Hoarding: When Clutter Crosses the Line
Everyone struggles with clutter. It is normal to collect a fair amount of things throughout life. There is a point though when a person’s level of clutter might be crossing a line from “normal” into a situation that might need to be labeled as “Hoarding.” Hoarding tendencies in a person can make downsizing and decluttering even more difficult than it already is.
What is hoarding? According to the Google AI summary, hoarding is “the persistent difficulty in discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value, driven by a perceived need to save them.” You might be able to say you feel that way about a lot of your possessions, but hoarding is usually characterized by an unsafe and abnormal amount of things you’re struggling to get rid of.
How can you determine if you have a bigger than average issue with clutter and might need to consider professional help? Take an honest assessment of yourself by answering these questions:
- Do you have a strong desire to hold on to old things and/or frequently acquire new things?
- Do you feel strong anxiety or other negative emotions at the thought of getting rid of things, even things that are normal to get rid of (newspapers, food storage containers, etc)?
- Are your home spaces no longer functioning in the way they were meant to function?
- Is your home becoming unsafe to navigate because of too much stuff (tripping hazards)?
Hoarding is not just a decluttering concern. It’s also a big safety concern. If you answered “Yes” to the above questions, your downsizing and decluttering process might need to be an assisted process as you might not be able to make progress on your own. I would urge you to consider reaching out to a licensed therapist for some help so you can continue to live safely in your home. Working through these struggles IS possible with help!
Here at Jess Lex Homes, we have a great vendor resource list for downsizing and one of our resource categories deals with hoarding. Reach out today and ask to be connected to a professional who can walk you through this process. It won’t be a walk in the park, but if done right, it will be worth the work!
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