I moved out from my parent's home on March 26, 1995. I was seventeen and hugely pregnant. That particular day was my wedding day. As you can imagine I had very little to my name. I had my furniture which consisted of a bed, two dressers, an old Army trunk that belonged to my grandpa and an old rocking chair. To have dishes and flatware in our new (to us) apartment, we had to put items on lay-away at Walmart. I think we bought maybe $100 worth of stuff but it was such a huge amount back then to a little old 17-year-old.
We never had much money and I bought the cheapest stuff we could find. $.99 shampoo made by some random off brand company wasn't below me. Sometimes I'd splurge and spend $2.99. I wore mostly Wet N Wild makeup because it was so darn cheap. Store brand anything was the way to go, even toilet paper.
As I got older and made more money I started stocking up on things. If you searched my pantry you might find 3 cans of cream of corn just in case. Needed nail polish remover? I bet I could produce 2.5 bottles for your removing pleasure. Those cheap $.99 shampoo bottles? I bet I had 4 of them lounging in the hall closet for future use.
I have no idea why I hoarded things like food and toiletries. The more I've thought about it the more I realize that I think it's because when I moved I basically started from zero and had to claw my way up. I didn't have reserves of things just in case I ran out and I never knew if I'd had enough money to a.) drive to the store or b.) be able to even buy things we needed. I won't even mention about my ex-husband who used his paychecks to smoke pot and drink with his friends. (That's a whole other set of things that influenced my adult life.)
I'm 31 now (I had to check and make sure that was right, I already forgot) and I'm the same, sort of. I still stock pile food, 4 cans of kidney beans anyone? But I'm much better about actually finding uses for those 4 cans of kidney beans instead of letting them sit there until the can is piled with inches of dust. (Vegan chili is AWESOME.) I still buy deodorant when I'm half through the current deodorant I'm using. And I thought I had several bottles of shampoo chillin' in the closet, waiting for me.
I went on the hunt this morning for shampoo because I ran out. I searched and searched and searched some more and HOLY SHIT people, I don't have any extra shampoo! I haven't run out of shampoo in 14 YEARS. I always have some on hand, always. Today, on my way home, I have to stop and get shampoo and chances are I'll buy the $8 shampoo unless the $.99 bottle of shampoo smells particularly yummy. I was all feeling smug as I was searching thinking I've conquered my demons, I stopped hoarding!
And then I counted the bottles of body washes and I'll just say that I stopped counting at 7.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
What, if anything, do you hoard?
4.01.2009
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By default, I'm not really a hoarder. I always try to have one spare of most of the things I use on hand, because I despise having to go to the grocery store or Walmart, so if I can go once a month, I'll be much happier. I am, however, a bulk buyer. I buy a lot of stuff from Satan's Club, which means that all of my tp, paper towels, zip-lock bags, deodorant, shaving gel, razors, meat, cheese, etc. comes in very inconvenient bulk multi-packages. So yeah, one might easily assume by looking at my closets and cabinets that I am, in fact, a hoarder.
Todd, on the other hand, won't throw ANYTHING away, particularly computer stuff. We have huge stacks in the basement of old cd-rom drives, keyboards, motherboards, etc. that will probably never be touched again. Sigh...
I don't think I hoard stuff, but I have lots of Bath & Body Works shower gel. This is only because people give it to me as gifts and I don't use shower gel, so I save them to re-gift!
I hoard food. Seriously. I'm obsessed with a certain religions requirement (give or take) to have 1 year worth of groceries in your house. Right now I easily have 3 months. Easily. I have huge pantry and it's full, as well as my fridge and freezer. I rotate it out so it won't get old but it's definitely hoarding.
I like hoarding - or stocking up - because I like to be prepared. I grew up in a house of chaos and empty cupboards and don't like to live like that. Except, since I am a nomad right now and live in a tiny apartment in NYC when I am not a nomad, I have had to give up any hoarding tendencies. The only thing I can really claim to have stockpiled in the last couple of years is wine!
I hoard the vast majority of my notes from school - college course notes that I may use in my job or on a project or resume. High school notes - darn good reference when I can't remember beans about calculus or geometry or didn't I read that book at some point? I even have notes and papers and assignments from my elementary years. Records of all sorts of things. Luckily I have kept my notes fetish contained - if ever needed to move, I can fit all of my notes in two computer paper boxes. That's not bad right?
On the other hand, I hoard all my text books for the same reason. Those don't meet the two computer paper box mark. They may need about six boxes, at least. Poo.
I just wanted to say that I'm impressed with you and how far you've come! I don't hoard, but only because of lack of space. If I had more room, I would likely buy more of one thing so that I woudln't run out. I do "overshop" when grocery shopping but thanfully, I've learned to use most if not all of the food I buy. And every now and then I'll purposely not shop for two weeks or so in order to force myself to clean out the kitchen.
I think I'm in the minority - I never liked stores like Costco or Sam's Club and buying in bulk.
my deodorant. i'm so afraid they're going to stop making it and i'm allergic to all of the clear deodorants - something in the ingredients is different.
we don't have a lot of room, but i would stock up on a lot more if i could. seems like every time i find something i like, the next time i want it it's gone.
Omgoooodness! You are just like me!! The cabinet under my bathroom sink is so full that I cannot put another thing in there. And, there isn't just one level of stuff...there is stuff on top of stuff! I have recently made a resolution to stop hoarding food...I only buy what I need for 1 week....this I LOVE! Now, to conquer the body care products...
I noticed that my first year of living with Jon I hoarded free stuff, cheap stuff, etc. I think it is comforting to know that if the bottom fell out i would have the necessities stocked and would be able to save save save. So I totally get ya.
Toothpaste. Because omgoodness who could bear the thought of no toothpaste. That, and a couple of other things, but I'm not sure I can put a name to them. Pictures...I guess is one...lol...good luck with your hoarding problem!
I hoard toiletries and candles :) I also stock up on pantry items, but I don't consider that hoarding because I like to buy it when it's on sale for later use.
LOL. I am a hoarder when it comes to lotion, and most recently, make-up.
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