Hoarding...not just on TV

thriftwizard

All this talk of understairs cupboards has been a revelation for me as I realise mine is very tidy and organised. I hate the thought of cupboards being a mess and have never been one to to just shove things into them. So what the heck does that say about me??? My wardrobe is tidy too.

It's just everything else on the outside that isn't! I do wonder what a psychologist would make of me.

I am one of those peopel that cannot stand messy cupboards and would rather have the things put away in the right place.

Me too! My wardrobe's tidy, my drawers are sorted & worn-out or otherwise unwanted clothing & footwear is culled regularly, my kitchen cupboards are "stashed" in date order, my paperwork is all up to date, my bills get paid on time & my library books are never late back BUT still the house is an absolute dump! Never mind psychologists, it baffles me. Just - too much stuff, I guess... plus the fact that I am not the only inhabitant, and my other half also prefers to stuff things out of sight, any old where as long as it's out of sight - has currently mislaid his driving license, in fact, which he now needs in a hurry, and was last seen cursing mightily & hunting through all the books on one of his bookshelves (?!) for it...

MMLS

lostinrates wrote: »

I am one of those peopel that cannot stand messy cupboards and would rather have the things away away in the right place.

Dh is one of thosepeople that see cupboards/drawers etc places to stash stuff, as much as they can, and in no categories or order.

I think each works for some people, ut both types in one house leads to organisation break down. I feel that the drawers and cupboards become almost a pn undefeatable o go zone, where as he finds my un hidden messes....daunting.

I'm the same as you LIR. I often turf everything out of cupboards, have a good sort and put things back neatly...I don't necessarily throw anything away though. In fact when I'm having a really good sort I just end up swapping the contents from one cupboard to another. But neatly

I don't think Dh knows what cupboards are for! He's a science guy and hoards books and papers. Every time I go home I sort things, box them and put what I can in to cupboards and next time I go home they're stacked up along walls in the bedroom and dining room. He has a thing about printing out articles rather than reading them on his laptop and then he has to keep them even though he never as much as looks at them again. But he might need them. And who am I to dispute that...but I do anyway

Byatt

MMLS, could you sell your mags on fleabay? Not to recuperate (is that the right word?) the cost but maybe some of it. It's amazing what mags/newspapers are sold on there.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

My under stairs cuPboard is - empty.


Because I'm using up the last of the laminate in there and will then put shelves in there.

:A

whitewing

All this talk of unfinished crafting reminded me of one of my own that is sitting gathering dust. I think we will be able to get my sister-in-law to finish it off into something wearable for DH. And there is enough time before our wedding anniversary for her to finish it as a present to us, saving her money, so a win all round I hope. Not to mention freeing up the space in our place.

I need to put some of our old baby equipment in the newspaper or post office to get a few pennies for it, if I can. Bit big for catflapping!

mollythewestie

Just wanted to say thank you jojo for starting this thread.

I am not a hoarder to the extent of those TV programmes, however I have a tendancy to hoard things and its getting worse as I am getting older.
My main living areas look fairly tidy and neat - even minimalist. But look in any cupboard, drawer, upstairs room or loft and its a whole different story .

So you have inspired me (and my DH too) and so far in the last week we have:

- Sorted through paperwork and shredded 2 bin bags worth and disposed of it. A further bin bag of rubbish and a bag of paper recycling.
- Taken a broken garden parasol and LOTS of cardboard to recycling centre.
- Tidied shoe cupboard - 6 pairs of old shoes/slippers to the recycling bank
- Emptied Porch - DDs Pushchair etc. put into loft. I now have a space available to store my vaccuum rather than keeping it in the hallway all the time :T
- Put 3 things on ebay already - more to go on later.
- Every day I have been putting at least one item of outgrown clothing in the car boot box/charity bag/bin.


Part of my problem is that we inherited a lot of "stuff" when we bought the house as it was previously owned by an elderly family member who went into sheltered housing. As they were unable to take all of their stuff with them (They were a bit of a hoarder themselves), we were left looking after it. Now that person has passed away and we have been left a loft full of possessions.
My mum has offered to help me sort through it at some point as it will be a mammoth task.

One of my own hoarding habits, is to keep anything with even a tiny bit of sentimental value - tickets from every holiday we have been on, receipts for restaurants, hotels etc. My worst habit is keeping nearly every Birthday/Christmas/Valentines/Easter/Anniversary/mothers day/fathers day Card
So I have sorted through them, and got rid of most of them, keeping only the most special and putting them into a scrapbook with some other special momentos - Handprints of my daughter, her first painting etc.

I am going to tackle my understairs cupboard next week and clear out some kitchen drawers. :eek::rotfl:

muffin_man_7

it's good to know i'm not the only one who wants to keep things from when the kids were little

VJsmum

muffin_man_7 wrote: »

it's good to know i'm not the only one who wants to keep things from when the kids were little

I keep stuff too. I have a box for each - probably the size of two shoe boxes - and it is all in there. Things like the hospital tag from when they were born, first shoes, scan pictures, a selection of pictures drawn at nursery and school etc, some significant cards (1st birthday, being born), Boxes still aren't quite full and DD is 16!

My next task is the office and the spare bedroom. Office is probably worse as it is full of all sorts of paperwork that we may or may not be able to get rid of but all needs to be looked at before we can decide. Even down to individua receipts for things. I think that is going to have to be eating the proverbial elephant.

Brighton_belle

MMLS wrote: »

He has a thing about printing out articles rather than reading them on his laptop and then he has to keep them even though he never as much as looks at them again. But he might need them. And who am I to dispute that...but I do anyway

We are married to the same man:D. Does he also have stacks (I call them stalagmites)of books and papers all around his sitting room chair?

MMLS

Brighton_belle wrote: »

We are married to the same man:D. Does he also have stacks (I call them stalagmites)of books and papers all around his sitting room chair?

Yes!!!! How could I have forgotten about those?