I don't think I'm a hoarder but there are certain items, for some unknown reason, that refuse to leave my house. the biggest offenders are footwear and jackets. I really do have to go through them someday and make a trip (or 2) to goodwill. The ones that seem to collect are in decent shape but i just don't wear them anymore. The ones that are worn out or plain funky go in the trash but I just can't seem to shake the others. They're all neatly stored but they're still here taking up space. I am guilty of keeping every extra fastener I've ever had (leftovers mostly). This I just consider thrifty and smart as I've found quite a few uses for the various bits and pieces over the years. That's a little something I got from my dad. He always had a big wall rack full of nuts and bolts. I guess I need to get one of those racks and organize them.
thinking more on it, my wife and i do have a room in the basement that houses boxes full of things the 2 of us seem to bring with us every time we move but never get rid of. For example I have a few boxes full of cheap crappy kitchen stuff from my bachelor days. I'll never use them and they wouldn't be worth selling in a yard sale but still I hang onto them. Guess I need to finally clean out that room and build a playroom for the wee fella.
I was browsing a thread here on GJ where a guy built a minimalist type house and garage. one of my life's big goals is to accomplish something similar. Maybe not to that extreme but I just want to get rid of all the clutter and not have to weave around stuff to get where I'm going. For example, my wife and I have 2 couches, a love seat and 5 or 6 arm chairs in a 2300 sq foot house with one living room and one rec room. that's not to mention the end tables and coffee tables. There are only us 2, our 11 month old son and 2 dogs that live here!!
i've also watched that hoarders show. I just don't get it. I know it's usually a symptom of some sort of mental condition but don't these people have friends and families that can help them?? I know if my older sister ever came to my place and saw a mess remotely as bad as that she'd tie me to a tree and bring in a cleaning crew. Sure I'd be mad at her but I'd soon realize I was better off for her doing it. I'd do the same for her and any of my family members and friends. The "therapists" they have on that show are nothing but enablers. The sooner they realize that these people can't be coddled and persuaded to clean up their act, the better off these people will be. A little "tough love" never hurt anyone.
