(Yay, first comment!) Good job, I know how hard it can be to throw stuff away. Because I might need it! Like those forty-three random, single balls of yarn. In colors/fiber I don't particularly like. I might want to make...um...nothing. I guess I should go clean too.

Hoarders is my new fav show, too!! OMG!! ;p Seriously, the minute it was over this evening, I got up, went into my bedroom, and made my bed. Since today was a holiday I felt I didn't have to make my bed when I got up this morning, but I've been feeling *that* guilty about it all day.

You're so right, we are not our stuff ... but we are only one unmade bed away from a serious mental condition.

PS: And books are *so* not a problem ... you can have as many books as you want, and it's not a mental disease. It's an addiction, and that's another A&E television show ...

Love your blog!

I've been fighting the hoarding battle all my life. I've finally figured out how I occasionally lose a battle or ten. The secret? Don't move anything more than once to the spot it belongs in! If you're unpacking a box, take your time, and put it all away before you move on to the next box. If you set things aside, you wind up making artificial reefs in your living room. Then, when the tide rolls out, the reef emerges, and makes a really handy table! Then you pile more stuff on the table. Suddenly, you come in one day and you realize that you're now at eye-level with your cat, as "stuff" is piled on "more stuff". De-Reefing (Is that a word?) is terribly hard, and often painful. But wine can help!

You have come such a long way in the last 3 or 4 years it is just amazing!!! You should be proud of the distance you have covered.

I just wanted to congratulate you on your new move. Don't worry about the clutter. You'll have it all sorted out before you know it.

And then you have kids. And it's not just your stuff anymore, but theirs as well! You know they don't use half of it, and it gets thrown all over the house, but you feel mean donating their stuff, and if you grew up poor, part of you WANTS them to be drowning in their own stuff because it means they don't have to do without like you did. And then you have to buy them more stuff because it's their birthday or Easter or something, and they have to have something (and by something, I mean 20 things). Then--and this is the worst part of all--they pick up all of your hoarding habits themselves, grow up to be just as bad as you, and the vicious cycle continues...Groan.

and stuff is not love...that's the hardest one for me to realize after years of using it to bring the happiness I didn't have. Thankfully I've found my happiness and I'm learning that I don't need the stuff. Congrats on the move!

More importantly, how far is your new place from a Coffee Bean?

When my grandmother died, I swore I would go thru my house like I was moving/dying. I started going thru my closet and half way thru, I put it all back and picked up my knitting. I can go thru a drawer or a dresser, but we've been in this house for almost 12 years and the thought of moving scares me. Esp the craft room......or the kids' rooms. Or the attic. Or my craft room. There is a reason I told my dh I wanted to be buried in the back yard. I don't want to move!!

And it's not as if I haven't moved in the past. I just tend to move it all with me. How much crystal can one person use (I got a ton of it when we got married), but I don't want to get rid of it because I may need it for some fancy shmancy party I will one day never have. Oh well. Let the kids sort it out after I'm gone.

I spent the weekend trying to rearrange and pare down the stuff. I've tossed 40 pounds of magazines and still have piles of other stuff to go through. Part of my problem is furniture; our house became the storage facility/dumping ground for items from various family members. My goal is to move it to where it makes sense or toss it if I don't love it. I see a big donation to charity coming up this year.

Nothing like having to carry your boxes up three flights of stairs to make you think, "Gee, I sure have a lot of boxes!"

That episode about the woman and the food was the first episode that I saw too. I struggle the same way that you described. I hate mess, and hate clutter; but dang do I like being surrounded by my stuff.

I've spent the last couple of days cleaning out my basment. I'm done half, and am determined to finish the entire basement and the garage before the end of this week.

* you know stuff expands to fill the space you have, right?
* that whole 'poverty mentality' thing? I get it. My mother-in-law, who had lived alone for 10 years, ALWAYS had at least 6 half pounds of butter in her fridge at any one time.
* Closet tetris, pantry tetris, garage tetris - hehehehehe

I hope this is somewhat inspirational...

I prepped my now-on-the-market 700 sq. foot condo to the standards of a professional stager this weekend. I've always felt like I was good at letting things go until she "made me" move out at least 50% of it (to the garage) and I realize how much space I can have in here, and what is in here is what is truly important.

So much of what's now in the garage are things that I don't really need, much less have to have immediately to hand every day. And there was a lot of furniture I kept trying to make work, but now that it's out, I see that it just doesn't fit.

I've promised myself that (books, art supplies and my deceased father's stuff excepted) anything that is in a box right now and that I haven't used in the next 6 months goes out of my life. Period. Because I'm about to live without it for months and I'll be just fine. (And my shins won't be nearly as bruised from playing furniture dodge'em!)

So leave your boxes in a corner and only pull out what you really, desperately need - and you'll have room for your new life to flower in.

I never made that Tetris/stuff connection. I was a terror at tetris, now I know why that theme goes through my head every time I move. The BF and I both have too much stuff. Its harder to get him to throw things away than anyone I've met. He has these butt ugly dishes from some dead relative that could seat like 12 people and weigh ton. We never use them. He won't let go though.
Excuse me while I go through 30 bottles of condiments away.

Congratulations on finding an apartment so quickly that you love! Once you get it all unpacked, you'll feel so good and nested-in.
I'm happy for you.

Books. I have books. Many, many books. Books in every room. Once I sold half of them. Now I have twice as many. They are so comforting to have and the spines are so cheerfully colored. But it is time for them to go. I know how hard it is to pare down. But then there is the joy of having less stuff and more freedom. Freedom to breathe, freedom to enjoy space. Freedom to grow. Best of luck to you!

Rule of thumb: If you love your stuff, keep it. If you don't love it, someone else might, so give it! (But whatever, don't let your stuff keep you!)

(Said the woman with 10 pairs of black slacks and shoes from the 80s. )

If you think moving puts you in touch with your stuff... think about moving OVERSEAS! I got rid of 99% of my stuff and had to make some heartbreaking decisions. In the end I kept only those things that had *STRONG* sentimental value or would be difficult/impossible to replace. I got rid of furniture that I loved, craft stashes, books, books, books, books, books. Oh man it was tough. When I come back it's going to take a lot of work (and $$$) to get myself back to that level of material comfort again. It is a tightrope to walk!

It's great that you keep in mind that it's a high-class problem, but try not to feel bad. Just because they are "first world" problems doesn't mean they aren't problems at all.

