Average Jane's Squirreling Tendencies

Over the weekend I ran across a discussion thread on Salon's Table Talk prompted by this question, "What ridiculous things do you squirrel away compulsively, thinking that you'll never get a chance at another one? Why do you do it?"

I try very hard not to squirrel things away, as evidenced by the fact that I rent an enormous dumpster every year to clean out my house.  Still, reading other people's stories showed me that I still have some squirreling tendencies, despite my best efforts to resist.  They include:

• Canned goods.  Tomato sauce, tomato paste, Ro-Tel tomatoes, red beans and tuna are all valuable staples.  Therefore, it seems reasonable to buy them every time I go to the grocery store, just in case I want to make a dish that contains one or more of them.  As you can imagine, I have quite the stockpile of most of these items (except when I don't - you see how reasonable this is?).
• Plastic grocery sacks.  They're perfect for wrapping up meat scraps to freeze until trash day or for disposing of kitty litter.  Unfortunately, I tend to amass them at a rate beyond their usefulness as trash sacks.  Still, I could take them back to the store for recycling, if I could ever remember to grab them when I'm on my way out the door.
• Castoff clothing.  I do a closet-and-drawer purge a couple times a year, but ever since I discovered It's Deductible, I don't just bag up the discards, take them to the charity shop and hazard a guess at the value.  No, I must save all the garments until I have time to enter them into the program one by one to get a more accurate value and itemized list for the accountant.  Unfortunately, I never seem to have the updated version of the software or the time to launch into the whole project.  My latest bag of clothes has been sitting so long that I actually retrieved a skirt that should have been long gone and wore it again.
• Cookie cutters.  Okay, this is a weird one, I know.  It all started because I wanted a set of the lumpy and indistinct Christmas cookie cutters I recalled from childhood (remember Hunchback Santa?  Anyone?).  I won at least two big Ebay lots after I'd already bought a bunch of newer cookie cutters that proved unsatisfying.  Let's just say I have a whole kitchen drawer full of cookie cutters in every imaginable holiday shape.

Those are my worst squirreled items.  I have recovered from squirreling away gift boxes and Cool Whip bowls (mostly).  I could still stand to deal with the excess bedding I keep despite the fact that we no longer own a double bed and we won't go into the reams of paper I keep in my file drawer "just in case."

So what do you tend to squirrel away?

Comments

[Stacie]

Pens. I have an un-holy obsession with pens. I find a few brands that I like and stock 2-3 pencil cases with them.

The other one is a little more explanable, but just barely -- books. I love to read and if I don't have 5-6 books on my to-be-read list, I'm sunk.

Stacie

[Cagey]

When I was traveling so much last year, I became obsessed with the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I did finally release them - my workplace has a donation bin for them and they are distributed to women's shelters. I also obsessively store toilet paper, tissues, and razors (or that could be more of a product of my Costco Card). I would guess that all knitters have a yarn issue - it's officially called a "stash" in knitting social circles.

[Pharmgirl]

I, too, squirrel away tomato-based canned goods. I never want to "not have it" when I need it. Also, shoes. I can't tell you how many pairs I own that haven't even given my feet a "How do ya do" in years. Why do I keep them? You NEVER KNOW when THOSE shoes will be perfect for THAT outfit!

[purplejoolz]

I had quite a few of the tiny plastic salt & pepper pot sets they give out on aeroplanes. I hadn't collected them myself, but my Dad used to save them for me when he'd been on business trips in the 70's and for that reason they are very special to me. Of course they tend to use sachets now which, let's face it, just aren't the same...

[Yvonne DiVita]

I save plastic silverware. I call it "the good silverware" and make everyone who visits me use it. My kids think I'm certifiable. Hey, maybe I am. In fact, I'm partial to Wendy's. Serves the purpose, and when eating hot things, the plasticware doesn't burn my lips!

[Rozanne]

I remember the hunchback Santa cookie cutter!!! It was freaky. (Actually, all Santa things are freaky.)

I hoard paper and plastic bags. In fact, after seeing an episode of Mr. Show in which there was a fake commercial for a thing called "Bag Hutch™"--instead of recognizing my foolishness I thought "what a good idea" and went out looking for an approximation. Now my bag stash is attactively contained in wicker.

[Goofy Girl]

Old Christmas cards. Like 10 years' worth. Why? I dunno. Memories? People don't tend to write much on Christmas cards. It's something I do...but I don't know WHY.