Not wanting to use/spoil items

[Gingerlass27]

Couldn't think of a great way to title this thread, so I'll try to better explain.

I'm not a hoarder at all. At least I don't believe so. I live fairly minimally by modern Western standards.

However I'll often find that if I buy something, for example some nice pens for art projects, I'll really worry about them running out of ink which invariably means I don't use them or don't fully enjoy them.

Same can be true of clothes/shoes. I like wearing Converse style and have them in varying colours to match my t shirts, but often opt to wear my old 'dog walking' trainers as I worry my nice ones will wear through & I won't be able to buy that colour again.

I don't know what the worry is. Perhaps it's more connected to liking to have sets or collections and not wanting them 'spoilt'

Do I sound crazy? Does anyone relate?

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

I totally relate. I have things I purchased for projects, take them home, and then decide my skill isn't adequate. Then I console myself that a thing of beauty is a joy forever (Keats quote?).

And, when I can afford it, buy a second one to actually do the project.

EDIT: Ah, you're a pen person too?

 

[watersprite]

I can relate. I might be embarassing my own self here: but what made me aware of the need to relax about it was at dinner-time when my son asked me if he could use his napkin.

 

[Suzanne]

Do I relate? Wow YES!

I have to MAKE myself use things. I always like to get two pairs of what ever, so that if one wears out, I have the other, but it does take some mental process going on, to start using things.

I also have to colour match everything. I hate it actually, because my bras, for example, are limited in colour and I actually panic or get very anxious if I cannot find a colour to match my top. Despite the fact that no one gets to see; knowing myself the colours are very important.

 

[zurb]

Just a few examples. There are more...

When I was a kid, it was trendy to have a letter shaped chocolate bar. I received one of these as a gift, and it sat in the fridge for ever before I could bring myself to use it.

Again as a kid, my sister gave me a soap Lochness monster. It was too good to use, and sat in my wardrobe for years. I eventually gave it to her children who thoroughly enjoyed it.

We don't usually buy alcohol, so when we are given a bottle of wine it will sit around until we have a special occasion. But no occasion ever feels special enough to warrant opening it.

My wife looked over my shoulder as I wrote that, and says she had lots of these issues too.

 

[Gingerlass27]

EDIT: Ah, you're a pen person too?

Oh yes, I'm most definitely a pen person!

 

[Gingerlass27]

Just a few examples. There are more...

When I was a kid, it was trendy to have a letter shaped chocolate bar. I received one of these as a gift, and it sat in the fridge for ever before I could bring myself to use it.

Again as a kid, my sister gave me a soap Lochness monster. It was too good to use, and sat in my wardrobe for years. I eventually gave it to her children who thoroughly enjoyed it.

We don't usually buy alcohol, so when we are given a bottle of wine it will sit around until we have a special occasion. But no occasion ever feels special enough to warrant opening it.

My wife looked over my shoulder as I wrote that, and says she had lots of these issues too.

Ah yes, I was definitely like that with Easter eggs, rock (British sweet/candy you get at the seaside), etc, and also with novelty soaps etc as you also say.

It's so nice & really interesting to ask these types of questions here & find others who think & do the same.

I'm recently diagnosed & it's all very new & fascinating. I'm sure there will be more questions, so be warned!

 

[kris]

Definitely!! I'm a seamstress so I'm like this with fabric.. So worried my design won't be good enough or that I'll mess up, so I don't use my favorite fabrics. I'm getting better about this, though. It's completely unreasonable bc I live in downtown Los Angeles in the middle of an enormous fabric district.. It's not like I couldn't more fabric LOL.

And sketchbooks and art supplies for sure.. I have so many blank sketchbooks that I don't want to "spoil".. I actually just bought a new one at the dollar store today :/ I swear I'm going to use it this time!

And I can be that way with jeans and shoes too.. But I have so many shoes now that I've told myself no more until I wear some of them out :/

 

[AsheSkyler]

Oh yeah. I'll use the heck out of lead from the office aisle, but those fancy wooden pencils you gotta carve with a knife have been sitting on my shelf for over ten years. I've bought sketchbooks, but I always end up taking some computer paper, folding it certain ways, and stapling or gluing it together if I really must have a sketchbook with me. I'll wear thrift store and casual clothes every day for every situation, but I'm on pins and needles when I have to wear an expensive shirt. I always attributed it to being lower income though since nice things are rare things that should be taken care of.

 

[Progster]

Usually if I have something new, I was to use it start away, but if it's something like a book or a video, then I don't want it to finish. I don't usually watch the same movie twice, or read the same book, because I know the ending and what's going to happen next, and that spoils it for me. Also, food. If I'm eating something I like, I eat it slowly because I don't want it to end, and I leave the thing on my plate that I like best till last.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Do I sound crazy? Does anyone relate?

Not crazy at all. I do the same thing in that if I have something that I ascribe value to or that I think is unique, I won't use it.

zurb mentioned a Loch Ness Monster soap. I had a Boo-Berry (cereal) soap and washcloth that smelled like blueberries that I never wanted to use because I didn't want to use it up or have the scent wear off because I couldn't replace them.

 

[ChrisC1983]

i kind of do the same thing, but for different reasons. even as a child, i didn't want to open my toys because they should stay the same way i got them (whether that be inside a box or not). i used to try and rebox all of my toys that my father would open (yes, he opened my toys... he also kept giving away my toys thinking i didn't like them because i didn't open them and not realizing my monotoned "yes i like it" actually meant that i really liked it (the stuff i opened, i didn't like as much... most of the time). for a more specific example... i was very artistic so i would have special pencils and colored sets and such... i still didn't want to use them but i did want to draw, so i would hold them at a low angle and constantly twist them so as i drew it would keep the pencil edge the same as when it was sharpened

 

[Datura]

I used to hate ruining a pristine fresh snow. It just felt wrong to mark that blank canvas with my footprints.