When we moved from Oklahoma to Missouri four and a half years ago, we filled up a 25' Penske truck, after having gotten rid of at least as much stuff as we filled it with. I've made a conscious effort to keep the "stuff" to a minimum since then, but we might be moving soon, and I suspect I'll be surprised at how much we get rid of again.

What you said about poverty mentality is so true. My family is still dealing with issues from not so long ago. We don't like to eat canned food, yet we keep it, in piles in our kitchen cabinets, just in case, because there was a time in our life where we didn't have enough.
Also with toilet paper- my mom has vowed to never run out again, so we never have less than four Costco packages of TP in the garage.
We clean, declutter, organize, and then go and find more stuff from thrift stores or target clearance.
We buy all supplies in bulk. We have toothpaste, soap, shampoo, lotion, tampons- enough for 3 people to survive on for atleast a couple of months if necessary.
"Only some people understand what poverty mentality does to you, and those people know it's a fine tiny line between being prepared and being trapped."
It is hard, because it makes sense to buy when we have the money, have it, save, reuse, stock up for just-in-case. On the other hand, living for now is important too. We are learning that.

You are such a wonderful kindred spirit.

I was sort of a hoarder when I was younger. (I'm 40 now) Maybe I was more lazy than a hoarder. I had a bedroom (in my parents house) that I let get so bad that we got mice.

That's what cured me of letting things get so bad that you can walk across the room and not have your feet touch the carpet underneath the junk. I absolutely hate mice because of that.

I'm still somewhat of a slob, and I tend to save a lot of stuff. (for some reason I have a ton yarn bands that I havent tossed yet.)

I want to remodel my bedroom (still live with my parents, just in a newer house now) I have two computer cabinets that are stuffed full of junk, and my walk-in closet is more of a trip over everything closet.

This week, probably tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to try to sit down and attempt to at least clean out the desk. Not sure if I'll get it done. I have MS, and my left arm is causing me problems this week. (numb, tingly and it hurts) I figure the desks will be easier than tackling the closet because the biggest thing in the desks would probably be a book or two, or maybe the computers (not touching the computers if I can help it)

I just want to get the desks cleaned out so that I can move them out of the room (with help) so that I can have someone come in and build me a built-in desk/cabinet/bookshelf thingie with storage.

I cant afford to move, but I can afford to update my room so it's a bit more adult.

At least my closet is mostly totes of yarn and really all I need to do is get rid of that yarn. (it's mostly Red Heart...I'm planning on donating it)

I like reading Laurie's blog when she talks about de-cluttering. I always get a little urge to do some de-cluttering when she does posts like this. (thanks for the inspiration Laurie!) Hopefully I'll get my grown up, adult-like desk soon. My room would feel so much bigger without two huge computer armoire's in it...(and if the tv was on the wall, that would help too)

could you just keep repeating that? maybe, at the beginning of all your blog posts? "We are not our stuff." I know that it's true, but it helps to be reminded. all. the. time.

I feel sorry for the sanitation workers who are going to be finding so much stuff thrown out after Hoarders airs. I cleaned out 2/3 of the stuff that was in my kitchen cupboard tonight -- just the canned goods that were out-of-date. I hate to think how many pounds of food that is that was never put to use. It doesn't matter now, though, because it is no longer useful and will be leaving my home. Some of it I moved from my last house to this house -- two years ago. I'm working hard to pare down before my next move.

Hey Laurie,
Congratulations on the move and THANK YOU for explaining poverty mentality - I have it and never had a name for it. I grew up in a household where the family was just eking by - I overheard the emotional discussions my parents were having about money and uncertainty and how will we pay for it, and internalized it, even at a very young age. Now, as an adult I hoard too. If I find something I'm into, like yarn, or even clothing items that fit just right, I buy more than I need. One in every color (except for yarn, then it's twelve in every color) - that expression was made for me. Thank you for writing about it. Now that it has clicked what is driving this in me, I can possibly do a little better about stopping.

Just the other day I had a bout of clearing out stuff. A small victory maybe, but I managed to throw out a whole bag of saved plastic bags. Whenever you (and by 'you' I mean 'me') come home from shopping you have accumulated yet another set of four or five plastic bags that you just can't make yourself throw away. They might come in handy! As I sorted through them all I did save a few, but only those I could see an immediate and specific area of use. The rest went n the bin. Yay me! :-)

Best of luck with parting with your stuff.

Love your blog!

Oh Laurie, worked sucked me away this last week and I didn't even see that you were moving. Congratulations on the new place! So glad you are moving out of choice and not despair and you found such a great place.

It is funny you posted this today, since I just came from dropping of bags and bags of stuff at Goodwill on Sunday and tonight cleaning out the crap I mean craft room. And I feel like I never want to buy anything EVER AGAIN. I just feel crushed by all the stuff. I'm well aware I'm a bad hoarder (the nice word when I was a kid was 'collector', I guess). And I just wanted to say, Amen. Hell if I will end up that way. Exactly.

Thank you thank you thank you. I have been in my new house for just over a month now and I have reached that point where the stuff left in boxes is odds and ends and crap that just doesn't have a home. I'm setting a near deadline and what hasn't found a place by then will be going. I don't know why this hasn't occurred to me sooner, but something about reading it here this morning was the direction I needed.

Also, I totally wish I had those cleaning urges. Maybe I should watch that show.

We've started DVRing Hoarders. Funny thing happens during the show, we both start cleaning during commercials! Since we haven't completely unpacked due to our continued remodeling of the house, we have several boxes to go through still. Tonight we cleaned out 2 boxes and threw more stuff away. It felt so good!

I called Mom and told her to watch it but she said she refused...and I know why. She's a hoarder and refuses to acknowledge it! I told her she wasn't (I lied because I want her to watch it) and instead told her that it's good to watch because it inspires a person to clean house. Sigh.

Tip to anyone that wants someone to help clean house, have them watch the show with you.

Hah!
It's two in the morning, I should be sleeping but I have been sucked into the Hoarders marathon on A&E! I decided to take a look at your blog and lookie what the topic is! Crazy!

My husband is very skilled at "Tetrisizing" (that's what we call it) tight spaces. We are crazy minimalists, but we live in 600 square feet and even minimalists have things that need to live behind closet doors.

okay, must go to sleep before the next episode starts.....

The story of my life, stuff. Drives me nuts. My favorite daydream is of the woman who pared her stuff down to 40 items.

And like Wendy (above) I've got Kids and Kids' Stuff. Talk about an avalanche. Put me down for a big "What She Said" because she said it so well.

