Guess I need to watch it:) No I am not a hoarder, I would rather be quilting than cleaning:)

Yes, was on medical leave and saw the show twice and I look at "stuff" differently in my house. I used to be very organized and have gotten away from that while I was married (2nd husband) now that I'm single again trying to get back to being organized without going overboard....moderation right?

I would take it a step further and say that once you get to a point that you could not realistically ever use it, that would be too much. It sounds like there is no way she would be able to actually make enough quilts to use that stash.

I reached that point with scraps not too long ago. I was reluctant to toss ANY scrap piece, even the little tiny ones. I realized there was no way I was keeping those for use, so I was only keeping them to keep them. I immediately made up a couple of rag dolls for the local kids shelter and used the scraps to stuff them. Problem solved.

I am another one who feels the urge to clean out stuff after watching the Hoarders show. Last week, I realized that with only one bed in the house, there was no way I was ever going to need the 20 sets of sheets I have collected over the years (most of them my moms), so I pulled them all out and donated all but three sets as well.

This week is the 'utility' room that still has boxes unopened from the last time we moved, two years ago. lol.

Who is this woman and will she adopt me. LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:

Shoot! I haven't even graduated to totes yet! All of mine is in one drawer in the cabinet that I have for sewing!

I also like the show "How Clean is Your House" on BBC America. Kim and Aggie are awsome. I get the "cleaning bug" after that show too. DH can't watch it. It totally grosses him out. HAHA

Haven't seen that one, but cleaned my closet out two weeks ago of clothes I have been hanging on to and cleaned DH's dresser drawers out. Got rid of 6 large bags of clothes and stuff. Next room...

I have said to myself, stop buying. I stoped...for about a month. I just can't help myself. I do need to stop...and use what I have.

That is just scarey. How can she enjoy shopping knowing she has so much - she has no idea what she has. I have been redoing my sewing room and have sorted folded fabrics by color, themes which are on shelves in cabinets, ditto with fat quarters, and I also have four tubs of collections, fabric for specific fabrics, etc. When I "found" some of these fabrics I couldn't even remember when I bought them. At this point, I feel I have enough and will only buy a fabric to coordinate fabrics I have or for backing. When I feel the need for fabric, I just open the doors to my cabinets, look at all the colors and feel like I am in a "candy shoppe".

Wow...what a story. I wonder how many thousands of dollars she has tied up in fabric! I also wonder if she would mention me in her will! Sadly, the task of emptying her possessions upon her demise will probably pass to a non-fabic loving child or other relative, and her treasures will end up in a dump somewhere. I'd like to dig in there right now and make lots of light and mid-weight quilts to send to Haiti.

I agree with DianD. It would be fun to have a quilt retreat with the lady's fabric and make quilts for Haiti.We could probably make 1000 quilts out of that much fabric. Eiltoq.

I agree with wvdek in that the lady in our small quilt group who has the least, always (I mean always) gives fabric, patterns and sometimes kits to the rest of us. When we try to repay her by buying a gift card, guess what this blessed soul does? She buys us more fabric. She said to me once that we weren't going to change her because she loves to cut the pattern pieces and then match each of us to the particular designs we love. She is our special jewel and another "angel amongst us".

You girls are tough. I guess I better not disclose how much fabric I have. I am retired though so who knows how much I will use. My sewing pals will get my fabric on my demise.

Oh, my, that is definitely hoarding. I thought I was bad but now I don't feel bad at all. She needs help.

I do not like to make decissions, so some times think two pieces is to much. However; when looking at my stach you would never know it.

The question is: Will the family (especially the DH) be able to part with her "stuff" ? OOOORRRRR!!! will they just light a match or take it to the dump?

I have a quilting friend who passed away leaving a sizeable stash. (I'll grant you, NOTHING like the subject of this thread) Her children brought it to her guild and they shared it.

I feel much better after reading all the messages from everyone. I thought my 15 totes were overboard. Now, I know I'm just a 'normal' quilter! That poor lady really needs help. As a matter of fact, so does her husband.

We own a very large apartment but even with large rooms my storage space is limited. I have a lot of fabric, two dressers in the bedroom, plastic boxes under the futon in the den. But it's all where I can enjoy it, take it out and re-sort it, see what I have and it makes me happy.

Problem with the lady CJOMOMMA met seems to be she's just piling it in and doesn't enjoy it at all. She's buying just to buy.

And ESQMOMMY I'd join you at that garage sale. I'll be polite but if there's any orange fabric it's mine!

LOL...that's okay...any dots and birds are mine! I may lose my politeness over certain fabrics!!

When I moved and most of what I moved was craft stuff. I made a goal for myself right there. No more buying until I had finished all the projects I already had except what I needed to finish a given project. It took 5 or 6 years but I finished off everything and now I get what I need for a project and complete that project before I buy anything else. I'm sure if I weren't on a fixed income I'd be doing it different. But this is what I do now. So for me it's hoarding if it doesn't belong to the project I'm working on.

