it just seems like we all know we have this hoarding urge we need to resist and we come here to hangout with other folks who can feel our pain and know how hard it is to manage.
just thinking....
it's better in groups...
Overall Rating: votes
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Posted 1 year ago #
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I would definitely characterize myself as "in recovery," if not actually still "in treatment." The more I work on (and think about) uncluttering, the more I think humans' urge to hoard is just part of our genetic makeup.
I mean, historically speaking, the culture of abundance is very, very new (and very culture-specific). We have thousands of years of history behind us in which hanging onto scarce resources was part of being the fit who survived.
In that context, it's not at all surprising that the stress of being surrounded by too much stuff is often counterbalanced by the stress of contemplating getting rid of it.
Which is why this particular support group is ideal for those who are actively seeking to address their issues with Stuff. We can talk about the stress in an environment of fellow-feeling and consciousness.
Posted 1 year ago # -
i have never had a hording urge. i need a lot of documents for my work and before the documents were availiable online, i had to copy and store them. and for the rest of my items i have to admit that they were just accumulating over the years. when i moved out of my parents home, i did not have a lot. i have moved house for about twelve times and every move went along with a decluttering phase before the move (first law for moving people: you should not overexert your friends with a lot of moves plus a lot of stuff). but then i found this flat and i live here for several years and there is no catharsic move in sight. i like the pure aesthetics of white walls and clean spaces. and i am lazy: i don´t like to dust a lot- that´s it ;)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't hoard and am not a packrat, nor is anyone in my family. I just live in a very small flat by urban European happenstance and the constraints of the space force us to be super critical of what lives here with us. When life gets busy and I start working very long hours then get home and have to do my preparation for the next day, "everyday" items and tasks start falling behind.
This board serves as pleasure (I have always adored organizing/purging stuff and thinking about organizing) and as motivation to look at my physical space and its contents with a fresh eye.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't think I have hoarding tendencies or urges; sure, as a teenager my room was an unholy mess most of the time, but that was laziness and carelessness more than a desire to accumulate stuff or an inability to deal with it.
Outside of my bout of teenage clutteriness, I've always been good about organizing and managing my belongings, only keeping what I need/want/use etc. I came to this site for new organizing ideas, and I stayed for the community. Reading and posting on here keeps me motivated to maintain my home, office and head uncluttered, and gives me inspiration for new ways of doing things. So thanks, everyone!
Posted 1 year ago # -
@EraserGirl, in my case, I'm a recovering perfectionist. In the past, I've had a lot of trouble getting started on almost any type of project, because I'll make a mistake and then it won't be perfect and my world will fall apart. Well.
I learn every day that nobody/no thing is perfect.
Getting support from this forum and a few other places makes every decision to take action a little easier, whether it's sitting down to work on manuscript or a marketing project or teaching the dogs another trick.
I really like this community, and agree with you that it's easier/more fun/less stressful in groups.Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't hoard, but I have a pack-rat gene. Bah, no way. Right here, right now I'm deciding it is no gene, but a mere behaviour. Learned behaviour to be more specific. My mother is a pack rat, my father is a pack rat, my grandparents were/is packrats. Learned behaviour most likely due to the wars when they didn't have almost anything.
So I'm a pack rat in treatment. I'm also self-medicating my perfectionism and my procrastination among others. Well, the latter I have less success with some days. I hope one day this year to be able to say I'm a recovering clutterer and do have good vibes about this one!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have never been a hoarder or even a pack rat, but I do hate cleaning. Minimalism is my solution to cleaning. ;P
Posted 1 year ago # -
LOL Demerna. I hear you!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Over Hobbied and a recovering pack rat
Personally I am dealing with my very gear intensive hobbies; backpacking; music; photography; athletics. My academic life kinda clutters things up as well.
I was pack rat for "materials" and tools that I could us in creating art work. I had bins of scraps and stuff.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't think everyone on here fits in a blanket "hoarders" category. Some of the group are disorganized and some are procrastinators, but not all of us hang onto things of no use or value. For many, there isn't any problem getting rid of things, except making the time to do it and figuring out a system to keep doing it.
I do (or did, at this point in time) have a mild hoarding issue, along with organization and procrastination issues, so I do feel like I've nipped a hoarding problem in the bud.
