a girl in her element

I stockpile, hoard, collect, accumulate,  gather,  save,  stow away.  No matter what word you use, it boils down to one thing – I have a lot of stuff.

Let’s get one thing straight though.  I am not a pack rat. I might ’squirrel’ things away, but I’m not a ‘rat’ of any sort.   (Well, except in Chinese astrology.)

My dad laughs at me for having so many water bottles in the Element.  My friends poke fun of me for having 12 bottles of the same lotion.  My cats are amused by the fact that I have a backup stash of food and treats stored away for them.  I, however, am less than entertained by their jokes.  You never know when you’re going to need something, right?  Why not have a couple… or seven… or 19 extras laying around?

And gift bags are no exception to the rule.  You never know when you’ll need one… or 49.  Eventually somebody’s birthday, wedding, anniversary, birth of a baby, dog’s birthday will roll around.   That’s why when I saw these at Target, I decided I needed them, to add to my collection of 180 other gift bags stashed in a closet that no longer closes.

How awesome are those?!?

Everyone wants to receive a gift in a bag with a polka dotted dog, right?

And if for some reason that I’ll never comprehend they don’t want a polka dotted dog gift bag, here’s one donning a variety of other adorable animals.  Owls… who doesn’t like owls?

They come complete with coordinating cute gift tags.  I just might have to wrap a gift to give to myself…

And cute mini greeting cards!  There’s always an occasion to give someone a “hello” or “congrats” card.

Now it should be understood that I’m a very picky and particular sort of ’squirreler.’   I know that sounds contradictory, but I promise it isn’t.

Element Girl’s Guide to ‘Squirreling’ (I’m quite positive I’m making up words now)

• Make note of items that you – use often; run out of frequently; seem to have to make special trips to the store to get; have to “borrow” from your neighbor.
• These items should be things that are non-perishable.  Canned goods are fine.  Blocks and blocks of cheese are not  (Trust me, I learned this the hard way.)  Cat litter is acceptable, albeit a little strange, even for me.  Cat treats are not (You do not want to end up with a 25 pound cat because you had to feed it 11 bags of treats before they went bad.)
• Squirrel away items that can be used all year round or are in great demand during a specific season.  That’s why I love hoarding gift bags and gift wrap.  For the most part, they’re not season specific.  When they are, for example, during Christmas, you will more than likely need large quantities.  On the contrary, do not buy 34 clown noses or 18 clown wigs for a costume… well, unless, of course, you’re actually a clown by trade.
• These items should not be person/user specific.  Do not buy 19 custom calendars printed with photos of your cats.  Again, trust me, people are confused when you try to force your cat calender on them as a gift.
• Take note of whether these items ever go on sale and if they do, when?  The gift bags above were in the dollar section of Target and then 50 percent off.  They also came in 2-packs. 25 cents per gift bag can’t be beat.
• Stockpile after seasons or occasions for the following year if the items will not go out of style.  Stocking up on extra gift bows and gift tags after Christmas is perfect.  How different can a gift bow look the next year?  Stocking up on 19 pairs of hot pink leggings is likely going to be a waste of money.
• Don’t hoard things simply because they’re on sale.   If you’re buying something simply because it’s cheap and you can’t walk away from a 75 percent off rack, it may not pay off in the long run.  You might end up spending money on things you’ll never use and end up throwing away.
• Have some way of organizing your stockpiles.  I haven’t quite perfected this yet, sot I’ll get back to you when I do.

Element Girl’s Favorite Things to Squirrel Away

• Gift bags, gift wrap, gift tags, cards, tissue paper (as already established)
• Cat toys – I buy them when they’re on clearance and keep a stash on hand.  The kitties eventually tear them to pieces.  Plus, it’s fun to be able to whip out a new toy when they look bored.
• Cleaning supplies – I cannot have enough Lysol in the house.  The end.
• Candles – I buy them when they’re on sale and stash them away either for my own use or for spur of the moment gifts.
• Zyrtec – I know, rather random but seriously… it’s the only thing that keeps my daily allergy attacks at bay.  Therefore, I squirrel away Zyrtec everywhere – the pantry, medicine cabinet, car, purse… my big squirrely cheeks.

So there you have it.  I am not a pack rat. I’m a ‘squirreler’ and proud of it.

Element Girl wants to know…

What do you like to stockpile?

How do you keep your stashes organized?