I'm just sorting out cupboards and the dreaded attic in preparation for moving house.... and I didn't relaise how much of a hoarder I had become! Over half of my wardrobe doesn't fit me any more and the attic is FULL of baby clothes, equiptment, toys, CDs and DVDs, things from our wedding.... AGH!
Any other hoarders? Commiserate with me! Any really strict minimalists? Tips and advice also welcome!
pineapple / 12566 posts
Definitely not a hoarder! We don't have a lot of storage, so I try to donate or sell things that we no longer need or use. I just dropped off a bag of clothes in the donation bin this morning!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Definitely more on the end of hoarding. If I have an empty space it gets filled up. We are looking to list our house soon and I'm so scared to go through all the random crap I've got stored away (gift bags, extra sheets, craft supplies, envelopes, files, etc)
eggplant / 11716 posts
I'm not a hoarder at all (except my clothes--I also have half a closet of clothes I should really get rid of), but my husband is much more of a hoarder.
We have to argue/negotiate over him just throwing out empty boxes when we buy something new. He always wants to save the empty boxes "just in case". We live in a condo with only 2 closets, btw---so no, they have to go.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
I'm definitely not a minimalist, but I don't like to keep things that I'm not actively using (except things like books). I love to go through my stuff and donate/sell/throw away old stuff and then replace with new things. DH is more of a hoarder (he doesn't like to get rid of anything that we might be able to eventually use). Luckily, he also doesn't really like to buy things either so he doesn't really accumulate too much. We compromise on our shared things. I probably get rid of fewer old things than I'd like but we also don't buy as much due to DH's influence.
pomelo / 5791 posts
Definitely closer to the hoarder end 
though I wish that were not the case.
nectarine / 2272 posts
Definitely on the side of minimalism. We've always lived in small spaces so there's no room to keep anything! And I'm not paying for a storage space.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
definitely lean towards minimalist! I keep things that will be reused (ie baby clothes and gear since we're not done having kids). but DH and I do several purges/clean outs a year! I can't stand overstocking on unnecessary things!
persimmon / 1328 posts
Oh god I'm terrible, despite having always lived in small homes. I hate getting rid of anything I may one day use again, and I am also terrible at parting with something that was a gift or has any sentimental value, even if it is broken/beyond its use. Luckily DH is much more cut throat!
nectarine / 2242 posts
We hang on to way too much stuff too, but are making an effort to be more minimalist. I just read the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and am going to go through our house in the order / methods she describes. It was a quick read!
grapefruit / 4817 posts
I lean towards minimalism, but my husband leans towards hoarder, so the house is balanced out.
coconut / 8279 posts
I wish I was more minimalist and I guess I sort of am because I have to be - we live in 700sf with hardly any storage.
I wish I didn't hold onto sentimental items. I have a box of J's baby clothes in my closet that I'll probably never use again, but I can't part with.
papaya / 10570 posts
@T.H.O.U.: YES!!! I currently have a spare room in which I keep the craft supplies, knitting stuff, sewing stuff, stationary, art supplies, envelopes, paper etc etc. If we have another child, I'm going to have to give up my spare room (new house is bigger but still only 3 bedroom) and I keep saying to DH "I appreciate not everyone has craft supplies but where do normal people keep their envelopes???".
pear / 1593 posts
We strive toward minimalism. We definitely have less stuff than most people even though we might not scream minimalism. family has said to us "we got you food because you get rid of your stuff anyways" (granted that comment came from a definite hoarder!)
Here's a great challenge to get you started on cleaning out! http://www.theminimalists.com/game/
Another rule of thumb that's useful is 20 rule - can you replace the item in less than 20min and <$20 if you actually needed it? Then it's probably not worth storing for 5 years "just in case"
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@Cherrybee: RIGHT! I have a little corner now with a three drawer thing and my other two sets of drawers that are crammed with craft stuff kinda next to our desk. I know we can't sell the house like that! I am ready for a purge but I get so scared!
grapefruit / 4649 posts
The main areas of my home make me look fairly minimalist and it's what I strive for but clothes and craft supplies are major hoarding zones for me. I feel like I keep getting rid of stuff but it multiplies!
pomegranate / 3533 posts
Definitely lean more toward hoarder, unfortunately... DH is a "collector" but sees a lot more turnover in his stuff!
@runnerd: The "20 rule" sounds great! I'll have to remember that!
pomelo / 5678 posts
I am a minimalist but also a mild procrastinator and definitely not organized. Oh, and I am SO TIRED. So, I have boxes from last year's move I haven't gotten to and we are moving AGAIN this month. AH!
I like having very little furniture, and very few clothes. Very few everything. It just makes my life easier and more efficient. Only absolute needs.
