StuffBusters Blog

It’s often hard to tell at first glance if you’re looking at a hoarding situation. Both hoarding and chronic disorganization (CD) can look extremely cluttered, dusty, overstuffed and messy. Most people assume the individuals involved are “hoarders,” yet most are not.

There are several characteristics that are shared between chronic disorganization and hoarding - a history of disorganization, lack of progress or slow progress, and backsliding where progress has been made. On the other hand, there are important differences between chronic disorganization and hoarding. With hoarding there is an inability to part with unneeded items. The clutter becomes so severe it prevents the space from being used for its intended purpose. The hoarding individual may be unable to prepare food, sit on the sofa, or sleep in bed. Whether it is chronic disorganization or hoarding, to improve the environment, the individual needs to develop insight that the clutter is affecting their quality of life, and they need to be ready for change.

There are many factors that prevent people from managing their possessions (mental health issues, physical conditions, aging issues and other factors), even while they continue to acquire more and more. Some people reach a point where a strong motivation jolts them into a phase of readiness for change (such as wanting family to visit, threat of eviction or family issues). They don’t know how their home got so overwhelmed with clutter, but they want a dramatic transformation…now!

Of course, these individuals still have emotional attachments to items of importance, but they are also eager to part with massive amounts of stuff that are holding them back. In the past they may have avoided or been unable to make decisions, but with a new level of confidence and clarity they make countless decisions about their stuff. Whether this is chronic disorganization or hoarding, when people are really ready to put the clutter behind them, with positive support the problem can be controlled, and for some individuals, the chronic disorganization or hoarding can become a thing of the past.

Do you worry that you might be a compulsive hoarder? And do you wonder what you can do about your hoarding?

Its scary to see hoarding images on TV and realize that you could be the person labeled a compulsive hoarder in that TV show. And it’s overwhelming to look at your own piles of stuff, want to keep everything just the way it is, but know deep down that you can’t continue living your life this way.

If the description above rings true for you, what can you do to make a change? Whatever you call it - clutter overload, compulsive hoarding, or chronic disorganization – organizing your hoarded home and improving your hoarding lifestyle are big steps and when you’re really ready, you’ll need to ask for help.  When you reach out and surround yourself with a caring and compassionate support system, you’re headed toward the change you desire.

There may have been a significant event in your life that started you down the road to hoarding, or it could have been that you recognized early on that organizing was a challenge for you. It may have started with one messy room, and before you knew it, your home was completely full of stuff and out of control. A kind friend or even a hoarding TV show may have helped you realize the truth of how you’re living.  Now you want to quit hoarding.

Hi, I’m Patty Wolf. I’ve been studying compulsive hoarding for years. I’m a professional organizer and I help people get their lives back in order.

One of my clients recently said she couldn’t believe that we could go into a cluttered room and have it completely organized in a couple of hours, or get one floor of her small house organized in two days. Yet it was true. Because she knew it was time for a new start, she made the decisions needed to make huge strides each day. She went from a home where she couldn’t even see the floors, to one that is organized and comfortable.

If you can imagine a different future – from a hoarded home to a more livable, more organized home - then you can change your environment and your habits, and live a changed life! But just imagining a different future is only one step toward organization.

The next step is to enlist help. A certified professional organizer trained in chronic disorganization and hoarding (CPO-CD^®) can help you see what needs to be done and help you develop a reasonable organizing plan. Working beside you, a trained organizer can ease your anxiety and help you take action as you dig out from the clutter.

You may be surprised that just asking for hoarding help, even if its just from family and friends, begins an amazing process of change!

The short answer is yes, you can. But it takes time, patience, and understanding.

The objects that a hoarder collects, which may have little or no value to you and me, are important and valuable to a hoarder. They’ve collected these objects over years, and becoming ready to get rid of them won’t happen overnight. That broken toy could be fixed and used by a child someday. That old receipt may be needed. So might that empty box. And someone else might want that magazine, old newspaper or worn shoe (the other one is around somewhere, isn’t it?).
There are several stages a hoarder goes through before becoming ready to let their possessions go. They first must recognize that they are hoarding, and realize that something isn’t right. They start looking into their problem and talking to people. They begin to feel dissatisfied and want something different. Next, they reach out for help. When the hoarder is finally ready to take action, you can help.

Counselors and therapists with experience in hoarding treatment can help the hoarder work through issues surrounding their motivations and concerns. Trained Professional Organizers with experience in hoarding help can work with the hoarder to clear areas of the home and make the environment safe and functional again. Trained Professional Organizers can also collaborate with the counselor or therapist to make the process as smooth as possible.

Above all, understand that the hoarding person cannot just turn off this problem.

You love your stuff. And that’s often great. But when your stuff gets in the way of living your life, then maybe keeping all the stuff you’ve acquired is no longer the right choice for you. Take a look at how your life is going.

Does clutter interfere with your daily activities? Is it difficult for you to move from one room to another in your home? Is there so much stuff piled near your stove that it is dangerous to turn on the oven or stovetop? Are exits blocked by clutter? Do you have family or friends who do not visit your home because of the way you live (either by your choice or theirs)? Is your home excessively cluttered with things you haven’t used in two, three, four, or more years? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your possessions are probably interfering with your daily life.

Is that so bad? It appears so to most of us. Your family and friends would say absolutely (and they may already have encouraged you to change your ways). But the fact is, only you can answer that question for you.

By the time you recognize that you’ve got way too much stuff, you’ve probably been collecting for many years. When you’ve worked so hard to collect possessions, it won’t be a quick and easy thing to let them go. This is a challenging situation that requires the support of experts (or “professionals”). A trained professional organizer can be one of the experts who will help you get your home, and your life, back in balance. Take the first step—call someone and talk it over.