Is it a stockpile or a hoard?

[tinapbeana]

The discussion on the Encouraging Others to Spend thread got me wondering: when does a stockpile become a hoard? Or, are there things that by nature can only be hoarded, not actually stockpiled? What about you, are there items in your life that are straddling the edge between stockpile and hoard?

stock·pile

n. A supply stored for future use, usually carefully accrued and maintained.
tr.v. stock·piled, stock·pil·ing, stock·piles
To accumulate and maintain a supply of for future use.

hoard

n. A hidden fund or supply stored for future use; a cache.
v. hoard·ed, hoard·ing, hoards
v. intr. To gather or accumulate a hoard.
v. tr. To accumulate a hoard of. To keep hidden or private.

[tinapbeana]

for me, it's office supplies. LOVE THEM!!!!

even as a kid i looked forward to 'back to school' shopping: 2 packs of paper and a 3 ring binder. we didn't buy pencils b/c a family member worked for a pencil factory and we had hundreds. unfortunately they all had holiday imprints on them and the erasers had long since become unusable, but they were there so that's what we used!

at any rate, i have quite the 'stockpile' of office supplies. it's not something i do privately, so i don't think it qualifies as a hoard. i always hit the clearance area of office depot to see what i can find.

funny thing, b/c DH absolutely loves office supplies too. when me, him, and the chekckbook are together, we can't go into the office supply store! we've actually talked about opening a store of our own once we retire. it wouldn't make any money, but who cares when you can order office supplies at wholesale?

[greedy4chips]

To me stockpiling means to gather enough at the lower prices to get you through the higher price times. We stockpile any item at the store that is on sale that we normally use as long as we can use it by the due date.

Hoarding on the other hand seems to be stockpiling of items so others cannot have them.

Stockpiling has a positive connotation, while hoarding has a negative connotation.

Do squirrels stockpile or hoard nuts? I don't see them sharing...

[PrincessPerky]

"I don't care if I ever use it, it's mine and I'm keeping it" - direct quote from a hoarder

for me that is the whole line, if you actually use it fine, otherwise, get rid of it..now pens I use, but I think the quantity of supply is overkill here.

Though some things were not meant to be used like a fire extinguisher, that I don't want to use I do want to keep. but for the most part, I don't even like collecting stuff that can't be used. Toys were meant to be played with IMO........

When I noticed something was being hoarded, like the bath salts I used to have, I got really irritated at myself, why was I sitting on them when I could be enjoying them or at least letting someone else enjoy them? I can't remember if I used them or gave them away, but at least they were no longer a dust catcher in my house. When I get smelly stuff I make it a point now to use it or give it away fast, no sense sitting on it, gold isn't to commfy of a bed IMO.

If I could only convince my husband of that!

[tinapbeana]

[quote=PrincessPerkyWhen I noticed something was being hoarded, like the bath salts I used to have, I got really irritated at myself, why was I sitting on them when I could be enjoying them or at least letting someone else enjoy them?[/QUOTE]

Oh, I've done the bath-salt decorative trick. For a couple of months, then got tired of keeping a useless container clean! Make your own, mix in some lavender buds, and it's beautiful and usable and CHEAP

One of the decorative useless things I never got: a bowl of fruit. If it's plastic, why not just keep a real bowl of fruit? It's not like it's a big bowl of carmel-covered lard balls that will go instantly to your thighs if you break down and eat a piece. It's fruit, for Pete's sake!

[ChimbleySweep]

I usually only stockpile toiletries (soap, tissue, shampoo, etc) and groceries that I get for rock bottom prices. When they're really, really on sale, I stock up so I don't have to pay the higher price when they're not!

[Bookie]

Seems to me that hoarding is ultimately motivated by fear -- a scarcity mentality that there may never be more or even enough.

Stockpiling I would see as a provision for future need. The motive may be either thrift or convenience, but the element of anxiety is absent.

There's also the practice of accumulating, neither hoarding nor stockpiling. This comes into play with things like the pens mentioned. Thoughtless aggregation of items neither needed nor particularly wanted. One day I awaken to the fact that my desk drawer is full of them.

*Looks into desk and shakes head*

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by Bookie

There's also the practice of accumulating, neither hoarding nor stockpiling. This comes into play with things like the pens mentioned. Thoughtless aggregation of items neither needed nor particularly wanted. One day I awaken to the fact that my desk drawer is full of them. *Looks into desk and shakes head*

too funny!!!

hey, maybe you can donate them to a church or after school program? glue them to the outside of a soup can and make *snort* a pen cup?!?

i was a corporate trainer for a while, and always came to class w/ about 30 pens and 10 highlighters, knowing folks would walk out with them at the end even if i asked for them back.

[Bookie]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

too funny!!!

hey, maybe you can donate them to a church or after school program? glue them to the outside of a soup can and make *snort* a pen cup?!?

i was a corporate trainer for a while, and always came to class w/ about 30 pens and 10 highlighters, knowing folks would walk out with them at the end even if i asked for them back.

What I usually do is dump them into my briefcase and take them back to the office, which is where they originated, but thanks for reminding me.

[greedy4chips]

This topic reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine hoards the Today Sponges, because they are going to quit making them.

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

"I don't care if I ever use it, it's mine and I'm keeping it" - direct quote from a hoarder

Wow, that is insane. Absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[Gruntina]

I have absolutely no space to put things or extra food.