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

[muriel76]

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.

Yes Solo! Naughty mrww! last time i was convinced i was, but wasnt, now i dont feel in the slightest like i might be, so....?! Lol

Goeasy, at least all the clutter gets an airing! Which is likely to lead to some action. When its all tidy and hidden away it doesnt go anywhere does it? Mines been exposed to a scary degree and i'm soooooo gonna get on top this time.

Goeasy, i know what you mean about nive things being teasured by the next generation. Plenty of my furniture came from my Dad and from Granny, i think my kids will value it too. My 18yr old DD wants weighing scales like mine!
Try to see things that you are gonna chuck as bits of wood or bits of plastic that can be recycled and given new life (councils recycle a huge amount) and detach the emotion, saying 'my emotional attachment to this is irrational'

Mummakaz, dust mite allergy great example of a cloud with a silver lining!! GO GIRL!!!

Hi ladies, just finished reading all this! its taken me days and nights but well worth it. It has been an inspiration and I've sorted through a few areas - my wardrobe and chest of drawers, cubby hole and under the stairs and the loft.

My problem is I can make good use of any available space so pack it to the limits. I have even made my loft opening bigger so I can store larger items.
Loft in the last house had an opening the size of a normal door (good/bad?)

I find it hard to get rid of stuff and I am surrounded by many charity shops to tempt me - brand new items, designer labels, things that are better than what I have already. I buy them all and fit them in somewhere and just keep adding to it all. I cant seem to help myself. The weight of it all sits heavily on my shoulders and brings me down.

All my clothes are neatly stacked and sorted into groups (I just listed then deleted the groups as I see its quite anal).

Anyway, I have gone through everything with help from this thread and had a good clearout. Taken stuff straight out to the car so I didnt have to look at it and taken it to charity shops. I dont have time to car boot and ebay could take too long to sell for all of 99p and I might be tempted to talk myself into keeping stuff.

So things that I hope will help me are:

A note in my purse of how many coats, shoes, trousers, etc I already own.
Dont ask! (This should stop me buying more).

Telling my family and close friends that I'll be getting them edible or perishable gifts in future and they might like to do the same for me.

Convincing myself that I'm doing my bit for each charity by donating stuff.
If I dont use it then why not let someone else have the benefit.

I felt so good. Really pleased to have sorted and cleared stuff.
And the more I do it the easier it gets.

Well done Swerving!!! that's absolutely brilliant for a first post on this thread; you put me to shame.

I have much to do, but seem to have ground to a standstill...

Thank you, HairyKnickers but I still have a long way to go - theres the rest of my house to do and two sheds in the garden.

In the past I would make 'considered decisions' on what I should chuck out, then leave it by the front door for days, then convince myself that I really should keep it for any number of reasons ......... and heyho! back to square one. What a Numpty!

This time I have moved so fast with the chucking out that I felt more than a little anxious when I handed the first lot over. I was thinking Bloody hell, theres some good stuff maybe I should ebay it! But after handing over at two more charity shops (same trip) I drove home feeling energised and relieved it was gone!?

I have to focus on the end goal - clear spaces. No clutter. Thats the important bit for me now.

I've identified and sympathised with a lot on this great thread. Good luck and success to us all.

Been too ill to do much this week, but did manage to lie in bed giving MrNC my opinions on the clothes he was dithering over keeping or not - so 3 binliners ready to the charity shop, plus bags of hangers and some other things. Suspect more of it may go to the ragman than what he thinks will get sold, but never mind. You never know, we may be having an 80s revival! :)

Next week's plan is to go through all the boxes of plastic tat toys getting rid of enough to make space for the Christmas influx...

Hope you are feeling better nc :)

I took my knickers off and am back to being Solo

Thanks for the lovely welcome lol weevils

haven't done much today but planning to carry on tomorrow with 'gutting the house out' :) feels good to get rid of crap!

Yes, I'm going to do more tomorrow. with luck

I've been good today. Been in the Dc's room and changed bedding for both. Gone through the airing cupboard and got some bits out to be given away. More rubbish to go too. Sorting it all ready to be dismantled into my room ready to start with the room swap.

Hi Solo,
Somewhat better, thanks - basically having crap pregnancy with SPD and able to be up for about 2 hours a day, and overdid it last week.

On the decluttering front, have loaded the shopping trolley with more charity shop stuff, plus pile of other stuff, two more recycling/bin bags filled, a pile of hangers outside hoping they vanish, and amazingly MrNC has embarked on going through his 100s of VHS recorded videotapes and put about 80 outside already. Apparently some charities use them so will put on Freecycle if they don't vanish - research shows currently there are only 2 places in the country that recycle videos, in Bristol and Mansfield. And fish tank has passed testing so about to go on Gumtree!

Hoping to start redecorating main room next week. Ds's toys may remain ruling the house for a while...

Not done much at all today :(

Sorry you are having a crap time of it nc :( I hope things improve for you soon.

