Sometimes Hoarding Pays Off
@arthurchappell (44941)
Preston, England
March 5, 2021 5:58am CST
I am a hoarder. I have too much stuff in too little space. I rarely throw out anything that might come in handy at some unspecified time in the future. Visitors to my flat usually note, often caustically that I have a lot of stuff (too much) and that I ought to declutter.
There are TV shows on Britain's worst hoarders. I realize I could feature on it. A few people tell me to watch the shows with obvious rather rude hints that they are about people like me.
A few years ago a local community centre gave away heaps of little wet wipes, the kind they bring to the table in restaurants to enable diners to clean their fingers between courses. I scooped up about a hundred of them, and kept them in a Tupperware box.
Now that I have to wear and regularly change a stoma bag, cleaning round the stoma ring is essential, and the wipes sold for the task are expensive but my tiny free wet wipe hand cleansers are up to the job. Something hoarded has earned its keep.
Arthur Chappell
14 people like this
13 responses
@LadyDuck (502148)
• Italy
5 Mar 21
Arthur I am also guilty of hoarding. Before throwing something I think and re-think if it should be useful for something in the future. I found so many little things that I have put aside that are coming useful. I am getting rid of old clothing now, this is something that has no reason to stay.
4 people like this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 Mar 21
@LadyDuck same here, once I know something is done with I get rid of it - I have a draw just full of plugs and wires for electrical goods, old chargers, etc - sometimes when I need one I find one that matches
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502148)
• Italy
5 Mar 21
@arthurchappell I have plenty of old cables, chargers and even old phones. I would sell the old phones even for a very little amount, I feel bad throwing them.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 Mar 21
@LadyDuck A few times I have thrown something away before realizing I could use it
1 person likes this
@Chellezhere (6421)
• United States
5 Mar 21
I know a woman who has a stoma. Her surgery was performed in the early 1970s, and it was done a little differently than those surgeries are done today. She uses disposable wash clothes. I'm glad you were able to get those free Wet Wipes, and that none have dried out.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 Mar 21
@Chellezhere If kept in their packs they stay moist for years
2 people like this
@Chellezhere (6421)
• United States
5 Mar 21
@arthurchappell Sometimes. I have had those that did not.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
8 Mar 21
@Chellezhere you do get a few duds
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
9 Mar 21
I am sorry that you need to use stoma bag. My dad is a hoarder too, and because he is like that, I have kinda lost interest in my home. I used to keep it quite clean when dad was not around. I miss that period, I cannot deny that. I also fear the way he keeps the things that I would someday lose something important like important document when I take up cleaning. Storing old food bills is not necessary, storing old bank pay in slips is not necessary storing. Old useless batteries, old broken footwear. Cartons. Used up toilet cleaning bottles, used up dish cleaning bottles. Old newspapers. The list is scary. I cannot make him throw anything nor can I throw anything.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
11 Mar 21
some items are clearly not reusable
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
5 Mar 21
I have a bunch of similar little wipes from my kids' school. For their breakfast in the classroom program, so much was wasted - including those wipes that no one used. They encouraged the parent volunteers to take anything extra home because otherwise it would all be thrown out 
. Somehow I ended up with a zillion of those wipes. But they have come in handy on our outings, hikes, wherever when we can't get to a sink right away!
. Somehow I ended up with a zillion of those wipes. But they have come in handy on our outings, hikes, wherever when we can't get to a sink right away!1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Mar 21
@arthurchappell Hope you are doing/feeling better each day! Yah, those wipes get good use 
.
.1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
8 Mar 21
@much2say always good that they get used
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
8 Mar 21
I do purge my flat from time to time
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Mar 21
@arthurchappell I should do that this week. I sometimes see stuff I don't need. I say "I'll get that later."
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
5 Mar 21
I belong to the class of guilty hoarders. I hoard and hoard and promise that some day I will give away some of my stuff.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
5 Mar 21
You are not alone, since I'm the handyman of the house I set aside things that might be of future use but I have a yard to store all of them, besides buying and selling I'm also licenced to to do junkshop and recycling that's why I have an endless supply of things to hoard and tinker with
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
5 Mar 21
My husband is an item and a food hoarder. I declutter and donate; and he brings in more stuff! I'm glad your wipes came in handy.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
5 Mar 21
i would in your defense say, if you are using it then you aren't really hoarding it. You are simply the other side what we used to call a Pack-Rat. But pack-rats always use the thing they keep.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
5 Mar 21
I'm a hoarder too. I collect used kitchen towels from the kitchen for use when I do some painting. I have a big pile of them waiting in my bedroom!
1 person likes this
