Hoard or Purge

I will admit I am a hoarder of several things. Well, actually many things when I think about it. There are items that if I go below a certain number in my stock, I kinda start freaking out. Some of these things include but are not limited to...
-Socks-I had 3 sisters. We were always stealing the last pair of socks from the folded laundry before the next sister could grab them. If you were too late, sometimes you'd go sock-less. I now have many, many socks in the sock drawer of each family member.
-Lotions-I love smelling good and having soft skin. Smells comfort me. If I am running low on lotion (almost never) Bath and Body Works will receive an emergency stock-up session from me.
-Hair doohickeys...rubber bands, clips, bobby pins, headbands-Like I said, I grew up with three sisters. Hair accessories were a premium but scarce item in our home.
-Shoes-A girl has got to have a pair for every situation.

I know-Bath and Body Works would be jealous, right?

Some of my best friends

My sock drawer

That being said, every few months I get a panicky, claustrophobic feeling of having too much stuff. When this occurs, I sweep through the house assessing which of the items we have stashed away need to be purged. My family knows that when I am ransacking the closets and rearranging the storage room, they'd better hide their stuff or it might get put in the box for the DI.

I think often about this cycle of mine and wonder what makes me need to hoard-and then need to purge. I think I have figured it out. Sort of.

As a human, the need to fill needs is ever present. Thus, the hoarding, the storing, the tendency to save for a rainy day.  The need to take care of our families and loved ones also drives these urges. In my family, and growing up in my church, we were taught to be prepared and be ready for any calamity or situation where we would have to rely on stored items. My family took this very seriously and my parents made sure we never went without the necessities and sometimes even frivolities when money was scarce. When I got married I followed their example. It is rare when I don't have at least one back up for the items we regularly use.

But I also live modestly, in a modest house with not a ton of extra storage. When my stock piling urges kick in (usually constituted by a great sale) I have to make sure there is space. I have been known to overwhelm myself by bringing home too many back-ups. I also have a clean freak living inside this head of mine. Between those two things, it is cause for the purge, and then it starts all over again.

When I said the secret to life is balance, I meant it. I don't know if I will ever get there with my storing and cleaning monsters  always facing off, but here's to the fight, and to trying. And if that doesn't work, I can always watch an episode of "Hoarders". That always makes me feel better about myself :)

Arrrgh!