Originally written October 29, 2012, revised, Dec.13, 2012
I think Hoarding might be the biggest national secret since obesity and the next American epidemic to be discovered! At least in my neighborhood!
Maybe it's because I'm no longer deep in hoarder denial and my rose colored glasses have been put away, but now, I see my fellow hoarders all over the place.
(Rose colored glasses from OceanSwept on etsy)
I never really wondered about it, until I finally admitted to myself that I was a full blown touched in the head hoarder! Not a maybe hoarder, sometimes hoarder, vintage antique dealer, an overzealous collector, keeper of family history, but a my name is Kennedy and I am a hoarder hoarder!
Has this new admittance given me hoarder vision?
Once my neighbor said, when I organize my house, I'll invite you over for some guava pie. Another guava season has passed and in that time, I've noticed no one goes into their house. Other neighbors and visitors just come and talk at the bottom of the steps or the door. Do you think?
When I take walks, I love looking into other people's houses! After dinner walks are especially nice, since the extra incentive is I can see even better into houses! I used to get so many home decor ideas from these walks, but around here I don't get to see much but yards and overstuffed garages. Maybe that's why I don't take walks anymore.
Is this why almost everyone in my neighborhood keeps their window's covered?
(Picture from sandscribbler55, PTSD Trauma Stories: Reality TV and the PTSD Link)
I think maybe the landlord is a potential hoarder too! We pay a lot of rent for living in this part of Los Angeles, which is one of the nicest barrios around, at least when compared to where I taught a couple freeways west and as a property manager in East Los.
Anyways, for the price we pay for rent, we should be able to use the garage, but it's off limits. About every two or three months I notice him bringing things in, but not taking much out. If I remember correctly, mostly chairs, dining room, school chairs attached to desks, office chairs He never opens the door for vehicles, only the side door, so I can't see how full it is or what's else is in there.
...And his VW bug is parked in the backyard . I don't know why but when we first moved here the neighbors told us it has been here for over 18 years. So I suspect the garage maybe stuffed!
Last year, he did take out two car loads of Christmas stuff, but he brought it all back. I didn't think he was a hoarder, until a week ago, when he brought more stuff, including the back window of a bus! I don't know how he got it here, it's way too big for his car! Is it just me? or has this been an ongoing American epidemic, since the 50's when garages got bigger? See post of the untypical American garage at the Peterson Car Museum.
My hoarded up room looks like a mix between this room and the next room!
I think the people across the street may be hoarders too, they've been moving out for over two weeks now. Someone just drove by to ask if they were moving and he offered them a couch, but they came out with a stereo system with some "bigger than my upper torso" speakers!
Updated 12/13/2012: It took them over a month and two weeks to move all their things, not like I was paying attention, but one whole weekend they used a U-Haul and several families with trucks. And it took two or more weeks to empty the garage!
I thought I held the record for moving! We had movers come and bring a lot of my hoard, the large appliances and furniture, which includes my tansu collection. Then for a month, I packed stuff all week and moved it each weekend.
Update 17January2013: The neighbors are still moving out. I saw two trucks over there and the garage looks like it's going to take at least another week!
I'm half clutter chaos and half organized hoarder. I start organized and as time goes on, it turns into random piles or sections of chaos, usually as I look for needed or remembered items. Then I organize again and then it's disarray later. One part of my hoarding habit cycle.
(Picture from Idea Peepshow, the Fast Horse Blog: Confessions of a Hoarder)
So now I feel as though I've gained hoarder super powers by being able to spot a fellow hoarder a mile away. and how is this supposed to help my hoarding habits?
Is Hoarding the new American epidemic? or is it just me? How many have you seen lately? Love to hear your stories about it!
I hope you read this and at least got one chuckle out of it! I chuckled all the way through writing it! What a blast!
such an interesting blog. I watch tv shows of this kind of stuff. I could understand why you want to keep cool things though.
ReplyDeleteYes, unfortunately, I think pretty much everything I like is cool stuff! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Delete