They could have saved all those years of studying just by watching this George Carlin clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac
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New Study: Todays Families are Prisoners of Their Own Clutter
- Thread starter Ernest
- Start date
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Holy shit this is me.
I legit get jealous and feel ashamed whenever someone posts their Ikea pad or when I visit a nicely kept, modern home.
Me, we inherited a family place and we don't make enough to fully furnish with newer stuff and with both mine and my wife's mother passing and unable to afford storage and too caught up on other things to host tag sales, our garages are filled with their stuff.
I panic at the thought of unexpected guests because of clutter.
Two kids man....
I legit get jealous and feel ashamed whenever someone posts their Ikea pad or when I visit a nicely kept, modern home.
Me, we inherited a family place and we don't make enough to fully furnish with newer stuff and with both mine and my wife's mother passing and unable to afford storage and too caught up on other things to host tag sales, our garages are filled with their stuff.
I panic at the thought of unexpected guests because of clutter.
Two kids man....
Every 6 months I throw away an obnoxious amount of perfectly good stuff that is simply taking up space in my house. It makes me feel like a real capitalist piece of shit. What can be donated to Goodwill, goes to Goodwill. A lot ends up on the sidewalk. It's obscene. I'm not trying to be one of the minimalist cult types, but the goal is to buy less and really think hard about whether or not I need something.
Baby on the way in September and the amount of tiny clothing and equipment is already overwhelming. I can already see half of it in Tupperware bins in the attic for years until it is unceremoniously dumped on the sidewalk.
Baby on the way in September and the amount of tiny clothing and equipment is already overwhelming. I can already see half of it in Tupperware bins in the attic for years until it is unceremoniously dumped on the sidewalk.
BlazinSkatinAxel
Member
Time to go digital people.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Yea I'm having this problem now. Space is at a premium and we just have too much shit.
demosthenes
Member
My clutter: movies, books and video games. They're all organized and not a huge volume. Can't stand too much stuff taking up space.
TheCochese
Banned
Going through this realization somewhat now. Fixing up our home, and we're finding things that we should get rid of.
Storage for actual items we need is an issue though. We need better storage.
Storage for actual items we need is an issue though. We need better storage.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
In the last 2 decades we've seen almost every medium of entertainment move from physical to digital as a primary delivery service, I can't imagine how many homes are stuffed with old VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs books etc.
Even if you know you won't use them again it's hard to toss all that stuff away, but donating is an option that makes it easier to rid yourself of clutter. Thankfully I got rid of so many older comics and books a few years ago, they took up SO much space.
Even if you know you won't use them again it's hard to toss all that stuff away, but donating is an option that makes it easier to rid yourself of clutter. Thankfully I got rid of so many older comics and books a few years ago, they took up SO much space.
My boyfriend has piles of DVDs that he never watches and probably never will watch.
Some people have a hard time tossing shit out.
minor effort
Banned
I did a few different overseas moves over the past decade and it got me out of any collecting mindset. I sold off all my vinyl, most of my games, books, and tried to get most of my personal possessions down to at least just a few suitcases and boxes.
Since then I've resisted collecting any inessentials, to go digital whenever possible, and to try to keep personal possessions manageable.
Since then I've resisted collecting any inessentials, to go digital whenever possible, and to try to keep personal possessions manageable.
I got a rather large Scervo figure from gamestop because they were going for about $20.
Even if I hadn't accidentally broken the sheathing nub on one of the swords I probably would still regret doing so.
I'm better at this than I used to be, but I feel like a majority of the problem were gifts, not things I bought myself.
I still collect my music and games though, and yugioh takes some space (you can get away with tins + a binder though).
Even if I hadn't accidentally broken the sheathing nub on one of the swords I probably would still regret doing so.
I'm better at this than I used to be, but I feel like a majority of the problem were gifts, not things I bought myself.
I still collect my music and games though, and yugioh takes some space (you can get away with tins + a binder though).
Impeccable
Member
I clean out my house like every year. Clutter makes me sick.
Yeah it's really gross. My mom and her husband - just the two of them, no kids, no pets - moved out of an 1800 square foot house with a garage and basement because it was "too small for them." They had storage units for their excess junk.
Now their place is about 4500 sq ft, with a full sized basement and two car garage. It's packed to the gills. Every drawer you open - full. Every flat surface - covered in things. Not hoarder level, it's somewhat organized I guess, but it's just shit. All useless. You could toss literally 95% with no loss of convenience or living quality. Everything they own, they own 4+ of.
