Return to Base
By Steve Sharp
Eighteen months ago, I posted a piece called The Great De-Cluttering Dilemma, as we moved out of our house following an underfloor leak.
This week we are moving back in, albeit in the company of the builders who are finishing off and snagging.
It has been, and remains a time-consuming and frustrating exercise, but we are very pleased to be back home and being re-introduced to our possessions.
Since we have been without most of our goods and chattels for a year and a half, and rarely missed any of them, I wonder just how thorough our de-cluttering exercise really was.
I mentioned this to friends who said they had moved house four times in the past 20 years and each time had emptied the loft of stuff and put it in the loft at the new place. Only the Christmas decorations saw the light of day.
Is this just human nature or are some of us suffering from a recognised disorder?
The Mayo Clinic provides the following information for would be sufferers.
Symptoms of hoarding disorder may include:
Getting and keeping too many items that you may not have a need for right now and don't have space for.
Ongoing difficulty throwing out or parting with your things, regardless of their actual value.
Feeling a need to save these items and being upset by the thought of getting rid of them.
With hoarding disorder, items are usually saved because:
You believe these items are unique or that you'll need them at some point in the future.
You feel emotionally connected to items that remind you of happier times or represent beloved people or pets.
You feel safe and comforted when surrounded by things.
You don't want to waste anything.
It seems that 20% of us are hoarders whilst 6% are actually diagnosed with the condition.
There was even a National Hoarding awareness week this May! Who knew it was such a thing?
During repair and reinstating our house we have taken the opportunity to change a few things and add considerably more storage, so we can cheerfully squirrel away all our unused items, and no one will be any the wiser!
I have never ever claimed on my house buildings insurance in the forty odd years I have owned a property, but boy have I made up for it now. Given the meteoric cost rises of building materials and tradesmen it really is worth checking that you are adequately covered.
Steve