When people ask you which one of the labels above belongs to you, how do you answer? I have found some people will say oh I am a collector not a hoarder but my sister( insert name of relative or friend), is a clutterer or hoarder.

One evening while watching a program on hoarders on television, I was congratulating myself on my mess not being as bad as the hoarders. I glanced at my room and there was a section piled high to ceiling with boxes and more boxes and bags overflowing etc. I think I was on my way to having all my living area becoming a  stock room for my shop. I kept saying I was not a hoarder but may have a few hoarder tendencies.

I wonder how Moodscopers see themselves and if they accept a label in the title or another description. Or do you feel that labels can have stigma attached to them and it is better to describe ones attitude to having many possessions rather than just labelling? Have you ever felt uncomfortable to have people over or do you shut the  doors of rooms you don’t want to be seen, when you have visitors? 

Mary Wednesday wrote recently about how we value our possessions but what happens if we have too many and it is overwhelming? As long as we can live in our homes safely is it a problem if we like clutter? I have been in a friend’s home where I feel I am messing it up just by being there as everything is white and minimal.

I know hoarder is a medical condition but many people use the word to shame others. I am interested in how you fit on the scale from minimalist to hoarder and explain how you describe your relationship with your possessions. Some people may say they are a minimalist but friends may say clutterer.

Leah 

A Moodscope member