My husband has has an affliction. It’s called “cantthrowshitoutitis“. The latest thing he cannot part with? Poles. Yes, poles. We spent an entire day cleaning out the garage. We packed 6 cans with trash and had double that in recyclables. Understanding he’s not ‘well’ when we are doing a major clean…..I told him to go into the house while I cleared the shelving unit… but he couldn’t move his legs. He just stood there staring blankly….tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. “But I need that”…..”I can use that”…..”That’s a perfectly good rusted old (piece of whatever)”.
I stood next to the shelf with a garbage can…not very methodically dumping stuff in. I gave specific instructions NOT to remove anything once it’s in the can….like he did hours earlier with an old burlap sac containing a few potatoes. Because you know….he will someday need that burlap sac. (Perhaps to stuff my body into next time we clean the garage).
When the trembling stopped…I walked into the garage and saw a slender old box with a dozen slim white poles. This was from a canopy we had EIGHT YEARS ago before we moved in to this house. And, it was missing the canopy. We never even used the thing at this house. I grabbed the box…”Throw these out.”
“What? What do you mean….throw these out? I need these.”
“What do you need these for? When are you ever going to use these, I mean COME ON!”
“But…..but we have enough garbage already!”
I stood there, dumbfounded. ‘We have enough garbage already?…..Shane, it’s not like we have enough groceries in the cart….it’s not like we have enough dogs….we can have as much garbage as we want!’
“But I need these. I’ll put them in the attic. But I need them”
Okay. So I gave in before his heart thumped out of his chest at the thought of throwing out 12 ‘perfectly good’ metal poles that we’ll never ever use. Poor guy. I wonder if there is some type of treatment for this.
I'm Sheila. In addition to raising 1 husband and 3 teens, I've founded 
haha. i am just the opposite. if it isnt nailed down its outta here!
.-= brian miller´s last blog ..do u speak goldfish? (box) =-.
But….you could totally make a new canopy with that burlap sack…
I have zero tolerance for my husband’s moldy collection of “vintage” Entertainment Weekly magazines, but I can hold on to “craft” supplies like a champion hoarder.
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..Wardrobe Wednesday =-.
I too love and live with a bit of pack rat. Sigh….
.-= Scarlett´s last blog ..My Miracles =-.
I’m the hoarder in the family. My husband has taken to throwing things away when I’m not around because then I will never miss them, but if he asks me, I will almost never say yes. I need help.
.-= Cara´s last blog ..Chance =-.
i think my heart breaks just a little when I throw things away that I feel I may someday use for something – but I usually get over it quick enough. I’ve never actually thrown something away and later said, “If I’d only kept that (insert useless piece of junk here)”
I say give him 6 months – if they are still there then sneak them out to the garbage yourself.
.-= Janene´s last blog ..Now is the time . . . =-.
I’ll look forward to seeing you on Hoarders next season.
“It all started with these poles…”
I myself have a few issues of this type, but I get in moods, where I just want to throw it all out………….all of it!!!!
Good luck with your hubby, and I agree with Gettysburg Mom, have him watch Hoarders, it’s scary.
.-= Anita´s last blog ..News about summer and families =-.
Your husband and mine are one in the same when it comes to this. I purchased two pieces of exercise equipment about a year ago. I got them from e-bay for an excellent price…they came packed in a large wooden shipping crate, and there were loads of packing/moving blankets in there. You know the old blue quilty looking ones? Well, my husband dutifully unpacked the crate for me, and folded about 25 of those damned blankets. I said “you must be in Heaven right now.” “Why?” he asked…”Need I explain?” was my reply, and he just smiled. Yes, 25 old as dirt packing blankets…it was Christmas all over. Do you know where they are? Still sitting in the same heaping pile in the same freaking spot they were one year ago. Now, to his credit (or mine, not sure), I have used one, which I keep in my car, as a picnic blanket with the kids.
