Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus aka the shopping mall
I'm somewhat of a minimalist as far as personal belongings are concerned. I'm a bit of a nomad so you have to learn not to get too attached to things because you might not be able to take them with you when you move on.
Her indoors comes from a different school of thought. She has every colour, material, texture and variety of handbag imaginable (50+ at last stock take by PricewaterhouseCoopers).
Shoes, boots, sandals, sneakers, slippers - every colour, any occasion - Imelda Marcos, eat your heart out.
Coats, shawls, wraps, ponchos, scarves - Been there, done that, have it - Blue sky but need a purple coat - Grey sky, need a green poncho - sorted - pick a colour - any colour - just look in this closet.
Bath robes - Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring - 2 of each and a few to spare just in case.
Outdated well worn denim jean jacket from twenty years ago - check - got it - will never wear it again but you never know and it has sentimental value - Ditto to the other 6 chests of antique clothes that haven't seen the light of day for 20 years.
Cuddly toys including Winnie the Poo handbag from 1980's times 10 - ah but sure they're cute!
Multiple bulky photo albums (thousands of pictures) - even though all photos have been scanned to digital??? - yep - got them in triplicate.
Books - Read it but might read it again - Never read it and likely won't but it has a nice cover so maybe someday - Might need it for work so can't chuck it - Will never read it but it might look nice as a coffee table book if / when we buy a coffee table - yep got them all!
I've done a spring clean every year all my life - I ditch clothes, books, electronics to charity. I was just taught to shed the crap at an early age and I'm so glad - it just feels satisfying offloading crap. So I'm curious - Do you hoard or do you shed?
Tags: men are from mars women are from venus, shopping, lots of clothes shoes, handbags
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25 comments:
A running joke in our family was that the auld fella had a box labelled "pieces of string, too short to be of any use".
Clearing out his gaff after he died we found a small rusted biscuit tin. It wasn't labelled but it did contain hundreds of off-cuts of twine, string, wool, laces, you name it.
We will never know whether he was hoarding them or if, being well aware of the slagging, he had planted it as a final practical joke.
By nature I am a hoarded but I had a bit of a nomadic existence at one stage, so I tend not to hoard too much. Books are the one thing I find it hard to part with. My wife and kids though, good sweet Christ they'd hoard each breath they took if they could. And the missus likes buying stuff (especially if it is X% off).
I am a tosser . . perhaps enough said. I hate shopping, I have 2 handbags (well one is really a small day pack) I have 4 pairs of shoes and quite a few pairs of rubber thongs (you know what I mean) If it hasn't been worn in 2 years, it goes to the Smith Family . . . I'm a crap reader except on holidays or planes and my only 'toy' is not quite ready for stuffing -it's still alive retrieves sticks and is my constant furry companion. I think they may have broken the female mold when they made me! (My progeny however, hoard EVERYTHING) Shits me to tears! As my Grandad used to say "Ye cannot take it wi ye wen ye go!"
@ Primal: If it was his joke, it was a classic
@ Thrifty: It's funny how a label with 50% off sends 'them' into a tizzy. My missus tries to convince me she's actually saved me money but then produces 2 of the same thing - "but they were half price!"
@ Baino: We need to clone your genes and start female evolution all over again!
I love throwing things out. I find it very theraputic. Sometimes I wonder if I save stuff just so I can throw them out later hehe (don't tell anyone)
I purge but I still have waaay too much crap. I have items for every outdoor activity imaginable but only about four pair of pants. I have a collection that is the largest of its kind in the world but I have woefully few personal bathroom products. Obviously my left side brain and right side brain have a difference of opinion.
I'm not so bad, but herself has been known to throw out stuff she has just brought home from the shop...
@ Conortje: Funny - I find it refreshing too - inner peace!
@ VE: the left side right side battle has me at odds with myself too :-)
Xbox: That's a little too quick but at least she throws it out. If only they would go virtual shopping (without using a credit card of course)
I swing both ways on this. I have few clothes, but I have saved every ticket for every movie we've ever been to because of course someday I'll make a nice scrapbook out of them - not!
Can't wait for this next move as I am definitely getting rid of more stuff.
You wife and I are not "hoarders", we're "collectors". Get it right, would ya?
And that's not REALLY her shoe closet, is it? If so I just cried a bit and my boss wanted to know what was wrong.
I showed her.
She cried, too.
I have a healthy balance. I throw shit out that I have no use for, but if there is even an outside chance I'll find use for something, I'll keep it.
I have a puncture repair kit, but don't own a bike. However, I have had my eye on one of those inflatable girlfriends, so maybe one day I'll get to use it!!
Well, as a girl I love to shop, but I also love to get rid of things. I tend to give them away to family members, friends or to charity like the Salvation Army or a local church. However, when it comes to my books, being the book worm that I am, I cannot part with them.
@ Megan: I have no probs with tickets - they tend to fit in a scrapbook easily - bags - boots is another story
@ Queen Goob: Thankfully no - she doesn't have this amount of space but she would fill it if she did!
@ Maxi: Those inflatable women start with just a puncture repair kit -then they want helium and on and on it goes - air diggers the lotta them
@ L.o.N. : I don't understand the book hoarding - read it once and what more do you need - Enlighten me please!!!!
I've read some of my books 5 times or more.
My library looks pretty much like the last pic you posted. My mom doesn't undertand either, it's hard to explain!
@ Thrifty: Once, I read a book three times but it was one of those ones with multiple endings - "If you take the door on the left turn to page 64" ;-)
My brother is a avid bookworm and his collection took over our parents house. He eventually sold most of them and just kept the collectors items (first edition etc) which are now worth quite a bit of lolly.
@ L.o.N I guess if you have the space then why not
I re-read some of my books constantly (as in, every year or so, but I've got a thousand at least so it's not as bad as you think - or is it?). It's relaxing and it keeps me on the porch where I am allowed to smoke...
That picture of the shoes! when were you in my wifes wardrobe???????????!
Jenny and I are relentless shedders. Our motto is, if something comes in, something goes out, so we never accumulate. It works extremely well. With the exception of J's scarves obsession....
I'm a hoarder which makes for a very messy house. I wish I wasn't but I keep thinking I'm going to find a use for all this crap.
In my defense, my mother is a terrible hoarder and I reckon it's genetic. A bit like not being able to curl your tongue or bend your thumb backwards.
I always think of the 'there are no pockets in a shroud' depressing thing when I start collecting loads of crap again. I used to keep everything, but because I have moved house so much over the past few years....St Vincent de Paul does very well out of me!
I do still have ticket stubs from a Stones gig, from about 15 years ago, but thats just to remind me what it was like to go out before we had ankle biters...Xbox...you listening???
First off, nice blog.
Secondly, is this a joke? No way one person could own that much stuff. That's insanity.
@Megan: It seems this re-reading books is more prevalent then I´d imagined - you are not alone!
@Roy: Ah so it´s not just my missus then - phew!
@Nick: One vice as in scarves is ok - 10 or more vices can be trying!
@Caro: Genetics - well at least we have something to blame
@Sully: Welcome to me blog - it´s not far from the truth - maybe somebody elses photos for some emphasis but the rest is legit!
"I'm a bit of a nomad so you have to learn not to get too attached to things because you might not be able to take them with you when you move on."
Very true....I'm the same way...
I can't believe your wife has that many shoes!!!
I spring clean twice a year. I toss out stuff that's not completely necessary. Mrs. Stevo, on the other hand, is a grande pack rat. Why we need 15 empty shoe boxes I'll never know.
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