Oh, but then I have 100 paintings in my closet. 
(I'm a painter.) AH!
pomelo / 5791 posts
@HappyBaker: I just read that too...but haven't actually done it yet. Keep me posted on how it goes - it seems so hard in a whole house!
nectarine / 2086 posts
I'm a bit of a hoarder. Not in my main spaces but definitely in my storage areas like the basement. And WHY do I keep so many beauty products that I never use!?
I actually just bought this book last week in preparation to do a MAJOR clean out next weekend to get ready for this baby. Our basement is insane right now.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308
watermelon / 14206 posts
We have too much stuff, but I don't know how to scale down. DH is a saver. He likes things that are investments and can be sold at a higher price in years to come. But, I definitely get rid of stuff as often I can.
pineapple / 12802 posts
I lean more to minimalist, but my husband is more of a hoarder. I am constantly purging, he is constantly collecting. There is no reprieve for either of us! lol
nectarine / 2242 posts
@ValentineMommy: I'm definitely starting slow - just doing my clothes then my LO's clothes. Those are actually the two areas I hate the most because we seem to never put our laundry away / find anything because we just have too many things we don't wear!
@buttermilk: Love the book, good luck!
papaya / 10570 posts
@buttermilk: Me too!! I have a large drawer with drawer organizers in it and it is FULL of make up, lotions, potions, different types of brush, hair products....! AGH!
@HappyBaker: I have, today, listed 20 items of clothing on Ebay, donated two bags of clothes to the local charity shop and thrown one bag of really old/faded/holey clothes into the bin - and I have still filled a plastic storage box with "things that don't fit but I can't bear to throw away". Sigh.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
We have a lot of stuff in our house. We're much closer to hoard than minimalist. We like stuff!! But, it's clean. The house is clean and tidy and everything has a place so we're definitely not the definition of "Hoarder".
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
@.twist.: ha, that's how it is in our house, too.
Last year I took an entire, overflowing tub of his tee shirts to goodwill without him knowing it. He still hasn't asked for any of them...
honeydew / 7463 posts
I tend to hang on to things just in case...but then a few times a year I get the urge to purge. So I toss and donate a ton of stuff.
We are also getting ready to move so I need to start going through stuff ASAP!
pomegranate / 3604 posts
Definitely on the side of minimalism. I find my head gets all cluttered when I'm surrounded by stuff. I try really hard to keep things organized and get rid of stuff we don't use.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
I hoard books. We just moved, and I probably have at least a dozen boxes JUST of books. I know I can/should donate some, but I can't bear to part any--even the ones I know I'll never read again!
I try to weed my clothes every 6 months or so. I was bad about it for a while--I was holding onto clothes that were the size 2 I was when I get married, even though I was a size 14 a year after E was born--"just in case". If I haven't worn it in a year it goes. If it's a ridiculously small size it goes...if I ever get that small again I'm going to celebrate with new clothes anyway!
cherry / 181 posts
More on the minimalist side for sure. We live in a small apartment with little storage space, so we have to be!
apricot / 411 posts
Same as @sera_87! Lots of stuff (even if it's out of sight) and clutter really affects my wellbeing negatively.
papaya / 10570 posts
@lovehoneybee: Oh yes, we have an entire wall full of books and I have no idea where they will go if we need the third bedroom. But books are so precious. I always think that LO might want to read them when she grows up!!
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
@Cherrybee: We had to get creative at our last apartment...I had books that I didn't really read lining the tops of cupboards in the kitchen, for instance! (We had high ceilings, so there was space between the ceiling and the top of the cupboards--I will end up doing the same at our new house.)
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
DH and I are both minimalists. We don't like clutter!
cantaloupe / 6923 posts
I'm a hoarder. I'm like a fish, I just fill my surroundings. But I'm a clean hoarder. I mostly just hoard clothes, fabric and dishes.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I lean towards minimalist b/c I hate clutter!! And DH is a hoarder so I need to balance him out!
persimmon / 1129 posts
Oh man I strive to be a minimalist and just did a major purge. A ton of kitchen stuff, including some wedding gifts. And seven trash bags full of clothes to Goodwill. Our house feels great now!
@runnerd: Love the "20 rule." It's similar to the idea of "store it at the store" which I also love.
honeydew / 7622 posts
@stiletto_mom: On the same scale I'm a 4 or so. I mean no one has a nice looking attic/storage space right? I shove things in with my eyes closed. No clear boxes and label maker for me. But in the community areas everything has a place and we don't have a bunch of piles everywhere. It only takes 15 minutes or so to pick up before guests come over which includes dishes and sweeping & putting bulky items away like my drying rack, unfolded laundry and breast pump in M's office.
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