Helpful Resources for Hoarders

FILMS ABOUT HOARDING

Hoard House
Compulsive Clutter in NYC
Multimedia project that explores the impact of hoarding on hoarders, psychologists, cleanup specialists, and social workers for whom hoarding is a defining phenomenon.hoardhouse.com/

My Mother’s Garden
An award-winning film that documents a 61-year-old woman’s daily life as a hoarder, filmed by her daughter, director Cynthia Lester. www.mymothersgardenmovie.com

Packrat
by Kris Montag
www.fanlight.com/catalog/films/410_prat.php

Possessed
by Martin Hampton
Enters the complicated world of four hoarders
www.vimeo.com/603058

Stuffed
By Awren Curry and Cerissa Tanner
This film dispels the stereotype that all "packrats" are isolated, elderly derelicts.
fanlight.com/catalog/films/489_stuff.php

BOOKS

Buried In Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding
by David F. Tolin, Ph.D., Randy O. Frost, Ph.D.
Oxford University Press, 2007
For a review:  www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/book-reviews/buried-in-treasure-by-tolin-frost-steketee.php

Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring: Workbook
Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring: Therapist Guide
by Gail Steketee, Ph.D. and Randy Frost, Ph.D.
Oxford University Press, 2006
For a review:  www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/book-reviews/compulsive-hoarding-and-acquiring-by-steketee-frost.php

Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring
by Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D. and Tamara L. Hartl
New Harbinger Publications, 2009

Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding: Why You Save and How You Can Stop
by Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D., Jerome Bubrick, Ph.D. and Jose Yaryura-Tobias, M.D.
New Harbinger Publications, July 2004
For a review:  www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/book-reviews/overcoming-compulsive-hoarding-by-neziroglu-bubrick-yaryura-tobias.php

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things
by Randy Frost and Gail Steketee
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010

NEWSLETTERS

New England Hoarding Consortium Newsletter
Spring 2008 edition
www.harthosp.org/Portals/1/Images/29/NEHC-Newsletter.pdf

Winter 2008 edition
www.science.smith.edu/departments/PSYCH/rfrost/Winter_2008_Hoarding_Newsletter.pdf

HOARDING RATING SCALES

Clutter Hoarding Scale
www.nsgcd.org/resources/clutterhoardingscale.php

Compulsive Hoarding Rating Scale
A survey for measuring the degree of compulsive hoarding in an individual based on 23 questions. The survey has three subscales to measure clutter, difficulty in discarding and saving, and acquisition.
Reference: Frost, R.O., Steketee, G., & Grisham, J. (2004). Measurement of compulsive hoarding: saving inventory revised. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 1163-1182.
Measurement of Compulsive Hoarding: Survey  [PDF file]

Measuring Squalor
www.squalorsurvivors.com/squalor/measuring.shtml

MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
(Google their names for more information)
Rosemary Bakker, MS, ASID
Jerome Bubrick, Ph.D.
David Dia, Ph.D., LCSW
Randy Frost, Ph.D.
Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D.
Steven Phillipson, Ph.D.
Renee Reinardy, Psy.D.
Sanjaya Saxena, M.D.
Gail Steketee, Ph. D
David Tolin, Ph.D.
Jose Yaryura-Tobias, M.D.
Tamara L. Hartl, PhD
Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS

National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization
www.nsgcd.org
Educational organization; provides specialized education on hoarding and referrals to qualified professional organizers

National Association of Professional Organizers 
www.napo.net
Provides information about professional organizing and a referral directory

SUPPORT GROUPS

Online Self-Help Support Groups for OCD Hoarders
www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/support-groups/online-self-help-support-groups.php

Children of Hoarders
A group for/to support those who grew up in a hoarding environment and/or currently have a relative who hoards. Many resources, online videos, shared stories and more
www.Childrenofhoarders.com

Squalor Survivors
Stories, photos, tools, community forum and chat, resources, information for people who know someone who hoards.
www.squalorsurvivors.com/index.shtml

Web Discussion Group for Hoarders
Found on Hoarders.org site
For those who already know how to de-hoard and de-clutter.  A private and unlisted Yahoo group, with direct professional involvement.
health.groups.yahoo.com/group/H-C/

HOARDING TASK FORCES & COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Hoarding Task Forces and Community Related News
www.childrenofhoarders.com/coh57.php

MassHousing’s 2007 Community Services Conference on Hoarding
A broad range of links and documents made available through the Conference.
www.masshousing.com/portal/server.pt?mode=2&uuID={F6E398E9-46E7-4D28-A1A8-9566981ADA20}

Hoarders.Org
www.hoarders.org/
San Francisco Bay Area Internet Guide for Extreme Hoarding Behavior

TREATMENT CENTERS

Institute of Living
Anxiety Disorders Center
860-545-7685
Diagnostic evaluation, Group therapy, In-Person Family Consult, Telephone Initial Evaluation, Telephone Therapy, Telephone Family consultation, In-Home Consultation
www.compulsivehoarding.org

Boston University School of Social Work
Boston University Hoarding Project 
Initial Telephone Screening and Referral, Diagnostic Assessment, Group Treatment, Support Groups
617-353-0815

WEB RESOURCES

www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/
It covers the definition of hoarding, professional articles on multiple aspects of hoarding, a Research Digest for hoarding related scientific papers; self help and support group articles, a hoarding/compulsive buying screening test, and useful information about this medical disorder. Created and run by two experts in the field, Randy Frost, Ph.D. and Gail Steketee, Ph.D.

Yvonne Trostli, MS, MA and I collaborated on this post. Yvonne is a detail-oriented, info sleuth, friend of mine. She’s a thoughtful, brainiac-intellectual type who is well-respected, soft spoken and gentle-spirited. She wants to help bring clarity to your ideas, words, projects, and life.  You can contact her at www.wholelifeorganizing.com.

Please note, this post is a work in progress.  Our intention is NOT to include everyone and everything.  That is overwhelming.  Instead, we are practicing what we preach and going for ‘good enough’ – not perfect.

We welcome your ideas and suggestions. Please add them in the comment section.