Any packrats in here?

Osprey · 05-02-2008, 09:04 PM

I don't know about you but I can't help collecting "stuff". I use that term loosely because, some of what I have could easily be considered garbage by some folks. I work in the HVACR field, so I collect some interesting stuff, motors, ignition modules, fasteners, fittings, hot surface ignitors, just all types of fun shit. I like to build things in my spare time, so I "collect". The thing of it is, I don't have that much spare time. So, over the years I've accumulated a sizable pile of things. I have two 30 gallon totes full of this stuff, bookshelves and closet too. To make matters worse, I'm a bit OCD, so it all has to be organized too. Seems like just having the stuff is a hobby in itself. What about you?

Blitzed · 05-02-2008, 09:08 PM

Nope im the opposite, my mom and grandma who i grew up with never through anything away. They didnt really collect but over the years we accumulated a great collection of "shit" that never got dealt with.

Thats why when i moved out i decided to stick to a very minimalist feel, and don't own a bunch of junk

Osprey · 05-02-2008, 09:10 PM

I tried that when I moved into my new apartment. Without success. It's not such a bad compulsion though. You've always got conversation pieces, always.

spaced06 · 05-02-2008, 09:20 PM

I collect books. Well, I don't really collect them, but I read lots, so I end up with tons of books all over my room.

dez · 05-02-2008, 10:06 PM

major pack ratting going on here...! luckily i have the room for it but spare space is at a premium now as more crap is added almost daily! if only there weren't so many pretty rocks and metalic junk laying around...
antique bottles are what got me started long ago which led to old crates which led to crates needing to be filled with ashtrays, glassware, stone statues, pretty much anything including an old porceline antique sink i'm just waiting for the right place to put it...

Osprey · 05-02-2008, 10:12 PM

Yea, I know that feeling. When you see something and say to yoursef, "I know I can do something with that.", then what happens. . . It piles up. Ah well.

Clutch · 05-03-2008, 12:17 AM

We just spent months cleaning up after a couple old packrats, and now half that shit's in our house cluttering up the works. Normally, I'm not a packrat, but we can't park in our garage anymore. I try to fill the trash container every week and get my money's worth, but life gets rushed sometimes.

PeacefullyStoned · 05-03-2008, 07:32 AM

I am such a pack rat. Occasionally I will get the motivation to go through my stuff and get rid of it, but I find it sooooooo hard to throw shit away. Like movie stubs, old school work, old ratty toys... EVERYTHING that has some kind of meaning, even the smallest thing I will keep. I have so much random shit in my room I just have to laugh and shake my head sometimes.
Good thread, thanks Osprey!!!

Peace and Pot.

Osprey · 05-05-2008, 04:57 PM

I'm with ya there PeacefullyStoned. It can be ridiculously easy to attach meaning to small things. Even if they don't warrant it. Movie stubs are particularly bad, "oh, I went there with so and so, it was a good time", makes you want to remember. The weird bit is, I would actually forget if it weren't for the stub.

J_Beazy · 05-12-2008, 02:13 AM

I'm a horrible packrat

..
My wife hates it.. I got so much shit, my neighbor and I even go out on trash night and look for "good stuff".. I build all kinds of stuff out of what I find..
I got massive amounts of random car parts, bicycles, stereos, computers, etc..
I love boxes too.. lol.. I try to keep boxes around to store all my "treasure" in sometype of organized fashion.. But it never stays that way for long..

And the thing I hate the most... Is I'll have something, some part of whatever and when I'm cleaning, I'll throw it out cause I've had it forever.. Then like a week later.. I'll have a use for it and kick myself in the ass..

BTW Osprey your more than welcome to come ocd in my garage all you want

I could use some organization...

x_ChronicEyes_x · 05-12-2008, 03:29 AM

I have the same problem. I attach meaning to useless stuff. Therefore my room is unbelievable. I have storage container after storage container full of shit jammed under my bed, under my desk, in my closets ... I really got to work on throwing some of it out. A bit of it is collectible. I have a lot of action figures and comic books.

cani · 05-12-2008, 07:00 AM

and its AMAZING how much 'stuff' can get crammed into a basement,
a basement is the ultimate 'miscellaneous file'
and i got Beanie Babies in the closet

Osprey · 05-12-2008, 04:58 PM

I'd kill for a basement. I could have soooo much crap. Though as it stands, I really don't need an excuse to have more "items of questionable value".

BigCalhoun · 05-16-2008, 03:41 PM

Only electronics. I have boxes of cables, old video game consoles, games, hard drives, various computer parts, CDs and DVDs full of software, etc. But those things have some value and usefulness after they're no longer in main rotation. For instance, a lot of my old drives from laptops, I use in a external USB enclosure as an external USB drive.

Everything else, I pretty much get rid of when I'm done with it. Even with old magazines, I may scan a useful article into my computer, but only keep 3 months of various mags around the house. I can't deal with clutter.

crystalgreen · 05-17-2008, 04:44 AM

when living at home as a teen i was bad about keeping every sentimental (or otherwise) item that i had room for. every homework assignment from middle school, any gift ever recieved, cool junk i found at antique stores, funky hippy shit.....
i too had parents that were horrible packrats and when i moved into my own place i threw out loads of stuff and decided to stop being a packrat myself. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aa. didn't last. once a packrat always a packrat.

i am better now, i only keep stuff that i think i will eventually have a good use for.....

Any packrats in here?

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