Ok, ok, I change my mind .... I can do that, right?

An ant scurrying to it's hive.
@rebelann (112909)
El Paso, Texas
October 10, 2017 4:31pm CST
With all the different ideas behind hoarding I've decided that I simply have some bad habits, I don't hoard. No feces or other nasty grungy stuff is saved, HONEST But I do save things that I think I might use one day. Ok, ever since @LoriAMoore began the discussion about hoarding I thought I was one until she mentioned that hoarders save even the dirtiest of items ..... eeewwww, that's not what I do. I've never watched the show about hoarders so I'm not really sure what kind of people they are talking about but I don't save feces or urine or anything nasty. What I do is save items that I think I might need someday like pencils, pens, wire twisties, nails, screws, bolts, small plumbing supplies and stuff like that. I guess I'm in the stocker category. I stock up on things I might need someday. Butt, ever since mom died I've come to realize that there comes a point when you have stocked up enough of those things so that either you get rid of the old or just stop stocking. My worst habit was saving shoes and clothes even after they'd become useless. Don't you save old clothes and shoes just in case you need them? What about car parts, plumbing parts or nails n stuff?
12 people like this
14 responses
@LadyDuck (471766)
• Switzerland
11 Oct 17
I save too many things, like pieces of wood, nails, screws, glass jars and also old clothing and shoes. Anyway everything perfectly clean and well stored.
3 people like this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
I find that understandable. In the yard I have a place where I keep pieces of wood and up until recently I kept all my old clothes, the problem is I cannot fit into them anymore, they have become smaller so I have to buy new clothes that fit better. I finally tried on all my old stuff and put anything I could not wear anymore into a donation bag. Recently I found a place to recycle my glass jars, I still keep some of them but mostly I recycle them.
2 people like this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
You mean your old clothes did not shrink @LadyDuck ? Boy, mine did
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471766)
• Switzerland
11 Oct 17
@rebelann I still can fit into my clothes, but I think that I am no more young enough to wear something I used to wear 20 years ago. I have donated several last winter. I will do the same soon with the summer stuff.
2 people like this
@YrNemo (20255)
13 Oct 17
I keep quite a few screws, wires and nails around. They are quite useful stuff. Old shoes? hmm, most often they go straight to the bin.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Oct 17
@YrNemo that demon was lucky a while back, I had to figure out how to create shade on the porch for mom's kitties and naturally those screws came in handy. Ok, I admit those holy shoes really had to go but a lot of the stuff I have can be donated.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Oct 17
I've started clearing out those old holey shoes of mine, they don't even look recyclable
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20255)
14 Oct 17
@rebelann We have to be really ruthless in this game of de-cluttering or the demon of hoarding will re-possess us .
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Oct 17
Whether saving old items constitutes hoarding is really a matter of personal opinion. I have many old obsolete computer parts, but do not consider myself a hoarder. If someone brings an old computer to me to be repaired such parts can be difficult to acquire.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Oct 17
@rebelann So now you plan to discard all those bottles?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
Yes, I bring them to the recycle center @Asylum I'm so glad I found a recycle center that recycles glass, here in El Paso they do not.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
I agree with you. I think I misunderstood what Lori meant when she wrote her piece on hoarding, she mentioned in a comment that some of the hoarders she saw on that TV show showed people who saved body fluids, that to me is simply gross and I would never even think to do that. So now I am labeling myself a stocker.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
10 Oct 17
Hoarding. Hmm. Yes, I've noticed a spate of such posts, I put it down to some illogical need to save stuff...
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
Butt butt butt they coulda been reused, like nails, sometimes they come in handy. Twisties do as well, once in a while. Surely that can't be illogical
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Oct 17
I can't argue with that logic @pgntwo however sometimes a person saves something that seems useful at the time only to become a pesky space monger.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
11 Oct 17
@rebelann Saving is to be encouraged, but some things are not worth the space.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61336)
• Centralia, Washington
11 Oct 17
I try to tell myself that I will NOT want to pack old, holey shoes if and when we move so its best to just chuck them now not later.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Oct 17
Before I get rid of something like that I try to figure out if I can repurpose it @sallypup sometimes there is a need for an item and something accidentally serves that purpose. Or, perhaps you could turn it into a kitty tunnel? At least that would be fun to watch, right?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Oct 17
Yeah, that's smart. I'm currently going through old stuff I stuffed in the spare rooms closet, I don't even know what exactly is in there so it's well beyond time to get that done.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61336)
• Centralia, Washington
12 Oct 17
@rebelann I've been trying to give away a blue plastic laundry hamper but nobody is caring so that may get taken to the Goodwill. We use a mesh bag for dirty laundry so why keep an ungainly hamper??
