Are you a collector, Packrat or Hoarder???

[dovaka]

it depends on what in my life your talking about. ive been ll three at one point or another but currently im a collector and cant stand clutter

[robertaw]

I am the complete opposite of a hoarder. I don't keep anything. It drives me insane to have too much stuff! I get rid of everything the minute it's not being used. I often regret getting rid of things but still do it.

[swissarmygirl]

I tend to be on the packrat side, but I am aware of this and take steps to correct it. It does feel good to get rid of stuff, but I don't like to throw away something that someone could use. Luckily, they opened a goodwill store nearby, they will take most things.

I have a friend whose aunt is a hoarder. It is really quite sad. There are things piled from floor to ceiling in her house in almost every room. Most of the bedrooms are just about packed solid. She actually had a plumber refuse to do work in her basement because of all the junk.

[Juneaudave]

Has anyone heard of a good deal on Christmas wrapping for December 26? I might need some next year...

[Miriam C.]

Has anyone heard of a good deal on Christmas wrapping for December 26? I might need some next year...

I can probably bring you some. Got lots from Mike's mom. Oh and childrens stuff from me. See they don't always put out cute stuff so if you like something you need an extra.

[S. Heisley]

Some older people who went through The Great Depression became hoarders. My oldest sister was only a toddler then but it affected her anyway. Until she had to go into assisted living, her basement was full, floor to ceiling, with just a path running through it. A friend's dad was so affected that he even saved every newspaper and flattened and saved every empty cereal box. (His wife and kids would sneak things to the dump when he wasn't around.) You can learn a lot from going through hard times like that or learn a little from listening to someone else's experiences. Sometimes it changes the way a person thinks.

[godskid]

Dad would go by after church to check on her, but wouldn't let us go in. He described the narrow pathways between stacks of junk.

I should have insisted I be allowed to view my husbands previous house, before I married him. Now we are finally clearing it out. It was exactly like the one mentioned above. Even after I got to see it, I was surprised 3 months later to learn that there was a piano in there, under all that junk. We are on our third 15 ft dumpster. I'm finding receipts and magazines from 1971. Sigh.

[eamarquardt]

I have a three car garage and a half acre (unusual here in So.Cal.!). My garage is full but has a complete metal working machine shop and wood working shop in it and one of the three bays is currently occupied by the trailer frame awaiting construction of the teardrop. You can get to all machines and turn them on at will with the exception of the tablesaw/router table/planner which I usually roll into the driveway to make the mess out there making cleanup easier (it rarely rains here!). The interior of my garage is ringed with shelves that I keep clear plastic storage boxes on so I can see what's in each. I often avoid going to the store as I have lots of spare stuff when I need it.

I have 6 more "parts" cabinets filled with stuff that I've scrounged up over the years and lots of metal scraps that come in very handy. Pulleys, bearings, nuts, bolts, plumbing, electrical, and hardware items. I once built a single phase to three phase converter and used a good share of my relays, transformers, and timers. Shortly after this I got replacements at junk yard for most of the stuff (worth over $200 for $2) and can build another converter for virtually nothing. I have a pretty good memory of what I have and were it is as it "doesn't count" if you don't know you have it, can't get to it when you need it, or don't know where it is! My nieghbors refer to my garage as "Gus's Hardware Store"! I built an awning on the far side of my house and have a spare washer and dryer under there and another set temporarily in my trailer (neighbor was throwing it out and the washer is better than the one we use and the dryer requires an easy repair) and a lot of other cool stuff under the awning. I'll give one set to anyone that can use it but hated to see them thrown out!!!!! Nothing is left out in the weather to deteriorate!!!

I hate to see good stuff thrown out and have been known to "dumpster dive"! However, I have no problem giving stuff away as I love to see discards recycled! When the time comes (as it will) my heirs are free to give it away although #2 son has been bugging me so he'll get the machines and tools when I expire, ha.

Hoarders hang on to useless stuff (my wife's uncle saved plastic and paper bags, bic disposable razors, jars of years old jelly, etc, etc, etc). We filled up three dumpsters when he "moved on". He had only a narrow pathway through his kitchen with all of the bags neatly folded and stacked on each side. You couldn't open the cupboard doors.

All if my stuff is GOOD STUFF and virtually irreplaceable!!!!! My #1 son used to describe me as "pathetically cheap" but has changed his tune (now that he's out on his own" to "exceptionally cost effective".

Scrounging and recycling is "great sport and fun". It also makes my wife's money (it's all her money according to her!) go much further. Recently got two nice long sleeved pullover shirts and three novels at the Goodwill store for less than five bucks.

Was at an antique store today picking up a lamp Suzy bought (SHE has expensive tastes!) and got a nice single bed frame for free! A little repair, sandblasting, and a coat of paint and she'll have an antique day bed in her sewing room (that never has had a stitch sewn in it!!!!).


There you have it, again, the world according to Gus.

Cheers,

Gus