We’ve seen those reality shows about hoarders, and laughed or shaken our heads at the people involved. Have you ever watched an episode, only to end up thinking about yourself or a loved one? While extreme hoarding isn’t very common, many of us possess some of the same habits as those poor folks on TV.
Here are 5 signs your super-saving hobbies might spell trouble down the road.
1) You had a strange collection as a kid.
Lots of hoarders start young. While collecting things like G.I. Joes or dolls is not uncommon at all, it’s a bit more concerning when kids hang on to items like food, trash, junk mail, and the like. Kids with potential hoarding issues may try and hide their odd collections instead of proudly displaying them in public.
2) Your parent was a clutter bug.
If mom or dad had a really difficult time letting things go, you may find yourself more prone to hanging on to stuff as well. There is evidence for a genetic predisposition to hoarding and other related anxiety problems. If your parent struggled or still does, you may want to take a closer look at your own storage and saving habits.
3) Trash is your treasure.
At Mister Quik, we’re all for finding creative ways to salvage and reuse items for home improvement and home organizing projects. That said, we don’t encourage anyone to hang on to every can or bottle they’ve ever bought. Trash is trash, after all, and the vast majority of it is better left for the garbage or recycling bin.
4) Objects at home relate to memories in your head.
Researchers have shown that hoarders tend to tie physical items around the house to specific memories. That may explain why that broken vacuum cleaner or stack of newspapers brings you back to a happy time or place. If you have detailed reasons for hanging onto all of the random stuff at home, you may be on a risky path.
5) Your life is full of “quirks.”
Compulsive hoarding is closely related with obsessive compulsive disorder, also known as OCD, though it’s not the exact same thing. If your daily life is filled with quirky habits such as constantly repeating the same simple tasks, you may be more prone to other anxiety disorders like hoarding.
Hoarding can lead to all sorts of preventable problems at home, like injuries, mold growth, pest infestation, and fire hazards, to name a few. It’s important to note that being a collector or packrat doesn’t mean you’re a hoarder. But having too much of anything is rarely a good idea.
For more information on hoarding, check out the link below. You can also find helpful advice and tips for effective home organization right here on Mister Quik’s blog. When you’re done reading, browse the rest of our website or contact us for expert products & services designed to improve the efficiency and comfort of your de-cluttered home.
