My mum is obsessed with elastic bands. Everything has to have at least one band around it. Then she takes them off and puts them back on. If (god forbid) one should snap then she ties it up to use again. Books, bits of paper - so many bits of paper - once written on - they are never thrown away - so pile up for more elastic bands. I don't know where she even gets them all from - they just appear - the exact same way that pens disappear! I am forever taking her pens and then they just vanish. Shufflng little piles around. And junk mail - oh it cant be thrown out she might 'need it' - so now I just - in a matter of fact way - say 'junk mail' and put it in the recycle box - on a good day I can get away with it