Removing clutter

I am a pack rat. Yup I 100% know for a fact that I am. BUT I am a pack rat hider. That means regular surfaces are clean with just a few knick knacks here and there but drawers and closets....watch out. I fill those suckers to the brim. Don't get me wrong they aren't filled with garbage they are filled with things. Things like toys or espresso makers or fountains or just general things.
It took me a long time to figure out why I couldn't throw away things. It stems from my childhood. We moved a lot when I was young. A LOT! Like a minimum of once a year. And a lot of times it was HURRY, throw what ever you can in the car we are leaving type moves. This means out of everything that we owned all most all got left behind. Over and over again this happened.
Now in my adulthood and my stability I can't seem to throw something that may be useful away.
Again I am not talking about tin foil type stuff but actual items. Picture frames, decorative boxes, little statues. Household items. Not junk.
Well I brought grandma home with me for the week. I decided it was time for me to get rid of the clutter that is clogging every drawer and closet in my house.
See I won't be throwing "useful" stuff away, grandma will be taking it to her clubs rummage sale.
So far I have emptied 4 drawers and 7 boxes. I have consolidated all of that into 1 1/2 boxes.
I KNOW!
I have a closet that is now over half empty and drawers that are empty.
And I am not done yet.
Grandma has 4 huge boxes that she will be taking home with her so far.
I have to make a promise to myself that I will not fill up the drawers or the closet again. I hope I can keep it.
It really sucks to know you have a problem and not be able to control it. But I am going to do my best.

Off to do some more decluttering.

Hi, my name is Jody and I am a packrat.

Today is writing prompt day from Mama Kat. Here is the one I chose.
4.) Hi, my name is ______ and I am a _______.

So... Hi, my name is Jody and I am a packrat.

Now I am not your have to walk through little pathways to get anywhere packrat. In fact my house is pretty darn clean. All counters and opens spaces have plenty of room on them. My house is nice.
However.... stay the hell away from my drawers. And my closets. And any other nook and cranny that I could possibly fill with stuff.
It drives me insane that I have to fill up empty drawers. It drives the honey insane. Although he really really has no idea how far this sickness of mine goes.
I keep things because I may need them. Or I paid for them why should I throw them away? Now I realize this is a problem. In fact I know where it stems from too. When I was young we moved at least once a year. Every time we moved I had to leave 90% of all my stuff behind. A lot of times it was a quick move in the middle of the night type of thing. I think now that I am older and not moving every year I grab hold of things and don't let go.
I KNOW this is a problem. I wish that I could fix it. There are times I will actually go through drawers to throw stuff away. It kind of goes like this.
"Oh look, I haven't seen this in over a year!" Throw it away! "no! what if I need it!" STUPID
A lot of the times I will huck stuff into the garbage but you know what.... that stupid drawer gets filled right back up.
I honestly hate it and wish with all my heart that I could change it. I just don't know how to get over the "I may need this" mentality.
Maybe I will clean a drawer today.