Laurie, you inspire me. When I read about you struggling with stuff (any stuff, not just stuff stuff), you make me realize that I have the power to change my life.

Excuse me a moment; I have to go load the car with stuff to give to Goodwill. And get more trash bags, I'm gonna need them.

Thank you x 1000.

I couldn't even watch a show about that. I dealt with a mom that was a hoarder. Eventually she had to go to a home and I wouldn't wish dealing with that on anyone. Four huge dumpsters and the wreck left behind physically and emotionally. It's just stuff. I have a friend that is just the opposite. Every year I text her for her address for a Christmas card because everything she has is in a backpack. Not homeless, not poor. Just mobile. LOL. Don't wish to be either!
Have a cup of tea, appreciate the kits and release what is no longer a joy.
Thanks for the happiness you give in your posts.

Well said, Laurie. I love the show but can't help but wonder when my hoarding will kick in or if I, too, can keep it at bay.

Amazing timing, this! I just found an episode of "Hoarders" on the A&E web site last night (no TV). It was all I could do to sit through it before I jumped up and tidied a chest of drawers and a closet. My heart bleeds for the folks on the show, and I continue to weed out my own Stuff.

Hey Laurie - If you decide you're hoarding too much yarn, I just live over in Thousand Oaks and would be happy to swing by and take some off your hands! LOL!!

Wishing you much happiness in your new home.

We have a 3 month rule. If you haven't used it or touched it in 3 months you don't need it, so toss it already! Of course holiday stuff is excluded. It helps a ton with all the stuff my family and I seem to collect.

My husband and daughter are hoarders. They will keep every last little thing that comes into their life. I, on the other hand, will get rid of things in the blink of an eye. I have no problem letting things go. Of course, more times than not, I will look back and say "Oh...I wish I had kept that. Now I have to buy another one." But that's a completely different show, isn't it?

I totally hear you on this. I watched an episode of Hoarders and realized that I could have totally gone that way had one or two things changed in my life. I agree, some of it comes from the poor mentality. My dad and I are a lot alike...you could always reuse that piece of something, better to hold on to it. I caught myself the other day trying to save an envelope because it was heavy and by just slapping a label on it to cover up the old info it could totally be reused. I chose to throw it out instead.

Anyway, not sure where I was going with this other than, yes, it's not just you who recognizes that tendency.

I wish you all the luck and happiness in your new home! :)

Yep, yep, I too am obsessed with that show . . . it's a mixed feeling I get when I watch it: one one hand it makes me want to get rid of all my "stuff", but on the other hand it makes me feel virtuous that I don't live like that. Then on the third hand (hah), it makes me sad because I see this kind of tendency in some people close to me. And makes me scared because I don't want to become like that.

Ack, that's four hands; I better stop now.

So glad Bob is adjusting well! How about the rest of the tribe?

I would unpack my yarn first.
We all horde to some degree. The key is to not get overwhelmed by it all. I am constantly trying to get rid of stuff. It's a never ending task, much like laundry.

Geez...

this blog is regular therpy.. I am totally amazed at how many people feel the same way as I do...how come all of you aren't in my daily life?

Thank you Laurie....you must realize what an inspiration you are to so many people.

I look at your blog daily...it makes me feel normal.

Poverty definitely skews our relationship to stuff, but I'm beginning to learn that stuff isn't always abundance. Takes a long time to learn. Your insights are much appreciated, thanks.

I also have the poverty mentality. I try to declutter once or twice a year to keep it under control. We recently had a fire in one of the units in the apartment building in the middle of the night and had to evacuate in just a couple minutes. The only things I took were my cats, my wallet, my cellphone and my keys. If I had more time I might have grabbed a couple pieces of jewelry with sentimental value, some family pictures and a music box my grandparents gave me. Everything else I might miss but it could be replaced. Fortunatly it was just someones burnt dinner so I didn't lose anything. It did help to realize except for the cats it is just stuff. Some of it makes my life more comfortable and some of it is just there taking up space.

So very well said, Laurie. I want my parents to read this!

Often, the Stuff that we cling to represents who we are ... or, more realistically, the Who that we hoped we'd be. The Stuff was our hope for the future we wanted to have.

The place I moved into is not the place I want to be, but it's the place where I'll be staying. So much of what I moved so painstakingly, so expensively, turned out to have been ruined in the the time it spent between Here and There. I should have just walked out on 97% of it. I'd have saved myself a lot of money and more grief if I had.

Now I'm looking up prices for dumpsters. All that Hope, now going into the garbage, as inexpensively as possible; it's cost me enough already.

But there's a difference between 'hoarding' and having things that mean something to you. Yes, my life would be easier if I didn't have my grandma's dining room table and sideboard (and some of her dishes, too), but there's no way I would give it up. Those people with all that empty white space in their homes, with nothing on the coffee table? I suspect that some of them have pretty empty lives, too. They certainly don't have Bob behind their keyboards.

I left much "stuff" behind when we were moving a lot but we've been here now for 22 years. I've cleared out a few times but have become so lazy and depressed since becoming unemployed in March that clutter is everywhere. So, I've decided that this week I will declutter the bathroom closet and part of the basement. Now that I've declared it in public (sort of) I might actually do it. Especially since one trash bag has already been filled from the top two shelves in the bathroom closet :)

You're preaching to the choir here- Everybody say Amen! When I moved after twelve years in a small house shared with my daughter, I thought I had been so good at being uncluttered. Then I found out that I was just really good at organizing it. I had two yard sales and still gave away a couple of pickup truck loads to Salvation Army. I moved in with my boyfriend and he's a real pack rat, especially books and movies, but a lot of his is antique furniture, so it's not going anywhere anytime soon :(

Can you please come over and help me with my pantry and yarn room?

My mother used to live underneath a hoarder at her apartment complex. One day the lady's daughters came over and knocked on my mom's door to let her know they were parking a dumpster outside the window so they could literally toss this lady's stuff out the window and into the trash. They filled up two dumpster's worth of stuff. These were the HUGE, long dumpster's too, not just your typical dumpster.

I felt bad for the lady, but I was also concerned for my mother to be living under all that crap. Who knows what kind of mold or water damage could have been lurking under all the piles of stuff?

I've been hooked on this too. My first husband was a hoarder who wouldn't/couldn't admit the problem. No, the problem was me, entirely. I left him in large part because of the issue and his unwillingness to deal with it. And the problem got much worse after I left - goat trails everywhere, only a space big enough for his body on the bed, with books piled several feet high on the rest of it, almost all horizontal surfaces unusable because of all the stuff on it.

