The Daily Write

Everything I Ever Bought

Keeping, collecting, hoarding

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

It is day 19th of the 30-day challenge and I am always surprised where the prompt will lead my Midform essay. Today’s prompt, ‘What do you collect?’ had me taking a hard look at the state of my home and left me wondering why I buy so many clothes when I do not have any closet space left?

So, if you have not guessed it — I have a problem with clothes. My weakness is charity shopping, which on the plus side is more environmentally conscious than buying fast fashion — but the result is the same — an accumulation of more than I need.

If I was a real environmentalist I would just stop buying stuff altogether.

I do have clothes and shoes pretty much everywhere and find clearing out my closest hard. I still have some clothes from my teens and would probably have an attic full of more if my partner didn’t give me an ultimatum.

Now if I cleared out my closest as Eminem advised, I probably wouldn't be worrying about whether or not I was a borderline hoarder and if I had an inherited mental ‘disorder.’

The website, Calm Sage, identified 5 stages of hoarding:

1. Hoarding Level One –

the clutter is not excessive and the living space is considered sanitary.

2. Hoarding Level Two –

the clutter is spread in more than one room, there is a slight odour and the living space is not kept properly.

3. Hoarding Level Three –

one or more bedrooms are unusable and there are excessive dust, soiled living area, and visible clutter outdoors.

4. Hoarding Level Four –

there is a sewer problem, hazardous electrical wiring, mosquito and bug infestation, and unsanitary living conditions.

5. Hoarding Level Five –

there is a rodent infestation, the kitchen and bathroom are unsanitary and unusable and little to no plumbing.