Hello. My name is Tiffany and I am a magazine hoarder. I have issues.
I fondly recall back in the late '90s my mother was an avid magazine reader. She subscribed to a few different glossies, but I particularly remember how a freshly bound issue of Essence Magazine would be waiting in our mailbox every month like clockwork.
I hated Essence Magazine. In my mind, it was a boring publication for boring old women who needed something to read as supper simmered on the stove.
Fast forward about 15 years. I am now a regular subscriber to Essence Magazine. In fact, I’ve been a faithful subscriber for at least five years. And I’ve kept just about every single issue.
Walk into any retail store with a magazine stand and you may understand exactly why, after 15 years, I identify with this publication so much. Let’s not beat around the bush – there’s little to no diversity on the covers of these magazines. So it’s nice to have a publication that, month after month, features someone who resembles me just a little bit. After all, according to 2010 Census data, minorities now make up more than a third of the total U.S. population. But judging from magazine stands, this change isn't so evident.
Back to the issue at hand: my hoarding tendency.
Coming to the realization that I may be a hoarder hasn't hit me too hard. I actually don’t really think about it until I get that magazine renewal card in the mail, begging me not to let my subscription expire. Even though I continue to renew, I consistently go three or four months without actually reading a single issue. They pile up and I don’t dive in until I’m incredibly bored – usually when nothing’s on TV and my wifi isn’t cooperating. (I’m looking at you, Comcast.) Then I’m like, “Oh, maybe I should catch up on all these unread magazines I’ve been paying for.”
But then I don’t.
Even though my magazine reading habit has waned, I just can’t bring myself to get rid of them! I’ve used many of the issues to cut out words and pictures for my vision board. And I always think that maybe someday one of the articles will come in handy.
Money-saving tips? Yes, please! Cheap travel ideas? Give me more! Quick five ingredient recipes? Uh, yah!
I honestly feel that by getting rid of these magazines I’m going to be missing out on a vital piece of information that I’ll never find again. As soon as I trash those magazines, one of the articles within them will be exactly what I need. But then it’ll be too late. Sure, I can Google whatever it is I’m looking for. But forget Google. I want my magazines!
And to make matters worse, I somehow signed up for a free subscription to Cosmo. I don't even like Cosmo and probably won't read any of them.
Unlike most hoarders, I’m not fascinated by collecting things. At least I don't think I am. It’s more of an irrational fear of letting things go. Just the thought of chucking these magazines makes me cringe. So I hold onto them. And the cycle continues.
There, I said it. Am I cured now?
Oh, and I do find a little comfort in knowing that I'm not alone.
Hoarders everywhere unite!
Let Apartment Guide help you get your act together:
7 Obvious Signs That You Are a Hoarder
Tips to Tame Your Cluttered Room of Shame
5 Creative Home Storage Ideas
How to Organize Your Kitchen
Photo credits: Tiffany Maberry, Shutterstock / Miguel Gale, Andresr, Brian A. Jackson, Africa Studio, Mark Hayes, Wonderlane, Marie C. Fields