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40303)
• Laguna Woods, California
14 Oct 17
@rebelann - We have moved several times in the past decade and gotten rid of tons of stuff each time ... and I still have way too much! I need to move at least one more time in my life to really get rid of the excess. That seems to be the only time I truly get rid of the things I don't need! LOL
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Oct 17
That makes total sense, it's so easy to something that seems useful aside and forget about it then after a while we have more than one item we've put aside. The hardest part is getting rid of the tiny stuff like the nails and such, those really do come in handy but how many should I keep, right?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
15 Oct 17
I recently learned that cosmetics and lotions don't have overly long shelf lives @DeborahDiane I chuck mine if I it's more than a year old.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
14 Oct 17
@rebelann - I agree. Plus, I have opened containers of things I only occasionally use ... hair clips, travel sizes of shampoo, antibiotic cremes, moisturizers, etc. I seem to accumulate a lot of that type of stuff. It seems a waste to throw it out, but I probably won't live long enough to use it all up!
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
13 Oct 17
I do have several boxes of the kids' clothes that I still need to get rid of. I started on them but have not finished them yet. Hubby does save nails and such.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
14 Oct 17
@rebelann Ok thanks. How is the weather your way? Very cloudy here and the temps are low. I am loving it. I just hope I don't have to drive in the rain later on.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Oct 17
You are welcome @Shellyann36 It's cloudy here too but not really cool, it's about 75 or so right now but will get up to at least 88 later on. They say it's going to be windy this afternoon and tomorrow, maybe it'll blow in some rain clouds, we can always use a little more rain.
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Oct 17
There's always someone who can use kids clothes .... I keep getting email for this site about swaping stuff, I think it's called swap.com but I'm not sure, I'll keep an eye out and when I see it again I'll give you the site URL on the message board here or on facebook.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Oct 17
Well you already know I save nothing that I dont absolutely need. Though I understand what you are doing Rebel..no harm in saving things you may need. Yes filth is another matter entirely..I think that is something else besides hoarding.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
13 Oct 17
I have to agree with you, saving body fluids can't be normal and must be a sign of some kind of mental glitch.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Oct 17
@rebelann Oh yes indeed, I agree..
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
13 Oct 17
I save travel flyers and papers in containers, I have way too many pillows and quilts and books. But no, all my plumbing works and I won't walk on old pizza boxes.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
13 Oct 17
Whew, I sure am glad you don't have too many used pizza boxes, Now that you mention it I have a lot of old quilts and pillows but lucky for me I am using them for the kitties in the cold months.
1 person likes this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
13 Oct 17
hoarders show is mostly about extreme out of control hoarders. I would say save the things from your list they are useful items as you said that may be needed later but only keep a actual useful amount. Take the excess and sell it or donate it.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
13 Oct 17
Well that is good to know, I wondered about the idea that hoarders were mentally challenged but there's no arguing that anything that's carried to extremes can't be normal mentally.
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
11 Oct 17
We've cleared out a lot of useless items. My husband is in charge of his tools and such. I refuse to get rid of high end designer clothes, shoes, and bags unless it's to my daughters-in-law.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Oct 17
I have no one to give my designer Walmart specials to so to the women's shelter they go
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
12 Oct 17
@rebelann Lol!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
12 Oct 17
I don't save much and never garbage, some things like nails and twisty ties just make sense. I am not a hoarder but hubby is a bit of a packrat.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Oct 17
I still have clothes that I bought back in the 90s, some still fit but they're starting to show their age what really hurts my feelings is some of them shrunk and all they've done is hang in the closet
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Oct 17
@rebelann I have clothes too that need to go but I wouldn't say to much or anything even close.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (119819)
• United States
11 Oct 17
What, exactly, are you going to do with those wire twist things from bread bags? Seriously? Car parts? For what? Some future old clunker that I might obtain and want to keep? NOT likely! Nails? If I need them, I'll buy them. My husband used to save a lot of old crap like his dad did/does when we first started living together. I wasn't having it. Our basement was full of $hit that he never used, didn't need, and it was just taking up space. I made him throw it all out. He felt so much better once he did and he has never looked back. As I said on a de-cluttering post, I'd rather throw stuff away and re-buy it later if I need it than keep a bunch of crap around that I don't need.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
Yeah, I can see your point but I've actually used the screws I had to help create a shady area in the porch area for the cats, it gets really hot here in summer and they need some shade. Some items can come in handy but I'm not keeping all of it, I plan to go through the junk and keep only a few of the really good ones. The shoes are gone and I'm donating the clothes I can't wear. It's a bad habit I grew up learning. I have kept paper clips and have used exactly one so those were already chucked. Bad habits aren't quite the same thing as hoarding if I finally understood what Lori meant.
@peachpurple (13962)
• Malaysia
10 Oct 17
I save plastic cutlery, paper cups, rubber bands, toilet paper roll
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
Mom did that too. Some of it was usable so I used it and now I don't have any anymore.
1 person likes this
@peachpurple (13962)
• Malaysia
11 Oct 17
@rebelann you can keep them when they becomes handy
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112909)
• El Paso, Texas
11 Oct 17
I do not go to restaurants anymore so I no longer get the plastic tableware @peachpurple it is better that way I think.