# Halloween Hoarders



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

There really IS a bit of hoarder in me & many other Halloweeners. Not about regular stuff, but only Halloween stuff.
When I hear me saying, "Oh, don't throw that out..I might need/use that in next year's haunt" it sounds like people on the Hoarders show. 
Could there really be a diagnosis that needs to be made for us? I'm serious. I feel * exactly* like the anxious people on the show when I have to get rid of Halloween stuff. I have to thin out my Ween stuff....and I'm finding it impossible. I last threw stuff out 2 years ago, and I can STILL tell you every single item I threw out, because I still think I should have kept it. ("Why did I throw that yardage of blood red vinyl out? I could have made a giant tongue out of that...").
Come on...I've seen some of your garages & basements. Do we need professional organizers? A shrink? WHY do we do this?? I mean, it's not TRUE hoarding, as the stuff I keep isn't filthy or dirty and *does* have a purpose...but ....there's also some touch of hoarder, or I wouldn't have 8 blow mold pumpkins on my porch right now....I tried discussing this with my shrink, and he dismissed it as I don't keep filth or worthless items. But..it FEELS...................crazy.

I know we've discussed this a bit before, but I'm freaking out, as I just realized how much SPACE all my crap takes up. It takes up 1/4 of my basement (floor to ceiling), ALL of the attic in my 2 car garage & all the space under my front porch.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

debbie5 said:


> I mean, it's not TRUE hoarding, as the stuff I keep isn't filthy or dirty and *does* have a purpose...but ....there's also some touch of hoarder, or I wouldn't have 8 blow mold pumpkins on my porch right now....I tried discussing this with my shrink, and he dismissed it as I don't keep filth or worthless items. But..it FEELS...................crazy.


No hoarder thinks that the items they keep are dirty or without purpose, so a Halloween hoarder is no different from any other hoarder in that respect. What makes a hoarder different is the anxiety associated with getting rid of an item. From what I've seen in those shows, there are always emotional issues underlying the need to hoard. If those issues are not addressed and worked through, the need to hoard remains.


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

Bahahahaha.... yep, I guess then I am infact a hoarder! :winkin:


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I am in the process of making a list of things I'm going to part with aftyer this Halloween. Stuff I've had and used on and off for years but want to let go of to de-clutter. I've crossed things off the list, added them back, added new things, etc.. With the downsizing of our haunt next year, I simply don't have the need for certain things and plan to unload some of it. There is some "anxiety" in terms of "what if I get rid of it and then have a perfect use for it two years from now and this is the struggle, but I'm committed, or will be, if I don't thin the stuff out! Bottom line; I have way too much crap!!!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

jdubbya said:


> There is some "anxiety" in terms of "what if I get rid of it and then have a perfect use for it two years from now and this is the struggle,


You mean things like witches gowns?  You know I'll be looking over what you're getting rid of. I love the candleholders, they're on my mantel right now.

My family tells me I'm a horder. But I love the things that were passed down to me by my mother, and I think some day the kids will want some of the things they grew up with. Lately I've been buying vintage Halloween. When I think of all the noise makers and lanterns my family have thrown out over the years. And now I'm paying $10 to $30 a piece for these same things that I grew up with, I'm kicking myself. And like jubbya said, I always think if I get rid of something, I need it in the haunt later.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

debbie5 said:


> ... It takes up 1/4 of my basement (floor to ceiling), ALL of the attic in my 2 car garage & all the space under my front porch.


Once you've reached full capacity of the basement, the inside of the 2 car garage and the front porch itself then you might wanna worry....till then I don't see a problem.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The above statement is solely based on my own potential hoarding behaviors. I do not have a license to practice medicine, the knowledge to make a proper diagnoses, the ability to prescribe medicine nor am I a doctor..... but I have played one in a haunted house:jol:


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I used to be, I'm much better after this last move...though I still have 2 storage units full of all the haunted house stuff ..... I have a buddy in Jackson that I'm giving lots of this to.


Then I'm CLEAN!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

LMAO....this is like asking a bar full of drunks, "Are we alcoholics?" LOL.....


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Debbie, the answer to your question is YES.


