Hoarding junk

Curry_Queen

Bogof_Babe wrote:

Christmas and birthday cards from special friends or with particularly funny or lovely pictures/illustrations/verses. I have shoe boxes full of them, going back I suppose about 30 years .

I know the Xmas ones are just written one afternoon in a "better get them done" mood like I do my own, and aren't meaningful to the sender, but I still hoard them anyway.

I do need to get out more .

You're not alone hun ... I save all the family birthday/xmas cards and even have ones from my own teenage years

Have you got a load of those boxed satin/silk types too? (do they still sell them?)

Curry_Queen

Whilst on the subject of teenage stuff, I have one particular box - a cardboard one - which has stood the test of time and undergone no less than 14 house moves over the years, and contains all my little trinkets, penpal letters, photos, a stamp collection, an iron shoe from my first ever horse, several rosettes from my first horse show, several diaries from the age of around 12 and a few other bits and pieces. I packed that box when I left home at the tender age of 16 and it's never been unpacked since, although I have looked at some of the things since

Ticklemouse

I dutifully carted a HUGE box of paperwork with all mu Uni notes in around all the 6 houses I have lived in since then. Why did I keep this stuff? I have no idea so one day early this year I went in and got rid of it all!! I only kept the empty folders and ringbinders (reuseable, obviously) and my final year project. The rest went into the paper recycling bin at the dump. I even found old school books amongst them and I binned those too. Keeping "cute" stuff from when you were 5 is one thing, but I fail to see now why I kept everything I ever did at school/uni (apart from my Chemistry notes which I ceremoniously burnt when I gave the subject up) I'm sure my parents still have loads of school stuff in their attic too

It felt remarkably therapeutic to clear it out. I know it was sitting doing no harm in a box in the attic, but it's still clutter. When I do my car boot - maybe nearer Xmas as I have lots of kids toys, then that will also be lots of stuff cleared out. I may go and charity bag some clothes whilst I am in the mood....

Bogof_Babe

Oh yes, I am the same (except for the horse shoe - I was deprived and had to settle for a mongrel dog or two ). I keep my padded cards (both of them lol) in a large envelope with my typing and shorthand certificates gained in 1969 .

The shelf bit of my wardrobe (above the drawers, below the hanging rail) is a monument to my acquired clutter of several decades. Trouble is, I can't find a darn thing in there. Last year I couldn't find anywhere our marriage certificate or birth certificates when I needed them - turned out (after turning the house upside down for two days) they were... yep... in a shoe box in my wardrobe :rolleyes: .

I don't care what the minimalists say, mementoes and sentimental souvenirs are important.

Edit - Ticklemouse, I have kept a folder of stuff from when I left work. The sales team's contact list, "my" customers' details, our product codes, even the price list for our products at time of leaving. They are so out of date now there is no possible need for them, but I can't bear to dump that last link with being in the paid workforce of this country. Sad or what?

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

I dutifully carted a HUGE box of paperwork with all mu Uni notes in around all the 6 houses I have lived in since then. Why did I keep this stuff? I have no idea so one day early this year I went in and got rid of it all!! I only kept the empty folders and ringbinders (reuseable, obviously) and my final year project. The rest went into the paper recycling bin at the dump. I even found old school books amongst them and I binned those too. Keeping "cute" stuff from when you were 5 is one thing, but I fail to see now why I kept everything I ever did at school/uni (apart from my Chemistry notes which I ceremoniously burnt when I gave the subject up) I'm sure my parents still have loads of school stuff in their attic too

Hmmmmm dare I admit that I've still got all my old notes too, as well as all the ones from my vet nursing courses and various other courses I've done, all sat in binders on a shelving rack in my bedroom ... and why???? I've hardly ever looked at them since I did the exams and if I need to remind myself of anything I've got tons of textbooks or the net to find the answers

(Dare I even admit that there's also a few school exercise books in my "special box" too )

Even worse is that I've kept all the financial books and various documents from a business I ran with the ex many years ago, which are of absolutely no use whatsoever to either of us anymore.

Think it's time I had a major clearout

sans_2

scuzz wrote:

Freebies! Can't stop collecting them. But I never use them,:o I seem to think, they'll be handy, so I'll save them

And the toys out of Christmas Crackers - I don't know why but I do

Why don't you swap/ sell cheap the freebies you can't use or put it into X'Mas stockings.

As for the toys out of Christmas crackers, why don't you make your own X'mas crackers. I use to keep them when I was younger but one day I though WHY? I never ever had all that much though.

I'm still a hoarder and hoard most things. Even getting rid of an envelope of a chore for me, might be why I have piles to re-use. The ones I can't reuse I recycle though so don't feel that bad. Not sure why I have such a hoarding habit.

Sofa_Sogood

Curry_Queen wrote:

On a brighter note though, I have over the last few days managed to clear some space to actually get into my bedroom at last and have sorted through three boxes of "junk" keeping just essential stuff (which has gone into yet another plastic storage box LOL!) with a few things to sell on Ebay and a pile of junk to throw out which my ex is taking away for me later this evening :j

From one hoarder to another - well done and keep it up!

And C_Q? As a hoarder, do you often read other peoples' posts and think "why are they hoarding this rubbish"?

Aries

While were on the subject of hoarding stuff,I wonder if anybody knows how long you should keep old Gas and Electric bills before you can safely get rid of them? thanks.
Kath.

misty

Aries wrote:

While were on the subject of hoarding stuff,I wonder if anybody knows how long you should keep old Gas and Electric bills before you can safely get rid of them? thanks.
Kath.

Judging by the amount I have, about 12 years to be on the safe side! I also have all my old uni notes and lots of exercise books from school - backed in a variety of bad taste paper. Why did we back our books? I don't class these as junk more important historical documents. I read an argument I'd written in an R.E. book in which I suggested that one reason why voluntary euthenasia was a good idea was because it could free up houses for families rather than one person living there. I did kindly add that this should only be voluntary. There are notes in the back to friends as well - explaining why Mark was fit and how he asks me what my next lesson was and wether that meant he fancied me.

I also keep bits of papers with phone numbers on I don't recognise - just in case it comes to me later. Also biros that don't work, bits of blue tack and plugs that I've cut off appliances I've chucked out. Birthday cards, christmas cards, thankyou cards, postcards, letters from friends, photographs including ones of people I don't knoww or have forgotten. The list is endless but I do intend to become more organised - I know because it's been on all my new year resolution lists (that I still have!!)

Curry_Queen

Sofa_Sogood wrote:

From one hoarder to another - well done and keep it up!

And C_Q? As a hoarder, do you often read other peoples' posts and think "why are they hoarding this rubbish"?

It makes me giggle as I know I'm not alone in some of the things I hoard

I have nightmares of becoming buried under a sea of cardboard boxes, or when you see those little old ladies on tv that can't move more than a few square feet in their homes cos of all the junk they've collected, and I think "that could be me in another 10 years if this carries on" :eek: _pale_