I was recently watching a special on TV about hoarding. This issue hasn’t really been brought to my attention before and I’ve never really known about it so I was very fascinated with the entire special. Hoarding is basically when people have problems with accumulating an excess of something.
It’s when you continue collecting and find it hard to toss even one item out, even until the items pile up. It’s definitely a disorder that can handicap your life. Some people, like Lindsay Lohan, like to shop so frequently that their entire house looks like a swap meet, and not in a good way!
The show focuses on an elderly lady who has so much junk piled up in her house, she actually bought the house next door to fill up with more crap! Her house became too overwhelming that she couldn’t invite people over anymore and she could barely walk inside her own house. Her daughters are aware of the situation but they accept it as if it’s just a minor quirk.
The ladies all go out together every weekend and as a bonding experience, they shop. Shop for clothes, jewelry, makeup, perfume, etc. They all love shopping with one another and it started to become an expected hobby.
One of the daughters pointed out that instead of having a hobby where they are bringing stuff in, why not have a hobby where you can bring stuff out?
It really made me think about my own personal quirks and whether I too, am a hoarder. I do love shopping and seem to like collecting a lot of things. My rooms do tend to be on the messier side not because I’m a person that is used to clutter, but more because I don’t have room to put all my stuff and excessive clothing.
So the answer is no, I don’t think I’m a hoarder. I give all my unneeded clothes to my cousins and to people who can’t afford more clothing. I try to have garage sales online and in person, so I can get rid of as much stuff as I can. I definitely want to start a yard sale in the near future and just sell everything for like 25 cents to a dollar each item. I just want to get rid of all my clothes as fast as possible!
So I went shopping today with my roommate and I saw a little boutique that I love going to with my sisters! I tried on a few outfits and I literally wanted to buy all of them! (I’m a spontaneous shopper sometimes) But after thinking it through in the dressing room, I realized, I don’t need the clothes and as much as I love them, I don’t need them. We left the mall and I was empty-handed. I was very proud of myself and so was my roommate, knowing how much of a crazy shopper I am.
Then I started thinking about my closet and all my clothes. There are a few essential tops like the basic spaghetti strap and tank tops that you can layer or wear under any outfit. Then you have the few sweaters and jackets that go with any outfits or for any occasions. And of course,there are the outfits you can only wear once, that you will never wear again, and that you will probably have sitting in your closet ’til the end of time and before you know it, you forget all about it. Well, I’m trying to shop only for clothes that are versatile and that I can wear over and over again without worrying a button popping off or the lace ripping.
So basically, I’m going to be a smarter shopper from now on and not just a spur-of-the-moment shopper. It’s good to have only a few good clothes and just mix and match. Sometimes it’s fun with certain accessories and shoes.
A hoarder is far from the kind of person I want to be. I don’t want to be an extreme consumer because in the end, your items will consume you. You need to have a moderate outlook on shopping because shopping in excess can really drive you crazy in the long run. I definitely don’t want to buy the house next door just to store my personal belongings. That’s nuts!
xoxo Hunni








