Good Morning,
For some time now and not just after I finished watching an episode of “Hoarders” last week, I have questioned if I have those tendencies. After all, I do not seem to mind some clutter all that much, although I also appreciate organization to where I can find things when I need them. A clean house is important to me, so the clutter I am talking about tends to be stuff of a hardware nature and not dirty things like empty pop cans, food containers, trash and the like. I guess you could call it “clean clutter” if there is such a thing.
Is it possible that Hoarding is a progressive disease and continues to get worse as we age? Maybe (God Forbid) it is genetic? Some seem to think so. The hoarders I was aware of in our family tree were mostly from outside my bloodline, so I do not think that is an issue unless of course it is contagious. However, parents who lived through and remembered the Great Depression and how they had to stretch everything raised me. These same parents then went through World War II with gas and food rationing along with other shortages of all kinds. So needless to say, I grew up in a home environment of “do not waste” and that was before recycling became fashionable. If something was still usable, then you saved it. To this day I still have difficulty tossing something out that could either be fixed or repurposed. So I’m thinking maybe my propensity of saving things was brought on environmentally from an early age.
The reading I have done on this subject seems to imply that Hoarding is now considered its own
unique form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and should be taken seriously. Hardcore “Hoarders” will keep just about anything and everything, but most common are dated items like newspapers, magazines and mail of all kinds. They will get saved with the intention to be read later, so that nothing is missed. Come to think of it I did have a first cousin that was like that. Hummm. So as the piles of stuff build and multiply, the task of catching up soon becomes overwhelming while the clutter creates an environment of inefficiency compounding the problem even more. Usable surfaces and living spaces start to disappear. The person, while wanting things to be perfect, becomes embarrassed by the mess and soon stops allowing people into their home then withdraws more and more into solitude. This cycle continues to evolve creating the feeling of being overwhelmed. Depression over the whole situation grows and by its very nature debilitates any activity to correct the problem. That in turn can lead to escapism in many forms like excessive drinking of alcohol, taking drugs, excessive sleeping, buying more stuff and even overworking away from the home. Well I’ve got the overworking part down pretty good.
I do enjoy collecting things, which some can interpret as Hoarding I suppose, but clinically purposeful collecting is not considered the same. Collecting with a purpose, say to fill out a series of items is just that, and maybe with a little fetish thrown in. My parents collected antiques for
years and I got the bug through that exposure. The kind of stuff I collected was war memorabilia like badges, shell casings, bazooka rockets, grenades, bayonets, you know, the really cool stuff for a kid. I did collect some antiques as well, which was mostly old cast iron coin banks. There were all kinds from buildings, safes to animals. I especially liked lions for some reason. Never came across a tiger though. Selling my cast iron bank collection to my Uncle Bill Long was the way I purchased my first car. Today, just one or two of those banks would bring enough to have bought that car, but at sixteen… I wanted “wheels” and the freedom they imparted much more than the banks sitting on a shelf.
I have wondered if it is some kind of a deep seeded security thing that makes me feel more comfortable with lots of things around. That may require a bit more introspective contemplation. Fortunately, I have no problem with claustrophobia, so small spaces are not an issue with me. Actually, I would probably be quite happy in a little corner antique shop just chucked full of stuff complete with a workshop in back and busy fixing a clock or a piece of furniture. The trick of course would be to still make a living, something not easy to do in that business.
So, I guess I won’t worry too much about the clutter right now and just work to keep it from becoming “intervention” time. That’s when all three kids and their spouses are at the front door with shovels. So if I can put it off long enough, then you kids will have the fun of sorting through it all.
Love, Dad
PS, The hoarding photo is not from our house.
Lion Bank Photo from Centennial Antiques
Hoarding Photo from UK House Clearance