.-= arizonamamma´s last blog ..Black and White Wednesday =-.
Give him what he wants,
tell him he is cool,
he will smile at you,
Happy Friday!
fun post.
.-= Jingle´s last blog ..55-Her Name Is Kate (PG-13) =-.
Oh my. There’s one in every family, isn’t there? We’re pretty good about finally pitching stuff when it’s the other person’s crap. But when it’s MINE and Pat wants to throw it out (after I’ve already thrown bags and bags away and he has only ONE) I pitch a fit. And vice versa.
.-= tracey´s last blog ..Just goes to show… =-.
Unfortunately, the only treatment I’ve found is bribery. Try “Honey, get rid of the poles and you can have _______” Just fill in the blank with whatever your husband loves and can’t live without. Bribery with favorite foods usually works on my hubby.
My husband is not thusly afflicted. In fact, he throws EVERYTHING out. He has It’snotminesoI’mthrowingitoutitis.
(I think that’s Gaelic)
Water bill; thrown out.
2010 Census: thrown out.
My new sandals; thrown out.
The new dough hook for my mixer; thrown out.
The passage in the bible that says “thou shalt not kill”; well, I threw that out.
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..Follow Your Heart, Navigate With Your Brain =-.
Neither my husband nor I suffer from this affliction. Our dear Princess, however, wants to save every scrap of everything. Drives me nuts!
.-= Shady Lady´s last blog ..Finding Myself =-.
Can you come help us…we each collect different things…it is bad…but not “Hoarders” bad
.-= Holly L´s last blog ..Pass the Pickles and Cheese, Please! =-.
I totally get your hubby! I have the same damn problem – it is a problem. I finally started getting rid of stuff this last year. I really had to let my whole “but I might need that someday in 2058″ way of thinking go. Well for the most part anyways. At least my garage is somewhat starting to look organized. Baby steps is better than no steps!
Oh, and I do get totally pissy if I turn my back for a second and my hubs is throwing perfectly good stuff out! I have saved brand new shoes, toys and other wierd stuff and actually sold it on Craigslist and turned what he thought was trash into cash. I guarantee someone would buy those poles, just sayin’…
.-= Kimberly@PrettyPinkMomma´s last blog ..How To Train Your Dragon Nintendo DS Game Review =-.
Good Lord, girlfriend…if you do, I mean ever find a cure Please, no PRETTY PLEASE pass it one to me.
.-= Paige´s last blog ..Springy-Dingy-Gone =-.
Does he have a whole box of old wires and cables too? I know that sort of man!
Yeah, it’s called hoarding. I’m sure he can be medicated.
My husband suffers from the same affliction – tools, wood planks, old things he will SOMEDAY rebuild, all crowd our two car garage that has never NEVER had a car in it since we moved in. Oh yes, I feel you. You can most definitely have too much garbage, especially when you keep it all in the garage and call it a collection. Excuse me, I’m going to go roll my eyes.
.-= Mrsbear´s last blog ..Your Emotional Rollercoaster Makes Me Nauseous =-.
I have a friend who’s so fanatical about throwing things out that she has had to go back to the Charity Shop to buy things back. She’s suddenly realised that she needs that top, or whatever ….
If you find a cure let me know. Steve has a thing for boxes for some reason.
-John
.-= Jeve (aka John and Steve)´s last blog ..Big News! =-.
Happy Sunday!
Every husband has some fancy or bizarre hobby,
I am cool,
let it be,
Best wishes for you.
This is Jingle,
Greetings!
You Rock!
Yep, I can totally relate. My husband is a hoarder of sorts except he keeps toys instead of poles.
.-= Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy´s last blog ..Free Kraft Mac & Cheese =-.
If you find a treatment, let me know. We currently have in our basement–non-working BBQ grill, broken crockpot, broken plastic tray….trust me, you don’t want to see my basement.
.-= Marie´s last blog ..Life at Dusk =-.