Community Chat

[VenturaHighway]

@RinaRina  You can always call the company and they can tell you when the product was made.

[nevergivesup]

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@jeanlake wrote:

The opposite. I'm more of a minimalist as years pass - turning into my military dad. I'm unsettled around clutter. Clutter is an emotional subject. 

A motivation for me to avoid clutter: Before dad passed, he downsized and moved into apartment. His apartment was sparse and spotless when he passed. His finances were in order, with notes. Love him dearly for that.

When in-laws recently moved to senior center, they walked away from their home and left their grown kids to clean up and sell furniture, tools, junky decor and home. Then we had an estate sale with proceeds going into their account. They thought their junk was worth more. I even emptied their medicine cabinets and refrigerator. I predicted that would happen decades ago. Don't love them dearly for that.

Ope - The subject of hoarding hits my touch point or emotional trigger.   

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Oh my gosh @jeanlake . I think I’m your sister from another mister! I could have written your response almost word for word.

[SandySparkles]

I am an anti-hoarder.😁 Because I am detail oriented, and uncomfortable in the presence of clutter or excess, hoarding has never been an issue for me. Everything MUST always be clean and orderly, or I experience anxiety. I LOVE to shop but I also LOVE to donate to different charities, or sell gently used, somtimes new items on Nextdoor, so I am never overburdened with anything.😊

I know several hoarders; two are family members; who appear to be overwhelmed at times. When I offer assistance in helping them to reduce, or organize their hoard, they are regrettably "too busy right now". I have watched enough of the program "Hoarders" to understand that it is a true disorder so I do not judge them. Thankfully, their hoarding is not to that extreme, but is quite problematic.😐

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

[VenturaHighway]

@Porcelain  Is the mail bills or junk mail? Years ago, I bought a paper shredder and any junk mail goes in there as soon as I get it.  For bills shred the outside envelope.

Buy a large folder with dividers then put bills in by date due.

I also, have a folder for receipts I need to keep.  They take up very little room and you stay organized.

[gidgetgh]

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@VenturaHighway wrote:

@Porcelain  Is the mail bills or junk mail? Years ago, I bought a paper shredder and any junk mail goes in there as soon as I get it.  For bills shred the outside envelope.

Buy a large folder with dividers then put bills in by date due.

I also, have a folder for receipts I need to keep.  They take up very little room and you stay organized.

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@VenturaHighway - yeah.  I "decision" the mail as soon as it comes in.  If it's a bill, I write the check (yes, I still write checks for bills) immediately and then shred the bill right then.  If it's junk mail, I shred it immediately. I keep very little paper.  Next to nothing.  

[Jordan2]

I do feel I have a hoarding problem. It is not to the point where you can't walk around the house because you have so many things blocking your path. There are things when on sale I buy even if I don't need it.Anyone who has read my posts knows my mom died a little over a year ago, but because of COVID-19 my sister and I got a late start in getting my mother's house in order. I took care of my mom, so my things are in the house too. It's funny how much you hold on to, thinking you needed it, now I'm getting rid of so much. I'm not going to lie it hurts to get rid of things, but I know I have to get a much smaller place and won't have the space for everything. I am vowing never to fall into the hoarding trap again.

[Porcelain]

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@VenturaHighway wrote:

@Porcelain  Is the mail bills or junk mail? Years ago, I bought a paper shredder and any junk mail goes in there as soon as I get it.  For bills shred the outside envelope.

Buy a large folder with dividers then put bills in by date due.

I also, have a folder for receipts I need to keep.  They take up very little room and you stay organized.

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It's all of the mail. I think the problem happens when the mail is brought in at the same time as other things. When I just bring in the mail directly from the mailbox there isn't any problem. But when mail gets put down in order to put away a bag or groceries, which take faster precedence, that's when the glitch seems to occur. And I might not be the person who most often has the glitch, ahem, if you know what I"m saying...

I love your system and I do have something similar. It works beautifully, when used. I have a scanner set up there as well but don't use it as much as I thought I would. So when I clear surfaces and find mail I use a system a lot like you are saying.

[shoptilyadropagain]

In a word.....NO.

[sashamatthews]

I never met a dollar I couldn't spend.  That being said, I recently cleaned out my parents; home, two years after my father's death.  He was not a hoarder, but it took me weeks to sort through everything.  I gave away a lot, including all furniture (even that new QVC La-Z-Boy electronic chair) to Habitat for Humanity.  Over a hundred pounds of "stuff" went to the landfill every day.  That was just the house.   I start on the garage next week.  But I should add that what I have sold on eBay caused me to look at my own house; I am going to strip that bare over the next six or so months, giving away or selling what I don't want or need.

[RinaRina]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@deepwaterdotter wrote:

I have all I can do to afford the basics most of the time, hoarding isn't in my budget.

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Actually, this is a key trigger for many hoarders. They have very little money, and they worry about not having , so they save EVERYTHING, and FOREVER.  

Things from 40 years ago, things given to them they don't really need or want, things they find for free or super cheap. 

There is a real and constant fear that they will need something someday, and have no way to obtain it, so they end up with lots of stuff (not always good or useful stuff)

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WHY I hoard ...

I hate repurchasing things.  My basement looks like a 2nd-hand store.

If I need anything, all I have to do is go in the basement and find it.  

I rarely have one of those "I used to have (such & such) but threw it away" moments.

In fact, I have so much furniture, I recently realized, I could rent the basement out as a furnished apartment ... IF I could get rid of the rest of the junk.