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## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

debbie5 said:


> LMAO....this is like asking a bar full of drunks, "Are we alcoholics?" LOL.....


I think I have the same issues..BUT! i have to rent a U-haul twice as big as I should get, just for my Ween stuff to move with me to Colorado...And I should have and could have moved back in july! But I already had the set up in mind so I didnt move!!...O I'm sorry that might not be hoarding ( that I do also, halloween and Christmes!) My family calls it my obsession.....you are right debbie5, do we need a 5 step program??


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## Torque (Aug 4, 2012)

I guess since my ween stuff fits into only 2 1/2 totes (except for the singing pumpkin lightshow, new this year), I really am not qualified to post here. Of course, when your front yard is only 8 1/2' X 25', there's only so much stuff I can have. I can say that I have NEVER parted with any gear though, as I'm only into my 3rd year.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

I am completely out of hand, and I have no intention of correcting my bad behaviour. I hope to have a Halloween town some day, just like "The Nightmare Before Christmas".


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

If the Griswalds had a halloween "vacation" movie, THAT would be me! I don't think of it as hoarding. I think of it as acquiring items that will be of use for my favorite holiday. Sooner or later anyway.  

This year I'm lending a friend (newly separated and didn't get the halloween stuff) some of my props that I won't be using for her to use for her halloween party. See, I'm spreading the love of halloween. Lol!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Copchick said:


> This year I'm lending a friend (newly separated and didn't get the halloween stuff) some of my props that I won't be using for her to use for her halloween party. See, I'm spreading the love of halloween. Lol!


lol This year I lent a friend the Day Of The Dead props I used last year. One of the boxes I marked, Things I Want Back. I told her if she wanted to keep the other five boxes she could. That's such a good idea copchick. If we lend our props to friends, then they have to worry about the storage for that year. Anyone need to borrow about 200 pumpkins right after Halloween next year?


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## Indyandy (Sep 7, 2005)

The only thing I have been able to part with is the "cutesy" things I first bought. But I keep thinking how I could morph them into something else. The more I learn to make pneumatics and animatronics, the less need I have for the 30 plastic pumpkins I've collected. (29 should be ok!). Anyway I still think we need to set up a loaner program. Anything you dont use, loan to another haunter for something you can use. Example: last year I did a clown haunt. This year aliens. I would loan some clown props for some alien props. Not sure how to do it, but it would be nice to have more props for my theme that I didn't have to buy or make.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Indyandy said:


> The only thing I have been able to part with is the "cutesy" things I first bought. But I keep thinking how I could morph them into something else. The more I learn to make pneumatics and animatronics, the less need I have for the 30 plastic pumpkins I've collected. (29 should be ok!). Anyway I still think we need to set up a loaner program. Anything you dont use, loan to another haunter for something you can use. Example: last year I did a clown haunt. This year aliens. I would loan some clown props for some alien props. Not sure how to do it, but it would be nice to have more props for my theme that I didn't have to buy or make.


Wow! Clowns are my theme for 2014 or 2015, I'm not sure which yet. So dibs on them for one of those years. If you need "Overrun In Spiders" (2009), "Day Of The Dead" (2011) or "Totally Pumpkins" (20013), let me know. Every other year is back to monsters and cemetary. OK, my family is right, I'm a horder.


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

Yeah when you have to rent a separate 26ft truck JUST move your Halloween stuff, you have a problem. What's worse is then having to rent a 10x20 storage unit after filling a single car garage.  Yet I still felt I needed 5 new Halloween props this year. And evidently I haven't figured out how to make things that will break down  Oh well Im okay with being a hoarder as long as its cool stuff. I hate when I go through my stuff and realize I have all kinds of just...crap.


