Ok... so today I decided to go on a cleaning frenzy.

Once every few months I go through all of my papers, files, drawers, storage etc. etc. and clear out what is no longer useful, old gifts I didn't like/use, and such.

I am incredibly organized. I have a special drawer for just about everything; in fact I have more storage space than I have stuff. I don't like to keep usless things... it simply drives me crazy to have junk lying around.

So I have a box and a half filled with clothes, jewelery, makeup, etc.etc. of things to give to goodwill.

ANYWAY, my point is that I DON'T keep stuff, I am NOT a pack rat.

But it's weird. Both my mother and my granny are MASSIVE pack rats. They keep EVERYTHING... and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I guess I avoided picking up that trait (thankfully).

I am wondering if YOU are a pack rat or not. How organized are you? What are your parents like? Were these habits/traits picked up from your upbringing, or did you develop them on your own?

My dad is, and pawned the trait off to my little brother. I have a bit of it, but I try hard to keep it off because that just means too much extra shit would be lying around. I used to keep everything, then one day when I was cleaning my room I realized that I saved the stuff because I thought it would be cool to have mementos from the most random shit, but really it was pointless.

Hmmm. For me, it varies depending on exactly what the stuff is. Old technology stuff I will never throw away. I have masses of shit like that from over 5 or 6 years ago, that will never ever be useful again. But I still keep them for some reason. I do have a specific (massive) draw for that stuff though.

Other stuff though? I'm pretty happy to just toss it away.

Actually, now that I think about it, there are quite a few boxes of stuff under the house with god only knows what in them...Maybe I am quite a hoarder after all. I still have boxes that haven't been opened in 4.5 years from two moves ago

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Originally posted by idoru My dad is, and pawned the trait off to my little brother. I have a bit of it, but I try hard to keep it off because that just means too much extra shit would be lying around. I used to keep everything, then one day when I was cleaning my room I realized that I saved the stuff because I thought it would be cool to have mementos from the most random shit, but really it was pointless.

Well, I will admit that I have a "memory box" which contains things like old movie stubs, letters/cards people gave me, etc.

One of these days I want to get a "scrap book" and put all of it into the book in an organized fashion.

Although a lot of it is totally useless and takes up space, everything holds a "memory" that reminds me of things I did with certain people, and certain times of my life, which I value.

However, I think of that as being totally different to being a pack rat.

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Originally posted by Sushipunk Hmmm. For me, it varies depending on exactly what the stuff is. Old technology stuff I will never throw away. I have masses of shit like that from over 5 or 6 years ago, that will never ever be useful again. But I still keep them for some reason. I do have a specific (massive) draw for that stuff though. Other stuff though? I'm pretty happy to just toss it away. Actually, now that I think about it, there are quite a few boxes of stuff under the house with god only knows what in them...Maybe I am quite a hoarder after all. I still have boxes that haven't been opened in 4.5 years from two moves ago

THAT would drive me nuts. I can't have stuff just hanging around. If it isn't being used, give it to good will. Don't keep useless shit.

I've kept my art portfolios from various classes, as well as my architecture portfolio.

Dunno why.

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"You won a new refrigerator, great! Where you gonna put it?" - Tony Danza

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Originally posted by Theresa Well, I will admit that I have a "memory box" which contains things like old movie stubs, letters/cards people gave me, etc.

As do I. I was talking about just stuff in general. My "memory box" gets used for stuff that reeeeeeeeally means something to me.

Back when I was being a pack rat, I would keep at least one or two things from each day. My "memory box", however, only got touched once or twice a year. I think the last item that I put in it was from the beginning of this year.

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Originally posted by Theresa THAT would drive me nuts. I can't have stuff just hanging around. If it isn't being used, give it to good will. Don't keep useless shit.

Yeah, I really should. Half of it is my gf's though, so we'd both have to go though it all and see just what the hell's in them all. There are maybe 15 or so boxes of stuff under there

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Oh, I forgot. I'm still sort of a pack rat. I have every bottle cap from every bottle of Bawls I've consumed, I keep the ticket stub from each event (even movies) I go to, and I keep the bottle caps from nifty bottles of Root Beer and such. That's it, and they all go in a small little box. Though, I don't know if that'd be considered a pack rat.

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Originally posted by idoru Oh, I forgot. I'm still sort of a pack rat. I have every bottle cap from every bottle of Bawls I've consumed, I keep the ticket stub from each event (even movies) I go to, and I keep the bottle caps from nifty bottles of Root Beer and such. That's it, and they all go in a small little box. Though, I don't know if that'd be considered a pack rat.

May I ask exactly what a bottle of 'Bawls' is

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Originally posted by Sushipunk May I ask exactly what a bottle of 'Bawls' is

http://www.bawls.com

My favorite bevarage.

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Originally posted by idoru http://www.bawls.com My favorite bevarage.

Ok cool. Does it taste good? And more importantly, is it pronounced 'Balls' like I assumed?

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