Hoarder Potential – when to start worrying

In recent years, there has been so much reality TV coverage of hoarding, many have become overly aware of the subject. It’s almost as though we’re on the lookout for hoarding in ourselves, partners, and friends. So let’s get one thing straight – hoarding is not the casual collection of a bit of harmless clutter. It is a serious mental illness requiring professional intervention. Having said that, most serious health issues build up over time. So where the potential to hoard is concerned, it does no harm to take an occasional (but not excessive), look at our own behaviour, and at the behaviour of those we love, to make sure we, and they, are still within the (quite wide) range of ‘normal.’ Here are some checks to get you started:

Temporarily untidy

Let’s not get too hung up on tidiness. It’s true most of us enjoy an organised home, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily achieve this state of perfection 24/7 (in fact, if we did, it may be cause for concern in itself!). So, if you spot the occasional spot of clutter, don’t panic. The important point to note, is it eventually rights itself (either you tidy it away, or someone else does it for you, and you have no serious objection).

Not managing

We all have times when housekeeping, including clutter, gets away on us. Laundry piles up, the recycling needs to be taken out, the floor is well overdue for a vacuum, and the cat’s litter is past its use-by. But that doesn’t, in itself, mean we’re on a slippery slope to hoarding. There are often valid reasons for routines being neglected – a bout of illness, a period of being over-committed, or a family crisis. Somewhere along the way, we know we’ll get our living space back to what it was (or close to it) once we have an opportunity. We may even decide to ask for a helping hand from family, or decide it’s time to employ home-help, or to visit our GP to see if this is available free of-charge.

Crossing the boundary

When clutter begins to interfere with daily life, and there’s not a clear reason for it accumulating, it’s time to be concerned. We’re not talking about a room being used to temporarily store furniture while you have renovations carried out in another part of the house. We’re not even talking about a broken appliance being stored for spare parts should you require them. We’re talking about an on-going pattern of collecting, where no end is in sight, and where the resulting clutter is leading to unhygienic conditions and difficulties in navigating access ways. What is even more telling, is the person responsible for the clutter is, themselves, unhappy with the situation, but isn’t able to do anything about it. Or it may be others who are seriously concerned about the situation, but the clutter-collector fails to acknowledge the problem.

Maintenance a must

With serious hoarding comes complete chaos. It’s one thing to have difficulty moving around the house, and occasional food spills unattended to, and another to have a house deteriorate because clutter, odours, and rotting food are preventing maintenance. The home of a serious hoarder may be cold, damp, leaking, and rotting in places, simply because problem areas can’t be accessed, or occupants are too embarrassed to call in professionals. What’s worse, if this sounds like the situation of someone you love, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to ask for help. What you are facing is true hoarding, and it’s time to take action.

Everyday clutter (even relatively intolerable clutter for a short time), may be annoying, frustrating, and tiresome, but it is unlikely to be attributable to hoarding disorder. However, if you see this tendency progressing in yourself or another you care about, don’t shy away from seeking help before the potential problem becomes more serious. This is not an issue to be ashamed of.