While every home is prone to clutter from time to time, it can become compulsive wherein all surfaces of one’s home, including countertops, sink and stairs are filled with items. When the amount of clutter in your home begins to affect your life and health, it may be indicative of a hoarding problem.

Hoarding is an obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder, referred to as hoarding disorder. Hoarding disorder involves acquiring items and failing to get rid of them, even though they are of no use anymore. Here are some signs you may have a hoarding problem:

1. Cluttered Living Spaces.

This is generally the first sign of a hoarding problem. If certain living spaces are no longer usable (like the inability to access the stove), this can be a sign of a hoarding problem. In some cases, entire rooms will be unusable as well: furniture will tend to be in the middle of the room, while the rest of the room will be stacked with items.

2. You Frequently Lose Things.

Those with hoarding disorder will often lose items due to their cluttered living spaces. In addition, they will have difficulty with organization.

3. Excessive Attachment to Items and an Inability to Let them Go.

Hoarders will be excessively attached to their possessions, even if they are useless. Similarly, they will display considerable distress over the thought of having to part with these items as well. You may display a pattern of simply moving items from one pile to another, without ever getting rid of anything.

4. Your House is Filled with Useless Items.

Generally, those with hoarding disorder will hold on to useless items like junk mail, newspapers or magazines. You may hold on to clothes that you have not worn in years, or broken appliances with the means to repair them at a later date.

5. Your House is Unsanitary.

If you have unwashed dishes that have been in the sink for a long period of time, a build-up of trash, piles of unwashed laundry or toilets that have not been cleaned, this may be a symptom of hoarding disorder.

6. No Organization to the Clutter.

While some people who have a lot of possessions know where everything is, those with hoarding disorder will not. Items will be randomly dispersed across the house and may even simply be tossed into various rooms.

7. Acquiring Useless Items.

You may find yourself bringing in useless items into your home, such napkins from a restaurant.

8. Defensive Upon Confrontation.

You may find yourself getting angry or defensive when family and friends begin to make comments about the state of your home, or you may feel ashamed and embarrassed at the thought of someone entering your home.

If you suspect you or someone you know may have hoarding disorder, contact a professional in the mental health industry for more information. In the meantime, if you or your family member is ready to fix their hoarding issues, our team can help you dispose of excess junk, quickly and efficiently. Contact our team today for more information.