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The complete opposite of hoarding...

post #1 of 32
11/3/09 at 1:55pm
Thread Starter 
My son told me the other day "I think you have the disease thats the opposite of hoarding". I'm not sure there is such a disease but I knew exactly what he meant. I cannot stand clutter or stuff in my house. It is almost overwhelming to think about bringing stuff in. If I bring in something I am not happy until something(s) go out. Dropping off stuff at Goodwill is almost like a high. If you looked at my house its not like the Danish one or anything but I am always looking for something to get rid of.

Anyone else feel like this?

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post #2 of 32
11/3/09 at 2:00pm
No, but I really hope to get there some day!
post #3 of 32
11/3/09 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daisie125 View Post
No, but I really hope to get there some day!
Yeah, me too!

I do practice the nothing new until something goes method for clothing and housewares.
post #4 of 32
11/3/09 at 2:54pm
I don't know, but my grandmother was like that, and she always said it was because she was claustrophobic. Too much stuff would make her feel crowded. She would joke that neat people were claustrophobic and messy people were insecure, so no matter what, you have something wrong with you.
post #5 of 32
11/3/09 at 4:01pm
Thread Starter 
You know thats useful insight because I AM claustrophobic!! Wow how interesting. My friend constantly has her blinds closed and her house is dark and it makes me feel so confined. My mom has tons of antiques and stuff and I never relax at her house either. Very interesting. Anytime I go to somenes house and stuff is stacked up on counters, toys and blankets everywhere, etc I can't wait to leave. Not because I'm judging them at all, it just makes me physically uncomfortable. HHHMMMM.
post #6 of 32
11/3/09 at 4:28pm
DP is the same, he throws everything away... even things that he knows he'll end up buying again in the future.

I am not a packrat at all but I do save some things. I think he would really like to go through my crafting/sewing stuff and get rid of it. I'm pretty sure it's because the clutter bothers him, visually.

I dislike clutter too but not enough to do anything about it.
post #7 of 32
11/3/09 at 5:11pm
I am like this! I get these urges to just get rid of stuff!

I feel like I am just drowning in stuff, and it is mind boggling to me how 3 people could possible ever need this entire hosue full of stuff! I think about moving my g'parents out of their hosue and into their small condo (thier own choice to move, thankfully) and how we just threw away an entire basement full of stuff!

I feel peaceful and happy in clutter-free spaces, but just shutting stuff up in a closet doesn't work- I know there is a pile of crap in the closet!
post #8 of 32
11/3/09 at 5:27pm
Thread Starter 
Me too!!! Even if I can't see it, I know its there. I get obssessed with stuff in a tub or closet and can't quit until its gone. It can be so overwhelmeing.
post #9 of 32
11/3/09 at 5:35pm
I guess it could still be obsessive - just different obsessive tendency than hoarding.
post #10 of 32
11/3/09 at 11:01pm
This is totally me too. And having a husband and a child makes it so hard...because I want to throw their stuff away all of the time.

In fact the only way I can cope with my husbands stuff (he has many hobbies and a really hard time throwing stuff away) is to give him an entire room that is his own. And I do not let myself get stressed about his stuff anymore.

My car always has a bag of stuff on its way to goodwill.

And I too get claustrophobic...go figure.
post #11 of 32
11/4/09 at 8:12am
I agree with your grandmom...I tend to feel claustrophobic easily, and my house is very clutter free. My husband jokes that I secretly want folding chairs that we can put in the closet when we are done with them, so nothing is out at any given time!

