Any Hoarders on ALL?

[Finished]

I've been watching a lot of hoarder shows lately. I know I can become a horder if I'm not careful. I've brought home a lot of junk that others have thrown out with projects in mind. Luckily I'm very active so I complete most of my projects eventually. Eventually being the key. Ha! ha!

 

[Minus]

Not like on those shows, but I do have a tendency to hang on to stuff that could be of use sometime. Admittedly some would appear to be junk. For example, I latched on to an old empty metal paint can. Looks like trash but on occasion I need an air tight metal container to dispose of potentially flammable rags used in sealing wood.

 

[user 130057]

I tend to horde digital things, that way I never run out of space and I can keep presenting the illusion of being an entirely normal person!

 

[TheRealCallie]

My oldest kid would probably be a hoarder if I didn't prevent it. If he ever gets independent and lives on his own (I'm thinking he will), I'll have to keep an eye on that there too.

 

[Abstamyous]

I watch those shows on the days I need extra motivation to clean.

 

[Sarah G]

My husband's a bit of a hoarder and I can't stand clutter. He has a memory disorder and can never find anything. At least once a week I'm accused of throwing things away (this week a remote control, last week butter knives). It's very draining but mostly limited to his tool shed and desk area.
The cases on TV shows are extreme and heartbreaking, humans are so traumatised

 

[Minus]

I watch those shows on the days I need extra motivation to clean.

I watch those shows when I need assured that I don't need to junk anything yet because my piles really aren't that size.

 

[Colster]

Am I a hoarder, that depends. Many men collect items they think has a purpose or can be reused. I find myself keeping bits of wood, metal, and old tools. Periodically, I have a clear out, but largely to the limited space in this house.

Books and magazines also used to be an issue. Pratchett being my main weakness, followed by biographical books or old car magazines. Again, a system has to be introduced to remove excess literature, before floors began to buckle. l

Otherwise, I have adapted over the years, to a less is more attitude. But being honest, I probably still have a Death Star, hidden in component form, dotted around the house. You can never be too prepared.

 

[Finished]

I tend to horde digital things, that way I never run out of space and I can keep presenting the illusion of being an entirely normal person!

Good point. I'm a massive digital hoarder. I still have files from jobs 20+ years ago. Everything is very organized too. You never know when you might need the information. Ha! ha!

 

[Finished]

Not like on those shows, but I do have a tendency to hang on to stuff that could be of use sometime. Admittedly some would appear to be junk. For example, I latched on to an old empty metal paint can. Looks like trash but on occasion I need an air tight metal container to dispose of potentially flammable rags used in sealing wood.

Yeah, That's more practical then hoarding. I have a few things in metal quart paint containers. I liked them. So, I went out and bought 20 more. Those are just sitting in a box probably not to be used in years or decades or ever. I think I need to really keep myself in check. Ha! ha!

 

[Sarah G]

Well, this thread made me feel better about my husband's empty cans and jars collections. Seems like a man thing.

 

[Minus]

So, I went out and bought 20 more

Wow, you can buy them? I will go get a case of them.

 

[Finished]

^ Home Depot and Lowes used to carry them. But both have switched to crappy plastic containers. Blaaa. However, Ace Hardware still carries the quart metal containers. They are really useful for many things. Actually I should go buy some more before the price of steel surpasses gold prices.

 

[Minus]

Naw, plastic is no good. Need metal. Okay, Ace.

 

[ewomack]

I consider myself a "recovering collector." Somehow the idea that "it might be worth something someday" stuck early on and I had a hard time getting rid of anything that seemed to have "collectible value." As time progressed, I realized that many things claim to have such value, but very few things actually do. Most of today's mass produced items become tomorrow's junk piles. So I sold or disposed of years of accumulation and keep a watchful eye on my desire to accumulate something new, shiny and sparkly. I never reached the level of "hoarder" but I did have phases where I collected things pretty fervently. The days now seem past.

 

[roses4all]

I think depression plays a big role.
You know, it takes all you have to get to work and back.
So you get inside and drop everything, literally.
And of course, your energy is used the next day for work and you come home and drop everything inside the door again.
Well, that stuff builds up.
But you have limited energy to clear it up and organize it.

 

[user 181674]

I consider myself a "recovering collector." Somehow the idea that "it might be worth something someday" stuck early on and I had a hard time getting rid of anything that seemed to have "collectible value." As time progressed, I realized that many things claim to have such value, but very few things actually do. Most of today's mass produced items become tomorrow's junk piles. So I sold or disposed of years of accumulation and keep a watchful eye on my desire to accumulate something new, shiny and sparkly. I never reached the level of "hoarder" but I did have phases where I collected things pretty fervently. The days now seem past.

I can relate. I don't keep garbage and stuff like that as some folks on the shows do. However, I have this massive sports collectible collection. Cards, books, magazines, posters, figurines, schedules, pennants, and related stuff. I too, I have that same mentality - "this might be worth something someday" - well, since I'm in my late 50's now, can't keep waiting for some day. - time to get rid of some of this stuff. I've tried selling some of it on ebay with limited success. I'm going to continue to try and sell. Going to the National Sports Collectors convention this summer, and really hope to unload some of the potential bigger ticket items there.

 

[user15010]

I don't keep many physical things, never did. I left home at 19 with one bag, and after, moved places countless times. It's just impractical to keep more than bare minimum. I have my own kind of hoard of memories, also in the form of favourite songs, music, books, poems, sayings, emails, photos of or by significant people in my life or just associated with and reminding me of them or places. Some buried on a hard drive or just inside my head. I guess like most of us, for better or worse. I'd like to say that I have a healthy relation with my memories. I can't be sure anymore though.

 

[Finished]

For many years I rebuilt cars. At the peak I had 20+ cars in my back, front, and side yard. I rebuilt engines, transmissions, did body work, and painted them. I cut several of them up and scrapped them. I even had a mini-recking yard in the back. It was quite a choir cleaning all that up and getting rid of everything when I stopped doing that. But, I still have nearly all the tools in multiples. It's a lot. But, I just can't let them go. Ha! ha! I can justify it because most of the new tools are crap.