As people become more aware of hoarding through news stories and watching Hoarders, I’m often asked to differentiate between those with hoarding disorders and people with large or unruly collections. While each individual is unique, I’ve found that three cognitive and behavioral attributes help us distinguish the differences between hoarders and collectors.
Perceiving Value
Most collectors consider the monetary value of their collections to be, at least in part, motivation for ownership. However, those with hoarding disorders tend to keep things that have little (or no) financial worth – and perceive value according to personal interpretations that might seem arbitrary to others.
Visual or functional appeal may inspire collectors to begin collecting, but most plan to sell items for a profit if (or, they hope, when) opportunity presents itself. Collectors also often aspire to upgrade their collections, selling or trading items of lesser value to acquire objects that they (and other members of a collecting community) consider of superior value.
Hoarders discern value differently and are usually at odds with culturally-accepted norms of valuation. Hoarders rarely accept money or are willing to trade the things they amass, and the value they place on objects is based on sentiment or other emotional attachments. For them, the idea of letting go or severing the relationships they have with possessions, even in return for money or something of similar financial value, is painful.
Maintaining Functionality
Perceived and actual value is only part of the equation. The impact of possessions on someone’s ability to live comfortably plays a large role in differentiating hoarders from collectors.
Just as there may not seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why a hoarder has kept something, there’s generally no apparent logic to how things are grouped or where they are stored. The hoard – the mass of uncategorized possessions – takes over the living spaces in a hoarder’s home to the point that the rooms are no longer functional.
Serious collectors usually sequester their collections, both to confer status and prevent damage. A collector may have lots of a specific type of item – china teacups, Beanie Babies or Neil Diamond posters – but can still prepare meals and eat in the kitchen, sleep unencumbered on the bed in the bedroom, bathe in the bathroom and entertain in the living room. On the other hand, a person with a hoarding disorder may be sleeping in a chair or on the floor because the bed is piled high with stuff, making it inaccessible for normal use.
Expressing Pride and Joy
Finally, there’s a vast chasm between the amount of personal satisfaction and delight that collectors feel about their possessions and the resulting emotions in hoarders.
A collector’s pride in ownership is obvious in the way the collection is curated – new acquisitions are analyzed and categorized. Thought is given to how items will be blended into the pre-existing collection. Collectors are proud to display their possessions and take visitors on tours of what they own, and are gratified by the interest others take in their collections.
Collectors’ eyes may light up when the subject of recent acquisitions comes up in conversation – they’re eager to discuss the “official” value of what they own, the manner in which an item was acquired, and any plans for an object’s future. Collectors often expend money or effort to create appealing methods for displaying their collections to show them in the best (literal and figurative) light.
People with hoarding disorders, however, experience shame about the items they’ve amassed. They avoid visitors and evade discussion of what they’ve accrued. Hoarders often keep the very existence of their acquisitions a secret. When pressed, they may exhibit anxiety when trying to discuss the items surrounding them.
Objects in a hoard are usually not arrayed into categories, and there’s generally no intention to display items so they might be appreciated, even by the hoarders themselves. Acquiring and keeping items may give hoarders a sense of comfort, but not joy.
In short, it’s not the number of possessions, or the possessions themselves, that differentiates hoarders from collectors, but three cognitive and behavioral attributes – perception of value, ability to maintain functionality in living spaces, and expression of pride in one’s possessions.
Geralin, I am grateful that you wrote this! I only worked with SOHO so I only ran into hoarding once or twice in my time an an organizer. This is very useful for me because I still make referrals to others for this service and these categories will give me a barometer for what the issue really is. I’ve passed this along through multiple channels because I know it is important. I needed to read this. Thanks again, Kerry
Thank you Kerry.
I know YOU know this but it merits repeating – - only a qualified mental health professional can diagnose a hoarder or any other disorder. Thank you for sharing this with your ‘multiple channels’ and connections.
Hi. this is all really interesting..I’m new to understanding this….on the road to “being and organizer.”
My sense is that there might be more too…one idea also may be that a collector has the intent to display, arrange or show off their collection (in many cases that I’ve seen. They want to show it, rearrange it, share it with others.
Based on what I’ve seen on TV (no direct experience with hoarders other than family members)…hoarders tend to hide or somewhat aimlessly they let things stack up…They tend to be kind of embarassed and protective about what they keep. And they rarely seek to display it for others, or talk about their collection with others, or even rearrange it in new ways to see it from a different perspective. It all seems less active in the “interacting” with their “collection” of stuff.
My sense is that collectors seem more inspired by their collection of stuff…and hoarders seem more overwhelmed or sad and/or burdoned and sometimes even ashamed by their collection of stuff. The emotional content and connection seems kind of important to me as a distinguisher.
Let me know what you think of all this as more experienced experts.
I worked with an interior designer one time. He talked about creating soul spaces in homes rather than “redesigning” a home with a particular style. He said that everything in one’s home should inspire and uplift us. He believed that keeping the things that had a twinge of negative emotion tied to them caused us harm and created a less than optimally comfortable home. I’ve worked with this idea a bit personally and it’s always helped me weed. It’s always been the tipping point for me to get rid of the things that I think I “should” keep, just in case (my mother visits, it might fit again some day, or what if I run out and don’t have a backup)…all those fear-based decisions/choices.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Sarah,
Thanks for sharing your delightful and insightful words of wisdom. For the record I totally agree with keeping things uplifting and inspiring and letting other things go. My “tipping point” is asking myself, “Would I buy this again . . .” If the answer is no, I let it go, even if was expensive.
Cheers and thanks for reading and commenting.
Geralin
This was an awesome read. I do watch hoarders mainly because it makes me sad and then happy when things get better. I am working on becoming an organizer as we speak. I would not say I am a hoarder and do not like to use the word used loosely. I saved things for no reason because I felt I bought them and should make some money out of them; It was always a monetary attachment. The reason I decided to become an organizer is not because I am naturally organized. I can naturally develop systems in my head quickly. Coming from a person who had a storage unit, a huge amount of stuff in my basement to where I am now is motivating and uplifting. My closets and drawers are beautiful. There was a constant need for me to “get organized” or take my clothes to the resale shop. It was sucking the life out of me. I want to use my experience and help others. I want to make a difference because I know I can help change others for the better. I have actually saved money and avoid buying things I don’t need. My life has changed drastically. I have felt the withdrawal from my belongings at first, but it wears away a day or two later. I empathize with hoarders because I have felt that empty feeling before. Now to pitch things is a breeze and it makes me happy. . .