Same deal with my girlfriends brother. Two kids, and they spend a fortune building this beautiful modern minimalist house - laboratory looking kitchen, custom interior glass doors, polished concrete floors. But it's FULL of toys. Every single floor of every single room is just overtaken with kid shit, none of which the kids care about whatsoever.
Not to get all sanctimonious but I live with my girlfriend and cat in a 275 sq ft apartment. I can cook any meal, I have one shelf of books, two sets of sheets, and exactly one of every item that I really need. Every time I buy new thing I find an old thing to toss. There's no shit hiding under my bed, desk, couch, or anywhere other than my closets. It's a good way to live, I like it.
But yeah, the discount culture has made a lot of people into semi-hoarders. Very anxiety inducing lifestyle.
Now their place is about 4500 sq ft, with a full sized basement and two car garage. It's packed to the gills. Every drawer you open - full. Every flat surface - covered in things. Not hoarder level, it's somewhat organized I guess, but it's just shit. All useless. You could toss literally 95% with no loss of convenience or living quality. Everything they own, they own 4+ of.
Same deal with my girlfriends brother. Two kids, and they spend a fortune building this beautiful modern minimalist house - laboratory looking kitchen, custom interior glass doors, polished concrete floors. But it's FULL of toys. Every single floor of every single room is just overtaken with kid shit, none of which the kids care about whatsoever.
Not to get all sanctimonious but I live with my girlfriend and cat in a 275 sq ft apartment. I can cook any meal, I have one shelf of books, two sets of sheets, and exactly one of every item that I really need. Every time I buy new thing I find an old thing to toss. There's no shit hiding under my bed, desk, couch, or anywhere other than my closets. It's a good way to live, I like it.
But yeah, the discount culture has made a lot of people into semi-hoarders. Very anxiety inducing lifestyle.
digita1alchemy
Member
I believe this. I think we are one of the only houses in our subdivision that can park both cars in the garage. If I feel like we have too much clutter in our house I get really anxious so we purge things a couple times a year, selling stuff on eBay or taking it to Goodwill. I feel like we have too much stuff even now, but with 2 young kids I've come to accept it for the time being.
Also, anyone who realizes they have a clutter problem and wants to deal with it should check out this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1607747308/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Also, anyone who realizes they have a clutter problem and wants to deal with it should check out this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1607747308/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Hale-XF11
Member
So glad I'm not a hoarder. I've gotten rid of so much stuff, that it's actually brought my anxiety levels way down. It's nice living a simpler life with less stuff and just having what I need to get by. I don't understand how some people can live with so much crap in their lives.
adamsappel
Member
I'm a bit of a hoarder, in that I'm a cheap bastard who hates to throw out perfectly good things that we've already spent money on. I don't miss the things we eventually donate, but it does stick in my craw when I have to re-buy something we once owned. I hold on to things for far too long.
Parents who grew up in the '70s and '80s are always nostalgic for their outdoor-kid memories, but we never let our kids play like that, usually out of fear of being judged as a neglectful parent (which, to be honest, is what our parents often were--how can they have gone the entire day without knowing where we were?). And I think a lot of us are buying things for our kids that we didn't have. I grew up a poor hippie kid in West Virginia and there was a bit of shame over not having cool things, so I overcompensate.
Parents who grew up in the '70s and '80s are always nostalgic for their outdoor-kid memories, but we never let our kids play like that, usually out of fear of being judged as a neglectful parent (which, to be honest, is what our parents often were--how can they have gone the entire day without knowing where we were?). And I think a lot of us are buying things for our kids that we didn't have. I grew up a poor hippie kid in West Virginia and there was a bit of shame over not having cool things, so I overcompensate.
Thanks for posting this... My wife and I have been thinking this way for a while now, and actively trying to buy less and get rid of things we already have. I think a tough part is realizing that what you have actually IS valueless a lot of the time, but you think it has some value. So if you can bring yourself to get rid of it, even that becomes a stopping point because you expect to sell it for something, and the hassle of doing so-- or if the marketplace actually dictates that it IS worthless-- then you are sunk. I have a bunch of old CDs I bought in highschool. Good stuff! But will anyone buy them from me? I should just drop them at Goodwill and be done with it.
BladeoftheImmortal
Member
It's only because I live in a 2 bedroom apartment.
