Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I Am NOT a Hoarder

Yesterday I was unloading the dishwasher, and as I was wiping dry a garlic powder spice container, I thought to myself,

"When did I become the person who keeps this?" 

Seriously? 

The top shelf of one kitchen cabinet may be filled with jars and containers that I might use later.

Picture Credit
I decided to confess to my sister, and get her take on my escalating habit:

Me: So, I have this empty spice container that I kept...
Jennifer: Kept? What do you mean? Why?
Me: I don't know, for like a craft project or to hold glitter or something.
Jennifer: Glitter already comes in a container.
Me: True. 
Jennifer: Oh, no. You can't keep that. Throw it away.
Me: I guess you're right. Funny, the other day I was trying to decide whether I should keep the empty oatmeal container, too. I thought Grace could play with it, or we could make it into a drum or decorate it as a bow-holder or something. 
Jennifer: Decorate it? No! You're like a hoarder.
Me: What? That's rude! Don't call me that! 
Jennifer: You can't keep that stuff. It's trash. Throw it away.
Me: But we might need it...

So, apparently there is a line that you cross when you become a hoarder. Keeping an empty spice jar is that line for me.

However, I refuse to be a hoarder, and I take great offense to being called one. Did she really call me a hoarder???

I don't keep the cotton from inside prescription bottles, nor are there dead cats rotting beneath piles of my belongings unbeknownst to me.

I'm not there. You could hardly call my house cluttered. It was just some innocent jars...and an oatmeal can.

I was going to do crafty-mom things with them. I swear. I'm more of a hopeful up-cycler, who never quite gets around to doing anything.

There's hope. Right?

I threw away the oatmeal can, but I kept the spice jar.

My own cinnamon & sugar shaker!

Mama's Losin' It

9 comments:

  1. Keeping an empty spice container does NOT a hoarder make---I save them to put herbs I dry in because I need a shaker for them---but only regular size. The mini's I toss in the recycle bin. If you're able to make the decision to throw something away you're not a hoarder.

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    1. Good point. I really don't like clutter, but sometimes it does seem sad to throw out (or recycle) things that still seem useful or pretty.

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    2. Also, I don't know if I've ever in my life used an entire large shaker of anything... Now that is a feat!

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  2. Pinterest is to blame! I've been holding onto glass jars that I would never had kept before. But I still seem to throw away or recycle the plastic bottles. Now if you hold on to newspapers for years and have no intention to read them, then you might be a hoarder.

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    1. I think newspapers are the biggest waste! I understand that people like the ritual of holding and reading the paper, but I think they are one dinosaur that just need to die already! And you're right-Pinterest is definitely to blame!

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  3. I think we all have a tendency to "collect" certain things thanks to Pinterest. My habit is glass jars from sauces, jams, etc. I can find all kinds of uses for them. You're doing just fine if you can throw things away that you really don't need so go ahead and toss that Hoarder label in the trash too :)

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    1. There are a lot of uses for glass jars- funny, I feel like Pinterest shows 299+ ways to use chalkboard paint on jars alone! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I actually really like what you did with that empty spice container right there! I have a bowl of cinnamon and sugar that is begging for a container. Thanks for the idea...I'm becoming one of you now. ;)

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    1. Thanks! White duct tape and a sharpie- always trying to keep it classy!

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