Minimalism V Hoarding

[nailit]

Are you a hoarder or do you have regular 'clear outs'?
Do you sometimes feel as though you have too many possessions or do you like and appriciate your things?
I decided a couple of months ago that I was going to get rid of everything that I didnt need, use or want.
Over the weeks I have blitzed my wardrobe, cleared out tools that were never likely to be used, cleared out draws full of things that 'might come in handy one day' Out went excess crockery, cutlery, towels, linen, curtains etc, I realised that I rarely played my CD collection so it too went, even bits of furniture went to the local furniture charity. Im still in the process and my book collection is next to be gone through (once my pride and joy, I now see it as a dust collector).
It actually feels quiet liberating to be free of so much 'stuff'.
Just how much stuff do people actually need?

[maggiebee]

This is something I keep meaning to do but never quite get round to it. I did once clear out my loft completely except for the Christmas tree and decorations but it has gradually filled again. Guess I'm just a hoarder.

[nailit]

maggie, I dont even have a loft because I live in a flat :-)
But I even got rid of excess (read nearly all) xmas decorations as well.
I live on my own now so xmas deccys dont mean that much. kept a few light though

[Tilly2]

William Morris:

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

[nailit]

//Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. //
Thats why Im now single...

[woofgang]

I am down the middle on this one. I like stuff but don’t feel attached to much of it and regularly clear out what i have no further use for. I do still buy books but only if I can’t get a digital version. I agree that people don’t “need” much but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy owning things that are beautiful or enjoyable.

[Tilly2]

I have regular clear outs but I am too indecisive for them to be effective.

I find it hard to cull my books. They are such treasures.

[Cloverjo]

I am a hoarder. I've kept books and assignments from when I was a student. I've got a box of obsolete computer and printer cables that are of no use at all, obviously, but I keep them just in case.

So many worthless things, including vinyl records that I can't play because I haven't got a turntable anymore - I knew I shouldn't have got rid of that. :)

[mazie]

When we moved I had to clear out the house which was big. I had all my *** and the kids. It took me weeks. I had to be ruthless. I put all the books on Amazon and sold most of them for what we paid. I still had to get the secondhand man in to buy a lot of the furniture. It felt great when I finally finished! I'm never,ever going to collect stuff I don't use or love again

[Cloverjo]

I've still got my ZX Spectrum from the 80s, even though it's broken.

[ubasses]

I love clear outs, if it was down to me I would probably be the ultimate minimalist. Unfortunately I am married to one of the worlds worst hoarders.

[nailit]

//I find it hard to cull my books. They are such treasures. //
Same here Tills, Ive got a lifetime collection. But they gotta go.
In some respects I just want to get rid of many unnecessary possessions as possible

[Baldric]

I'm a minimalist, Mrs B is a hoarder, so I often find myself doing a bit of covert donating or dumping.

[Old_Geezer]

I clear things rarely, with difficulty. What I have are memories of my life, they represent my journey. They only go when clearly no longer usable. (Been throwing out years of New Scientists over the last few months, a year or two at a time.) Whilst it must be nice to be in a clear space, it wouldn't feel like home, like it is one's own space, but a clinical office type environment. All one's past lost save what is in a poor memory.

[Cloverjo]

I agree O_G.
I did manage to put my whole pile of New Scientists in the garage, and then they were taken away secretly to the recyclers by my minimalist OH. I have to check all my things regularly as he threatens to chuck stuff out.

[-SharonA-]

I need to do this. I have clothes I have not worn for years!! So going on that saying, if you have not worn it in the last 6 months, you ain't ever gonna wear it!! I have a lot to Chuck out.

[Caran]

I've hoarded other people's stuff. In my loft I have a piano accordion that belonged to my late father. He died about 42 years ago. I also have a pile of BMG (Banjo, Mandoline and Guitar) magazines that my father collected. They cover a period of about 20 years.
I can't get rid of them due to sentimental reasons.

[Barsel]

I think there are hoarders and HOARDERS. The ones you see on the TV are what I call proper hoarders as their rooms are stacked full of stuff that they won't throw away even if it's rubbish.I'm not like that, but I will admit that I have lots of stuff that I keep for various reasons. One is sentimental and the other is 'just in case'. I have been in houses that are minimalistic, and they don't seem homely to me.

[Cloverjo]

I agree, Barsel. I like to keep my memories in things around me. I have boxes of my son's childhood shoes, that I can't bear to throw away. Even though I don't look at them, I just like to know that they are there.

I mistakenly left a load of baby clothes in the attic of a house I lived in 20 odd years ago. I still can't bear to think of them mouldering away. I hope someone found them and used them.

[ummmm]

If I lived alone I'd be a minimalist.

[hereIam]

I could definitely do with a clear out, but don't know if I'll ever get round to it ! When I see the American Hoarders programmes, I realise that I am not really a hoarder, just untidy !