Hoarding goes beyond just being messy or having a drawer full of stuff.
Hoarding is when someone is unable to complete basic day to day tasks such as getting dressed, cooking a meal, or going to the toilet.
Sometimes it can be dangerous living in a home that is full to the brim of stuff as you could trip and something could fall on top of you.
There are many different types of hoarding. It is important to understand the different types of hoarding and what they mean.
Object Hoarding
Some people hoard objects, and depending on the hoarder, will hoard certain types of items.
Read on to find out more about each type of hoarding.
Shopper Hoarding
What is shopper hoarding?
Shopper hoarding is a type of hoarding where someone will spend money, sometimes money they don’t have, on items from the shops and bring them home without using them.
This type of hoarding is when someone will buy something from the store and it will be left in the house, sometimes even with the tags left on.
Why do some people buy things they don’t really need?
People who participate in shopper hoarding are usually “shopaholics.”
They like the rush or high they get when they buy something as it makes them feel good.
Unfortunately, when they get home, the rush will usually go away pretty quickly so the goods they have bought will just be set aside.
Sometimes the hoarder will not even use what they have bought and won’t bother to take the item back to the store either.
What are the consequences of shopper hoarding?
A lot of the time, people who are shopaholics will spend a lot of their own money and keep spending until they run out of money.
Some will even get into debt to continue their habit, maxing out their credit lines.
This could add extra stress to them.
What can you do to help shopaholics?
If you would like to help a hoarder who is a shopper, first of all, they need to accept that they have a problem and need help.
Try and be as understanding as you can and non-judgemental.
There are some organizations you can put them in touch with:
US Organizations
UK Organizations
Food Hoarding
What is food hoarding?
Food hoarding is when someone will stockpile food even if it goes past it’s use by date.
Why do people hoard food?
Some people hoard food because of a fear of starvation if anything happens.
They have an almost survival-like mentality where they are keeping food just in case anything bad happens.
What is the result and consequences of hoarding food?
Hoarding food results in food going off.
This attracts unwanted visitors like flies, maggots, and mice.
It could also make the hoarder sick.
What can you do to help a food hoarder?
One idea would be to suggest a food bank the hoarder could donate some of their food to.
This would make the hoard less and it would be going to a worthy cause.
US Foodbanks
UK Foodbanks
Garbage/Trash Hoarding
What is garbage/trash hoarding?
Garbage hoarding is also called Diogenes syndrome.
It is a disorder where hoarders tend to have a lack of shame and will live in a home with piles of trash.
Why do people hoard garbage?
Some people will happily live in a home with piles and piles of garbage and live in squalor with no problems.
This is generally because they may think that the item will come in useful later so can not bear to throw it away.
Another reason as to why someone may hoard trash is that they may have an illness or a disability which prevents them from putting the garbage in the trash.
What is the result and consequences of hoarding garbage?
The result and consequences of hoarding garbage means that the home becomes unusable.
It stops the homeowner from doing day to day things such as going to bed, sitting on the sofa and watching television, sitting down at a table and eating a cooked meal.
It also stops the homeowner from having friends or relatives over to visit as the house isn’t safe.
Hoarding garbage will also result in attracting flies, maggots and many other creatures like cockroaches.
There will usually also be a foul smell as a result of the garbage.
What can you do to help a garbage hoarder?
You could find out why they are keeping the garbage.
It may be that they believe it will come in useful at some point, but it may be that they cannot throw it out because they are disabled.
If they believe it could be used again, and if it could then you could offer to take some stuff to a charity shop.
This would then at least mean that the item will be used again.
If it is just junk, you could offer to take some items away for them, although they may not want you to.
Another option would be to hire a dumpster so you can go through the rubbish together and get rid of some of it.
US Dumpster Companies
UK Skip Hire Companies
Recycling
What is recycling hoarding?
Recycling Hoarding is when someone is hoarding recycling items.
Why do people hoard recycling?
Some people will tend to hoard recycling with the intention of taking it to the local recycling center in exchange for a cash reward.
Unfortunately, it never gets done as the pile is too big for the hoarder so it becomes an overwhelming task and it just gets bigger and bigger as they collect more and more.
What is the result of hoarding recycling and what are the consequences?
When someone hoards recycling and never does anything about it, it builds and builds and the result is that the house becomes unusable, dirty and dangerous.
What can you do to help someone who hoards recycling?
One way you could help would be to offer to take some of the recycling to the center for them.
Paper Hoarding
What is paper hoarding?
Paper hoarding is exactly how it sounds, it’s hoarding paper.
These may be things like newspapers, receipts, bills that people find hard to throw away
Why do people hoard paper?
One reason that someone may hoard paper is that they believe it has value and is reluctant to just throw it away.
What is the result of hoarding paper and what are the consequences?
If someone continues to hoard paper it can result in an unusable and dangerous living environment.
It can also be a fire hazard.
What can you do to help someone who hoards paper?
One way to help would be to categorize the papers, that way they will be easier to sort.
Book Hoarding
What is book hoarding?
The hoarding of books is known as bibliomia.
Book hoarding is done by people who are generally very intelligent.
These people are usually scientists or teachers or doctors or someone in another high profession.
Why do people hoard books?
People will hoard books because they believe the books contain vital information that they may need at some point in the future.
They don’t want to get rid of the books in case they need the information or if they forget something.
What is the result of hoarding books and what are the consequences?
A person who has and will continue to hoard books can be a danger to themselves and to others.
Most of the time books will not be stored neatly but scattered all over the home making it unusable.
Sometimes books will be in cupboards instead of food.
Another disadvantage would be that the hoarder is unable to invite relatives or friends over and can sometimes even feel shame.
What can you do to help someone who hoards books?
Some ways you could help someone who is a book hoarder could be:
- Helping them to sell some of the books. This could be to a book store or via the internet on websites like eBay and Amazon.
- Donate some books to a charity shop. This would enable the charity to raise funds from the sale of the books. The hoarder may agree to do this as the books would be going to a worthy cause.
Animal Hoarding
Objects aren’t just the only thing people hoard.
Some people will hoard animals also.
Animal Hoarding is sometimes called Noah Syndrome.
Animal Hoarders will generally have a unusually large amount of animals that is too big for the space they have.
There are many different types of animals that people will hoard including
Cats
Some hoarders will have lots of cats.
Dogs
Some hoarders will have lots of dogs.
Rabbits
Some hoarders will have lots of rabbits.
Ferrets
Some hoarders will have lots of ferrets.
Guinea Pigs
Some hoarders will have lots of guinea pigs.
Birds
Some hoarders will have lots of birds.
Farm Animals
Some hoarders will have lots of farm animals.
There you have it! These are some types of hoarding that I have found. If you think of any others, let us know in the forum