Collecting or Hoarding?

Dear Blogary,

When does collecting become hoarding? I’ve spent my morning going through a trunk-load of treasures, created by my boys over the past 4 years. I’ve also gone through storage bins and crates full of creations.

Blogary, how many drawings and created treasures done by one’s kids does one keep? I’ve managed to put many of the drawings in the recycling bin, using a ‘no name is on it’ kind of approach. Still, I have two bins (one for each kid) full of items that made the ‘save’ pile.

Joe starts Kindergarten in August, and he will come home with even more creations, drawings, writings, etc. Blogary, how do I determine what to keep? And, why keep it? Is this where the collecting/hoarding habit begins? I know I have at least three bins in the basement full of things I’ve collected over the years. I’m ready to throw all the stuff away, too. I’m just not ready to pull it all out of the closet downstairs.

Blogary, earlier this week I changed the boys’ bed sheets. Putting the sheets on Joe’s bed is a bit challenging. When the bed is made and the pillows are ‘perfectly’ placed, Joe’s bed looks normal. However, if you move the pillows, you will see his menagerie of treasures. And, every night before he goes to bed, he checks his collection, adjusting it as needed.

Much of Joe’s collection consists of stuffed animals, though if you looked through it you’d find a towel, a wooden snake, a note or two, etc. I suspect as he gets older, he won’t be as drawn to the stuffed animals as he is now. But, will he replace the stuffed animals with something else? That remains to be seen. And, Blogary, do I encourage the collecting or discourage the collecting? How much is too much? I suppose I had better check myself, and see what I keep in piles here and there.

Going through the trunk, bins and crates felt good. I collected quite a large quantity of paper for our recycling bin, too. Perhaps next week, I’ll tackle the closet downstairs. Blogary, let’s see if I am all talk, or if I am prepared to let go of what will certainly be memorable treasures.

Love,
Me