If one man’s trash is another man’s treasure as the cliche goes,
what happens when one wife’s treasure is one husband’s trash?
Her: [hand’s on hips]: Where’s my favourite wire basket?
Him: [casual] I threw it out. It was all rusty.
Her: [wailing] But it had the perfect amount of rust!
My husband thinks I am a hoarder. It’s true.
True that he thinks I am. True that I am?
After watching episodes [in horror] or Hoarders and other similar shows. I think I am safe for now. Possibly not from D-I-V-O-R-C-E but from the clutches of this sad disorder.
According to the TLC website hoarding is a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. O.C.D.
Hoarding usually involves objects that have little if any value. Newspapers, old flyers and used food packaging and in extreme cases fingernails, hair and crap. And I mean that literally. Distressing but true apparently.
Professionals look for these three things when evaluating compulsive hoarders:
- An inability to discard objects coupled with anxiety if a hoarder does try to throw things away.
- Impaired ability to function due to hoarding.
- A cluttered living space that has become so filled with objects that it can’t be used effectively.
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Every passion borders on the chaotic, but the collector’s passion borders on the chaos of memories.
Walter Benjamin
Hoarding is not the same as Collecting. In general, collectors have a sense of pride about their possessions [as opposed to embarrassment] and they experience joy in displaying and talking about them. They usually keep their collection organized, feel satisfaction when adding to it, [rather than sadness and shame] and budget their time and money whereas hoarders may be in debt.
Anxiety & Depression Association of America [ADAA]
It’s possible however, I may be a borderline Obsessive Compulsive Collector if I wanted to pay attention to Science A Go Go. Judging by the name I don’t think I do -do. According to this link, collecting items can trigger O.C.D. E.E.K!
You know you have a problem [don’t you?] if you can’t drive past a thrift/ Op Shop without swerving to a halt and dashing in [no matter how late you already may be] just to make sure you are not missing the next best new old thing.
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Nothing makes me happier, than finding some great, unusual, and amusing thing.
John Rosselli
So I may be self-labelled mad or
berko/birko in this case but at least I am in good company.
Probably the most famous of all collectors being Andy Warhol whose possession obsession has eternal fame with 612 Time Capsules preserved forever at Warhol.org
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I don’t think any collector knows his true motivation.
Robert Mapplethorpe
So…any ideas? Collect your thoughts and let me know, please! xS
urban rustic 
I do wonder about these same things….
But that hoarding show is EXTREME and always makes me feel disgusted and better about myself…
I think you know you have a problem when you can no longer walk through your house, and have to climb over stuff instead, ha!
Thanks Jocelyn. Those shows do make me feel better too. And I can walk through my house but the shed /storage is another story! Had to laugh because there was a show on last night called ‘Storage Hoarders’. It was so lame. People paying hundreds of dollars to store old papers, a terrible affliction for sure but talk about boring television…
I’m in constant turmoil as I love collecting, but hate clutter! Finding that beautiful balance can be tricky. 😦 maybe I should start collecting storage items??
I hear you Mandy. I am the same. I hate clutter too. Are you Libran? Its a constant struggle as I am always seeking out and rescuing all this cool discarded stuff but dont have nearly enough places to display or store. Hence the shop. But I still have a place in my heart for a less minimal style. Your guesthouse is the perfect solution. If only we didnt have a ridiculous Sydney mortgage. sigh…Anyway, collecting storage items is a classic idea. And the dentist cabinet was a great start. My God the compartments in that! x
No, I’m a scorpion. Yes, so many compartments in my dental cabinet. Did dentists really need so many implements?? I shudder to think. 😉
sandy- breathe. you are a stylist who understands the value/place/aesthetic of collectables. you get it / see it / buy it / collect it. mr sandy will come to appreciate it all in good time. and in the meantime- hoard everything you can!
Ha, don’t enable me Edwina! But thanks your support is awesome. Cheers x