This is something I've been wondering about lately.

I have a little cabinet space in my kitchen where I've been 'stashing' things I think might be useful- corks from empty wine bottles, the plastic net bags that onions and hams come in, some foam containers that once had mushrooms in them, and a few other things. I've never used them for anything, except the corks when I open a new bottle of wine and break the cork- it's nice to have replacements handy. 

Otherwise, I wonder if I'm keeping these other things for no good reason. I can't bring myself to throw them away "just in case," but my logical side says to get rid of them. I'm worried about becoming a hoarder. So when does saving things just in case become hoarding?

If you haven't used any of it in over a year, I would throw it out. If it is taking over, it is hoarding. How many corks do you need? Can you buy one of those wine stoppers? I did a search and found 4 for 8.99, although you could find one for cheaper I'm sure. http://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Saver-Extra-Stoppers/dp/B00005AS51/ref=pd_sim_k_11

It sounds like you don't really use the stuff, and maybe you can use the space for something else.

This is something I've been thinking on quite a bit lately, too. I was given lots and *lots* of things from a family that was moving overseas. They had been planning carefully what to take with them, and made a storage pod of durable foodstuffs to have sent to them once they got to their new country - and that nation passed new laws about what food could be imported (even as household goods) before it could be sent over. As a result, I ended up with many things I couldn't envision using - many pounds of canning salt, dried eggs, gallons of molasses. Many things I ended up throwing out as probably-gone-bad, but I held onto things (like the salt, eggs, molasses) that I knew could be useful if I only knew how. That was about a year ago, and I have mentally blessed that family over and over again for how useful these things have been to me, how much they would have cost at the store. One of the things, for instance, was several pounds of vegetable shortening. I never buy shortening, and almost got rid of it because I try to use a light hand with oils in my cooking. Instead I hung on to it, and now in the cookie-baking season, I've been glad for it, and when the thread about the cost of shortening came up, I was doubly glad. Never buying shortening, I had no idea of the price.

So....no offense meant at all... I would classify (by what you posted) your actions as hoarding.

Why are you saving those items? What is the *purpose*? I think that you should put those things to good use!

Kim_150:

corks from empty wine bottles

Here's an idea of what to do with the corks:
cut a piece of cardboard (use an old box) to a good size for a cork message board, but your corks in half vertically, so that they can be glued flush on the cardboard. So, you just glue the corks on there with a hot glue gun, side-by-side, until the entire cardboard piece is filled. You can decorate it by leaving some space around the edge & putting a ribbon border on there. Then, just put some push pins up there & hang it up!

Kim_150:

plastic net bags that onions and hams come in

For the plastic net bags:
Sew them to the backs of washclothes. Then you will have a strubby side & a soft side. OR. You can make your own wash pads & cover them with it. OR. You could use it to re-cover old wash pads to give them a little more life.

Kim_150:

foam containers that once had mushrooms in them

For the little foam containers:
Use them to organize a cabinet that Flylady would call a 'hotspot', or take a shoebox, cover & decorate it, then put the little foam things in there as inserts for your husband to 'dump' stuff in as he comes in the door. Its called a valet. He would dump his wallet, keys, cell phone, etc into it.

If you're not using it & saving it 'just cause' or 'just in case', it isn't good enough. Even when you save money, there's a reason for it (ie possible medical expenses, retirement, college savings, etc)  USE those things that are in there for the good of your family.

Kim, a thought. You might see if a Girl Scout troop or a children's art class or something similar would be interested in your food packaging (like the mushroom container) for use in projects.

That should be "cut your corks"...I'm sure there are more typos but that was one that just *had* to be corrected! lol...

 As a reforming hoarder:

I'd say it becomes hoarding when you have no purpose for it and it takes up time, space, or energy.

missapril_piano, I really like those ideas! I will probably end up converting some plastic mesh bags into dish scrubbies here before too long. Thanks!

Welcome :-)

One thing I have done when I find myself hoarding (and I agree with the general assessment that if you don't have a use for it, it's hoarding), is to make a point to find a use for whatever it is. If I can't after a reasonable effort, then I get rid of it.

But I overdo it sometimes.. right now I have several plastic containers without lids.