Thank Goodness For "Hoarders" (show)

**peanut** · 12-06-2011, 07:30 PM

So DH comes home and notices I'm watching a TV show on my laptop and says "What are you watching?" I told him "Consumed". He said "Are you consumed by it?"

He didn't say anything about the cleaner dining room, other than to ask if I'd thrown anything out.

Can't win with that man. I thought I'd done good to clean it up and put things away! Absolutely no incentive to continue cleaning today.

**Libby** · 12-06-2011, 09:49 PM

Peanut - thats how I feel too! I can clean, sort, purge and reogranize and DH doesn't notice. He says he 'sees the difference' as in stuff has been stacked vs being sprawled out across the coffee table but in all reality - I tossed a large glad garbage bag full of 'stuff'. Hrmph!! *shakes fist*

I guess for the men its more of an 'all or nothing' mentality. As in if theres a candy dish on the coffee table, its cluttered. If there's NOTHING on the table then its clean.

**peanut** · 12-06-2011, 10:43 PM

I have been watching a lot of 'Consumed' today. I do like it better than Hoarders, I must admit. I can identify with some of the participants of Consumed. I can't when it comes to Hoarders.

**Libby** · 12-06-2011, 10:51 PM

I think Consumed is more 'relatable' b/c its not so in your face excessive...as in its past the point of too much but theres still hope? Maybe thats just my take on it.

**peanut** · 12-07-2011, 09:59 AM

I like how they redecorate using most of the family's existing stuff, rather than buying a whole bunch of new stuff to put in there. And they do let families take back stuff if they really want it.

**NicJean** · 12-07-2011, 10:54 AM

Peanut - I'm a scrapbooker, quilter, overall crafter, and reader. I have tons of "stuff" I admit. However, I read something once that said to decide what to clear out, you must ask yourself if you've worked on it/ used it in the past year AND really want to FINISH the project, go ahead and keep. (But you must find a 'home' for it - on top of yesterdays mail on the couch endtable doesn't cut it, pooh.)
I've given away fabric, cardstock, rubber stamps, beads, jewelry findings, books, magazines, and more for a more comfortable home. Yes, I have a wall lined with closed, labelled containers in my office, and scrapbook stuff in the closet in there, but that's it for my hobbies. They have yet to escape back into the living/dining/ bedrooms again.

But I do have to be careful - no more fabric purchases till the three things I'm working on are finished, no more paper till I use up the last 'new' scrapbook purchase.

I'm better at restraint than cleaning clutter - but that's me. Good luck!

**Spirit Deer** · 12-07-2011, 11:58 AM

I can't agree with the concept of getting rid of things I haven't used in a year. I can't count the number of times I've dredged up something I haven't used in ages and it's just the exact thing I need right now.

The most recent example is the fabric for my mixer cover, which will coordinate with the countertops and tile in my kitchen perfectly. I dug it out yesterday. It's a large scrap left over from a quilt I made in the eighties. I don't live near a good fabric store so what I have on hand at any given moment is all I have to work with. Consequently, I have a large stash of zippers, buttons, bias tape, Velcro, etc on hand at all times. Plus I own two industrial sewing machines so have a large supply of items for use with those, too. I'm always digging up something I need that I haven't even thought about needing in years.

Another thing is all the knitting and crochet items I hadn't touched in twenty years or more. Now suddenly I'm back into that and knitting like crazy. It would have cost a fortune to replace all that. Instead, I was able to afford to replace a set of interchangeable knitting needles I DID get rid of after not using for a few years. (Still not over the trauma.)

Stuff like that happens around here all the time. I also end up re-purposing a lot of stuff that previously was useless to me. And it always saves us money. I was able to make a part last year for the awning on our camper after the wind blew it over the roof and tore up an aluminum part. Replacement from the factory would have cost over $100. I made the new part and fixed the awning for under $2, the cost of the stainless steel bolts we needed to buy to put it all back together. I couldn't have bought the scrap of metal tubing I used here in town, so was grateful I hadn't tossed it. I had never had a use for that before and may never have it again, but I won't be getting rid of it.

