I have A LOT of stuff but dont really view myself as a horder as I do use my stuff if I can get to it
(except things I cant do right now but would do
if I wasnt so sick eg my leatherwork tools and stuff
). Getting to stuff is an issue for me right now as when I moved house last year, I still havent had the health to unpack it myself and much is still in boxes, hou I do now have an offer from someone from the Salvation army to help me to unpack, the lady thou can only come one a week and its on a day where I usually have something else on. So who knows when that will be done (medical appointments and other very important stuff has to come first).
When I moved my brother-in-law was on at me about hording so I forced myself to get rid of a few things. This ended up causing problems for me as I ended up having to go out and rebuy those things as I ended up needing them eg I got rid of garden stuff eg my few fence droppers but then when I moved the trees here all started to fall down and break so I needed that stuff. Same with the other stuff I'd got rid of, sucked having to go and buy it again esp when its very hard for me to go shopping.
So in my case cause I do end up using my stuff, it was a bad move trying to scale back (esp since the only reason I did it is cause another had been on my back).
I also got rid of some of my books due to him and over a year later are now missing those books
and wish I never did get rid of them (I treasure books and learning).
One thing I did hoard but only cause I wanted to make sure I still had it if I improved some as I thought I may not be able to afford to replace if I did, was my horse gear, saddle etc. Im now ready thou to part with it all but only cause Ive given up on hope on getting well anywhere in the next few years or so. Im lost hope there.
Anyway, I suggest to ask yourself, "Is this truely useful to me?" "Will I use it again?" if the answer is probably no or you cant think of where you would use it, I suggest to get rid of it.
I do think clear houses free of things all over the place with everything in a special place are quite beautiful and give off a nice light and free feeling. I once dated someone who kept his home like a show home.. I wished my house was like that at the time. In my head, I aim to have my home like that and would if I wasnt sick.
Books, I'd get rid of them if you cant nicely display them in a book shelf. I dont think books should be kept in boxes where they are never really looked at, if you cant treasure them, maybe another would (I really have a thing about books even if I dont read much now due to my health). I have huge bookshelves covering completely two walls.
I do keep just a few clothes which arent my current size but that is only cause I dont keep a stable weight and every few years I'll either drop several sizes or gain several. My weight is all over the place. So I keep a few of my best things, favorite things in sizes Im not currently in but got rid of the rest. I have currently a plastic container which is 45cm heigh and 60cms long and in that is all these clothes of all different sizes Ive been in past 8yrs where Ive varied from a size 7-8 to a size 16. My bra size changes 2-3 times a year, so I probably have about 7-8 good bras in that container. (I dont keep anything like knickers which no longer fit, nor would I ever hoard anything which has gone out of fashion).
i also wont keep any presents given to me which I wont use or that cause issues for me eg my mother kept on getting me for xmas some collectable figurines. I hated that as those things you need to dust and I dont need extra work and it just wouldnt be right to not be displaying them.. so I got rid of them.
My elderly friend is a shocking hoarder. He's selling his second house right now and soo very stressed over what he will do with the stuff in it as he doesnt want to get rid of the stuff in it. he has much beautiful stuff in there but reallly does he just plan to have it all just in boxes never used? He also had his shed full of stuff on that property he was hoarding too.
He's talking about building a room outside of the current house he's living in, just so he can store the things from the other house
(poor thing, Im not being very supportive about that, he's driving his wife crazy with all the stuff). He like myself has a bookshelf in that house which takes up a full house wall. Unlike myself, he dont believe in getting rid of any present another has given him!! He has 70+ years of presents given to him even those from when he was a child. I couldnt help myself, I laughed when I saw some of the stuff he was keeping due to that, real junk but obviously cause "it was a gift" it holds great value to him.