Hello all! Been away visiting DD1for 4 days.
Oooo swerving! Welcome to our gang! Huge well done to you just for reading the whole thread! there is indeed an entire self help book within its comments!
Once you've got that nice feeling of parting with things it replaces the apparently nice feeling of aquiring. My end goal feels like panning for gold: getting rid of the mud to find the nuggets of treasure.

Morning Solo , weevil and All. Just to report that I am still feeling no ill effects from clearing out 'good' stuff I still do feel a lot better for it.

I had a little change round in my bedroom on sun and had a mini clear out of my make up, lotions and potions. Keeping this thought in my head - 'Do I wanna smear meself with old, germy, slimey stuff!? Now try put on the old eyeliner and moms old lipstick. Binned it all no problem. (Has to be the outside bin - more theraputic/symbolic.

One thing I realise helps me to clear.

If its shelves of Stuff, I remove everything off the shelves and tip out the drawers onto the bed or sofa (another incentive as I may want to sit down or sleep later).

I get to see a bit of clear space and then put back only what I want to.

weevils I was only able to read all the thread because I have hol time off work and thereby do a bit of clearing here and there. Back nxt week.

My end goal feels like panning for gold:getting rid of the mud to find the nuggets of treasure

I picture you now (in the nicest possible way) head down, bum in the air, panning away, chucking Stuff over your shoulder and exclaiming
"Is this piece Gold? No Its only fools gold - So Get It Gone!"

morning! Have to venture into the loft soon to put away some stuff I sorted in the Dc's bedroom yesterday ~ leather stuff so hope it doesn't go mildew...any tips to keep it nice?

Dont know about mildew. Perhaps in a box with some of those little silicone satchets? (i have a whole hoarded box of them!! Could send you some?

That's one thing I've never hoarded! amazing really as I do keep most things! I wonder if you can buy them...I really don't want my fab, but slightly small jackets to spoil...then there's my motorcycle leathers. They're almost unworn and I'd really like to sell them, but would probably only get peanuts for them and they were lots of money...I just don't like leathers on a bike.

Just put the rubbish out and there was a lot of it from the Dc's room that Ds had failed to get shot of (no idea where he gets that from!), though a lot of it was rubbish and paper rubbish, not hoarded stuff.

Another shopping trolley full dumped at the charity shop - they were delighted with loads of it (and pretended to be delighted about the few VHS videos - but they probably will go for 50p), plus some suit carriers for all those times we don't travel on planes needing an immaculate suit at the destination. Suspect my dad gave them to MrNC when MrNC was travelling for work a lot (but going to car factories so no suit!)
Got a winter coat for ds and a book I wanted in exchange. :)

Lots of techie stuff has gone on Freecycle - MrNC has been cornering me and demanding I take down dictation on what the widgets are, and as it gets stuff out of the house I'm OK with that! A bloke turned up today and took loads and may buy some more off us.

Few more things to Ebay/Gumtree, and I'll try to sort toys tomorrow. But bedroom is almost ready to redecorate!

weevilswobble, Oooo, might be the first 'Hoarders R Us' baby, keep us informed ;)

GoEasyPudding Things do move on far too fast at time wouldn't happen if I had my way (except the Kindle which I am madly in love with)

mummakaz, It does make a big difference to the amount of crap in your house, it is just hard to tell until you get rid of the last few bags in a corner/cupboard/room...keep on chucking and you will get there.

Swerving Well done and getting stuff out of the house, done and dusted in one go :) I definately tried your 'place in hall and back into the house' way before, LOL.

notcitrus Well done poking DH to get rid of clothes.

Solo Yeah, back to your original name :)

As for me, I have been very lazy since sorting through my emotional pile of boxes. As it is half term and I have been playing working hard with the children. Plus baby has decide not to sleep at night, remember the other two going through this phrase but it is cutting into my sorting/decluttering and exercise time.

The less I do the more tired I am getting :( Hoping to fit in a quick run this afternoon whilst DH is home to watch the kids, to kick my bottom a bit.

So my plan is catch up with laundry, housework and food shopping Monday to Wednesday which oldest two are at school and then start on my clothes sort out, later in the week.

PS. I have completed up to Week Six Run One of the Nine week C25K running program, including an 20 minute run ! Yeah me :)

Show off!! Babies you are still working so hard! very impressed!

Dd is off tomorrow, but back on Tuesday and I'm going to have a relaunch (I hope!)

Babies, due on tmrw! And judging by my foul mood my guess is pmt not pregnancy. Dp doesnt make romantic reassuring noises, so best not have a baby methinks!

Good post btw, messages for everyone!

I'm still waiting for the staircase in the new business premises. so nowhere to hide sort my hoard yet. Just a huge pile of boxes, slowing getting covered in plaster dust.

Half term done! Onwards.....

How are you all doing? I've been busy today. Still can't see the wood for the trees though...