I don't mind clutter at other peoples houses, most of the time its fun for me to see their random things. I have, however, been known to go through my friend's kitchen cabinets and reorganize her crazy amount of kitchen stuff!
post #12 of 32
11/4/09 at 11:48am
Yes, I am exactly the same way. I am glad not to be alone in this. AND clausterphobic is a great way to describe it.
post #13 of 32
11/4/09 at 11:59am
If it is at the point where you are throwing away things you actually need, and other people's personal effects, you are uncomfortable having any furniture, and you are uncomfortable visiting other houses where they are clean but have knick-knacks or closed curtains, that's where you may need to seek professional help. My grandmother did take anti-anxiety medication for a lot of her adult life. It did not make her messy! She still vacuumed every day and kept everything meticulous, and threw out a lot of things. But it made it possible for her to deal with the fact that my grandfather kept a big pile of old tools in the shed out back. And she stopped scrubbing the dishes with soap before putting them in the dishwasher.
post #14 of 32
11/4/09 at 12:17pm
I am in the same boat...I throw away a lot. We are very much minimalists. I come from a mother who had her house looking like a museum at all times...and it has somewhat rubbed off on me.
post #15 of 32
11/4/09 at 4:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lolar2 View Post
My grandmother did take anti-anxiety medication for a lot of her adult life. It did not make her messy! She still vacuumed every day and kept everything meticulous, and threw out a lot of things. But it made it possible for her to deal with the fact that my grandfather kept a big pile of old tools in the shed out back. And she stopped scrubbing the dishes with soap before putting them in the dishwasher.
Thank you for that. I know it's silly, but I tell DH the main reason I don't want to go on OCD meds (for far more things than just my cleaning habits) is because I'm afraid it'll make me lazy and I'll stop caring about the house. It would be nice to take the edge off, though. To stop the constant and irrational cleaning would be a nice break.

To the OP, yes, I am like this. I'm not claustrophobic so I'm not sure if that is the feeling. It just feels unsettling and 'icky', for lack of a better word. Cleaning the house is soothing and calming to me. Getting rid of things is therapeutic in a way.
post #16 of 32
11/4/09 at 4:34pm
I got through periods of, "ok, I have HAD IT!" and the garbage cans get filled, then I feel fine until my house gets to the point it is at right now. LOL!
post #17 of 32
11/4/09 at 4:38pm
nak
I have this disease. My DH calls it "waffle syndrome" because he says that every time he wants pancakes, I press for waffles in order to justify owning a waffle iron. He says he just knows that the day we finally have pancakes, I'll throw out the waffle iron.

I'm known for getting rid of things that we still "need".
post #18 of 32
11/4/09 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lolar2 View Post
She would joke that neat people were claustrophobic and messy people were insecure, so no matter what, you have something wrong with you.
Danged if ya do, danged if ya don't. Lol.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mommaof3boz View Post
My friend constantly has her blinds closed and her house is dark and it makes me feel so confined.HHHMMMM.
AAAAHHHH!! I don't understand this either. I literally feel strangled. The minute I wake up the blinds get opened!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyPrincess View Post
My husband jokes that I secretly want folding chairs that we can put in the closet when we are done with them, so nothing is out at any given time!

I don't mind clutter at other peoples houses, most of the time its fun for me to see their random things. I have, however, been known to go through my friend's kitchen cabinets and reorganize her crazy amount of kitchen stuff!
I like the folding chairs idea.

Oy! and the cabinet clutter. I've been in houses where every inch of cabinet space is filled to the brim.
I have a whole wall full of cabinets...about 10 total and I think maybe I use three of them.
Same with utensil drawers. Our kitchen has 8 and only two of them are full!!
I always wonder what people DO with all those things...

I don't even like to put shelves or pictures on the walls...they feel better bare.
I've lived here for almost a year and I still only have about 5 pictures up.
post #19 of 32
11/4/09 at 8:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappilyEvrAfter View Post

I don't even like to put shelves or pictures on the walls...they feel better bare.
I've lived here for almost a year and I still only have about 5 pictures up.
Thank you for saying this! I always feel as though something is wrong with me....I never find anything that I would want to look at every day to put on the walls, but it also doesn't bother me...
post #20 of 32
11/4/09 at 8:21pm
My MIL is like this...

In some ways I wish I was (I'm a bit more of a packrat), because her house is so much neater than mine.

But, on the other hand, she has nothing that carries sentimental value. She didn't keep anything from her 3 kids childhoods (favorite book, drawings, etc). She doesn't even have a baby book for them because she "didn't have a place for them."

We recently had our first and I thought it was really special that my mom saved my rattle to give to me when I had the baby. MIL was shocked that someone would do that. She said her kids toys were thrown in the trash.

Of course, she also has major OCD, so maybe she is more extreme than you!

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