So the wife and I are rearranging the living room. a favorite pastime of hers, and we have stuff all around. You know, the small stuff you collect over the years. A picture, a candle, remote controls, pens, and any number of knick-knacks. And that is just the stuff you see. What I "discovered" was all the drawers in the house are full of stuff. the closets are overflowing and I have totes! It came to me then, I'm a hidden hoarder! Yes, I hoard stuff, useless stuff that I can't seem to let go of, I just keep putting it away. Oh, it's true you won't see it if you are just paying me a casual visit, things look normal enough, perhaps a bit of clutter as old folks are bound to have, after all we have had years and years to collect that stuff. You can't discard the little things your children gave to you when they were little, or the things your grandchildren made. they have to stay on display. So to make room for all of that you start squirreling things away. All sorts of things, if it fits in a drawer, it's yours forever more!
I know that every kitchen has the junk drawer. That's where you keep extra batteries, tape, scissors, charging cords, the left over pieces from putting furniture together, curtain brackets, pens, pencils, and no telling what else. But in my case that has spread throughout the house. Every drawer, every closet, every nook or cranny has stuff. And let's not mention the attic. That is the destination for those totes. More stuff, hidden away, ironically in see through totes! Well, the newer ones are, the older ones are complete mysteries until opened once again. Out of sight, out of mind. That saying has become my reality. On the plus side I do discover " new " stuff all the time, like shopping for free. Well it would be shopping if I were in 1970 because that's where that stuff belongs. I have everything from 45's to DVD's to flash drives. I have all the devices to read those things as well, all except for a phonograph, don't have one of those. I do have the Kodak instant camera that was produced as an answer to Polaroid. That was in 1981. By 1986 production ceased on those cameras because Polaroid sued them. I could have returned the camera for a refund, fifty dollars in Kodak merchandise, but kept it. I figure it'll be worth something someday to someone. It is next to my lighted Joe Camel advertising sign for Camel cigarettes. Current value on that, about 100 dollars on e-bay. But I'm holding out for more.
Now I've seen the show on television about hoarders. Their entire house is full of stuff. It's just plain disgusting. I realize the program only goes for the worst cases, that is what sells, like the news. But I also know those folks started by just tucking things away, holding on to them for a later date. I'm still keeping my stuff out of sight. Does that make me a hidden hoarder? Is it something I should be concerned with? I'm certain there is a webinar or something that will help! But then I remember, I'll have a yard sale, that's the ticket. Hey it's good stuff should be worth something. And that's the reason I hold onto things I really no longer want, I'm having a yard sale. I'm certain someone will want to buy that set of Elvis Presley coffee mugs I got for Christmas back in the last century. Okay, maybe the instant coffee that came with them wouldn't be so good, but the mugs are fine, still in the wrapper. Hey I'm not a regifter so what other choice do I have? Besides I know there is an Elvis collector that just has to have them. Really I'm doing someone a service. I'm thinking all of this is just fine. It's alright to be a hoarder if you can keep it hidden. Just don't let it get out of control. I got this.
Seriously though I am somewhat amazed at the amount of stuff I have held onto. I do question why I hold onto some things. Need a charger of some type, got at least a dozen of them, along with those little transformer power supplies. Cords? Oh yeah, I got those. Old cd's, dvd's, a scanner form 1999 and a printer or two, all stored away in the atiic, might need them one day. I can't use the excuse that I was a depression era baby. No, I grew up in the fifties and sixties. My excuse isn't that I didn't waste anything, my excuse is that I fixed everything. That's why I hold onto that stuff, never know when I might need it. It isn't that I couldn't go out and just buy it, that's not the point, the point is to fix it yourself. Like that meme on Facebook explains, why pay twenty bucks for something you can build yourself for fifty? Why should I go out and buy a cord when I can spend an hour or two looking for one? I'm pretty sure I've got one somewhere. I suspect there are a lot of hidden hoarders out there. I can peek in your medicine cabinet without you knowing, but getting a good look in the drawers and closets would be more of a challenge. I'm betting they are just packed full. Anyone remember an old radio program Fibber McGee and Molly? I only know one line from that show, don't open that closet McGee and then there would be the loud crashing of stuff falling out of that closet. I haven't quite reached that point; yet. Well I'll be having a yard sale soon, after this virus is over, the sun is shining, it's warm but not hot, and I get organized. Until then, I'll just stick this in the closet, for now.