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## Ramonadona (Nov 4, 2011)

Nope...gonna stay deep within my denial...I am not a hoarder...I am...uh hmmmm (clearing my throat to emphasize the importance of what I am about to say...)...a recycler!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

With my simmering germ-o-phobia, nothing is dirty or gross. Not in denial...it just isn't.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

I was finally able to get rid of some of my decor that has seen better days. It took me about 2 years to get to that point cause like most of us, I always thought I would use it for something else. But after about 4 years of just sitting around and not using it for anything, I decided to give it away or if it was really gone throw it away. So I got rid of about a quarter of my stuff that I've used over and over for about 10 years. Most of it was not usable and ended up in the garbage. :jol:


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

Hoarder, collector, curator of fine Halloween accutrements...

semantics


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## smileyface4u23 (Apr 1, 2008)

I will totally admit to being a Halloween Hoarder. Between the indor decorations, and all the stuff for the yard on Halloween probably 1/2 the attic is full (the other 1/2 is Christmas), 1/2 the storage unit and 1/2 the garage. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have a serious obsession to LARGE props. That's especially a problem in the garage. Between the 7 ft tall grim reaper, the coffins, antique baby buggy, the zombie baby playground equipment and Regan's new bed there's not much space left!!! But, I seriously cannot part with this stuff...or the stuff in the storage unit...or the attic. I've accepted that I can't let any of it go, so now my next problem is figuring out where the hell to store the zombie baby slipper slide...why did the neighbor have to give me a full size slide??? 

Besides, someday when we move to a bigger house with a significantly larger yard, I will already have the props to fill it for the first display.


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## MommaMoose (May 15, 2010)

I have made up my mind that if I haven't used it in 4 or more years I am not going to get around to recycling it in any shape, form, or fashion. It hurts like crazy to do it but the 5 bags of spider webbing I got 11 years ago just simply are not going to be used. Luckily I am working at a Haunted Corn Maze this year so most all of the "cutesy" stuff that we can muck up and the spider webbing is going there. Sooo, in a since I am still using it. Just now they have to deal with storing it.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

MommaMoose has made a good point that may be helpful for those who have trouble getting rid of items that might still be useful in the next decade or so - gift it to a worthy young haunter or charity haunt. You get the satisfaction that comes from doing a good deed and, if they're close by, you can go see your gift being put to good use


For me, culling out items is part and parcel of the natural evolution of a haunt or display. We've picked up items over the years that were used once or twice, but eventually no longer fit the theme of our display. Rather than just trash them, we donate them. I highly recommend it as an approach to keeping things manageable, because it's such a win-win scenario - you make someone happy, that makes you feel happy, and you gain some space that you can then fill with more things you'll eventually give away


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

I was good last year in getting rid of some stuff. Mostly foam built props that I have now re-built in wood. But of course, the extra lumber and plywood is getting out of hand.....I am also bad at keeping this and that thing-a-ma-bob...."Oh this would be a great looking, (insert random prop here)." .......sigh.....And this is Las Vegas, I guess I could be drinking, gambling and getting lap dances from questionable strippers instead of Hoarding Halloween. So in the grand scheme of things, I am really not too bad......


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I know a couple of young people who are aspiring haunters who I'm going to pass some stuff along to. I've let them know that I'll be thinning some stuff out soon and they are glad to lighten my load.


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## doctarii (Oct 25, 2012)

I don't know if this is already a topic (I think i've seen something already ) but if you have to get rid of some stuff then you might want to offer it to the other haunters here. they might be able to repurpose it and you might have less anxiety know its going to a "good home"


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

Is it bad that I had to start storing stuff at my mother-in-laws? I'm kinda going toward easier to set up / smaller footprint props. Hmmm maybe eventually it will all be some type of peppers illusion or hologram... yeah that's the ticket... it'll all fix itself... I shouldn't worry that I'm taking up entire rooms of someone else's house with my crap..
All I can say is I'm glad that fencing looks better for being left out in the elements.


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## Giovanni LiCalsi (Nov 6, 2013)

I am selling my entire collection to finance my other hobby.
Don't get me wrong. I will always collect more when the opportunity comes my way.


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## Manon (Aug 2, 2011)

Seriously, I have a parent who is an ACTUAL hoarder. It's horrible. All of my decor is used and what doesn't get used gets donated to a good home. I refuse to follow in those footsteps. I'm dreading the day I'm going to have to clean that hoard - and it will not be until after they are dead or moved into assisted living. There is no way we are going through the drama that the show portrays - I've done everything I can to "help" and I quit about a decade ago.


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

Would they be hoarders if they had rental sheds where they put all their stuff?


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