Is my friend a hoarder?

tesuhoha

Well we've got a kettle that cost £10 from Asda, the filter has been thrown out after it developed a hole, the lid does not stay on but pops off whilst heating and now it doesn't switch off automatically. But it still works.........................

thatgirlsam

nearlyrich wrote: »

Actually it's longer than that

My mum had a wooden ironing board, I think my dad made it when he was studying woodwork at night school. Your mention of wooden ironing boards just brought the memory back, it fell apart a few years ago but we were a family of eight so it definitely got well used.:)

It wasn't when she said it!!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

BitterAndTwisted

thatgirlsam wrote: »

What do you have in there?

I'm nosy

Mrs Trebus reporting for duty.

In my bedroom I have several packing cases full to the brim: with summer clothes not in use obviously, another with winter knitwear. Piles of hand and shoulder-bags currently not in use, some of which never used. A huge teetering stack of silk scarves, wraps and pashminas, some very expensive which also aren't used at the moment. Nifty boxes containing paperwork not looked at in years. Jewellery. Toiletries and perfumes which I can't seem to make a dent in. Boots and shoes which won't fit into the wardrobe. The carton the vacuum-cleaner came in. And a light coating of dust on some of the surfaces.

I need to get a grip before it's impossible to get in there and I have to take a flying leap from the door to the bed. Or someone stages an intervention.

nearlyrich

This thread has made me declutter my office so thanks OP still got my ZX81 though.

Lotus-eater

nearlyrich wrote: »

This thread has made me declutter my office so thanks OP still got my ZX81 though.

I've still got a couple of those

Plans_all_plans

My grandad was a tradesman and he kept bits of everything in case they came in handy on a job, or around the house. His shed and attic was full to bursting. When he died, my nan got my dad round to clear everything out (which she'd been desperate to do for the past 40 odd years).

What did my dad do? Move it from their loft/shed to our loft and shed. My mum was going hopping mad, but he just thinks "it might come in handy one day". It cracks me up, the fact that grandad kept it 40 years and it didn't come in useful, but somehow it's going to be handy in the 21st century!

My dad still occasionally will darn his socks and patch his jeans. He's never thrown anything away unless it's broken beyond repair. He has also asked to take stuff from skips. They're not hard up either. He does keep some odd stuff (he has 3 VCRs for one thing!) but their house is normal looking and you wouldn't know he kept stuff unless someone told you. He just stores it away.

OP, I don't think your friend is a hoarder, just careful with money and not happy to be part of mindless consumerism. I'd say it's only a problem if it gets to the stage where you think "a film crew would find this interesting".

lorelei_lou

lilac_lady wrote: »

If you keep everything that comes into your house such as 100 empty plastic bottles (unwashed) and they are mixed up with everything else and you can't find a space to sit down for piles of stuff then I think you're a HOARD-er.

If you keep items until they NEED to be renewed then I think you're a MSE-er.

I think this is true. The original poster's friend could have some hoarding tendencies, but really a person is only a hoarder when the accumulation of stuff makes it impossible to use the house, keep it clean, etc and/or presents health hazards.

In the early years, it can look like sensible money saving behaviour though, but one thing about compulsive hoarders is that they might also have compulsive shopping habits, obsessively acquiring more junk and be hoarding things that will definitely be of no use ever (such as refusing to get rid of out of date food)

My mother is a true compulsive hoarder, it is a horrible problem and so badly understood. It has ruined her home and made it unsafe and disgusting to be in - my brother and I have tried so much over the years to fix it but the problem just keeps getting worse.

To the original poster - your friend is probably normal. If they start keeping things to the point where it endangers them or means they can't use the house properly anymore, then you should bring it up.

sukysue

I am all for using things till they break and getting them repaired, whatever .........but the post earlier about the ironing board reminded me that we have to be careful of the safety aspect of things only I am sure they used to be made of asbestos. Am not an elf and safety nut either just know how dangerous asbestos is.

MOGGYMALONE

I doubt very much your friend is a hoarder and it might be best to try to respect their way of life. If they need your help surely they would ask you for it?
I think today we live in a "throw-away" society whereby everything has to be new and shiny. If things do work what is the point in spending money on new stuff if the old stuff still works. Its a personal choice as I see it and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Moggy

Steel_2

Well I must be Mr Trebus. I keep an awful lot of stuff.

If something can be fixed I fix it or if it's not really that important and I can do without, I do on the basis that

a) I have to spend time making a decision what to get and then go and get it. I hate shopping.

b) Every pound I spend takes me a step away from my goal to work part-time.

I'm not spending the rest of my life working full time hours and if that means I'm a tightwad so be it.

And if my friends don't like it, they mistake me for someone who gives a !!!! what they think.