Thanks Lisa. My car is now full again b/c I am once again in transition...but these are things I am keeping. Just waiting until the first so I can move into the place Dan and I will be living in. My car seems to be a mobile closet right now.

PDM, it has been a problem for me my whole life - the hoarding. My mother and sister have this problem as well, but you'd think "mobile me" would not fall prey to this.

I honestly think I need therapy for this. I don't think it's even about the actual "things" at all. What do you think is underlying our issue, here?

The underlying issue?
Good question!
I don't know. I'll have to think about that.

I know what I always say, when people ask why I don't just get rid of stuff.

I tend to buy / obtain things that I want ~ and what I like and am interested in hasn't changed over the years, so why should I want to get rid of it?!

I love my books; my photography; my genealogy, etc. I want to keep all that. They are 'me'!

There are projects that I have spent much time, energy and money on, and that I may use again,in future work, so I would find it annoying to get rid of all that.

I have lots of things that belonged to the children when they were little; and also my own things from the past. Time seems to pass so quickly and when I hold their things, I can re-live the past. I find this important, because my memories of that time need help, since I was very ill after having my boys ~ depression with the one; ulcerative colitis with the other ~ and still quite unwell when my daughter was born. (I really should spend less time on here, and more time with them, while they and I are still young enough to do things together!)

I also think that I have inherited the 'hoarding' gene from my parents & grandparents. It was a thing, in their day, never to get rid of anything that might come in useful.

I am pleased to report my car is now emptied! Everything is in the house or the shed on this property. I next need to get everything out of the shed, and to also get everything out of the shed of my family friend. Neither of these is costing us money, but I do want to get a jump on getting rid of things, instead of just accumulating, once again. No more accumulating!

I totally get that, even in my younger Gen X age. As someone who has been poor her whole adult life, I have a very hard time letting useful things go. I keep thinking I could use something, or sell something for money, or barter/trade something...it's a very stressful way to live, actually. Tons of stress and worry over 'things.'



I agree with keeping one's hobbies. It is a source of joy.



This is a tough one. Annoyance aside, it is usually best to take a deep breath and let these things be passed on to others who might want them. It's also bad Feng Shui to keep the energy of unfinished projects in your life. You can never find peace if there is a niggling bother in something you keep around.

It's very hard, though. I am always dealing with learning to let such things go.



These things seem to bring you peace and good memories, so they are not really clutter. If maybe you could do a little weeding from time to time, it might be a good thing. Are there other family members who might cherish some of these mementos?

I think I just need to spend some time sorting out what brings positivity and what doesn't.

I read, somewhere, that you should keep things that you actively need and things that bring you joy ~ and get rid of the rest.

Jilly. I like your avatar pic ~ the designs behind you look ancient. Are they?

PDM, those are ancient Anasazi petroglyphs in northern Arizona. I backpacked in a day to get to those. Very few people see them, as it is on a strict permit schedule.

Thanks for the info Jilly.
Sounds fascinating. Beautiful designs. Looks almost Celtic.
I think I've read about the Anasazi ~ and watched a documentary about them. Very interesting.
Arizona is a place I would like to see.

Thanks for the info Jilly.
Sounds fascinating. Beautiful designs. Looks almost Celtic.
I think I've read about the Anasazi ~ and watched a documentary about them. Very interesting.
Arizona is a place I would like to see.

Arizona is an amazing state. I can never get enough of it. So much geographical diversity and beauty, amazing native cultures, large open spaces and endless horizons.

and snakes, scorpions and skunks