Such control. Even if it is kinda forced on you.

I'm actually more relaxed doing it this way. I don't get in the store and have to choose which fantastic fabric to choose. I know it's the one that matches my project and that one only.

I wonder if they will auction the whole van or just so much per grab. Can you imagine what that fabric must smell like? Ohhhhh my imagination is going places where noone has gone before. LOL

Seriously, I agree the woman has major problems. However, if you are going to hoard, fabric is probably better than some other things. Wonder if she stacked it neatly or just stuffed. Ahhhhh, wondering minds want to know! :lol:

That woman definitely has a big problem. Her husband is no help; could be he is one of those quiet men who find it easier to go along than fight it. I was acquiring quite a bit of fabric (love colors), but fortunately I have two granddaughters who are learning to quilt so the stash is starting to disappear, although slowly. Years ago a friend and I had a buying problem; we started taking only so much cash, but we put everything we thought we needed in the basket and when it came time to leave the store, we had to put back everything we couldn't pay for. Kind of had the psychological feel of shopping. Took us about 6 months, but we did overcome the shopping obsession and never went back. I say that woman needs professional help.

That is definitely hoarding. I don't see how she can see fabrics that work in a piece, or how she would ever use it all! Sounds like an awesome garage sale when she dies! I thought I was bad with 4 plastic drawer units and some bins. Guess not!

Maybe he does it to keep her quiet! GG

I use to joke about that old saying "she who dies with the most wins" until someone replied," she who dies with the most dies anyway" put a different slant on how much is enough. I buy lots of my stash at garage sales so it's not like I have lots of money tied up it it. I don't have a great dal but I tell my husband, I won't use it all up if I lived to be 100. I remind the Lord, I can't die yet I have too many quilts running through my mind to make.

Maybe she was exaggerating, wanting to seem important. At any rate, having that much would be considered hoarding. I have watched hoarders too, and love Kim and Aggie on How clean is your house! I always get the urge to clean after watching, but I usually get over it in a day or two lol I have to feel for those people on those shows, especially the ones with young children and pets. That is no way to bring up kids. What are you gonna do?

Maxine "the one with the most fabric win

i hope we can all go her yard sale

I, too, was worried about having too much stuff (I watched Hoarders) but the difference is that I don't keep stuff just to keep it and while my house is messy, it isn't dirty. I recently retired, my mom passed at the same time (I was her primary caretaker for many years, the last 5-6 were pretty difficult) and things got real stacked up. That said, I do have too much stuff, and so last year I hired a college girl and we went through closets and drawers and really did some de-cluttering. Since then I have gone through all my kitchen cupboards (how many sets of mixing bowls do you need? Plastic, glass, metal, white, wow!) I still have lots of stuff and a long way to go, but at least now I am feeling lighter :) I do not want to leave a mess for my kits and hubby to have to deal with. Now, onto my sewing room: I have an entire room filled with shop quality fabric and patterns and sewing supplies. But, as I go through it to find pieces for a project, I pull pieces that I will never use (the "what was I thinking?" pieces) and put them onto the free table at my quilt guild meetings or donate them to the guild raffle table or give to a friend. I never ever miss the pieces!!! Here are some pics of my computer room closet, before and after. I'll post more pics of before and after. It's pretty striking and very cathartic!

More pics of our computer room Before and After

Some more pictures.

Dear Corky, You are to be admired for such discipline. Now, relax and enjoy your sewing room and your fabrics. It takes courage to go through all those things, but you did it! :lol:

Now I have a work surface and I bought a cute caddy to hold all the pens and stuff

OMG i better go clean my sewing room!!!!

i want mine to look that nice

That isn't my sewing room, it is our computer room. My sewing room is a real project! I will do my master bedroom next.

Corky, condolences on the loss of your mom. And congratulations on this massive cleanup, the results are great. Lately I've also started donating my "what was I thinking" fabrics to my guild, scraps for the scrap table, larger pieces for raffles. Some are really nice, just no longer my taste and why should they just sit there.

Enough of you have mentioned "Hoarders" that I better take a look next time I see it listed.

Hoarders is pretty scary, but I know true hoarding is a mental illness. Even so, its enough to scare me into de-cluttering big time. Very motivating, especially if you think of what your family will have to do if you die and they have to deal with all of it. Not a memento to leave them. BTW - I also wrote a "will" for my stash. Want to see it?? It's tongue in cheek, but useable. I want my family to recoup some of the thousands of dollars (tens of thousands?) I have in fabrics, patterns, books and sewing supplies when I'm gone, and honestly, they wouldn't have a clue!

sure would lkie to see all of it

I thought I was quite clever with the magazine holders. I bought inexpensive white ones from IKEA, bought some pretty scrapbooking papers from JoAnns and covered the fronts of the mag holders with the paper, printed out labels and Voila'! Looks pretty cool, huh?