I felt no sympathy for him due to our history together, but I do have a lot of sympathy for the people on the show, especially those who are strong enough to begin to deal with the problem. So many of them are so troubled, and really need more than just someone to help them deal with the hoarding.

And yes, like a lot of you, I began cleaning like a madman after I watched the first episode!

I have a binge and purge mentality with my stuff. When I was married, my husband was often transferred, so that was my opportunity to purge. Then we lived 6 whole years in one house, and he chose to leave, taking only half of the books, music, and liquor cabinet. I was left with a huge basement of stuff, even gifts from his family. One year and 2 huge garage sales later, I moved, and I threw out a lot. It was so difficult to do, but so liberating at the same time. I still have more than I need. Some things have sentimental value, or just give me pleasure to look at, and that's okay. It's learning that some things were just "acquired", purchased with little forethought, and that's the stuff that can go.

I saw this show for the first time yesterday (Monday), and here you are writing about it! I got sucked into it during the mini-marathon. Scary! I have an urge to save old paper bills because I tell myself I'm going to shred them to protect my identity. The one shredder I had caught fire (ahem), so I occasionally have to just rip 'em up. Thank god for online billing.

You're preaching to the choir here- Everybody say Amen! When I moved after twelve years in a small house shared with my daughter, I thought I had been so good at being uncluttered. Then I found out that I was just really good at organizing it. I had two yard sales and still gave away a couple of pickup truck loads to Salvation Army. I moved in with my boyfriend and he's a real pack rat, especially books and movies, but a lot of his is antique furniture, so it's not going anywhere anytime soon :(

One month to finish unpacking may be slightly draconian. It sure would have been in my case: I twisted my knee right before moving, and had to pay people to pack and unpack for me, which entailed some compromises about where things went and just how.

Then I went and broke my arm. And then twisted my ankle. Got some more help and it's getting there, but after two months there are still these little islands of miscellaneous crap, and some whole corners that need to be completely redone, and I just can't deal with them yet. I have no choice but to be patient.

Someone once told me, to my horror, that books are junk. Know what? He was right. I have books I've been shlepping around for 30 years that I still haven't read and never will, and more books in boxes waiting for a spot on my limited shelf space. I've done one culling pass; need to do another and another, and get rid of the books I really, really don't need. (Craft books are completely exempted, regardless of vintage -- unless I just don't like them.)

Congratulations on your move! Congratulations on all your progress in recent years! And be patient with yourself. Nothing ever got healed with a whip.

Dare I send this to my mom?

For sure, you will not end up that way. I was watching a couple of reruns of Hoarders last night(actually, I had to switch when the food hoarder was on,yuck). One thing that seems significant about all of these people is that they have no insight into the magnitude of their problem. You, like me, are aware that you have hoarding tendencies. I was blown away by one woman on the show last night, who was on the verge of being kicked out of her home because of the mess, who insisted "I am not a hoarder." Unbelievable.

That show is a little like watching a car wreck, and sometimes I look over my shoulder, wondering when the car will hit ME.

I come from a family of pack rats (read:hoarders). Cleaning out my dad's house took about three years after his death, and now going through my mom's house may take just as long. They were both children of the Depression, and could never throw anything away. Add to that compulsive shopping on a grand scale. My sisters' house is down to the squeeze-by walkway and no bare horizontal surfaces.
My husband also comes with that pack-rat mentality from his family.

I watch shows like Hoarders and Clean House and think there is no way on earth that that will ever be me. We will be moving this year into our dream house, and I have already gotten rid of a truck load of junk we didn't need. No way will I be moving anything that I consider junk, or that we don't need. That's not the life I want to lead, nor the legacy I want to leave my kids.

Yesterday I went shopping for new work/life clothes. I got three pairs of jeans, a pair of pants, a dress, a few tops, bras, and a purse. But I knew my closet was full when I bought everything. I *planned* on cleaning it out when I got home, but then I got lazy. Later that night, I caught "Hoarding" for the first time.

WHAT MOTIVATION! Goodwill is getting four bags of clothes today! I removed more clothes than I bought. I love it.

If anyone has ever watched HGTV's "House Hunters-International," you know that people in Europe and other parts of the world live in much smaller homes than people in the U.S. No wonder we have so much stuff. Nature abhors a vacumn and we fill up the space around us rather than just enjoying breathing in all that space. And what is it about our culture that tells us to want more, more, more. No wonder so many of our suburbs are former farm fields that are now sprouting McMansions.

I love watching organizing shows like "Clean Sweep" that deal with cleaning out "clutter" and cleaning and organizing. However, "Hoarders" might be too depressing for me to watch. After we took my 90-some-year-old father-in-law to live with my husband's sister in another state 3-1/2 years ago, my husband started to clean out his dad's basement. The rest of the house (a duplex) looked great but the basement was packed floor-to-ceiling, and wall-to-wall with one tiny path through all the stuff. After one year of working there every weekend, my husband finally called in the professionals. Four guys carried out everything that my husband sorted out as "junk" and carried it outside to a 20' truck. It took 7 truckloads to clear out the basement, garage (again packed to the gills like a giant puzzle), the storage shed, and the attic (not to mention the second floor of the duplex where my brother-in-law had died 10 years before and which our nephews had left full of stuff after carting off what they wanted). The junk guys said it was one of their top ten worse jobs. There might have been things of value in the basement, but unfortunately because of the condition they were kept in and water damage, these things were ruined.

While the junk removal was going on, my husband and his other sister also went through the living quarters and dealt with with all the furniture, clothes, books, mementoes. Anything that no one wanted but had value, I sold in a rummage sale or donated to Goodwill. We shipped some furniture items to the sister that Dad was now living with, but, because he had dementia, he didn't even recognize them or remember he even had a house. Once the house was cleaned out, my sister-in-law (who had power of attorney) sold the house. Earlier this year, my father-in-law died just shy of his 95th birthday. When we gathered for the funeral we were so happy that we did not have the problem of cleaning out the house hanging over our heads. The only things my husband has to deal with in settling the estate are financial assets in the bank.

During the 18 months that we dealt with cleaning out the house, my husband and I and his sister and her husband, would go home from there with a strong urge to get rid of stuff. I completely decluttered our house, going through every drawer, cupboard, and closet. I had a huge rummage sale (too much work, now I just give things to Goodwill and take the tax write off). It's always a work in progress, however. The more you get rid of, the more you realize that stuff weighs you down and you don't need it to have a happy and fulfilling life. All it does is hold you back. I take a pass through my bookshelves at least twice a year and donate to my local library books that I previously thought I had to keep. After being in our house 20 years, I now ask myself, "When you buy a new house, will you really want to move this?" If not, I get rid of it. It's not easy, it's time consuming, and the basement needs to be cleaned out on a regular basis. However, if not now, then when?

