Me too! Those things aren't so easy to come by any more are they!Originally Posted by CyberKitten
I am a pack rat but today, I was sorry I had thrown out my slide rule from way back when, lol
Me too! Those things aren't so easy to come by any more are they!Originally Posted by CyberKitten
I am a pack rat but today, I was sorry I had thrown out my slide rule from way back when, lol
That is my husband. We moved boxes from the basement of his previous house to this house 5 years ago. None of them have been opened. We have old audio equipment that is 20 years old and is still packed up. He has a ton of interests that hold his attention for 5 minutes. Just long enough to buy lots of books and stuff for it. And of course he saves it because he really means to do that hobby or whatever.Originally Posted by Charcoal
I haven't missed anything I have gotten rid of. My husband is a major packrat and it drives me nutty. I get rid of things he would never notice is missing while he is gone. Who needs four cutting boards?
oh heck yeah - I have a man who keeps his underwear till it literally rots! He has so many pairs but he refuses to cull the pack to remove the nasty stuff. I throw his socks, boxers and t-shirts out one or two items at a time. I dont say anything, I just do it when its my turn for laundry and he never even notices.Originally Posted by Charcoal
I haven't missed anything I have gotten rid of. My husband is a major packrat and it drives me nutty. I get rid of things he would never notice is missing while he is gone. WHo needs four cutting boards?
I think a lot of inanimate things have feelings, I have to eat two sweets, just incase the other one gets lonely or feels left out!
Wow! That's my dad for sure! I'm currently cleaning out the house (mostly going through my stuff) in an attempt to clean my environment and start a new life. I got my packrattedness from my dad and you wouldn't believe the bags of garbage I've thrown out of my stuff alone! We had 8 boxes of books of his that we moved from the attic of the old house (where'd they'd been accumulating for 15 years) to the basement of this house. They've sat down there for 8 years now. He REFUSES to go through the books all at once so I have to bring up a box every now and again and nag him till he goes through it while he wines about how I have no sense of nestalgia.Originally Posted by katachtig
That is my husband. We moved boxes from the basement of his previous house to this house 5 years ago. None of them have been opened. We have old audio equipment that is 20 years old and is still packed up. He has a ton of interests that hold his attention for 5 minutes. Just long enough to buy lots of books and stuff for it. And of course he saves it because he really means to do that hobby or whatever.
I haven't regretted getting rid of stuff because the opposite problem is that we can never find the item so we end up buying a replacement and now have multiple of the same item.
Amen! Anyone who is a hoarder needs to have to help a friend or relative move an older person to another home. I helped my friend to clear her MIL's apartment in preparation of moving her. This lady was in the hospital at the time and we spent several weekends (plus she spent weekdays) cleaning out stuff that she would never have room for in her nursing home. We threw out many bags of bottles that she had kept for pickles. She had not made pickles in over 20 years but she had the bottles if she ever decided she wanted to again.Originally Posted by Sammie5
I am a reformed pack rat. And that means, I no longer keep stuff, but I am still in the process of throwing it all away. We're getting a dumpster tomorrow, and I should be able to fill that in short order.
I was cured by having to help my Dad clear out his house, so he could move to a condo. After my mother passed away, we started, and filled three dumpsters in about three months. That took care of about 4 tons of stuff. Then we took about 16 big garbage bags of clothes to donate to charity. And probably about 1000 books to a used book store. An entire car load of magazines to recycling. 4 huge garbage bags of yarn donated to a church group who knit stuff for overseas missions. And we still needed another dumpster, two trucks from 1-800-got-junk and a full truckload of stuff went off to St. Vincent de Paul. And still, after he moved, he has more to dispose of. He called me the other day, he went through his closet, and pulled out 21 cotton dress shirts that he doesn't need. Leaving him with at least 2 dozen still hanging in the closet.
There just isn't any reason to keep all that stuff. I have complete sets of dishes I am giving to people who have just started out in life. I have clothes and household goods for charity. I am throwing away the old, mismatched stoneware mugs, that are cracked and chipped. The memory is still there, and the mug is just clutter. I am tossing the dried flower arrangements - I can get new, fresh, not dusty ones to replace them if I ever want to.
It's an illness, not being able to let go of stuff. And what on earth will I ever do with all of this. I can't wait for the dumpster.
The more stuff you have, the more difficult it is. I think it would be harder not to be a pack rat if I hadn't learned earlier in life. I learned from a boss who could make very quick decisions when I was helping him clean out a warehouse at a compressor station. I found it inspiring how quick he could make up his mind and if the company could do without the things we got rid of, I could surely be as effective at home. I still have a few things I collect, but they are few and I feel less burden because of it.Originally Posted by Sammie5
I am a reformed pack rat. And that means, I no longer keep stuff, but I am still in the process of throwing it all away. We're getting a dumpster tomorrow, and I should be able to fill that in short order.
I was cured by having to help my Dad clear out his house, so he could move to a condo. After my mother passed away, we started, and filled three dumpsters in about three months. That took care of about 4 tons of stuff. Then we took about 16 big garbage bags of clothes to donate to charity. And probably about 1000 books to a used book store. An entire car load of magazines to recycling. 4 huge garbage bags of yarn donated to a church group who knit stuff for overseas missions. And we still needed another dumpster, two trucks from 1-800-got-junk and a full truckload of stuff went off to St. Vincent de Paul. And still, after he moved, he has more to dispose of. He called me the other day, he went through his closet, and pulled out 21 cotton dress shirts that he doesn't need. Leaving him with at least 2 dozen still hanging in the closet.
There just isn't any reason to keep all that stuff. I have complete sets of dishes I am giving to people who have just started out in life. I have clothes and household goods for charity. I am throwing away the old, mismatched stoneware mugs, that are cracked and chipped. The memory is still there, and the mug is just clutter. I am tossing the dried flower arrangements - I can get new, fresh, not dusty ones to replace them if I ever want to.
It's an illness, not being able to let go of stuff. And what on earth will I ever do with all of this. I can't wait for the dumpster.
Yeah, photos are hard to get rid of. Thankfully, I have very few. Do you have a hard time parting with video games Kellye? That's one of the only hobbies I allow myself to collect in. I actually revisit old games though.Originally Posted by Kiwideus
My mother is a serious hoarder - you literally cannot see the bedroom floor because of the crap that is there. My poor dad hates it and gets embarrassed - thats why the door is always shut. She always says "you never know when you will need it" which is very bad, she brings home baby clothes from her friends in case some one needs them but theres no baby in the house and nor will be for a very long time. I hate looking at all the clutter that they have. I hate clutter. I really do. It makes me all tense and I just feel very dirty.
As for myself, I don't hang onto things, I try my best not to hold onto stuff for so called sentimental value. Photos are good enough. Besides, memories are good enough for me!
Ryan - video games are not cheap!Originally Posted by Hydroaxe
Yeah, photos are hard to get rid of. Thankfully, I have very few. Do you have a hard time parting with video games Kellye? That's one of the only hobbies I allow myself to collect in. I actually revisit old games though.
HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAAAOriginally Posted by Purr
I used to do that too! Wow! I also used to...I can't believe I'm admitting this...I used to sit really softly and step really softly so I didn't hurt the floor/furniture.I told my aunt once that I feel sorry for things that I know aren't alive and she got really serious and asked me if they talk to me too.I think that's when I stopped feeling that that way as much.