Are they hoarders or slobs….or neither……? They could be chronically disorganized; compulsive shoppers; they could be overwhelmed with other things going on in their lives and everything got out of control; they could be depressed and lack the energy for getting much of anything done. This list could go on and on.
Television shows like Hoarders on A & E, and Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC have given many of us a glimpse into a condition that affects as many as four to six million people. While those cases are extreme, they do exist.
Here in the Cleveland area, we are members of a local task force on hoarding. The Hoarding Connection of Cuyahoga County has a mission “to provide support and advice, educate, develop best practices, and assist in identifying needed resources for individuals who hoard and those that work with individuals who hoard.” This group is actively reaching out to community agencies to educate those who may encounter a hoarding situation. We want to educate others that hoarders are not slobs, and they are not lazy, and cleaning out the home does not happen in a weekend. Individuals who are hoarders find value in items that most of us do not. Any changes in behavior and the living conditions involves a variety of resources, and will take time.
For more information on hoarding, there are many books on the subject. A couple of recommendations are Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding, and Digging Out: Helping your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding & Compulsive Acquiring.
If you, or someone you know, wants some assistance contact The National Association of Professional Organizers, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, or The National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. These are all good places to start and will direct you to more local resources.
JoEllen
