Hoarding - A New Start

blossomhill_2

I find writing it down so helpful lir, in fact I have written several posts about things I had trouble with and thought, on re-reading it, how pathetic I sounded and thjought "get a grip" and deleted the post and just thrown the item out

First World Problem - are you all familiar with the meme "first world problems"? The frustrations and complaints that are only experienced by privileged individuals in wealthy countries (if not, Google it, some are hilarious). Well I say to myself "1st world problem" when faced with some frustrations, like having two computers to store, or too many shoes. A chap wrote a complaint to our council via local press, saying they should have consulted before changing the size of food waste bags, as he'd had his kitchen designed around the size of the bin! First World Problem!

Byatt - there is no pressure to only be having successes, that would be an extension of the perfectionismn we are trying to overcome ((hugs))

Welcome nightsong - ((hugs to you too)) yes do post on here by all means, when you're in a dip as well as successes, it's not a sliding scale. There is also quite a bit of chat about hobbies on the previous thread, which may help you, as there comes a point when you are shopping rather than doing. Wool sells well on eBay doesn't it, just keep your starting price low and keep a "win some lose some" attitude and you should scoop up some of the new year "learn to knit" buyers :cool:

Patchwork_Quilt

Oops! Who wrote that post about middle-aged women collecting Willow Pattern? In my defence, it was Booths Real Old Willow for a very decent price at our local charity shop, and as they lent me a plastic box to take it home in, I have refilled it with all our bubble wrap and several items of kipple.

More in than out today, though. Keep posting, chaps. It's really inspiring.

eandjsmum

I too have had hobbies over the years , sewing ,Knitting, cross stitch, drawing and painting. I still draw and paint and do the occasional cross stitch as well as knit.

I also have two sewing machines, one was my grandmothers brought in the 1970's and I hve kept it Maybe one day I will get rid of it.

My hobby stash is all over the house crammed into plastic storage boxes and under the bed.

I have to admit that I did see some knitting wool on line tonight-It was advertised as a nice addition to any stash. I am still smilling at that one.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

lostinrates wrote: »

I was thinking about those old camping trips and picnics people did in a servant filled past. And campaigne beds. (if they were not the poor chap carrying the equipment or being killed at war)

You know, how camping wasn't sleeping outside in a tent as we know it, but a grand thing, and how people had picnics not on a rug with barefeet in the grass, but at a table, set as if inside but slightly less so. And so on....

It seems so grand and delightful. And it's easy to forget the ARMIeS of people it needed to live like that. And how Two lucky beggars ate and others cooked, Packed, ate, cleared up.....

And how somehow, somehow this relates to me and dh and 'stuff'. I am not sure yet quite how, but connections keep being half made and I wanted to type it to try and make the thoughts more tangible.

Hmm.

......because you are in love with the idea, the security, the confidence and romance of the era?

We only have do much mental energy, and they had the advantage of the financial security, plus a social system whereby many families were supported by them in exchange for taking all those mundane concerns away.

For example, a person who loved horses would have had a groom and at least one stablehand available at any time. There would be a housekeeper to ensure there was order in both house and the kitchen, a maid to do all the grottiest jobs, two or three gardeners, plus any number of casual workers as necessary.

So the owner didn't need to expend any mental or physical energy on anything that didn't interest, excite or was absolutely necessary.

That suggests a lot of mental freedom to me. Not having to devote any thought that you don't want to.

If you add to that the fact they had fewer distractions such as tv, radio, Internet, constant traffic, noises, aircraft, etc, then you get a sense of just how much space and peace wealthier people had to just think and be.

And being in the moment, not thinking about anything else, such as clearing up or carrying, sounds awfully like the aim of meditation to me.

whitewing

If you have too much craft stuff, your hobby isn't craft, it's shopping for craft stuff.

I have done no major cluttering, but I have decluttered some pages of my current notebook, so that's good. I have skimmed thro a couple of drawers and chucked the easily visible junk. Have more available space in the house whatever job I am doing.

