Are You a Hoarder? 4 Key Signs.

Are you a Hoarder? Here are 4 Common Signs of a Hoarder

1.)  Forming emotional attachments to inanimate objects:  some things do carry a lot of emotional sentiment: family albums and sweet cards from someone very special are a few examples.  However, it is not these objects which we love, but the people or places they remind us of.  And those people and places can always be found in our memory and heart.  So even if we lose the items, we cannot lose the precious feelings they represent, which are kept inside of us.

2.)  Being afraid to “waste” something:  if you find something that seems beautiful or useful to you but you can’t find a spot for showing its beauty or usefulness, then get rid of something less lovely or useful.  Simply tossing a beautiful item into a pile either wrapped-up carefully or not, takes away from its beauty or usefulness since no one can see it!  If it isn’t your grandmother’s treasured fine china from a century ago, donate your lovely item so that it can be displayed deservingly somewhere.

3.)  Unrealistic expectations of perfectionism:  if you just can’t seem to start tackling any cleanup, organization or filing project, check for unhealthy expectations of perfection.  Doing something about a problem, no matter how imperfect at first, will help move the project closer to completion. Shoot for making it good enough to serve the purpose you need. 

4.)  Memory and/or attention issues:  when a new event interrupts your current activities, do you automatically drop what you’re working on, leaving everything in the middle of progress, and move right on to the next problem?  Studies show that healthy attention and memory are important in helping people quickly asses which activities need their time and energy, which objects will be a true asset to them, and which will simply clutter their space.

Severe hoarding is often a surface symptom of much deeper psychological turmoil.  If you feel your collecting has become too compulsive and the items aren’t related enough for a collection, meet with a professional to help you sort through your thoughts, feelings and attachments.

Supportive Services of Oregon “Moving & Hauling” has been serving the greater Portland Metro Area for over 10 years and has experience working with hoarders and social service agencies.  Give us a call today  - we are your local Trusted & Friendly Movers. 


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