Understanding Hoarding: A Journey of Progress and Practical Solutions

Do you know someone who hoards things? Maybe their home is cluttered to the point that makes you uncomfortable. Have you said something to this person? Maybe you haven’t said anything, but you wonder why they don’t deal with it? Perhaps you have even done some research or watched some of the hoarding shows on TV. Understanding hoarding takes educating yourself on the disorder; learning what it is, and what it is not.  I am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and I also have a Hoarding Specialist Certificate from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. As such I regularly work with people challenged by hoarding.  What I can tell you from personal experience is that reducing the hoard is a lengthy journey, but it is possible when the person wants to make some changes.  Read on if you’d like to have a better understanding of how a professional organizer can help with this disorder and to learn some practical solutions.

A Client Success Story

I am a former primary school teacher and used to love seeing the light bulb turn on in my students’ eyes when reading words all of a sudden made sense.

I get the same rush of joy and happiness when one of my clients challenged by hoarding realizes that they can let something go and be content with their decision. This happened recently. Here’s the story.

Note: I’ve changed the circumstances to protect my client’s privacy.

I was on the phone with my client, doing a follow-up phone call – essentially checking -in with my client to encourage them to do a bit more work on their own. My client told me that he has decided that when he is working on reducing the hoard and sees something he doesn’t recognize, doesn’t have a need for, and doesn’t think he will use, he will let it go.

This was an enormous light-bulb moment for my client. I was thrilled to hear him share this discovery with me. This will make reducing the piles of things easier.

Hoarding Challenges:

People with hoarding behaviors and/or tendencies  bring things into the home with the best of intentions. They often see something in a store and buy it intending to either give it to someone or to use it ‘someday’. The problem is that there is no definite day, person, or event assigned to that object. It’s set aside and before you know it something else comes in and creates a pile.

Then there are the things that are free and found. Like flyers at the doctor’s office and grocery store. Or things left by the side of the road, free for anyone to pick up and take home. Someone with hoarding tendencies may see something and think I can use that. Because they don’t have a specific use or place to keep that item, it also becomes part of the accumulation.

My suggestion for people with these behaviors and tendencies is to pause and answer these questions:

• Where will I put this thing
• What purpose does it serve
• If I don’t use it, will I be willing to give it to someone who will

Another challenge people with hoarding behaviors face is a reluctance to release belongings even when they have many multiples of something or it is broken. When someone is working on understanding hoarding better, this is one of the hardest concepts to wrap your mind around.

We want to rationalize and say if it is broken just let it go. Or, you have so many xxx just donate the extras. It is not that simple for someone who has spent years accumulating.

Practical Organizing Tips:

I like to start by sharing my organizing philosophy with my clients. Have only the things you need, use, and love in your home. If you don’t need it, use it, or love it then think about letting someone else having the benefit from it.

We also talk about organizations that they like (or want) to support. Typically, something to benefit dogs and cats in shelters is appealing. Also, Veteran Associations, Habitat for Humanity, and organizations which help people dress for interviews. Knowing that the items they are letting go will benefit an organization they believe in helps make the process a little less painful.

Something that has helped the client I referred to previously is rotating displays of things. This client has a huge collection of signs with inspirational sayings. He and I found them scattered and piled here and there in his home. There is a blank wall in his home that is perfect to display some of these signs. My client and I decided to hang some signs and to store the rest in his garage. Once a month (or maybe seasonally) he’ll switch the signs. He has also said that he may decide to donate some of the signs once he sees them up on the wall. We both think that once he sees the sign hanging he may realize it’s not something he wants to keep.

This may be a good way to reduce the number of things in a collection. If you have too many to display, consider only putting out a few things and rotating them. This works well if there is easy access to a storage site or facility.

Emotional Aspects of Hoarding

I want to remind you that I am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and not a therapist.

Many people with hoarding behaviors or tendencies are also more emotionally attached to their things than someone without these tendencies. I know (and so do you) that some things just pull at our heartstrings.

Maybe the item reminds us of a happy event or of a person. Perhaps someone we love gave it to us.

If we’re going to be honest with ourselves, we will admit that it’s difficult to let those things go even if they are old and tattered.

When someone is challenged by hoarding, most things pull on their emotions – not just the extra special things.

While I can suggest strategies and solutions to make releasing these things easier it’s important to recognize the benefits of concurrently working with a trained therapist. A therapist will address the emotional issues and make understanding hoarding behaviors and these tendencies easier for the person challenged by them. The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) has a list of therapists on their website as well as information on the Hoarding Disorder.

Understanding this emotional aspect of hoarding is crucial if you are helping a friend reduce the bulk of their stuff.

Customized Solutions:

When you’re working with a friend or loved one to reduce the number of things in their home park your expectations outside their home.

Recognize that it’s their home and you are there to assist.

Ask what their overall vision is for their home and then break that down into their vision for each small space.

Begin with one space or room. Continue working in that space until it is as organized as the person wants it to be.

I recommend taking a picture before you start working in the designated space and a picture after each work session. It’s easier to see the changes when you are looking at before and after photographs.

Progress will be slow but slow and steady always wins the race.

Conclusion:

Helping someone reclaim their home is difficult but rewarding work. You may feel like things aren’t moving as quickly out of the house as you would like.

Here’s the thing, it didn’t become filled up in a short span of time. Progress will be slow. The most wonderful thing you can do for someone is to be there for them. Encourage them, be their accountability partner, and let them know that no matter how long it takes you are proud of them for embarking on this journey.

Remember to celebrate every success, even the smallest.

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Diane N. Quintana is the owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.