So Much Clutter, So Little Room: Examining the Roots of Hoarding

The New York Times ^ | Sunday, January 4, 2004 | NINA BERNSTEIN

[Paulus Invictus]

One of the more amazing developments in Amrica is the proliferation of the thousands of storage units that are all over the landscape. It's the ultimate expression of the hoarding/collection/wasteful society we live in. Even my son, an avid collector of useless toys, has a rental storage unit and thinks nothing of the cost per month to store his toys. He hopes to sell them all at some future date for a profit, but the storage costs will eliminate any such hopes.

The only time I used one was to store our household goods in while we were away for three years. That worked well, but isn't a sure thing. One of our acquantances stored all of their furniture and precious goods in one but there was a flash flood that ruined everything they owned. The police contend with storage unit burglaries every year. They even found a body in one.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think I still have a half dozen shims and the feeler gauge, plus the copper plate that went over the cam shaft(remember 181 vs. 179 degrees)to make sure everything was correct. This copper tool was from Jaguar Cars and I was told to be sure and hang on to it. Its a paperweight now.
I owned (in the following order) a 1966 E Type roadster, a 1957 Mark VII, a 1960 150 S (gold head) and another 1966 E coup.

[stlnative]

or this http://www.shopgoodwill.com/ (Goodwill's Online Auction)

[ChefKeith]

This copper tool was from Jaguar Cars and I was told to be sure and hang on to it. Its a paperweight now.

A factory Jaguar Tool that is not even made in copper anymore, they went to steel ones so Yours is worth about $150-200 being O.E.M.

1966 E Type roadster

Triple SU Carbs, those are always fun to tune.

[RudeJude]

I am doing that type of clean-out right now! Been at it for 3 weeks and it's barely started. Hefty Bags have become my best friend!!

[HateBill]

I have a very hard time throwing things out, and like the "protagonist" of this article live in New York City where space is at a premium.

I have a sizable collection of videotapes of movies. Since I was "first on my block" to get a VCR (back when they were $1,000 plus in the late 70's), many of the videotapes were 20 years old and had degraded to a point where the movie was barely worth watching. Anyway, I had pulled myself together enough to throw out about 20 which I left in a trashbag in our incinerator room.

What did I find the next time I did my laundry? Someone had taken my ancient tapes from the garbage and put them in with the books in our laundry room bookshelves!

Someone had a harder time parting with my garbage than me!

[spodefly]

I have the opposite "problem" of most of these people -- I can't wait to throw things out that clutter up the place or are of no immediate useful purpose. The more open and clutter-free my living space is, the better I feel about things. I can't imagine keeping old magazines, newspapers, etc. If there is an article I think might provide some useful info, I know that the same info is likely online somewhere, so there is no point keeping the analogue version of it on a bookshelf. Cool little trinkets that might provide some entertainment or conversation value can be kept so long as they have a place that won't get in the way.

But generally speaking, I can't stand clutter. If I have to walk around it, or move it out of the way to get to something useful, then it is gone.

[tiamat]

Lots of luck!

Amazing what we gather, isn't it?

Tia

[spodefly]

Oh, except for watches ... I have 38 watches. And 7 computers. But besides that ...

[Old Professer]

Darn, I thought this was another Clinton thread; I read hoarding as whoreing-Freudian slip, I guess.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Brass. Beg your pardon. I don't know why I was thinking copper. Light metal, anyway.
The Mark VII was the most dependable (and warmest) and the E coup was starting to rust.
There was a small-shop Jag guy in Des Moines (he's past away now) who had figured out a cheap upgrade so the cars would start like a Ford or Chevy. After a thorough tuneup and carb sync, he used a Mallory distributor (Jaguar cross reference, made in USA) and Pontiac voltage regulator, backed up with a big Cadillac Delcotron alternator. My E roadster was set up this way and ran perfectly for four years without an adjustment.

[Old Professer]

In Nashville, only 25% 0f your total plot can be driveway and it must be graveled or paved; don't park your Yugo on a blade of Pokeweed.

[Old Professer]

They don't have fire insurance?

[Old Professer]

So, seven bowling balls did it for you, eh?

[Old Professer]

Television is the playground of horror-struck liberals.

[FreedomCalls]

My in-laws save EVERYTHING.... towering stacks in their basment and garage.. It's going to be awful to clear out their stuff once they pass on.

You'll make a fortune on e-bay though. You can sell old McDonald's toys for 5 bucks each there.

[Old Professer]

Sounds like a Jaguar, the manuals outlast the engines.

[tiamat]

LOL!

You are SOOOOO bad!

Tia

[Old Professer]

I thought Hefner cured people of saving National Geographic.

[radiohead]

The Discovery Channel and Style Network both have shows that address this

I happen to be watching 'Clean Sweep' as I read this thread. I can't believe how people let rooms become impassible, with stuff stacked knee deep everywhere. I find cluttered bedrooms especially disturbing. How the heck do married couples live with junk all over their bedroom? I"m sure that much junk in the bedroom must say something about the state of the marriage.

I find these shows to be addictive. It's like watching a trainwreck. The homeowners all have nice houses and absolutely no problem filling room after room with junk. You can almost understand couples with children having a lot of stuff, but many of these couples are childless or empty nesters. Yuck.