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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Calling all hoarders out there......why?

916 replies

muriel76 · 10/08/2011 17:10

My DH is a bit of a hoarder. Some of his family are the same but particularly his mum, she seems to keep everything. They both like to also display pointless things ie books that will never be/never have been read etc.

Don't get me wrong, it is not a big deal or anything but I do want to understand why. It's hard to understand as my mum is the complete opposite and I am the same. DH and I have agreed to give the house (another!) big clear out and it would help me to hear a hoarder's view!

(Obviously I have talked with him about it many times BTW, I am just looking for other people's more neutral insights)

Thanks for any replies.

OP posts:
Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 03:57

Thanks Solo, Not going to be doing much box luggin for a bit, but i can still think about it and sort mentally! You've made some great progress!

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 04:05

Nickelbabe, you have 'upstairs in your shop' space too then? I have warehouse stockroom for my two shops and find it a good secret stash place. I have an employee who helps at the warehouse with deliveries and internet despatch stuff and we have an understanding about my hoard, but i was able to supply her with a gorgeous door curtain from my pile of useful/ nice things, so not all bad! Shes the only person who's seen it all and is very sweet and understandingBlush

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 04:19

In 1979, i had to make a 'room in a box' for a Girl Guides badge. Its one item in the hoard. A plastic ice cream tub with carpet stuck to the bottom and furniture made from matchboxes with sticky back plastic ( very Blue Peter) How can i just put that in landfil????? SadBlushConfused
Good to be able to share this trivia! I know you all understand!

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 04:20

Whats your most obscure treasure?

LaLaLaLayla · 22/08/2011 04:24

I used to be a hoarder, then one day an entire cupboard full of old ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, never-used tupperware, etc. fell on my head. It occurred to me at that point that I didn't use any of it so it was pointless keeping. I binned the lot. I felt sick doing it, but so relieved afterwards.

Then I read somewhere that you should only keep nice photos. I went through all the boxes of photos and threw out all the ones of the backs of peoples' heads, or unflattering photos of me, or just random photos of nothing. Again, it hurt, but I felt so much better afterwards.

So I am reformed. Actually, I am a real minimalist now. If I buy a magazine, I read through it once, rip out any articles I want to keep, then chuck the magazine in the recycling. Also, I never buy things that I already have. For instance, I have one handbag. When I get bored with it I will buy another and give this one to charity. I never buy toiletries until I have used up the ones I have. If I don't like my moisturiser, then tough. I will use it all up before I buy another. Oh, and clothes... I have a rule that I only buy things that I absolutely love. If I have any doubts, I won't buy it. And I certainly wouldn't buy things just because they are cheap.

So it is possible to change.

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 08:47

Lalala you make it sound so simple! But well done!
I once had such a deeply emotional love affair that i felt i was utterly invincible, that was a good phase for chucking....

Solo · 22/08/2011 12:07

I've just offered 2 complete moses baskets and 2 baby change bags on F/C to be gone by Friday or will go to charity shop.
I've got a high chair which I can't take down (Dd has been out of high chairs for over 2 years Blush) because I need to find the tool to do so...should be able to find it once I can get into the living room proper! and then I will give it a good clean and it too will go on F/C.

Don't know about most obscure treasure, but I have too many things that I really shouldn't have kept...The plaster from Ds's heel prick test (I know, I know!!! but it took me sooooo long to get him, that it really is treasure!) I think I've got his umbilical cord stump too (can't believe I'm admitting this stuff) somewhere.

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 12:16

the shoes are the size she asked for, but whether they'll fit is another matter
there were loads of crappy bits in the box, so I've ebayed them.
(glass and pot ornaments etc, including some delftware dutch clogs, an Uncle Scrooge figure and a "club" from a wedgwood cards set ashtray thing)
and i've just checked and i've got bids on the uncle scrooge and a cornish mead pot! [ooh]

poshbaggirl - yes, i've got practically a whole house above my shop! means that i'm very good at not throwing rubbish away. Blush
although, I have cleaned otu and tidied my "sewing room" and it's a lot less cluttered than it was before.

also, at home this weekend, we broke down the bed in the spare bedroom (which will be the baby's room), and it's now lying in the garden in pieces. DH keeps going "i can't believe how much you pay for beds, and it's just crap pieces of wood stapled together" The base was just a piece of cardboard, so it's currently leaning against the chicken run to shade them from the sun (it might have to stay there till the end of summer - very useful!)
the rest of the pieces are going to the tip tomorrow.
we haven't saved any of it just in case .