It is better in a group, though, Erasergirl - I totally agree! Regardless of cause, we all do have a clutter issue!Posted 1 year ago # -
Nope. My mom's a borderline hoarder. I think that's why I just like to see things remain simple and organized. I come here because I just enjoy reading about organization, tidiness and minimalism (however you define it).
Posted 1 year ago # -
I am not a hoarder. I love organization so I kind of naturally drifted over to this website to feed my organization addiction :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm a procrastinator, certainly, and sometimes a perfectionist, but would never classify myself as a hoarder.
I actually don't believe I'm a naturally cluttery personality either, but my house has filled up over a number of years. One day I woke up and wanted to clear it out. I've made lots of progress, and hang out here for ideas and support. I've vowed to declutter my entire house this year.
I think instead of thinking of OURSELVES being in recovery or treatment....we should say our homes/closets/art studios are in treatment! Language is powerful, and let's be kind to ourselves.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think I may be a borderline hoarder...and my husband is a packrat/collector. I am guilty of keeping things for Justin Case, and, being a child of Depression Era parents, I tend to keep things because they are "still perfectly good". I also have "deceased brother guilt" and used to have boxes of his possessions that my mother guilted me into keeping but that had no sentimental value to me. This board and site helped me clear that stuff out last year. I definitely think of myself as "in recovery" and it is a continual, ongoing process.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm not a hoarder, but I am disorganized and a pack rat in some areas, plus I have a huge procrastination problem. I love this forum, and the fact that we are all in the clutter mess, just in different stages. I've learned a lot and gotten a lot of support. Believe it or not, this month in a rented house is really helping me with daily routines and making do with less, especially clothes. Sure I don't need my winter stuff or multiple layers, which helps, but I'm finding I'm not having an issue with wearing the same stuff a lot.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oh NOOOOOO! My sincerest apologies to the beloved Justin Case, who has remained a true friend of mine for years! I give him credit in that he was influential as long as he was in the group of closest friends, but now that I'm having a change of heart, he seems not very interested in me anymore. The feeling seems mutual though, I might add. Would someone introduce me to this other, still mysterious person, who I will want to have around from now on, please? What's their name again?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I wouldn't class myself as a hoarder. But I'm only 24 and I was worried about becoming one in the future, so I decided I'd rather be uncluttered (not minimalist though, just seriously uncluttered) It started because I moved house and was shocked at how much stuff I had and didn't want to organise & buy storage for all that crap.
So I started getting rid of it all. Now I've lost the obvious clutter and excess stuff and clothes I didn't wear and it's time to start renovating the house - taking everything out of the room, redecorating, and only putting back the essentials, in an orderly, organised, logical fashion. At those points I can see myself getting rid of a lot more!!
Hopefully this process can help me become less cluttery and disorganised and whatnot.
I have to admit, losing this excess baggage has made me feel a lot happier. :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Since I joined Unclutterer, I've really wondered about how much I would miss, if a natural disaster or something similar happened to my things...or if I decided to purge down severely...would I feel the same in either instance...
I guess what I am feeling is procrastination and fear. I am getting near to approaching some items which might stir up a lot of bad memories and I just avoid the whole pile of boxes.
There's another thread, called Two Boxes; just mentioning it, if anyone hasn't already seen it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I came here from so called organising blogs, but I had the feeling that the people there were more interested in putting labels on their crap instead of reducing. It wasn't working for ME anymore. Seriously (and apologies to all those who do), Who needs 30 cans of beans? 5 flavours of rice? 3 pantries! The labels and baskets were nice but making a label doesnt fix the issue, you have too much stuff. (I also realise some people have all these things due to circumstances and so on, but most of these people didn't live in these circumstances.)
SunshineR, the content of the boxes will never be as bad as the way they make you feel just thinking about them. Dip your hand in one, pull something out. Ask yourself "If this broke/burned/rotted would I care?" If the answer is no, then smash it to tiny pieces and throw that crap away. Bad memories are never worth hanging on to.
That said, sometimes things that give us bad memories would be wonderful for other people. My daughter has my engagement ring and wedding ring from my first marriage, with her father. She loves it, I hated it. Now we're all happy.
Posted 1 year ago #
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