Author Topic: What I'm really thinking: the removals man  (Read 5567 times)

martynthewolf

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What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« on: March 29, 2014, 02:20:19 PM »
Something that I just spotted on the Guardian. Maybe removals people are also amongst us.... Thought some of you might also find in interesting, being able to see peoples lives laid bare, first hand, with a mindset of frugality such as this removals man, must be shocking.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/29/what-really-thinking-removals-man

arebelspy

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2014, 05:40:19 PM »
Bakari does stuff like this.

He often hauls away junk for people, keeps and resells things that can be profitable.  Getting paid to take haul away stuff to sell is pretty awesome.
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Bakari

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2014, 09:26:06 PM »
Yes sir.
Learn a lot about how people live that way.

And getting paid to take stuff from people is the one thing better than getting it for free.

Lets see... my dresser, bookshelves, end tables, sofa (with hide a bed), armoire, mountain bike, folding bike, iphone (no service, so basically an ipod touch), printer/scanner, motorcycle jacket, vacuum cleaner, microwave, many of my tools and books and office supplies - all stuff that people paid me to take from them.

Also of note: I've come to realize that the difference between hoarders and "normal" people is quantitative, not qualitative.
We all say to ourselves stuff like "I can't get rid of that, I paid good money for it", or "that might come in handy someday".  They are just a little more extreme in what they apply those ideas to.
I have had several hoarders as clients (they never want to get rid of stuff, they have me move it to storage when the house gets too full), and I notice they always are excessive talkers.  I think both stem from impulse control.
I think realizing this about them - that they are just slightly more extreme at instincts we all have - has made it easier for me to let go of stuff and crap myself.

Russ

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2014, 10:19:06 PM »
let go of stuff and crap myself.

until this sentence is observed, "crap" exists as both a noun and verb
« Last Edit: April 24, 2014, 10:21:10 PM by Russ »

dragoncar

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2014, 10:34:20 PM »

I have had several hoarders as clients (they never want to get rid of stuff, they have me move it to storage when the house gets too full), and I notice they always are excessive talkers.

Interesting... my father is a low-level hoarder (worse than the average american, but not living in filth) and he's definitely an excessive talker.

arebelspy

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2014, 01:04:42 AM »
let go of stuff and crap myself.

until this sentence is observed, "crap" exists as both a noun and verb

Pretty sure I don't want to observe him performing that sentence.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

nikki

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2014, 01:14:21 AM »
let go of stuff and crap myself.

until this sentence is observed, "crap" exists as both a noun and verb

Bahahaha!

GuitarStv

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2014, 01:17:51 PM »
let go of stuff and crap myself.

until this sentence is observed, "crap" exists as both a noun and verb

ROFL

Nords

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2014, 07:33:57 PM »
Something that I just spotted on the Guardian. Maybe removals people are also amongst us.... Thought some of you might also find in interesting, being able to see peoples lives laid bare, first hand, with a mindset of frugality such as this removals man, must be shocking.
Help a neighbor fix their leaky bathtub faucet, or help them paint their bedroom, and you'll get a similar "intimate" look.

amyable

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2014, 08:25:39 AM »
We all say to ourselves stuff like "I can't get rid of that, I paid good money for it", or "that might come in handy someday".  They are just a little more extreme in what they apply those ideas to.

True hoarding usually stems from an anxiety disorder--and anxiety also plays a huge role in "normal folks'" need to hold onto things they should let go. 

Anxiety/fear is an incredibly powerful motivator.  When you really feel that letting something go might put you "in danger," no matter how absurd you rationally know that idea is, it's really, really hard to argue with that feeling.  For hoarders to recover, they basically have to let go of things they feel are really important, feel the panic, and see that nothing terrible is going to happen repetitively until their anxieties are lessened. 

Nords

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2014, 01:46:38 PM »
Anxiety/fear is an incredibly powerful motivator.  When you really feel that letting something go might put you "in danger," no matter how absurd you rationally know that idea is, it's really, really hard to argue with that feeling.  For hoarders to recover, they basically have to let go of things they feel are really important, feel the panic, and see that nothing terrible is going to happen repetitively until their anxieties are lessened.
From what we've seen of the TV shows and documentaries-- which admittedly cater to the worst cases-- the relapse rate seems to be about 100%.

Roland of Gilead

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2014, 03:00:10 PM »
I used to make $3,000 to $5,000 a month contacting local hospitals and offering to haul off their boat anchor medical lasers.   With modern semiconductor lasers though, these really ARE boat anchors now.

Nords

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2014, 12:19:01 AM »
I used to make $3,000 to $5,000 a month contacting local hospitals and offering to haul off their boat anchor medical lasers.   With modern semiconductor lasers though, these really ARE boat anchors now.
One of the long-time posters on Early-Retirement.org achieved his ER in that business.  The lasers used to be so expensive (and fragile) that he rented them to doctors and did all the maintenance/repairs.  The doctors just wanted to use the gear, not own it or fix it, and they threw obscene amounts of money at him to keep them running reliably.

On weekends he used to farm out the equipment for tattoo removal services... talk about a cashflow business.

kite

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Re: What I'm really thinking: the removals man
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2014, 05:25:39 PM »
Anxiety/fear is an incredibly powerful motivator.  When you really feel that letting something go might put you "in danger," no matter how absurd you rationally know that idea is, it's really, really hard to argue with that feeling.  For hoarders to recover, they basically have to let go of things they feel are really important, feel the panic, and see that nothing terrible is going to happen repetitively until their anxieties are lessened.
From what we've seen of the TV shows and documentaries-- which admittedly cater to the worst cases-- the relapse rate seems to be about 100%.

I've known plenty of hoarders, but not a single one who got cured.  A clean up is just a respite before a relapse.