deal with people with these issues would be the only hope of breaking what is going on. Has your nephew talked to his therapist about his living conditions? Is there a school counselor that might be able to assist him? A sink full of dishes would not give CPS much room to work with, but a housefull as in unsafe, unsantitary ect might. If you 'rat' her out, be prepared that your sister will be angry with you and perhaps try and shut you out from interfering with what obviously she sees as 'no problem'. I have not a bit of advice, but wanted to say from your 'vent' I think you have real reason to feel concern. I'm just not sure what it is you could do to 'help' all on your own...this sounds like it may be a bigger issue than you yourself could take on without some outside assistance. In the meantime, perhaps you could include your nephew in a bit of your weekend activities (minus Mom) just so he knows Aunt Myfam is there for him and give him a wee bit of a chance to have some normalcy in his life, a decent meal ect. And continue to help out a bit with the little things you have been doing (like the facewash).

Hahaha! I thought perhaps I was just having an EMCM (Early Morning Curmudgeonly Moment), but I'd probably find it annoying at any time of the day. There are a couple of blogs I've stopped reading entirely because the writers (who do a nice job of restoring vintage pieces) insists on naming them: Rosa, Miss Ella, Gertrude, Marilyn, Bobbie Jo. Please. It's like cutesy-overload gone viral. One blogger starts doing it, and others pick up on it, and it becomes a silly trend. I've also really started noticing how many bloggers take photos of the same vignette from numerous angles, ever since somebody mentioned it here in another thread. I don't want to see your Santa-under-a-bell-jar photographed 27 different ways.

In some ways I wish I just made my decisions without doing any research so I could at least bask in the "isn't it wonderful?" for a little while before the harsh realities started to show. Is it just me???? True to all! Just for a few minutes I'd like to bask lol! I couldn't agree more so yes, yes, and yes to all! that was good therapy for me to read this thread! For some reason it makes me feel good to know others are in the same boat LOL Geez, I think I'm losing my mind sometimes! Really?! i haven't even contacted my KD in over a week because I have had kitchen paralysis. I purposely busied myself with extra work hoping if I stepped away from all this kitchen stuff I would have some clarity when I came back to it. I was able to make some decisions but now needing to make a decision on a range hood and I have literally called three range hood manufactures and one twice! I'm second guessing everything. my kids have teased they will graduate before I finish the kitchen. My friends say I'm just not ready to do it. totally agree! Making all these choices is not fun like it should be. I second guess every little thing I pick and find myself just picking whatever to just be done with it. lakeerieamber I hear you and I think I'm starting to go in the just picking something and be done with it mode! Melis918 just posted about tile help and like the next day she said she ordered. I was so envious. And my mom went shopping last week and saw some wood tile she liked and sent me a pic. She is having it installed today! And is so excited about it. I have lost the quick decision making and just the fun and excitement of just picking something to now just mulling it over and over researching. Ugh!