We are not pulling together very well in the house at the moment. No team work. It is surprising how much less we are getting through. Resentment is building. These things ebb and flow though so I'm not too concerned.

blossomhill_2

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

So the owner didn't need to expend any mental or physical energy on anything that didn't interest, excite or was absolutely necessary

I've been thinking along these lines with much of the stuff families have on hand today - not in terms of "kids today have it all" moralising but in terms of how much maintenance, storing and space the things require

In my day, trampoline was once a year, at Butlins.Now kids have in garden, requires assembly, cleaning, safety checks, maintenance

In my day, fruit machine was once or twice a year, day trip to seaside. If it went wrong, call attendant/walk away.Now kids have in computer game, requires time to keep up to date, storage space, storage of boxes, cables, instructions book/DVD etc

In my day, computer (size of a room!) was at the office. Team kept it running. Now families have in house, requires time to keep up to date, storage space, storage of boxes, cables, instructions book/DVD etc

Is it any wonder we struggle with space?

lostinrates

Jojo.....sort of, I think. But only if you were the lucky one meditating, not the poor sould cleaning up!

And yes blosson hill...I think a struggling to realise that home is nopt now and never can be a one stop everything provided shop.

For example, I felt the house hold cringe when I threw away some plastic cutlery I found recently (not mine, hoarded by proxy here and I refuse to be held back by it as we are dealing with so much) and i might have hung on to it for an outdoor party or something but....we had a nice gathering
At summer and I did what I always do....take china and cutlery out...it was fine.

I have not joined the circle yet on the thought but I know it's something..I know it's something.

suzitiger

nightsong wrote: »

What a fabulous thread this is!!! I've just discovered it, and have read the first two pages thoroughly and will go back and devour the rest later Thanks for all the inspiring, revealing and thought-provoking stuff everyone.

I definitely have hoarding tendencies and this thread has just confirmed what I've been suspecting for some time. Yes, I collect sugar sachets, jam jars, books, bubble wrap (!), magazines etc etc, but my real downfall has been HOBBIES. Actually my hobbies have mostly been a thinly-disguised excuse to hoard more stuff. I only just realised this - LBM thanks to MSE!

The most recent of these hobbies has been "Learn German". My eldest son lives in Berlin. I've thought for a while that it would be fun to learn a new language and German' s the one I picked. I guess there's something about feeling closer to him - I don't see him often.

So I got a beginner's course in German, and a phrasebook, and a dictionary. So far, so reasonable. Then I had a look at the used language materials on ebay. SOOO cheap!! You can guess the rest ..

In the space of about a month I got myself thee more beginners courses, a GSCE course, two A level courses (because, you know, I'm going to get really good at this), a couple of advanced word books, the CD and libretto of a Wagner opera (!!!!!!!), eight German language films on DVD, Harry Potter in German (book and CD) .... and quite a lot more. I'm beginning to feel really embarrassed just listing all this.

Any constructive thoughts welcome! Meanwhile I'll get back to reading the thread and soaking up some more wisdom and inspiration :j

Nightsong welcome to the group, your story about the learn German hobby made me laugh out loud :rotfl:
So many things sound familiar in your stories so I am sure you will find lots of help and support on here. Please keep sharing your stories with us

I have added a couplve things to freecycle today (small steps) and I folded my big pile of clothes on the sofa in the living room so that I can put piles away more easily. :T

sjprmc01

No decluttering done today some days it's just nice to have as little as possible to do with the house as I can, keeps me sane!

Started diet class tonight so will start my actual diet tomorrow. I feel in a much better place at the mo than usual when 'starting a diet'

Reading today's posts makes me wish I could just have a simple day out with the kids tht costs next to nothing and involves open spaces and no technology,lol! Well....as little technology as possible! I did put a deposit on a caravan hol to Dover today also so I'm dreaming of some simple days in July .

mcculloch29

Managed to get two bags of books down to the CS, along with a head massager (surprise free gift with something I ordered), a set of heated shoe insoles I was given that don't fit and a piece of computer hardware that was completely the wrong thing, but never got taken back before the shop closed down.

One of my larger stockpiles is underwear and with briefs, it's all the same style/fabric too. Having found the absolutely perfect items to wear, (Sloggi style seamless briefs) every time I went into a certain store beginning with Pr I bought a set of three when my size was in stock - it wasn't always. Sometimes I would buy two sets 'just in case'.

They are indeed wonderful, but do I really need 36 pairs? The oldest pairs in this fabric/style show no signs of wearing out and must be around 7-8 years old now.
I will never need to buy briefs ever again.

What is behind this obsession? I think it's because when I left home, I eloped, with just three pairs to my name and this made life tricky for a while.