I would urge everyone to clean out your stuff. Free yourself and your children. Don't leave behind a mess for your loved ones to clean up.

Barb (from Wisconsin)

I SO know that you mean about fighting that urge to hoard. I had the same realization about my urges after watching the same episode. It's amazing how one show can make us look at ourselves in a different light...

http://www.accidentalolympian.com/the-accidental-olympian/2009/08/hoarders.html

OK, that's just plain freaky. I cleaned out the top half of my fridge last night (right down to washing the shelves in lukewarm soapy water), and Hoarders is my only program left on my DVR.

I inherited my grandmother's WWII mentality towards food. I can't throw it away and keep on a hand a couple of kilos of sugar, flour and magarine. This means I have become an expert at creating from leftovers and my mother always borrows from me when she runs out. But I am quite organised so I use stuff in rotation and immediately rebuy.

I suffer from Poverty mentality because although I've never starved I've never had quite enough to buy what I need. Most of my clothes are second hand and everyone passes their books on to me.

I can budget for every day but when my son had to have the Grim Reaper (don't ask!) as his fancy dresss costume I couldn't afford either a readymade costume or the fabric to make one. Luckily a month previous I'd had last minute regret about throwing out 3metres of black lining fabric that I hadn't touched in 10 years.

In addition I'm a bookkeeper so legally I have to keep a whole load of paperwork for 7 years!

Lately I have been kinder on myself - not wearing 'that shirt' I really don't like or knitting with recycled yarn I hate. Goodwill have done well out of me.

But I'll never get rid of my antique glasses or my stuffed animals. I gave away so much (not all without regret) when I moved country. What I have left has already travelled 3,000 miles with me and if nobody else wants it they can buried me with it like an Egyptian Pharoah!

Now that you have more space be very careful, space is a vacuum, before you know it you will have closets and cupboards stuffed full again. I don't know how it happens, it happens even while you're hauling stuff to the goodwill, but it happens.

Now that you have more space be very careful, space is a vacuum, before you know it you will have closets and cupboards stuffed full again. I don't know how it happens, it happens even while you're hauling stuff to the goodwill, but it happens.

As a former milbrat, I struggle with packrat syndrome, mostly because as a kid, the way you dealt with stuff was editing when you moved every year or two. The problem comes when that's the way you grew up and then you stop moving. So for the last 5 years, I have been slowly reforming myself. The first lesson I learned was that cunning little (and big) containers was just another thing to packrat and that just owning organizational supplies is not enough. The second lesson was that I could let go of some of my books. The third one that I am learning now is that I can sell my new china to make room for Mom's - but I can't keep both.
I do call The Container Store and those organization magazines "NeatPorn" ... itt's too easy to be seduced by the spare neatness of their ads and articles and start believing that if you bought their stuff (more stuff!) you will somehow get a neat gene spliced into your DNA ...

Congratulations! We've got a move coming up but have not had signs to light the fire. Can you say ambivalent? So great to hear the cats are adjusting within a week--you know you did the right thing when even the felines approve.

Stuff--we won't talk about that. Suffice it to say college and grad school were great because I moved often (like twice a year). We've been here almost 13 years...

I also came from a poor background and what has helped me was learning to feel there is enough. Enough stuff, food, love, whatever.

Now days though, I feel like there isn't enough time. Sometimes when I'm tempted to buy yarn or a magazine I realize it's because I want fun and that takes time, not stuff.

Ah yes, Hoarders. I have to say that I have also been watching that show. It is one of those shows where you can say, "It is loathsome, yet I cannot look away." I just want to go and clean things out in the basement after I watch it. I have too much stuff and we are trying to pare it all down in anticipation of a move. Where did all this stuff come from?

This post really resonated with me. You put it down in terms that I couldn't have. I grew up with very little, and its so hard not to cling onto every little thing that comes my way. My mom still has issues with it, but she's gotten better. Sometimes the hardest part is just saying "No, thank you" when people try to give you stuff you don't want or need.

I saw that show last night. OMG! It had the same effect on me... made me wanna go thru everything and thoroughly clean! The best, yet worst way to get rid of clutter....have a house fire. I did four years ago. Daughter and I went to a military base four hrs from home to welcome my husband back from Iraq. That night, we got a call from his halfbrother, saying our house was on fire! I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! The structure was still sound...but it had to be gutted...new tile floors and wood floors...demolished. Oak stairs, trim, windows, sheet rock...ruined. New bedroom furniture...ruined. ALL the clothing and daughter's toys and books, and son's taxidermy work (stuffed ducks, birds,fish..which are not replaceable) all ruined. Only thing that did survive was most of my family pix...they were stored in rubbermaid tubs. To this day I don't know how they survived without the tub melting. We only had the clothes on our backs. I figured that the man upstairs was saying I had too much clutter in my life...physical and emotional. And this was his way of taking care of it for me. We have "stuff" now, but I don't take things for granted anymore. And human and animal lives are so much more important than stuff.

I, too, am addicted to that show. Even though sometimes I have to cover my eyes.

I think it's human nature to expand our "stuff" to fit where we live, so you shouldn't be too hard on yourself.

We are just beginning the process of a complete kitchen, laundry, and bathroom(s) remodel. We packed stuff this weekend and it was amazing the things I found we had. We had fun sorting it out and giving it to the kids who have recently moved into their first home, donating to charity, or throwing away. So cathartic.

when you find that middle space, will you draw me a map? i have been pondering this subject a lot lately. i came to canada for a three months visit and it has now been 2 years. all my "stuff" is in storage in L.A., and i miss some of it, but would be happy to have a lot of it just disappear ... decisions, decisions ... i look forward to pics when all the stuff you decide to keep is in its place!

Congrats on the move! The Hoarders episode with the woman who saves food made me cry. I also have way, way too much stuff I can't seem to part with but I'm trying very hard to start paring down AND not continue to acquire things I really don't need.

L LOVE YOUR BLOG!!! Sometimes I can't read your post if I don't have much time but I always go back with a cup of tea and read later. I have gotten goosebumps so many times. Love reading your thoughts about clutter. You express exactly all the feelings I have surrounding my stuff. I couldn't be happier for you that you've found a new place and the cats are happy there. Oh how I look forward to reading about your new adventures.