I know that every kitchen has the junk drawer. That's where you keep extra batteries, tape, scissors, charging cords, the left over pieces from putting furniture together, curtain brackets, pens, pencils, and no telling what else. But in my case that has spread throughout the house. Every drawer, every closet, every nook or cranny has stuff. And let's not mention the attic. That is the destination for those totes. More stuff, hidden away, ironically in see through totes! Well, the newer ones are, the older ones are complete mysteries until opened once again. Out of sight, out of mind. That saying has become my reality. On the plus side I do discover " new " stuff all the time, like shopping for free. Well it would be shopping if I were in 1970 because that's where that stuff belongs. I have everything from 45's to DVD's to flash drives. I have all the devices to read those things as well, all except for a phonograph, don't have one of those. I do have the Kodak instant camera that was produced as an answer to Polaroid. That was in 1981. By 1986 production ceased on those cameras because Polaroid sued them. I could have returned the camera for a refund, fifty dollars in Kodak merchandise, but kept it. I figure it'll be worth something someday to someone. It is next to my lighted Joe Camel advertising sign for Camel cigarettes. Current value on that, about 100 dollars on e-bay. But I'm holding out for more.
Now I've seen the show on television about hoarders. Their entire house is full of stuff. It's just plain disgusting. I realize the program only goes for the worst cases, that is what sells, like the news. But I also know those folks started by just tucking things away, holding on to them for a later date. I'm still keeping my stuff out of sight. Does that make me a hidden hoarder? Is it something I should be concerned with? I'm certain there is a webinar or something that will help! But then I remember, I'll have a yard sale, that's the ticket. Hey it's good stuff should be worth something. And that's the reason I hold onto things I really no longer want, I'm having a yard sale. I'm certain someone will want to buy that set of Elvis Presley coffee mugs I got for Christmas back in the last century. Okay, maybe the instant coffee that came with them wouldn't be so good, but the mugs are fine, still in the wrapper. Hey I'm not a regifter so what other choice do I have? Besides I know there is an Elvis collector that just has to have them. Really I'm doing someone a service. I'm thinking all of this is just fine. It's alright to be a hoarder if you can keep it hidden. Just don't let it get out of control. I got this.
Seriously though I am somewhat amazed at the amount of stuff I have held onto. I do question why I hold onto some things. Need a charger of some type, got at least a dozen of them, along with those little transformer power supplies. Cords? Oh yeah, I got those. Old cd's, dvd's, a scanner form 1999 and a printer or two, all stored away in the atiic, might need them one day. I can't use the excuse that I was a depression era baby. No, I grew up in the fifties and sixties. My excuse isn't that I didn't waste anything, my excuse is that I fixed everything. That's why I hold onto that stuff, never know when I might need it. It isn't that I couldn't go out and just buy it, that's not the point, the point is to fix it yourself. Like that meme on Facebook explains, why pay twenty bucks for something you can build yourself for fifty? Why should I go out and buy a cord when I can spend an hour or two looking for one? I'm pretty sure I've got one somewhere. I suspect there are a lot of hidden hoarders out there. I can peek in your medicine cabinet without you knowing, but getting a good look in the drawers and closets would be more of a challenge. I'm betting they are just packed full. Anyone remember an old radio program Fibber McGee and Molly? I only know one line from that show, don't open that closet McGee and then there would be the loud crashing of stuff falling out of that closet. I haven't quite reached that point; yet. Well I'll be having a yard sale soon, after this virus is over, the sun is shining, it's warm but not hot, and I get organized. Until then, I'll just stick this in the closet, for now.
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