Are You A Hoarder?

[Minstrel SE]

I get accused by several people of being a hoarder and it really gets on my goat. They are the sort of people who seem to own damn all. I get judged by people who barely own 10 cds and freak out when they see 500. I own about 200 games and 170 dvds...is that really a problem to anyone?

I see myself as a collector and I like to enjoy myself. If I have the room for a few extra bits of audio eqipment I will have them to mess about with. I know my absolute limits and then come to a stop

I only think "Hoarding" becomes a problem when it becomes a TV case and people are crawling over piles of rubbish to get into the kitchen. I cant see a problem unless it severely compromises the room to move.

I collected a few matchbox cars from my childhood and put them in a cabinet. Again some people have been having a go. What is wrong with the enjoyment of collecting things?

Do you get moaned at? I would like to get hold of these people who think we all should live in a sterile minimalist environment.

Best wishes to everyone on the forum
Martin

[struth]

my spare room has my overspill and is untidy at moment. livingroom and kitchen are busy in comparison to many but tidy. i personally prefer to have my stuff around me and on show.
my mate next door is ocd and freaks if he is in for too long..lol...he has an enormous garage and keeps nothing in it. anything in there for longer than a fortnight is dumped...would hate to be that way

[Minstrel SE]

Yes I think some of those people are OCD about any display of stuff or having stuff. I dont think I go overboard and I choose things carefully. Just getting a bit sick of people going you're a bit of a hoarder arent you

Am I...as a pose to what exactly?..they wouldnt complain if I had a mansion and could spread it out a bit..... Tuners are in room 9 in the west wing

[walpurgis]

I get accused by several people of being a hoarder and it really gets on my goat.

Martin

Do you really care? I don't give a bugger what anybody thinks and I've got loads of excess and not just Hi-Fi.

[Minstrel SE]

Do you really care? I don't give a bugger what anybody thinks and I've got loads of excess and not just Hi-Fi.

Well I realised I do because you can see them tighten their shoulders or look plain uncomfortable. My father just lays in like he doesnt understand the need for any more than a couple of cds or a handful of books.

They all have similar sized rooms to mine but taking my shelves out wouldnt free up the room to start a dance studio. Two target style racks of hifi and one with games consoles on seems to overwhelm some people.

I look over at my book shelves and I wouldnt get rid of any of them. There a very good reference books together with fiction. This is why I find it hard to understand people who seem to think a few things is enough.

I dont collect rubbish and I enjoy throwing many things away. If I really dont like something out it goes.

I dont want everything in this world but there is plenty of nice stuff about. Maybe I am too attached to stuff but Im not trapped by it.

I am nowhere near the extremes but feel judged by the minimalist brigade so yes it has been bothering me. I might put doors up on the shelves to hide it more

[Sherwood]

YOU MAY BE A HOARDER IF ........

a) You feel antagonism towards those with space in their garage for a car, or even a bicycle.

b) You spend a lot of your time explaining the difference between collecting and hoarding.

c) You cannot recall the colour or pattern of the carpet in your spare room, or even if it is carpeted.

d) You cannot list all the hifi and audiovisual equipment you own on both sides of an A4 page (in Arial 10 font, no cheating!).

e) You fidget uncomfortably when you hear the word "minimalism" and worry that a twitch may be developing.

f) Your movements though your spare room resemble those of Maxwell Smart trying to avoid laser defences.

[walpurgis]

My carpet has no pattern. And I can see small bits of it! So there!!

[Macca]

I think either extreme is a bit unhealthy. Piles of rubbish everywhere in the house, then yes, that's a problem. Obsessive tidiness, also a problem.

I occasionally go to people's houses which are like show-homes. They must be cleaning and tidying all the time. I couldn't live like that. It's weird behaviour.

Likewise I have a pal who when you open his front door it pushes the rubbish across the floor in a big ripple and you can see it rising up against the far wall. It's about a foot deep, pizza and take-away boxes mainly but other stuff in there too. I couldn't live like that either, but it doesn't seem to bother him.

[struth]

drowning in his own filth

[jandl100]

I like to live in a fairly cluttered 'busy' environment.
As those folks who have visited will attest.

I can't bear the stark "show home" approach - that's not a home to me.