My First Sign that I was A Hoarder! My Ever Expanding List of Collections...

My First Sign that I was A Hoarder!  My Ever Expanding list of Collections!

It wasn't enough that I have one room full of boxes to the ceiling flowing into a second one.  It wasn't enough that all my storage furniture is stuffed to the brink and I don't know what's in most of them.  It wasn't enough that even my long bed truck with extra cab is full to the extent that I have no idea what is in there either.  It wasn't enough that every 5-10 years I purge my hoard vowing I will never let it happen again.  It wasn't enough that this was my upteenth hoard collection!  None of that was enough for me to recognize that maybe, just maybe I am an "out of control" hoard collector!

One day in June 2012 as I was about to start VintageToGoetsy, out of the blue, I started to make a list of my collections:

I got to 66 and I'm still adding:

1. storage furniture and containers
2. trinket boxes
3. any and all boxes with cool graphics, woven baskets, gift boxes, hat boxes, jewelry boxes, vintage metal boxes, over the counter med boxes, esp. band aid boxes, reusable plastic boxes, clear boxes, cigar boxes, Japanese wooden boxes, paper boxes, origami paper boxes
4. perfume bottles, my childhood miniature samples moved on to most of my old perfume bottles
5. rocks: souvenir rocks, rocks collected from my childhood, vacations, fossil, petrified woods, hikes, camping trips
6. shells:  from childhood, vacations, teacher resources, from family members working at Disneyland in the 50s.
7. stamps:  from my Uncle's stamp collection from when he was a kid to mine up to my teenage years and still now, but plates of stamps
8. stickers:  tons of stickers, esp. Sanrio's choco cat, teaching stickers
9. coins: from my childhood collection
10. washi tape
11. fabric:  jeans for quilting, japanese fabrics, linens, old shirts, fav. old clothes
12. charms, mostly sterling silver and 14k gold, some plastic
13. milagros
14. religious charms
15. Native American jewelry:  mostly bracelets, some fetish necklaces, rings and barrettes
16. crosses:  all kinds, but mostly sterling silver 
17. Mexican Folk Art
18. Religious Folk Art
19. Religious Mexican Folk Art
20. stackable rings
21. watches
22. postcards
23. baskets, especially Japanese baskets, as carry all for entryway, dining room table, desk organizers
24. match boxes
25. match books
26. match covers
27. books,
28. socks
29. shoes
30. stationery: esp. Japanese stationery from the 70s on
31. bargains:  all the way to real estate investing
32. pens
33. pencils
34. tea sets
35. stuffed animals
36. miniatures
37. vintage clothing
38. tansu furniture
39. Japanese vintage
40. kimonos
41. beads
42. trays
43. teapots
44. coffee mugs
45. Antiques: perfume bottles, bottles, jewelry, purses, clothes
46. origami paper
47. planters
48. Bauer
49. shot glasses
50. plate sets: Vernon Kilns, Room Service, Azurite Blue Charm, Cafe and Restaurantware, Russel Wright, snack plates, Mid Winter Roselle,
51. photo frames
52. journals
53. pin cushions
54. candles
55. candle holders
56. coasters
57. side tables
58. fans
59. fortune cookie fortunes
60. magazine subscription
61. bubble gum wrappers
62. bubble gum boxes
63. Cute as Hell
64. Wash Away your Sins
65. stick pins
66. charm bracelets
67. postal stamp leftover

About a month later, I read this etsy article, Otaku Spaces:  When Collecting Becomes an Obsession.  Here are the first two sentences:

 "Some say that once you acquire three of any one thing, its a collection. But what if that collection consumes an entire room?"  --Chappell Ellison

I couldn't get past the first two sentences without becoming overwhelmed and returned to my list!

67. handwritten and/or typed recipe card

68. embroidered linen

69.  embroidery floss
70.  buttons:  mostly shell, some Bakelite, rhinestone, glass
71.  seeds
72.  mother of pearl/mop jewelry
73.  jewelry from India
74.  bowls
75.  refrigerator glass
76.  purses
77.  shadow box nichos
78.  enamelware
79.  novelty items
80.  sewing patterns
81.  vases
82.  measuring cups
83.  vintage baking ware
84.  glasbake square cups
85.  drinking glasses: mostly vintage, etched, novelty, cartoon
86.  lamps
87.  glass door knobs
88.  incense burners
89.  belt buckles
90.  Louis Vuitton anything
91.  collage paper
92.  Russian Religious Art
93.  quilts
94.  Missing Children news
95.  David sunflower seed wrappers
96.  Haagan Daz mini ice-cream sticks

Updated and counting on 19 November 2012
97.  Embroidery Hoops, which stems from collecting enough to provide for a classroom of 20-30 students
98.  Pyrex glass lab ware
99.  Red paper honeycom lanterns for Chinese New Year classroom decor
100.  inside and outside candle lanterns
101.  old and new receipts
102.  bird cages
103.  vintage furs
104.  various types of incense from around the world:  cone, stick, ash, charcoal and pellet
105.  desk organizers:  for a classroom teacher, student teacher childhood play, craft, bills, etc

Update 21January21013  inspired when looking for fortune slips and finding the blog, Being Shelley, which triggered my memory from her collections of some more things I collect:  Thank you Shelley for sharing your unique collections.  I'm not the only one!

106.  gift wrap: vintage and new
107.  Pellegrino caps
108.  Godiva chocolate boxes- love all the little boxed separators
109.  vending machine capsules
110.  vending machine toys
111.  dime store toys
112.  mini pencils or pencil stubs or stubbies as we called them from back in the day
113.  SPAM cans
114.  berry containers
115.  ticket stubs of all types, entry stickers, movie tickets and parking stubs
116.  rubber bands and one large rubber band ball
117.  newspaper ties, twistie ties from vegetables and plastic closures from plastic bags
118.  netted fruit bags
119.  old keys and not so old keys
120.  sequins
121.  cards:  note cards, letters, game cards
122.  tissue paper, especially vintage white because it has more cotton in it?  The old stuff dyes better


10 November 2012:  I tried to read the Otaku article, but couldn't.

What I learned:

1.  For some reason making and seeing a list of my collections had more impact than a room full of boxes piled to the ceiling.   I have no idea why, but thank my lucky stars that something started me on this exciting adventure!

2.  My hoarding issues are more extensive than I originally thought. The list is telling enough and as I come across lost items found again, it continues to grow.

3.  The list is just the tip of the iceberg.   As I post and part with  each item, I become even more aware of the amount in each collection!  The amounts devastate me!  For example, my Native American Jewelry collection, I thought it consisted of maybe 10 items, but I've already lost count.  

I just counted them  on HoarderRehab! I have 33 pieces!  with 18 still listed!   And I know I still have more in draft to list and more to find in unopened boxes and storage furniture!

4.  Hoarder Desperation:  If three things of any one thing is a collection and I have no clue of how many collections I have started or how many items are in each collection, let alone what I have already listed and no idea of the amount in each collection....the thoughts become overwhelming!

5.  Hoarder Inspiration:  At least I don't have any one collection that fills up one whole room!

Parting Thoughts:  I am very curious about how you felt when you read the etsy Otaku article.  I am even more curious about anyone's list of collections.  How long is it?  What do you collect?

Thank you for taking part in my HoarderRehab!