Skokie, Illinois fire rescuers recently drilled a hole in the ceiling to rescue an 82 year-old woman from her apartment. They couldn’t use the door because the space was piled to the ceiling with hoarded stuff. Earlier this year, an El Paso, Texas woman died by fire when the newspapers she had hoarded fed the flames. Firefighters couldn’t get through the clutter to save her. These may sound like extreme cases, but hoarding is becoming an ever-increasing problem. Those who find themselves in cluttered surroundings could end up like one of these women if they don’t take steps to clear up the clutter now.
What is Hoarding?
A commonly accepted definition of hoarding is having “an excessive collection of items and the inability to get rid of them.” Hoarded items can include personal possessions, animals, or even trash. There is some disagreement in the psychology field over whether hoarding is also a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or whether it is a separate condition. Most psychology experts consider hoarding an anxiety disorder. Obsessive hoarding is a much more serious issue than simply having some clutter at home or being a compulsive shopper.
The Psychology of Hoarding
Many hoarders cling to useless items, not because they are saving them for future use but because they feel incapable of parting with things. They have a hard time making decisions in general, which makes it hard to throw things out. Hoarding unnecessary items is more than the inability to throw things away. It also involves the need to keep acquiring new things.
The behavior is usually a sign of a deeper-seated issue such and serves as a distraction from loneliness, anxiety or sadness. While most mental health professionals do not fully understand the causes of the disorder, they can identify some triggers, including “isolation, genetics, stressful life events, age and perfectionism.”
The Financial Cost of Hoarding
Aside from the potential harm to your health and safety when surrounded by extreme clutter, hoarding can result in serious economic costs. People can get into financial trouble by buying too much. Extreme hoarders are in effect burying themselves alive, putting a wall between themselves and the outside world that can cost them their jobs and eventually deplete their savings.
If you find yourself having difficulty discarding old items and constantly looking for new, you may be falling into the isolation of hoarding. Free yourself from hoarding now.
Where to Draw the Line on What to Save
It is important to differentiate between normal clutter and obsessive hoarding. In many cases, it makes practical sense to save objects for future use. Gift boxes and storage containers are two examples of items that could come in handy later on. It might give you great satisfaction to reuse old items and find bargains on new ones. This is normally not a problem unless your habits interfere with your normal daily functioning.
How to Stop Hoarding and Start Saving
Professional organizers advise that you should not save things for sentimental reasons. Items should have a practical function and be discarded if not used within a fixed amount of time. Anything broken or completely outdated should also be discarded.
If you are concerned that you or someone you know might suffer from a hoarding disorder, you should seek the advice of a professional organizer for practical de-cluttering tips, as well a mental health professional to help deal with any underlying issues.
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