TheCochese
Banned
A) money. Those services aren't free.
B) bandwidth. Data caps are a thing.
Imagine harder.
I had some small bad hoarding habits, but I managed to toss a lot of the junk and now can hold all my possessions in two boxes. It feels really great.
However I can back up this article and book. The number of houses I've visited where people have junk packed up to the ceiling in their garages is crazy. And they have even more stuff jam packed inside the house. It's depressing to look at as a visitor and I can only imagine that it's depressing to look at as an owner to not even be in control of the space in your own house.
However I can back up this article and book. The number of houses I've visited where people have junk packed up to the ceiling in their garages is crazy. And they have even more stuff jam packed inside the house. It's depressing to look at as a visitor and I can only imagine that it's depressing to look at as an owner to not even be in control of the space in your own house.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
This has been the case for my home almost my whole life.
I've heard that in San Francisco if you call to have a car towed for blocking your garage they make you open the door to prove you can get your car in there because so many people have theirs filled with junk as storage.
Otherwise people would just use that piece of street as their own free dedicated parking, but you can't block a garage if there's no parking in it to block.
milanbaros
Member?
Can believe it.
Wife and I hate clutter and throw/give away almost everything. The biggest 'clutter' we have is 2 backpacks we use for hiking and we have a tv. Not much else other than kitchen and clothes essentials.
A table, 4 chairs, a sofa and a mattress as well for furniture. Super easy to keep clean and tidy.
When we have anything more (usually gifts) we feel the stress rising.
Wife and I hate clutter and throw/give away almost everything. The biggest 'clutter' we have is 2 backpacks we use for hiking and we have a tv. Not much else other than kitchen and clothes essentials.
A table, 4 chairs, a sofa and a mattress as well for furniture. Super easy to keep clean and tidy.
When we have anything more (usually gifts) we feel the stress rising.
It's all stuff my mom sends me. Opened sheet sets and pillow cases (we had like around 8 sets when we have only one bed), unnecessary medicine (usually homeopathic), make up (which I don't wear), random small, unnecessary home/kitchen stuff, random small hardware and electronics. She's gotten a bit better about it but still. The clothing I can donate but everything else is harder to unload onto someone else especially if it's already been opened.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
The human animal is wired up, it seems, to be continually distracted and have difficulty thinking about why it's unhappy. And what it really needs from the environment around itself.
A few years ago I started trying to take care of this issue. First thing I did was get rid of the shelves of games and game cases and put all the discs in a few binders. A good first step really, to get into the swing of it.
A few years ago I started trying to take care of this issue. First thing I did was get rid of the shelves of games and game cases and put all the discs in a few binders. A good first step really, to get into the swing of it.
You can't digitize my POPs, and God help you if you try.
Mattakuevan
Member
I actually purge my stuff about 3-4 times a year. Every once in a while i make a mistake and get rid of/sell something i should have kept, but the vast majority of things just need to go.
Clutter is damning, purging is cathartic. Its just too easy to amass stuff nowadays.
Clutter is damning, purging is cathartic. Its just too easy to amass stuff nowadays.
gutter_trash
Banned
i was at my worse when i got a real job but was still living with my parents during my early 20s, then it got even crazyer when I moved out on my own and bought even more crap.
now turning 40, I want less stuff, I want empty spaces, I don't want shelves, I don't want books, I don't want CDs fuck it all.
now turning 40, I want less stuff, I want empty spaces, I don't want shelves, I don't want books, I don't want CDs fuck it all.
You should probably have an earnest talk with her. I was in the same situation as you, and my GFs amount of clutter and crap was a factor in our eventual divorce.
LegendofJoe
Member
I fight with my wife on a daily basis about this stuff. I want to live a practical, minimalist lifestyle and I loathe having unnecessary crap around the house. She on the otherhand hoards everything that meets her fancy. It's easily the number one source of friction between us. She is fascinated by people who live in tiny homes though, it's almost as if she's purposefully torturing me.
Help me gaf.
Help me gaf.
People can't let go of their shit. In the Austin area there's got to be 2 large storage rental spots per capita. My wife's parents gifted us (ie they're downsizing) what appears to be $20k (at time of purchase) of Christmas decorations that's taking up nearly 200 Sq Feet. Luckily we have a massive house and no kids, but we had plans to use that space and my wife hasn't figured out how to turn down 12 Christmas trees and 2000 ornaments.