First of all, I think it takes a year to move. Yes, all the boxes are in within a few days and all the dishes are in the cupboard. But it usually takes my stuff about a year to find where it truly belongs. Pictures and such need time to settle. So you're off the hook for getting it all squared away. At least with me anyway.

Hoarding...that's a tricky one. Since my family actually was homeless when I was in middle school, I find myself hoarding all the time. I have to make a conscious effort to NOT hold onto things. I'm waaaaay better than I was. But the impulse is always there. The biggest thing that helped me was that I moved from the lower 48 to Alaska. I sold almost everything I owned. Only a few precious things made their way up here with me. (Yes, in the end I decided to take the children.)

So there you have it. The way to end hoarding is to move to Alaska!

I've been watching that show, too, Laurie. I also worry that I might get that way some day as I have the signs. So, lately, I've been trying more and more to get rid of things I don't use. It's very scary to think that people can become so mentally ill about collecting useless stuff. The show about the cat couple last night was so sad. They loved the cats so much yet so many were found dead in the piles of junk everywhere. It made me cry.

Sammie

OMG! I'm addicted to that show now too and was seriously ticked off last night cause we had storms in the area and the satellite kept disconnecting.

Last night after watching the show I sat down and went through my *ahem* underthings. I have more knee high stockings then I can use for the next six months....how on earth did that happen?

I came over here to Virginia in January with 2 suitcases and 2 carryons. I have accumulated wayyyyy more than that since then. I have to move back home again in February...sooo not looking forward to that. So I am slowly going through everything and they're getting chucked or packed up for posting home.

We are not our stuff.

Could you please say that a few hundred more times so I internalize it? You might have to regress me back to early childhood first. I am a born pack rat (and we were never poor, but I switched mothers twice willy-nilly, so maybe that has something to do with it), and so is my husband, and since with both have the gene in spades, redoubled, of course our daughter has it too. "You save too much, Lucia," my cleaning lady (yes, we have a cleaning lady, otherwise our stuff would just pile up all over the place until we couldn't even move) has been known to sigh, and she's been known to pack stuff up and throw it out, only it's always the wrong stuff. But I am trying to declutter, slowly. And to finish all the knitting projects just sitting there reproachfully, each in its bag.

There I go again. Never mind. Welcome home! I hope the cats totally relax soon. Well, as much as Soba ever relaxes. (When we moved into our current house the dishwasher had a space under it maybe two and a half inches high, and when feeling seriously threatened, like a dog was visiting, Ed would flatten himself and slide in there. It must have been bigger in back, because he'd stay in there for hours sometimes. But watching him turn into Flat Cat was quite an amazing thing.)

I think I saw that same episode of Hoarders and had the same reaction. I did my microwave and bathroom too!

When I first moved to this state my grandparents graciously let me live in their vacation home. It ended up suffocating me with all its stuff. Not only had this home accumulated its own stuff over 40 years but when my grandparents moved to a retirement home they moved a lot of their stuff into that house and when my Aunt moved overseas she moved a lot of her stuff there too.

It was so impossible to live there I would have these "fits" where I couldn't stand it anymore and I would pull everything out and get rid of it. It was really traumatizing for my grandparents even though they didn't even remember what was there anymore.

Since then, my philosophy is, "would I feel bad if I lost it in a fire?" If so, then I keep it. If not, It needs to serve a valuable purpose or it goes.

Just talking about it makes me want to run home and clean stuff out!

Great post Laurie!

Also some great and eye opening comments!

I just read this - and then the post on smallnotebook.org - the universe is telling me to go sort through all the stuff I have piled up in the spare room! Good luck with yours!

Hope you're very happy in your new home! Can't wait to see pics. I would love to get into a townhome type so I can have the stairs for exercise. Someone else mentioned your little bookcase under the window. I've always like that, too!

Now, Bob seems to be adjusting. What about Soba and Frankie? I know pics will be forthcoming!!

When I moved last year, I got rid of what felt like a lot. And I really didn't add a lot in the past year... However, when I moved again, I felt like I still had a ton of stuff. When I move this next time, I'm definitely going to be paring down a lot more.

Thanks for this post! Good to always hear that we are definitely not our stuff!

I just did some de-cluttering.

I had some plastic totes that I had bought to put yarn in...they were full, but not of yarn. I just went thru two totes and threw away all the junk (plastic bags, non-crochet/knitting magazines, other assorted odds and ends) and then filled them up with the skeins of new yarn I've acquired in the past few months.

Then I did half of both my computer hutches. Basically I cleaned off the keyboard trays. One of the computers I havent used in awhile because the wifi card on it died. The keyboard try got so cluttered, I couldnt see the keyboard. I got tired, and now I need to find another tote for the yarn that's in the lower half of one of the desks. So, I stopped for awhile.

I'm going to go get some paper bags later, and get my scrap yarn out, and go thru all of that and donate or throw out most of it. (It's all Red Heart, and a lot of it isnt in the greatest shape) I keep meaning to crochet blankets for the Nebraska Humane Society, but I havent done it yet, so I might as well donate it to people who might use it for something. Some of it will be saved to go into a scrap afghan I started last month, but probably only a small amount.

All that scrap is in zipper totes that I've collected whenever we buy new pillows or comforters or dog beds. I'm keeping the zipper totes, but I dont want to fill them all up again for a long while.

I think my goal is to get my yarn stash down to maybe 3 or 4 plastic Rubbermaid totes, instead of the 10 or 12 zipper totes of varying sizes, and the more than 10 Rubbermaid totes in the store room.

Someone here in town will be getting a ton of scrap yarn, my only problem is deciding who to offer it to, or if I should just throw it away. (full skeins will probably be saved)

I am a bit of a pack rat, though I'm trying to get better. I am better about getting rid of things when moving time comes around...which was great during college and the year after, but now I've been in the same place for 2 years and I'm realizing how much STUFF I have hoarded. The boyfriend is moving in right now, so that has motivated me to get rid of things - but it's not easy!

Hoarders freaked me out - I found that episode with the rotten food hard to stomach. Oof. It definitely made me want to get rid of things though, so maybe I should watch it more often!

Laurie,
I am glad to hear that the cats are settling in. As a military wife I moved several times and it does take a while to get settled.

Your post couldn't have been more timely. A couple of weeks ago I visited my mom and she had an entire room filled with stuff she couldn't part with packed into rubbermaid bins stacked on top of each other. When I visit her I open the cabinets and they are so full it is difficult to get a glass. This seems to be a cycle in our family because my grandmother was even worse than mom and I too have a lot of assorted stuff.

