Keeping it for best!

When I was a kid, I'd have to keep some clothes "for best" - meaning I could only wear them on Sundays, to parties or Christmastime, Other times, they stayed in the wardrobe (getting damp and dusty!). These habits stayed with me, even when I was working. Best clothes were not for everyday, to be worn to the office, they were for "going out". 
These days, I don't have any "best clothes" - probably because I rarely go anywhere "posh". 
The point of this waffle, is the realisation that these habits have rubbed off into the garden - and I need to break the habit.

For example, I pulled some carrots up this week because they were bolting.  They were big but inedible! If I hadn't been keeping them "for best" and had pulled them up weeks ago they would have been smaller but much nicer. More to the point, I could have eaten them instead of adding to the compost bin. 

Its the same with seeds - I'm a hoarder - not necessarily a buyer, but, an acquirer of seeds at swaps. When I decide to sow a particular seed - let's say courgette for example. I'll sow the oldest seeds first and keep my fingers crossed that they'll germinate. If they don't, I'll sow the next oldest but, I rarely sow the freshest seeds. They go into storage for another year.
Each time I sow and fail, I've wasted time, compost and energy. If I went straight to sowing the freshest seeds, in theory, I should have healthy seedlings from the start. 

Part of the problem is that, some packets of seeds contain far more seeds than any "normal" person needs  - or can sow within a year or two. As you know,I am unable to throw anything away - especially seeds - so part used packets are stored with the unopened - and my next round of sowings will not just be old seeds, but opened packets of old seeds, which may have deteriorated even more than unopened packets of a similar age. So its a double whammy!

I'm going to try to overcome my frugal habits this year - by sowing seeds that are in date and by picking "small and beautiful" crops instead of thinking that I need to win a giant veg competition. 

Is there a support group in G&G that can help me please?

In a word no, not from me. I, like you, am a hoarder, but unlike you, I do sow my new seeds, especially if they're a new variety. I very rarely throw any seeds away, except perhaps when they have proven non-germinating.

I remember 'best' clothes. No need for them these days (along with high heeled shoes). Nowadays I have 'worst' clothes, saved especially for gardening in. My gardening jeans were my mum's and she passed 16 yrs ago and they weren't new then. They're still going strong.

I’m with you Veggie 100%. The best clothes thing I still do. I do exactly the same as you with seeds. Last year I had the light bulb moment and realised I was mostly sowing old seed and hoarding the new / fresh ones. I started weaning myself out of this habit and I’ve continued this year. The other thing I realised I did was only sow a couple of extra seeds ( if I wanted 4 plants, I’d only sow 6 seeds). Leaving me with even older seeds next year. I’m trying to change this habit to.
I don’t do the same with harvesting though.