It’s funny, but more realistically, a hoarder at this mangetude usually has strong emotions tied to items. It can be that it reminds them of something or someone, or they feel a huge amount of guilt at even the thought of tossing it. Could be guilt of climate change or guilt of the item’s purpose being wasted. It could be as simple of being afraid of being in a situation and needing one again.
Even the hoarders that explain their horde by way of earning money (this will be worth something) is just using it as an excuse to horde. They tend to like the idea of what it could be and enjoy imagining the project, but don’t actually enjoy the action of doing the project. The connection to hoarding items is hoarding the imagination of it, and having the physical thing makes that imagining much more real to them.
There’s a really good YT channel called Midwest Magic Cleaning, who cleans hoarder houses for free. He talks a lot about the “potential” of an item vs it’s current value.
Hoarders will keep an item because it has potential, but the item will never “actualize” that potential. Thus the current “value” of the item is just taking up space
He also talks a lot about the emotional attachment, as well as the actual panic disorders that can be triggered by someone attempting a cleanup.
The comic is funny, but it’s not really a good representation
we still have grandpa in a box in the garage because my mother refuses to get him an urn or go sprinkle him over the lake he liked. he’s followed us through three houses and I’m concerned I’m going to inherit grandpa.
I can’t wait for the moment I get to introduce him to my niblings. “Hey cats, this is your great grandfather. Treat him with respect, change his box twice a year.”
Yeah but how much of him? Both of his husbands got ash we can pretend are him and put him in urns. It’s a family tradition now to go out to the garage, look up in shame at the box of grandpa as you grab five popsicles just for yourself.
It’s funny, but more realistically, a hoarder at this mangetude usually has strong emotions tied to items. It can be that it reminds them of something or someone, or they feel a huge amount of guilt at even the thought of tossing it. Could be guilt of climate change or guilt of the item’s purpose being wasted. It could be as simple of being afraid of being in a situation and needing one again.
Even the hoarders that explain their horde by way of earning money (this will be worth something) is just using it as an excuse to horde. They tend to like the idea of what it could be and enjoy imagining the project, but don’t actually enjoy the action of doing the project. The connection to hoarding items is hoarding the imagination of it, and having the physical thing makes that imagining much more real to them.
Still, it’s a funny comic.
There’s a really good YT channel called Midwest Magic Cleaning, who cleans hoarder houses for free. He talks a lot about the “potential” of an item vs it’s current value.
Hoarders will keep an item because it has potential, but the item will never “actualize” that potential. Thus the current “value” of the item is just taking up space
He also talks a lot about the emotional attachment, as well as the actual panic disorders that can be triggered by someone attempting a cleanup.
The comic is funny, but it’s not really a good representation
we still have grandpa in a box in the garage because my mother refuses to get him an urn or go sprinkle him over the lake he liked. he’s followed us through three houses and I’m concerned I’m going to inherit grandpa.
Well, this just took an interesting turn.
I can’t wait for the moment I get to introduce him to my niblings. “Hey cats, this is your great grandfather. Treat him with respect, change his box twice a year.”
At least you can sprinkle grandpa then
Yeah but how much of him? Both of his husbands got ash we can pretend are him and put him in urns. It’s a family tradition now to go out to the garage, look up in shame at the box of grandpa as you grab five popsicles just for yourself.