I have been trying to figure out what empty spot I am trying to fill with mere things. Reading your post and the comments was a lightbulb moment for me. The poverty mindset is not necessarily about material things but can just as easily be about the intangibles such as love, a sense of security, and as one commenter mentioned our hopes and dreams.

I am finally starting to realize that if I do let go of some of the clutter in my life I may finally have room for the things that really matter.

Once again, thanks for letting us all know that we're not alone.

There is a whole show on hoarders? I have to check this out! I come from a long line of pack rats and I vow never to become one. In fact I just had a huge yard sale over the weekend. Anything that I hadn't put to good use since we moved in here went away. We are not our stuff.

For those of us who have struggled with "stuff" and our relationship with it, I recommend Sarah Bird's novel "The Mommy Club." While the novel is directly about the protagonist's pregnancy and how it changes her feelings and opinions about practically everything, the character is also someone who needs to be weighted down with objects because she feels that otherwise she might just float away.

Also -- forgive the very strange juxtaposition -- Susan Sontag's "The Volcana Lover," another book with multiple themes, helped me see acquisitiveness as an expression of grief. We gather up things to make up for other losses in our lives and out of a distrust that we'll have what we need emotionally when we need it.

Contratulations on the move, glad you and the kittys are getting settled. Enjoy your posts on your decluttering journey - it can be quite the ride, can't it?

We moved several years ago, I clearly remember saying (out loud, to other people) that "I will be going thru things before we move, I don't want to pack a bunch of stuff I don't want." Well, lets just say that didn't happen, altho I did to a clean-out about a year after we moved. And our poor kitty was so upset, he began hyperventilating. As far as cleaning out the Dear Sweet Child's stuff, I tried to keep him involved - for him, the magic phrase was "make room for new stuff".

How long has the Hoarders show been on??? I too found it by accident last night....The one that got to me was the 21 year old who somehow got to believing that if he threw away the dog hair, he was killing his dog, and was threatening suicide. I really hope he does OK, perhaps since he wasn't in denial about the situation he will....I wish these shows would go back 6 months or a year later and give an update, even just a recap of the original show, and a short bit on how they are doing.

anyway - keep us updated on your cleanouts, it really does provide some things to think about.

My mother died in July ... she had become a terrible hoarder as she aged. Not a gross one, she was a neat freak, but she would buy stuff like crazy, then never, ever use it. Getting rid of it has been one hell of a chore for me and my 79 year-old father. It's a pretty crappy job to leave behind for your loved ones when they're trying to grieve.

And don't forget about all the stuff that belongs to the cats! If your house is anything like ours, you found about 3 grocery bags full of cat toys when you moved your furniture. : ) Enjoy the new place, and thank you for all you've shared in this online diary in the past 5 years.

wow, comments are back! that is great- I had gotten sucked into facebook...
congrats on the move and the gorgeous sweaters! they are beautiful.
and even thought our circumstances aren'tthe same, I have enjoyed reading, and I love reading the comments, please don't delete!

I have a hard time deciding what I am keeping because of loving and/or memories. I will always have the memories, so I don't need the clutter. Good luck on getting all the unpacking done!

These comments are so funny! I love reading them.

I have been watching "Hoarders" too! I felt so sad for those people, especially the woman with all the rotten food! And I, too, have found myself going through my stuff and re-assessing. (I used to watch "Clean Sweep" with the same idea!)
I know moving can be a pain, but your new pad sounds wonderful! Hang in there!

I have often said that I missed the hoarding gene by one tiny bit of DNA. But along with the poverty mentality, it is also, for me, similar to the whole food thing. I think that this new purchase will fill the whole, and am the same way about food. But it is too much, and I have no clue what to do about it or where to start. But, truly, what I want more than anything, is a sweet little place to live, with enough clutter for comfort, but still manageable. It will be a while.

I can not watch that show. It brings back far to many memories of my childhood. My Mom had a hoarding problem. It probably was an early sign of her dementia.

It played a part in my isolation and family issues. It just hurts to much to watch it.

Laurie,
I love this post. Decluttering is one of my favorite activities. Every June, my daughter and I hold our Annual Dumpster Days. She comes back from college and helps me get rid of all the stuff we gathered over the years. We rip up old carpet, etc. I love doing this. Always feel so renewed.
I read the following somewhere but don't remember where? (Maybe your blog??) Questions to ask yourself before you buy something:
1. What will it cost me initially?
2. What will it cost me to keep? (Money-wise, energy, time, etc.)
3. What's the end-game? How will I get rid of it when I'm done with it?
If the answers to any of those questions are unacceptable, then the purchase won't work.
Love the blog.

Great post, as many others have already commented! I've been working on gearing up for a garage sale this weekend, only the second one I've ever had. Part of the impetus for this is that my husband mentioned having one, and when he even mentions getting rid of stuff, it's important to seize that moment! Having been brought up as a clergy kid (7 kids in the family), money was in pretty short supply, so I think I have a tendency to not be objective about getting rid of stuff, but what has helped me when I've sorted out stuff to take to Goodwill is the thought that maybe there's someone who would appreciate or use this thing more than I do. That was a helpful remark for my husband when I finally convinced him to get rid of his father's clothes two years ago - 15 years after his father died. Keeping them in a closet just to keep them, when someone who actually wore size 13 1/2 shoes (not his size) might get some good use out of them, did spur him to move them on. (I think he also secretly liked having more room in the closet.)

I sometimes think, too, that if you're going to keep something, it should be because it makes you feel good instead of reminding you of something bad.

I haven't seen that show - I guess I'll have to check it out!

Thanks for a great blog - I really enjoy checking in on it and admire you for all the great stuff you've accomplished over the past few years - what a role model!

My MIL is a compulsive shopper and a hoarder. I have not been in her house for 8 years. It's at crisis level. I don't think there's hope.

I Have been watching Hoarders too! It has only been on two weeks and today I took 3 boxes of stuff to Goodwill. It has scared me as i KNOW I have hoarding tendacies that could explode at any minute. I was raised in a family that threw stuff away, I have almost nothing from my childhood (only one stuffed animal and a watercolor paint box which I hoarded...). So I always swung the oposite way and I likeed to save everything, ticket stubs, flyers from HS plays, you name it! Drove my Mom mad!

