I am a horrible horrible pack-rat. I come from a long-line of pack-rats. You people have heard the stories of my magical storage heap room, which occasionally manifests clothing I have no memory of buying.

On the one hand, I know I don't need to keep all the stuff I do. On the other hand, what if I'm in the middle of a project and I NEED that box of random lace, ribbon, and feathers? Not to mention the random bits of sparkly jewelry? But I'm getting better. I don't buy things at thrift stores unless I absolutely know what project they're going to be used for. And not every stuffed bunny needs to come home and join the Evil Bunny Alliance.

This fall is when I do the final big clear-out of the storage room. I'd do it sooner, but I have to finish writing the book first.

One of the issues sometimes is that a hoarder sort of anthropomorphizing the objects, and ascribes them feelings.

My god, this is me, especially with anything made of durable materials. I hate the idea of it taking up landfill space, but my stuff is too old and used to be worth much, even at a yardsale. And I feel like I'm disrespecting the trees that gave their lives when I think of throwing away stuff made of wood. That's why I try to burn things, it satisfies the Viking in me--but annoys the neighbors.

Hubby hates giving away things to strangers, because he wants to benefit the people we know who have been of such help to us, but they don't want our old stuff. Hubby is not much with the "benefit humanity at large" thing.

Going through my mother-in-law's stuff now that she's gone, I always feel like I'm passing judgement on her that I don't have the right to, deciding something she loved should be thrown away. I think there needs to be more options for funeral pyres built on the stuff that people have collected that no one else wants.

Hivemind question: The instruction manual for the portable dishwasher we bought says to be sure to dishwashing detergent made for a portable dishwasher so that the suds don't overflow, but my googling is turning up nothing. Does anyone have experience with this?

I've been losing no weight lately, even though I've been eating really well and exercising a decent amount. It's very annoying. I think I'm blaming one of my medications for this. I'm going to talk to my doctor about it.

I hope this conversation will be with endocrinologist who actually listened to you about there being something going on with you.

I'm a bit sceptical about what happens when you tell a doctor you are doing all the right things but not losing weight. I get a lot of, "If that is really what you are eating you should be losing weight," without any follow-up testing to find out why I'm not. t /Eyeore

I am the anti-packrat. I really don't get why people keep tons of stuff they will never use.

The problem with packrats (and I speak as one) is that the stuff we keep tons of is stuff we might want to use, some day, maybe. I've gotten better at discarding stuff I'm pretty sure I'll never use, but I've also got music in my collection I probably haven't listened to in over 20 years. Once the stuff piles up (especially in closets and boxes and such) the weeding process becomes a major undertaking (and often involves the distraction of rediscovery).

Once the stuff piles up (especially in closets and boxes and such) the weeding process becomes a major undertaking (and often involves the distraction of rediscovery).

Yep. "Hey, I forgot about this thing! Ooh, I may need this thing. I'll put it on the To Keep stack ..."

cereal:

My only problem with uncluttering websites/shows/experts is how they seem to tie uncluttering with superior spirtuality/morality/awareness. I know I've got too much junk, you don't need to start flinging aspersions at the state of my soul/psyche, too.

I hope this conversation will be with endocrinologist who actually listened to you about there being something going on with you.

Yeah, it will be. Not seeing the other one again.

I'm running out of things in my apartment to organize. I'm going to have to do math soon.

oh god we're counting music? OK I'm a packrat. And please pay no attention to that pile of poetry on tape that I've never even opened.

I'm a bit sceptical about what happens when you tell a doctor you are doing all the right things but not losing weight. I get a lot of, "If that is really what you are eating you should be losing weight," without any follow-up testing to find out why I'm not.

Weight loss (or weight, in general) is mysterious hoodoo that doesn't necessarily point to good stuff or bad stuff going on. A lot of times, your body knows what weight it wants to be and doesn't like to budge from that.