I do agree everything has to have a place though. And I've been purging a lot of stuff lately I doubt I'd ever use. So it's always a work in progress around here. But a year isn't a very long time, really.

**AmyBoz** · 12-07-2011, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by dinah

my favourite was clean sweep. i wish it was still on.

I loved, loved, loved Clean Sweep!!!

**peanut** · 12-07-2011, 01:02 PM

I liked what I saw of "clean sweep" too. I watched it online as we don't have cable. It was good.

**erinalexmom** · 12-07-2011, 02:28 PM

Also a fan of clean sweep! Peter Walsh is amazing because he always got to the "mentality" of clutter and the "why" behind clutter. I thought that was cool because then it was more of a long term solution that way.

**Incognito** · 12-07-2011, 09:10 PM

I agree with Spirit Deer; a place for everything and everything in its place. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
I have stuff, but it is neatly organized and put away till needed. And I've learned that if I throw it away, I'll need it in a few weeks or months...never fails.
I think it's a shame to throw stuff away, if it can be repurposed. Just think of the money, time and energy it took to get it in the first place.

This year, one of my new year's resolutions was to declutter my home. Four years of paralyzing illness changed my housekeeping habits drastically, so although I still kept the house neat, it was really in need of decluttering. So I went through all the closets, and tidied everything bit by bit, and sorted the good from the garbage. Nothing that could be used or repurposed ever ends up in the garbage, and now I'm enjoying using up all my extra clothing to make rag-rugs. The yarns and crochet cottons are being used for gifts, and I have plans to refurbish my own linens also. I'm so glad I didn't give away or throw away these things, even though they fill up my closet space. And in life, there will be periods of activity and inactivity, depending on health and circumstances, so you have to be reasonable about purging, I think.

These people who are living in piles of trash are usually ill, or mentally ill in various ways...they always feel as tired and unenergetic as normal people feel during a bout with the flu. That's one of the factors of brain damage, or chronic ill health...weakness and low energy. There are so many other psychological factors which contribute to a person desire or habit of hoarding, but usually it's because it's the one thing that gives them a sense of substance in their own personal emptiness. Kind of like compulsive shoppers...always buying, then turning around and giving it away or discarding it. The pay-off is that sense of power they get when they buy things. Hoarders get the same thing when they have stuff the way they want it, it's the one thing they can control...even though it's out of control. Others live in a dream world existence, and are not even really aware of the mess they live in. The brain is a brilliant organ...but many are living with damage and short-circuits.

**mrsfoamy** · 12-07-2011, 10:38 PM

I am by no means a hoarder, but I can understand how when these people are shown an object, they can easily explain their emotional attachment to it.

**Spirit Deer** · 12-07-2011, 11:59 PM

I'm a very organized person in many, many ways but not in my physical space. Which I find quite interesting when I think about it. I'm working on doing better though. Small steps.

One major thing I need to do is re-organize my sewing room. I decluttered that and built dedicated storage in there about ten years ago, but clutter creep has made it a mess again. Too many projects have come in and not enough have gone out.

**peanut** · 12-08-2011, 01:43 PM

DH says I just move my clutter around from room to room. He may have a point.

I think I'm doing better though...

**Spirit Deer** · 12-08-2011, 08:59 PM

I have to guard against shuffling, too. My husband is even worse though. He doesn't see any need to get rid of anything. He's under the illusion that all this excess crap will somehow take up less room if it's just organized. Dream on!

After the chair search in our back bedroom today, I'm starting to think I need to bring a big trash can into the living room and start going through a box per day of that stuff. Not really to put it away just yet, but to pull out all the stuff we don't want, the stuff that's outright junk, and just re-box what we want to keep rather than try to sort it all at once. It sure would be nice to be able to utilize that room better, instead of having it be a catch-all for stuff.