But now I try to remember my lean years when I first moved out and I had nothing and would cry myself to sleep because I was hungry. I remember how thrilled I was to go to Goodwill or Salvation army and find plates and cups and pots and pans. Now when I have a hard time paring down I tell myself that there is someone out there, starting out, and they will LOVE those pots and pans and knick-Knacks and by me keeping them hidden in a box for "someday" I am keeping them away from someone who needs them. That helps me when I need some extra umph to clear out my things.

Gadooks! I have an identical twin. Except part of mine is that I grew up in the Great Depression and had this hoard stuff preached to me day and night. Good luck.....to both of us.

Gadooks! I have an identical twin. Except part of mine is that I grew up in the Great Depression and had this hoard stuff preached to me day and night. Good luck.....to both of us.

Yarn stash couldnt possibly be considered HOARDING !!..
so I hope there are no culling plans for yarn :)

I found a website to share with everyone. Laurie, I know you love to swear in Spanish. http://swearindf.blogspot.com/

I find helpful words and phrases there. My swearing has definitely improved. ;-)

Oh, you've done so good at getting rid of stuff! I remember waaaaay back when, the garage sales and the purging, and it's been inspiring. I fight it. And I probably learned it from both of my parents, who were of the poverty mentality. And I worry about what it's forcing upon them, being surrounded by all this stuff. But I also recognize that it's not my job to fix it! Sigh...
Just a few days ago, I told someone that I want to use the stuff I have, not to feel used by my stuff, if that makes sense. I want to have what I need and not buy "stuff" in bulk, and not feel overwhelmed when I use something up. But books you like/love are keepers :)

"Poverty Mentality" - what a great phrase. My parents grew up in the Great Depression and you should have seen that house when we had to clean it out. And I was just as bad until my horrible year when I went bankrupt and moved from a 2 bedroom house to one room in somebody's attic. Recently moved into a one bedroom and am STILL dealing with boxes. Laurie, your post inspires me to just throw stuff out.

PS. My love to Bob.

My hoarding is books (feels sacrilegious to throw out books) and yarn. Sometimes though like when I have to dust, all those books and that huge corner of yarn get on my nerves! Better organization and decluttering may have to get done someday. I don't want to end up on a show!

I used to have the same, almost superstitious aversion to disposing of books; it felt as if it were disposing of the author as well. I came to realize that if I truly want to keep the author alive, I should pass along the books so that they would continue to be read. This has been benefited libraries, charities, readers, authors, in addition to my slightly neurotic conscience.

I just discovered "Hoarders", too. That show is fascinating and horrifying.

I watch in online and so also discovered one of the strangest little shows ever- "Parking Wars"- only watched a couple of episodes but I just can't wrap my mind around how this got to be a TV show. Makes me laugh.

You really hit home with this! I was fabulous at Tetris, too, and seem to be applying it to my living space as well.

After reading a lot about my messiness, I found something that finally clicked. Somewhere I read that holding onto things and being messy is COMFORT! My coffee table is piled up with stuff, but when I knit, I can reach over and pull out a stitch marker when I need one. My scissors are at hand. A sock needle is within reach. That really IS comforting. And convenient!

I'm SO glad you got the comments fixed! And I'm amazed all over again at the volume of comments you get!

amen, siter!!! no more stuff!

Congratulations on the big move! It sounds wonderful, and the gift of time (45min x 2!) might be the best part of all. Think of the knitting you can do, ha! ha!

The problem with a disease like hoarding is that matter of balance, like with over eating. You need to eat, you need items in your space for food preparation, wearing, cleaning etc. but it's how to define the line of reasonable versus an insane amount. You've got it when you say that poor people have a different filter.

I too have a small space, and don't want to clutter it up. It's a constant battle to let go of stuff. But you are so right - it's a pretty upscale problem to have, to be able to buy too much.

We have been in our house over 11 years now and the cupboard doors are starting to bulge like they're going to burst open and all the crap is going to surge out and bury us. So I know exactly what you mean. I have done a tiny little bit of purging and organizing. Did all my kitchen drawers one day -- took about 6 hours. Exhuasting!

This post really resonated with me--I too go through cycles where I buy and buy and buy, and then feel physically oppressed by all my stuff.
I too grew up in a poor family and know all too well the mentality that "THOU SHALT NOT WASTE" and the fear that if I threw anything away I wouldn't a) have it when I needed it or b) ever get it again. I also get sentimentally attached to stuff--I want a tangible expression of that occasion, that person, or that place.
Its good to know that there are others out there who don't think my 'line' is crazy, and who struggle between the need for open and clean and comforted by having. I wish you all the best in your new place--I can't wait to see pictures!

I'm so glad you have re-enabled the comments. It probably isn't much, but I like it.

I'm a hoarder to a degree, but not to food after it goes bad..OH NO. I watched part of that first show and couldn't deal with it...and haven't been back. Maybe sometime I will. It is like watching a train wreck..I just can't look away. From time to time we watch the biggest loser and heck I think they are looking for the biggest person who can still walk to be on that show. Each time they single one out and tell them they are the heaviest ever to be weighed in.

Anyway, I will continue to keep a couple of spare ramen noodles and some stuff like that for the appocalypse, but right now it is clothes that have me down. When I quit smoking the weight came from all directions to glom onto me. After that weird experience of rapid weight gain I found out I have rheumatoid arthritis and so here is some prednisone to take. Hopefully soon I can start working out again and get back into some of that stuff. I gather up the stuff I know I won't get back into before it is totally out of style and donate it to a charity.

welcome home, Laurie! I really enjoy your blog of continuing adventures!

"Only some people understand what poverty mentality does to you; People who grew up poor have a different filter."

I love you. I'm beginning to write about this mentality on my blog as well since my family and I are looking to move out of one of the wealthiest cities in America.

Laurie, I am linking to you in my 30 Lovely Blogs-post, because your blog makes me happy.

http://wp.me/pmUOD-yE

I'm in the same boat as LaBellaDonna above. My house would be completely different if I didn't feel responsibility, and love, for the family things I have. I love them dearly, but they wouldn't be what I'd choose necessarily. :) We're packing to move, and I'm looking at my collections of things, and giving some of them away, and keeping others. I'm going to unpack and think of what you've said, that we are not our things. Good thing to think about. Thanks!

I enjoyed this show too.
It reminds me of one of my already favorites,
"How Clean is Your House?". It comes on BBC, and I just love it. Although the newer ones they have been showing are set in the U.S. Its hard to make newer homes look as dirty as some of those British homes :)

That is something I would have done. That show is a great way to help someone not become a horder...