Solo · 22/08/2011 12:30

Way to go nickelbabe! :)

Solo · 22/08/2011 12:42

Someone is collecting the bags and baskets tomorrow!!! Grin

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 12:42

solo - you can get rid of the dresses. :)
sell them on ebay.

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 12:45

thanks Grin

DH sorted out the boxes on the floor of the study yesterday too.
Well, he didn't really, he took the ornaments out (and mended the broken ones), then put them on the shelf that he'd created for them.
I gently told him that he could send those away too, if he wanted to, but he isn't ready for that yet Grin
He emptied one box - we're trying to think of where to put photos, we originally said down the stairs, but I don't want to be one of those families.... There are other walls we can use, but we've got to try and do it in a classy way (without havign the money to buy all matching frames)

It's going to be tricky.

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 12:49

i have also just sorted out the pile that's been building up under my feet here at the shop.
mostly recycled.
and i have gone through the box on top of the printer that is only supposed to house the spare printer paper and phone list of customer orders.
It now does! Grin

Solo · 22/08/2011 14:30

Dresses? do you mean the wedding dresses? Shock now steady on nick I couldn't do that. The first one, I have very fond memories of buying it with Mum and Dad and it would probably not sell anyway and the second cost a bomb and has, sadly discoloured over the years despite being protected :( . I suppose I really hoped that Dd might wear it some day...

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 14:48

fond memories aside...
i know what you mean though - my friend had kept her wedding dress from her first wedding, and didn't part with it.
she offered it to me to cut up and make into my wedding dress (or use it in it), but i couldn't have done that.

would you want your DD to wear a dress for a wedding when you know yours ended in divorce?

Solo · 22/08/2011 14:57

It's a beautiful dress...

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 14:58

I'm sure it is.
:)

not getting you to get rid of it, of course. :)

Solo · 22/08/2011 15:07

panic attack was growing there! Wink

nickelbabe · 22/08/2011 15:11

i noticed!
i was about to pass the smelling salts! Grin

notcitrus · 22/08/2011 16:13

poshbag I made a doll's house room in a shoebox for a Brownie badge and played with it for years - and probably would still have it if it hadn't got mouldy at some point.

Actually, thank god for mildew, as we would have 10x more crap from MrNC and the ILs if half their house hadn't been mildew and mould central! Even they have to admit that mouldy stuff has to be binned.

Hoping to get less wobbly soon so I can put pictures up on walls. Pictures on floor = clutter, pictures on wall = decor, right?

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 20:12

Nickelbabe, i have a sewing thing too! I have hoarded fabric for 30 yrs, i worked at Liberty when i was 19/20 so got some gorgeous remnant must haves! I also have lots of other useful bits. I had a really good sort out of all my sewing stuff and started a sewing club at DDs primary last term and have used some of my hoard with the yr 5/6 girls. Needle cases, dolls clothes and cross stitch so far. I saw an old empty school cupboard at school and the headmaster was happy to let me have it. It makes a perfect fabric cupboard for my newly sorted and arranged fabrics! Talk about good karma!

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 20:13

Three cheers for mildew, mould and rodents! Ewww! Coz theres NO justification for keeping stuff thats just gawn baaad!!

Poshbaggirl · 22/08/2011 20:15

Fell down the stairs today injurring big toe and landing in a heap. AND chipped tooth! I'm falling to bits Sad Not drunk, honest!

ChippingIn · 22/08/2011 20:53

Solo - well done on todays listings :) & I'm sure you are not the only one with the heel prick plaster or the 'stump' Grin

Cleverything · 22/08/2011 21:49

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