Are you a "pack rat"?

[trinacriabob]

I'm in the process of packing for a move and am getting depressed just looking at all the things I have. With me, it's mostly PRINTED MATTER.

I've got:

- travel brochures and maps to no end

- real estate/housing brochures to no end

- books from too much college level education

- too many blueprints of plans from places I've worked (and those take a LOT of space)

I'm actually doing a pretty good job eliminating them and it feels cathartic. However, neat stuff like old car brochures and ocean liner brochures from when I was a kid will go into a special file...it will be hard to find that stuff again.

Do you hoard items, requiring beaucoup storage? Which items specifically?

[Camino LS6]

A housefull and a barnfull.

[AxelTheRed]

Cleaning out my room a year ago, I discovered a wealth of crap from when I was in high school. Old report cards, detention slips...you name it.

[Dsuupr]

It looks like we have a list of typical Americans who keep junk they don't neet. My wife and I have always had the mindset that if you don't use it atleast once a year it should be thrown away for sold. Each of us get one exception to the rule. For me it's my car brochures (dating back mostly to the 80s, but a few in the 60s).

Even our house is "European" simple. Picture a home done in 80% IKEA.

[ocnblu]

I've gotten better. I still keep paid bills, movie and event ticket stubs, National Geographic magazines, and a few other things. I just threw out an almost complete collection of XY magazine that had been collecting dust in a box I packed to move from MD in 2003. Edited October 24, 2007 by ocnblu

[balthazar]

>>"Picture a home done in 80% particleboard."<<

tee-hee.

Pack rat here. Auto library alone must be 25,000 pieces. My heyday of collecting is many years ago, tho; more recently I have been slowly purging.

Edited October 24, 2007 by balthazar

[Drew Dowdell]

was

now actively tossing or selling.

[Drew Dowdell]

I've gotten better. I still keep paid bills, movie and event ticket stubs, National Geographic magazines, and a few other things. I just threw out an almost complete collection of XY magazine that had been collecting dust in a box I packed to move from MD in 2003.

you bought XY magazine?

[mustang84]

Somewhat here too. Like Bob said, it's mostly papers, drawings, brochures, etc. I still have drawings of cities I did as a kid. Nowadays, it's car magazines that I really don't need to keep all but I like looking back at them and seeing how much has changed.

Oh, and lots of studio models that I should probably throw but I spent so much money on that I can't get myself to do it yet.

My grandparents in Chicago are the kings of pack-rats though...their basement and garage are completely full of anything and everything from the 60s - 80s. My grandpa hasn't parked a car in the garage since about 1970; there are literally paths through piles of stuff that are six feet high. Over the last couple years, my parents have been helping them throw away the stuff they really don't need. The basement is mostly cleared out and the garage is next.

Edited October 24, 2007 by mustang84

[XP715]

Most definitely so! Got a storage unit at my father's place where my '67 Eldorado lives along with tons of parts for it and various other vehicles (mostly Cadillac), along with antique bicycles, antique snowmobiles, etc. One day I will be able to build my dream garage that will include space for all of it, including a small "museum" area for all of the stuff I've collected over the years (and adequate parts storage, and adequate storage for my car books/other pieces of literature).

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Absolutely not...

My parents are the biggest pack rats I know and I refuse to live like that.

I take it to the extreme as well (Just like every other aspect of my life -- for better or worse) Furniture, rooms in my house, etc. For example; if I never eat at the dining room table, I will never own a dining room table. Therefore, if I never eat at the dining room table obviously I'm never using the 'dining room' so that room will no longer be a dining room. I will find a USEFUL purpose for that space... It's very untraditional but it works excellent for me. The past 2 years in college have been great since I only have like 3 pieces of furniture to move. The first year, I didn't even have anything on the walls (It wasn't my home and still isn't -- It's basically a hotel for 3-4 years IMO)

Anyway... I probably make an exception for 2 things: 1) Car related crap (Parts, lubricants, polishes, etc.) But recently I have been purging that stuff and 2) Clothes. For some reason I feel that I have to have this massive wardrobe, and as long as it fits I have to wear it (even if it's just to work on my cars)

Edited October 24, 2007 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[trinacriabob]

that I really don't need to keep all but I like looking back at them and seeing how much has changed.

The rule of thumb, I've been told, is:

"If you don't look at it or use it once a year, it's gotta go."

Kind of makes sense.

[K.C.]

I have tons of car brochures and magazines that need thrown away. That is my only vice as far as accumulating junk.

[DetroitNut90]

I used to be one. Now, the stuff I keep is either important in some way (receipts, notes from the previous year's classes, bank statements, etc) or has a strong sentimental value (boarding passes from my first flight, ticket from a concert in Philadelphia, ticket from a play I saw in New York on a field trip, birthday/holiday cards, etc).

[balthazar]

>>"...I found several Flying magazines from the 1970-80's. Where did those come from? I wasn't alive when any of these were published..."<<

If my automobilia was only comprised of material published after I was born, I'd have only 20% of what I have now.

[K.C.]

I used to have all of the Automobile Magazine issues 1 in April 1986. I regret throwing them all away.

[Cory Wolfe]

I just threw out an almost complete collection of XY magazine that had been collecting dust in a box I packed to move from MD in 2003.

What?! You should have told me! I would have gladly taken those off your hands for you as long as they were pure... and not contaminated.

Myself, I'm not a complete pack rat nor a total clean freak. I have a hard time getting rid of certain things, but others I'll gladly get rid of. My problem is that I'm cheap and want money for anything I get rid of. Throwing it away is just insanity to me when I can possibly get something back for it.

Edited October 25, 2007 by blackviper8891

[bobo]

I have borderline OCD in accumulating and not discarding stuff. Thankfully not packed to the rafters, though. I have old car brochures and car magazines from the '80s. I have a lot of housing brochures also. School stuff from high school. Old clothes. Boxes that electronics came in.

[antidote]

im not but my wife is. she keeps a lot of memorabilia about our story. haha!

[!!!TED!!!]

Im not a packrat. Im a collector.

It breaks my heart to hear that some of you throw away automotive literature.

Send it to me.