Are you a hoarder?

[Villains Fan]

Hi, I'm Villains Fan, and I'm a hoarder. I didn't think I was, but today I spent the day cleaning out my back room, and am just amazed by all the stuff I have. Some things are sentimental, some things are cute, and some things I just have no clue why I keep them.

I had tons of empty boxes...why, I don't know. Maybe I thought someday I'd be sending out tons of gifts in the mail, or someday I'd move and need tons of small boxes to put things in...I just don't know .

A lot of the stuff is just presents I've received from years past and have no use for (hence why I now always ask for gift cards ). I figured I'd just re-gift some of these presents sometime, but I've never re-gifted anything...these things were either just too generic (candles, glasses, stationary, soap, etc) or just things that never fit anybody (and they would end up keeping in their extra room).

Well, hopefully this will be it. This was my last room for hoarding things. After tomorrow, it all goes to Goodwill and they can figure what to do with it all.

So, are you a hoarder, or do you have certain things you hoard and don't know why? Please let me know I'm not alone in this :beg:

[stinkerbell]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

:wave:

And I have to move in a month. I'm not looking forward to going through every pile, drawer, box, etc. that I need to before we go. I've been putting it off for the last two months and it's really weighing me down. I need to do it ASAP!

Good for you, VF, for getting through it all! Wanna come up and help me??

[Princess Buttercup]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Cute thread!


I thought it was in fun so I wrote my initial reply very tongue in cheek..I hoard clothes that are mostly out of date because I use them for various purposes....70's, 80's and 90's dress up days at my kids' school, Halloween costumes, Ren faire and pirate costumes, formal wear , snow clothes, dance wear etcetera. But I'm glad I've kept all these clothes because family members and friends know they can borrow them and they appreciate not having to store them whereas my house has plenty of storage space.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

No, I am not a hoarder, if its of use its kept, if I do not use it in the year it goes. When I get gifts that I can not use or want I give them to the womans shelter, the mission or some other needy place. why keep it if I do not use/want it. I box up my childrens cloths every season and give them away. all those gifts of mugs, candles, bath stuff go the first week.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

yes, somewhat, but when it comes time to clean I don't have a need to keep stuff. I just forget about it until it starts to pile and then I clean it up. I just cleaned out my bookshelf. It was so full no more books would fit. Now it's only half full.

Right now there is sopme clutter in the living room, but most of it is stuff that gets taken out and not put back away. We are really bad at that.

The front room is a different story. My Bf put a lot of his stuff in there and he really doesn't like getting rid of stuff. So, that is his deal. I'll work on the rest of the house.

I took the Oprah quiz and the results said I did not have serious hoarding issues.

[MTNGIRL]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Totally! You mean that's not what closets and storage spaces are for?

I've been trying to get better because I just hate stumbling across stuff I don't need/use, but the motion that allows me to get rid of it seems to have gone missing.

[MsKaren]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I was a hoarder until I moved 8 months ago to a smaller apartment. I was forced to get rid of things. I am becoming one again even though I dont have the space. When you have a small space you come up with creative ways to store things.

I guess those of us that hoard need the 12 step program!

[PrincessY]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I am NOT a hoarder (well, except for scrapbook paper, but I'll be using that) but I am living with one! Please seek help all of you!!

[SusieP.]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Definitely not a hoarder. I'm more of a thrower-away-er. I keep books and I do have a stack of Cooking Light magazine to sort through, but I'm pretty regular at weeding stuff out of the closets and passing things on to the Goodwill.

I know a woman I used to work with said that she kept everything her kids may have even LOOKED at, and I'm just the opposite. I have a scrapbook to store report cards and papers in and a portfolio for my son's artwork, but I don't keep clothes or anything like that. I think I have his coming home from the hospital outfit in the closet, but that's it.

[CUatDL]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Sounds more like "Pack-Rat" behavior than hoarding behavior.

I "Pack-Rat" for awhile, then throw away, donate, recycle, whatever.

Most folks who stay in one place for long periods tend to "Pack-Rat" things away, then when we move, well, out it goes.

But then "Pack-Rat" behavior is closely akin to hoarding, but to me hoarding sounds bad, where-as "Pack-Rat" behavior is just kind of indecisive, "I'll keep this just in case".

Just MHO, YMMV

[email protected]

Andy

[Spidergrrrl]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

*raises hand*

I admit it, I'm a hoarder/pack-rat, and so is hubby. Both our parents our hoarders too (ay ay ay, it runs in our blood, I guess). My dad is the "I'm not throwing it away because I can find a use for this someday" kind of hoarder. My mom is the "I just haven't gotten around to it yet" kind of hoarder with project stuff - she has so much fabric and yarn I swear she could open her own store.

