Let It Go: Article about hoarding

[shadowmoss]

Some of my relatives still collect Precious Moments to the point that after buying several display cases there wasn't any more room in the living room so they are in boxes, and they are still buying. Another relative collects John Deer toys, and his entire upstairs is wall to wall with just small paths between the boxes of them. But, they enjoy it. I've tried to stop collecting anything, even though it is in my genetics.

[mschrisgo2]

Interesting article, but I disagree with the conclusion, that cases of hoarding will increase so much because there are going to be so many more older people. I spent a year cleaning out spaces for people, and for the most part they were people who lived through the depression, where everything was saved because they really would need to use it later. But they had reached a point where they realized that the rubber bands and plastic bags were dried up and worthless, that there are plenty of ball point pens in the world, and that corrugated cardboard attracts bugs and rats and moisture, so it's useless when you need it later. Etc. But they weren't spry enough to do the clean-out themselves, so they hired help.

As for the "cheap" Ikea-type furniture, I think it is an acknowledgement that furniture doesn't have to last forever: use it, wear it out, recycle it, replace it, your tastes and needs will change anyway. And for heaven's sake, don't spend hundreds and thousands of dollars buying, caring for, moving, storing it!

[catherine]

I think that the obsession with collectibles as expressed in human figures will be tied to the Greatest Generation. I haven't noticed that my Boomer buddies collect these things.

I agree completely, which is why I didn't tell her that I would love to have them. I remember when I went to London in my early 20s, my mother gave me quite a bit of money to buy Royal Doultons at the Oxford St store and have them sent home to her. They're still up in the crawl-space in the garage. I don't know what to do with them. When these things are at a low point in value, the temptation is to see if they ever become valuable before selling them, but I don't know if that will ever be the case here.

[Aqua Blue]

Interesting article, but I disagree with the conclusion, that cases of hoarding will increase so much because there are going to be so many more older people. I spent a year cleaning out spaces for people, and for the most part they were people who lived through the depression, where everything was saved because they really would need to use it later. But they had reached a point where they realized that the rubber bands and plastic bags were dried up and worthless, that there are plenty of ball point pens in the world, and that corrugated cardboard attracts bugs and rats and moisture, so it's useless when you need it later. Etc. But they weren't spry enough to do the clean-out themselves, so they hired help.

As for the "cheap" Ikea-type furniture, I think it is an acknowledgement that furniture doesn't have to last forever: use it, wear it out, recycle it, replace it, your tastes and needs will change anyway. And for heaven's sake, don't spend hundreds and thousands of dollars buying, caring for, moving, storing it!

I agree and I think the "spry enough" is a big issue with the elderly. My own Mom was very Spartan, but pretty much every time I came to visit she would ask for help cleaning out something that she could no longer do. It becomes easier to simply not make a decision and keep something rather than make the arrangements to get rid of it.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately for myself as my mobility is decreased. Two years ago I moved to a zero clearance(handicap assessable) house do to arthritis. I got rid of a lot then. I have now been going thru stuff and really being ruthless, if it hasn't been used by now I probably am not going to use it. I have also been getting rid of sentimental stuff. I got rid of a whole stack of crocheted pot holders. I have always had a thing for them, but haven't displayed them in years. I kept a couple that were crocheted by my grandmother, but the rest are in the box to take to the thrift store.

I will donate this round, wait a few months and get over the slight grieving I feel for the loss(of money spent, dreams that are no longer possible, people who are gone that those things represent etc) and then go at it again. It is time for a lot of it to go, as I can't live in the disillusion that "the kids might want it" as there are no kids, lol.

[Seven]

My philosophy is that keeping your place so tidy that it looks unoccupied is a luxury--middle-class people do it mainly just to show off. Getting rid of anything they are not using and buying a replacement when they need it, makes them feel efficient. But, those neighborhoods are the ones to check out the yard sales. I don't ,though. I already have enough stuff.

I disagree with this part.
Our household income is just enough to rent a 40square meter (430 square feet) home for the two of us. Storing items that I might need in 10 years would take away space to live in. So being kind of poor is our main reason not to keep just-in-case items. In this case, it is more efficient to get the things when I need them (I still prefer to buy second-hand then).
I do not give away things to show off, but simply because we need the space to live.

[awakenedsoul]

Great article. Thanks for posting it. I really feel affected by my surroundings. It's important to me to have a clean, tidy living space. I've never liked clutter.

[Teacher Terry]

The older I get the less I like clutter. I also used to have many more nik-naks etc then what I like now. I don't want my home too stark but in the past I had too much stuff. I think I have found what works for me-kinda a happy medium. I have one small curio cabinet & if it doesn't fit in that then it goes.

[Songbird]

I disagree with this part.
Our household income is just enough to rent a 40square meter (430 square feet) home for the two of us. Storing items that I might need in 10 years would take away space to live in. So being kind of poor is our main reason not to keep just-in-case items. In this case, it is more efficient to get the things when I need them (I still prefer to buy second-hand then).
I do not give away things to show off, but simply because we need the space to live.

We are the same, living in such a small home that we do not keep anything here other than what we truly need and love (our pets).

[pinkytoe]

I spent about five years as a "smalls" collectibles dealer so still have a lot of that stuff tucked away. At least a hundred salt and pepper shakers from the 30s-40s. It is just interesting to me to be in this transition phase where I look back and try to recall that other life. I am thinking with the years remaining I would prefer to have experiences rather than stuff but now all those collectibles have little monetary value to make that trade, ie stuff for cash to travel. I also wonder if our constant need to declutter and simplify might also be just as much an OCD tendency. If I have any compulsion right now, it is collecting information - bits of paper with websites and books to check out.

[kib]

Interesting, and by coincidence, I'm in the middle of reading one of the books the article mentions, "Stuff - Compulsive hoarding and the meaning of things." Highly recommended even though I'm not finished reading it yet.
It's the right mix of science, psychology, history and case studies that makes for a real understanding of this disorder.

I'd be curious to know what the summary of this is. My DH is a person who buys and accumulates, constantly, just sort of shovels s**t into the house and leaves it sitting 'most everywhere. He'll grab a pile of paper napkins everywhere we go - we only use cloth at home. Flyers, stickers, samples of products, as well as actual paid-for items. Last week he spent $20 on an R2D2-shaped plastic set of measuring cups - one of the measuring spoons broke the first time he tried to use it and now this clattering collection of caliginous junk is hogging counter space while he uses the good quality stainless steel cups we already had. He's terrible at organizing and at the risk of sounding like someone's mommy, he doesn't take care of his things. It seems to be all about the getting, and then he seems to feel better surrounded by stuff that he never looks at again. Is this a type of hoarding? What would your book say causes this kind of behavior?