This is a paradox: We fear to make a wrong decision, but the worst decision is not to decide at all!

Plop!

I, too, hadn't really put Perfectionism as the reason for "But what if I make a mistake and get rid of something I need or want or should have saved to pass down to my great great great grandchildren? Then I will feel all the HORRID feelings that go with screwing up."

It makes so much sense that my refusal to let go of things/books/papers is partly because I'm terrified of messing up...and also terrified of feeling the pain of having made a mistake.

Ha! Of course, the fact that I can't don't have enough space to put away my clothes because I've kept even the ones I cannot wear might be an indicator that I'm already messing up. :>)

(Thank you for this very helpful conversation!)

Hello Tillie!

Thanks for welcoming me and answer my question.

I'm a perfectionist, but had never thought that this trait was related to hoarding! Still surprised.
In particular, these points catch my attention:

- ... if they let something go they may need it again some day in the far (or near) future.
The main reason for my hoarding!
- They do not want to regret having made an imperfect decision.
This is true for me in almost every area of my life, only I've been using the word "wrong" instead of "imperfect", but now I see it's the same!
- Perfectionism makes decision making almost impossibly hard.
Here we come back to the preceding point. Fear of making a wrong (--> incorrect --> imperfect) decision is paralyzing.
I don't remember since when am having problems with this issue, what is certain is that NOW I have them, and are big ... Then, my indecision is caused by perfectionism! Wow!!!

I have to think about this!

Hello Mar, welcome 🙂

Perfectionism and hoarding...
many people try to do everything so perfectly that they end up not doing anything because perfect is impossible to achieve.
Trying to make the perfect decisions as to what to keep, what to toss, what to donate and where to send the donations.
Then they worry that their decisions are not perfect and if they let something go they may need it again some day in the far future.
They do not want to regret having made an imperfect decision.
So they just keep everything because they do not want to make a mistake.
We only have just so much room in our homes and can not keep everything or we live in clutter and confusion.
Perfectionism makes decision making almost impossibly hard.

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