Published on 12, July, 2020
I was wondering today if this is an autistic thing.
I've spent several decades collecting objects and the last decade+ trying to rid myself of the majority.
However, I have given up on the idea of ever being minimalist.
I notice that I remember where everything came from, even, when purchased, which shop in which town.
I try not to be sentimental about things, but sometimes I can't help it.
My mother, who I believe was autistic, was a hoarder in quite an extreme sense.
My autistic friend finds it very hard to part with belongings.
Everything has an association.
Are others like this and are there contributors here who are genuinely minimalistic and don't have an attachment to things?
Both my parents were WW2 children so it was installed into me to never waste anything. If a kettle element broke my parents would buy a new element not a kettle. I do tend to collect things. My workshop looks a total mess but I know where ever item is and where it was purchased from. I do get emotionally attached to things but once they have been got rid of then I don’t think off them again, I’m he same with people, if I don’t see them, I rarely think of them or miss them. I do get angry when things are moved or taken without asking. I can be strange when abroad, if I’ve used 3/4 of say a bottle of bubble bath, my wife will want to bin it on the last day, I have to bring it home, it upsets me to leave it behind. It’s not the value, it’s just strange to explain.
I do the same with the bottles on holiday :) same thing with people, out of site out of mind. I get really upset about people moving / taking my stuff though. The place where I do my work and have everything else is under lock and key with only myself accessing it.