Hubby and are more the lazy and "out of sight, out of mind" type of hoarders. We admit we have a problem, we just haven't taken much action on it yet. We have managed to merge most of our stuff into a 2-bdrm apartment, and still have the "public" areas (living room, kitchen, dining room, bathrooms) look decent. But, our closets are packed to the gills and our parents still have some of our stuff. Neither of us is looking forward to the day when we'll have to sift through it all.

[kelly]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I am not a horder, but hubby sure is. he keeps everything (I turn around and throw the things out) :lol:

[Jennidisneyfer]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Not at all. In fact, I'm quite the opposite I'd say. When the smallest kid outgrows it, it gets donated. If they haven't played with it in over a year- donated. I haven't used it in... well, maybe a bit longer than a year- gone. I hate clutter.

I do have a (2nd) walk-in closet in my bedroom that is packed with "stuff". Mostly my oldest daughters' stuff since her bedroom is technically an office (no closet) but it does hold overflow linens, clothes of mine, coats (since the coat closet downstairs is where she keeps her jackets!), boxes of pictures, baby books, luggage, file cabinet, hidden Christmas gifts, and movies/video games that are inappropriate for younger children to see. It looks like a mess, but it's organized-ish.

Also, I tend to move frequently which minimizes "stuff" build-up

[Olympicnut]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I too am living with one. At least in my eyes he is, when it comes to t-shirts. Not kidding, he has 3 suitcases full of t-shirts, and an entire dresser drawer filled with t-shirts (all concert t-shirts and the like).

Personally I don't get it. It's not like you are ever going to wear them again. Or look at them from time to time. They were in boxes from when he moved to LA 2 years ago, up until he moved in here when they got transferred to suitcases, where they sit in his office/guest bedroom.

[aimster]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I can be a hoarder sometimes, but I've been slowly working on getting rid of crap I know I don't need anymore. I wish my complex had community yard sales more than once a year though. Would help me get this junk cleaned out faster!

[Villains Fan]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

:wave:

And I have to move in a month. I'm not looking forward to going through every pile, drawer, box, etc. that I need to before we go. I've been putting it off for the last two months and it's really weighing me down. I need to do it ASAP!

Good for you, VF, for getting through it all! Wanna come up and help me??

Good luck stinkerbell, I feel your pain , but moving is the best way to get rid of everything! When you start thinking about having to pack, unpack, and figure out a place for it in your new home, suddenly things become way too much hassle and you start just getting rid of everything.

Cute thread!


I think I'm a hoarder too, especially with clothes and holiday decorations. I've got two dressers in my room that are filled with just my clothes and then take up two thirds of the space in mine and my husband's closet.

Thanks PB, you just reminded me I have 2 drawers in the bottom of my dresser, I have not opened in at least year. Obviously, I don't need anything in there and they are going to be packed up and sent away also.

Definitely not a hoarder.

Oh wise Susie...show me the way :bow:

Sounds more like "Pack-Rat" behavior than hoarding behavior.

I like that...pack-rat sounds much cuter than hoarding. You're right, I just pack things away. I don't really hoard because that insinuates you do it on purpose...my stuff just kind of gets away from me and before I know it, I have tons of stuff.

*raises hand*

Hubby and are more the lazy and "out of sight, out of mind" type of hoarders. We admit we have a problem, we just haven't taken much action on it yet.

This is exactly how I am too. I just close the door to the other room, and poof, the stuff is gone

I too am living with one. At least in my eyes he is, when it comes to t-shirts. Not kidding, he has 3 suitcases full of t-shirts, and an entire dresser drawer filled with t-shirts (all concert t-shirts and the like).

Personally I don't get it. It's not like you are ever going to wear them again. Or look at them from time to time. They were in boxes from when he moved to LA 2 years ago, up until he moved in here when they got transferred to suitcases, where they sit in his office/guest bedroom.

I have to admit, I have a bag full of old vacation t-shirts. I found a great idea to cut out the design and make a quilt out of them. Now, if I only knew how to make a quilt.....


Thanks everyone for making me feel better....ok, off to day 2 of cleaning out my back room (not too much left, just the last few things and then dragging all the boxes downstairs to the garage for pick-up).

[Alice's Wonderland]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I am a hoarder. When I lived in Sacramento, it was mostly all out. When I moved to the middle of nowhere, it all got put in boxes. I have soooo much stuff. And I love it. The next time I move I have promised myself I will go through it and get rid of the stuff I don't use. But now it's comforting to have. And since I've already moved three times in the past year, I don't think i'll be moving for awhile.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

I don't do yard sales. I pack it all up and take it to a charity, but NOT goodwill, per my BF.

[Olympicnut]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Funny thing is, he already HAS 2 quilts made of t-shirts. How many more frickin' quilts do we need!!! :lol:

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Are you a hoarder?

Funny thing is, he already HAS 2 quilts made of t-shirts. How many more frickin' quilts do we need!!! :lol:

you can never have to many quilts.