“I have space in my house and in my head again.” 

Richard (72) knows how it feels when you lose track of things. His house was full of stuff for years. “There was something everywhere. Boxes, bags, old stuff. It became more and more. At one point, I could hardly live there anymore.” With help from various agencies such as Elkien, Limor and Amaryllis, he got his life back on track.  

Collecting started years ago with scrap iron. “That makes a nice bit of money,” Richard explains. Later, all sorts of things were added. Especially stuff he found among the bulky waste. “You think: maybe I'll need it again. And before you know it, the house is full.” 

Through his network, Richard came into contact with the Amaryllis social neighbourhood team. Social worker Hanneke: “We saw that things couldn't go on like this. Together with other organisations, such as Elkien and Limor, we helped Richard. Another company cleaned everything up. We were Richard's mental support during this time. That's how the bond of trust remained.” 

It was so much stuff that not everything could be sorted out, so whole boxes and bags were put away. “At first I found it difficult,” Richard explains. “Sometimes I got angry. Things were also going away that I actually wanted to keep. But it was just too much.” What was allowed to stay, however, were his LPs. More than 2,000 of them. 

There have been a few previous attempts by different people to make Richard's house tidy, but each time he started collecting again. But now he sees the benefits of a tidy house. “I can just shower and go to the toilet again,” he says with a smile. 

“Everything is clean. I have space in the house as well as in my head again. I am happy,” he laughs. Richard still gets help. Someone helps him clean and he has regular contact moments. For instance, Jan, his regular supervisor from Limor, still visits him regularly. Hanneke also still visits him from time to time. “That way, together we make sure it stays tidy,” Hanneke explains.  

Cleaning up is contagious. Richard now often goes around the neighbourhood on his cargo bike to pick up litter. He also helps other collectors gain overview and peace of mind in their homes. “Don't use something anymore? Then throw it away,” he tips. And if he comes across something really nice along the way? “Then sometimes I take it anyway,” he chuckles. 

Have a lot of stuff of your own and don't know where to start? “Talk about it,” says Richard. “Don't just stick with it. With help you can manage. Together you can look at what can go. It doesn't have to be all at once.” 

Do you feel like you've lost track of things at home? Or can't manage to get rid of stuff? Go to your Amaryllis social neighbourhood or village team.