Do You Hoard?
Simple Steps from Hoarder to Order!

True hoarding, of course, can be a serious condition requiring professional help to overcome.

But for those of us guilty of hoarding on a smaller scale, here are some tips for keeping a handle on the growth of possessions that's part and parcel of being a parent!

1. Admit that you may be guilty of hoarding! It's possible that you're a hoarder without even realizing it - you may simply see yourself as a pack rat! But if you've amassed so many 'things' that you're out of storage space - or even encroaching on 'living' space - then you need to take steps to improve the situation.
2. Learn when to let go. Sentimentality is usually what causes us to hang on to items that we no longer need and (truth be told) are unlikely to ever look at again! By all means hang on to those truly special, irreplaceable items... but for others, consider how much more useful they might be donated to a charitable organization, for example.
3. As a mom, the items you're most likely to hoard may actually be your children's creations. With five children, I'd have a roomful of artwork by now if I'd kept every piece! My solution has been to keep a portfolio of their best work. The rest I have made into collages, thereby saving a piece of everything they've made.
4. Take a look at my page about how to declutter fast and apply the steps described to YOUR home. Try to discipline yourself to follow the suggestions as rigidly as possible, particularly those pertaining to sorting your possessions into 'piles', then promptly dealing with each pile.
5. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to fix your entire house in one go. If you have a tendency to hoard, then you may have many rooms in need of attention. Work on one room - or part of a room - at a time... if you keep your goals achievable, then you WILL achive them!
6. Whenever you falter... remind yourself that when you hoard, you create an environment that's stressful - and potentially unsafe - for yourself and your children. You'll be amazed by how free you'll feel, how your ability to make clear decisions improves and how you'll function better as a work at home mom when your living space is well organized and tidy.
7. If the compulsion to hoard items is too strong to overcome, then recognize that this may be a problem you can't correct by yourself. Seek advice from a professional, or support from friends and family. There are also self help groups and helplines that can really make a difference.

   Try the International OCD Foundation, which identifies the causes, types and treatment of hoarding - or Anxiety Care in the UK, which examines just what leads to a tendency to hoard.

Go from 'Hoard' back to How to Get Organized.