Recognising hoarding

Some of us who hoard don't know we're hoarding. 

But recognising it and the effect it's having on our lives can be the first step to getting support. 

Realising that there was a problem was my first step, and doing something about it was the next. There is help and hope out there.

How do I know if I'm hoarding?

Some of us who hoard don't know we're hoarding or can't see how it impacts our lives.

It can feel very stressful if other people tell you that you're hoarding. This might come from friends, family, your partner, or official organisations like the council.

While hoarding, you might:

• Only realise you're hoarding when other people are in your space.
• Not be able to tell you're hoarding. This is sometimes called 'clutter blindness'.
• Realise that it's affecting your life but find it hard to stop or know how to change. For more information, see our pages on helping yourself with hoarding and treatment for hoarding disorder.

Hoarding normally starts in the place you live. But you might expand or use other spaces such as a car, garage or storage unit. You may also keep things at other people's homes, if they allow you to.

What kind of things might I hoard?

Everyone will have a different experience of hoarding. It's possible to hoard anything, physical or digital. These are some examples of things that people commonly hoard:

• Clothes or shoes
• Drawings or photographs
• Toys or childhood keepsakes
• Books, newspapers, magazines or leaflets
• Post (open or unopened), bills or other paperwork
• Boxes, bags or other storage containers
• Food, including rotten or out-of-date food
• Digital files, such as emails or photos
• Broken items, which you might have kept and planned to repair
• Animals, such as cats or dogs

You might save things other people see as worthless or of limited value.

You might have important and unimportant things mixed up together – such as important bills mixed with old newspapers. This might cause you distress, or it might be how you prefer to arrange your belongings.

I kept lots of clean packaging as I liked to do crafts with my daughter. Slowly things built up and my dining table was completely covered, so we could not actually do the craft stuff.

What if I don't know I'm hoarding?

If you're unsure about whether you have a hoarding problem, you could:

• Make an appointment to speak to your GP. There's more about this on our treatment for hoarding disorder page.
• Contact an organisation that supports hoarders such as Hoarding Support, Hoarding Disorders UK or Hoarding UK.
• Use tools from The International OCD Foundation. Its clinical assessment for hoarding disorder has image ratings and a questionnaire to help identify a hoarding problem. You may want to take these to a GP to discuss if you're unsure how to use them.

You might feel someone close to you has a hoarding problem they aren't recognising. For more information, see our page on helping someone who hoards.

My mum sleeps on a small patch of her sofa. I don't know the last time she slept in a bed, but it has been several years.

Can I get a diagnosis of hoarding disorder?

If you experience certain symptoms, doctors or healthcare professionals may give you a diagnosis of hoarding disorder.

Your doctor might give you a diagnosis of hoarding disorder if you:

• Find it difficult to get rid of things you own, even if they have little or no monetary value
• Feel emotionally distressed at the thought of getting rid of things – and that you need to save them
• Can't use parts of your home because they're so cluttered
• Keep bringing home things you've bought or got for free, even if you have no space or use for them
• Experience distress due to hoarding or find it's affecting other areas of your life, such as your relationships with friends and family
• Experience hoarding on its own, not because of another health problem

It's important to remember that hoarding disorder can be different for everyone. You might recognise some of these signs and symptoms. But you might have other experiences or difficulties.