Nature/Nurture....some things can be overturned through years of therapy
When I was a child, it became apparent to me from an early age that my mother was a hoarder, and hated to throw anything away. The best thing about her hoarding was "the ironing pile", which was so massive it seemed to take over most of the spare room (she also seemed to be permanently surprised by the concept that as a house wife, it would have been a good idea to do some house work). The ironing pile contained items of clothing that I had long since grown out of, and was an amazing place to hide the really disgusting cardi that some mental old aunt had bought me, or the dress that my mother though would be perfect for the school disco (yes, if I had been 5 at the time, but not as hormonally challenged teenager). It was simple, you claimed that you had worn said sartorial nightmare and had spilled something down it and put it in the wash basket. If you were really unlucky, it might emerge from the ironing pile after about 6 months during one of my mother's guilt ironing sessions, but invariably, it disappeared never to be seen again.

Through her influence, I went through some strange hoarding episodes myself, once spending several years collecting hundreds bus tickets and till receipts (what was I thinking), and had several drawers full of stuff that I may need one day.

Having spent the last 13 years living with someone who is pretty much OCD regarding cleanliness and tidiness, I feel like I have been in a kind of living therapy, and all urges to hoard have been well and truly sucked out of me. Now please excuse me, there is a drawer that need cleaning out in the kitchen....
(Dolly_Diva Dolly_Diva knows what you did..., Sat 5 May 2012, 15:43, Reply)