The "Collector" Meets His Match

While living in the dorms I have discovered two types of people...the collectors and the tidy. Which category do I fall into? It depends...when it comes to my closet - probably a collector. On the other hand, my workspace, VERY tidy.

There are those rooms you walk in...you know, the kinds where everything is everywhere and you are so overwhelmed you don't know where to look first. There are professor's offices that are completely immaculate that you wonder if they ever do anything in their office as opposed to those whose offices you walk in and it looks like an explosion.

When "confronting" one about how much stuff they have (maybe too much stuff) they quickly excuse their behavior by stating that everything is being used and holds a valuable importance. They like to think of themselves as collectors.

I, on the other hand, and maybe you as well, refer to them as pack rats.

And I have come to the conclusion...if I am going to stay sane, I am NEVER living with one.

The collector likes to print everything and file it away instead of simply saving it to the computer and pulling it up when needed. They want tables, desks, and counter tops to store and organize, and pile things; I prefer these places uncluttered.

They save everything that interests them...which sometimes is nearly everything. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion: a collector must never live with another collector....bad things will happen.

Their house can be neat and clean. Once you step into the garage there is no room for just one car; you have pretty much just stepped into another storage cubicle. A collector's collection never downsizes; it only spreads.

They then confess that they are unorganized. They go out and by bins and tubs, labels and permanent markers and start to "organize". When, what have they really done? Kept their whole collection but added more...the bins and boxes.

This is not a solution. The only solution: tough love. So, help your collector friend out :)