MR. PANDEMONIUM WEIGHS IN ON THE TOPIC OF HOARDING!

A Pejorative Pathology

OR

 Some of the Best Fun We Can Have in This Short Time We Live?

CASE STUDY: The Many Hats of My Neighbor, Terry B

Terry is a multitasker and no one is going to pick a bone with that; it's actually a talent that is encouraged, even venerated, in this modern materialistic culture. He's a little restless too, and comes from a family that has circulated around many career and job choices that often involved a shop of some kind: Barber Shop, Radio Shop, Sewing Machine Shop, Pancake Shop, etc. 

Well, in this mobile society moving from one thing to another has become common and may be easy for some, especially if you didn't like what you were doing or where you were doing it. But, for Terry moving on was a bittersweet process because he loved everything about all of the many hats that he wore. So, when he was ready to move along, he always took with him as much memento mori from his travails as he could. Ultimately, this led to many boxes, tubs, bags, and bins full of many varieties of many different kinds of things associated with the many different hats Terry wore. (And, by the way, he kept all those hats, too!).

Along the way Terry met and married Sharon who also loved to hold on to things that attracted her. Together they made a demon collecting team and filled a couple of houses, garages, barns, and yards with so much stuff their properties started to look like something had taken them over. This is what some would technically call hoarding. But, what it looked like to me was a well-lived lifetime together that was documented with the actual stuff of their lives so much better than a faded photo album or fuzzy video tape could ever convey. In essence, the joy of their clutter most certainly outweighed the clutter of the clutter and it would be an insult to call it hoarding in a negative sense.  

Being invited into his home to pick reminded me of that great song from the 80's called Memorabilia:

"Give me a reminder; I collect, I reject,

Memorabilia.....

Little bits of glassware

Ashtrays with inscriptions

Plastic things on pencils

Bits of mass production

Postcards, pretty pictures

Little bits of plastic

Memorabilia (Keychains and snowstorms) 

Castanets, mantilla torremolinos and plastic men..... "

Downsizing Terry's Estate

Recently, I have been helping Terry downsize (which is where this and many other current listings in my shop are from). He and I have developed a relationship that is nearly synchronistic: he knows what I like and lets me know when he finds something that will appeal to me.  If I agree (which is almost a 100% thing) he puts it "on the pile" for my next visit! This is like having what I call a "Rolling Estate Sale" with a personal picker and a mutual benefit. 

Terry B's "Rolling Estate Sale" Items Have Their Own Section in Our Shop

Terry's Memorabilia

 https://www.ebay.com/str/portlandpandemonium/Terrys-Memorabilia/_i.html?store_cat=38715010017

We Will Scratch Your Vintage Itch