The Hoarder in Me

From whence it started, I do not know.  I remember buying things which I now tend to hoard, on an as needed basis.  But, at some point, that stopped, and I started a buying frenzy.

I remember when Sarah was a child, I started taking advantage of back to school sales.  Instead of buying 5 notebooks, I bought 10 or 15.  Instead of buying 2 or 3 glue sticks, I bought 10 or 15.  Same thing with wrapping paper, especially when her school would have fund raisers.  I would buy several rolls of gift wrap, plus several rolls of holiday wrap when on half price.  So fast forward to 2019, I still have several notebooks and about 40-50 rolls of assorted gift wrap. You can never have enough…. until you do.  And I do.

When we moved into this house with its separate library, I believed I had carte blanche to buy as many books as I wanted.  Lots.  In my previous blog, I talked about my book hoarding.  Then, I went on a no spend year and stopped the madness.  Slowly, I have been giving away or donating books as well as finally reading those I had not had the chance to previously read.  I use the library when a new book comes out.  Put on hold, pick up, then read and return.  Now as we are getting ready to downsize, I am going at this book business a little more aggressively.

This carries on with my sewing habits (tons of fabric) and crafting supplies.  I am not getting rid of any of these as I do believe when that day comes when I am officially retired, I will use every sheet of beautiful paper, probably 1000s of them, as well as every yard of fabric. 

The latest discovery of my hoarding occurred when I decided to organize my recipes.  I am embarrassed to admit to you, though I will, in an effort at self-healing, that I have thousands of recipes.  I have four legal red ropes filled with recipes.  Two recipe boxes and one decorative cardboard box…filled.  In one email box, I have 450 saved recipes; in the second email box, 410 recipes and in my favorites, over #1000 saved.  All told, well over 3,000 recipes!!!

To organize, I started with the red ropes first.  Sorted recipes by category and weeded out those recipes that I know I will never make.  MHN is a Jewish lactose intolerant vegetarian.  (I might as well have tossed all the recipes in the trash!!)  I am cutting waaay back on the amount of beef and pork which I eat, so many of those recipes met their demise over this past long weekend.  My largest collection of recipes is in the “Goodie” red rope.  Cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes and the like. Not so quick to lose those!!

So, aside from getting ready for the downsize, I am entering this assignment in anticipation of my new year resolutions.  Yes, I have already written them.  As Rosh Hoshana approaches, I haven’t yet decided at which new year these resolutions will commence, so stay tuned.  😊

(PS.  Interestingly enough, my daughter exhibited hoarder tendencies with beanie babies and lip balms; graduated to purses and shoes and now, as a sculptor, its her tools.  Her collection would make a grown man cry!)