Hoarding and Cluttering

Why Do I Keep So Many Things?

I might get rid of something I will need later — I would rather keep it in case I should ever need it in the future.

I don’t want to waste things — I do not want to be wasteful by discarding anything that could still be used. I feel responsible for items and want to make sure that they are used properly or given to those who may need them.

I have attachments to my things and do not want to get rid of them — Each of my items means something to me. Some things I can use in the future, some things have an emotional meaning to me, and some things are too valuable for me to get rid of.

I could forget an occasion/date/meaning — Many of my items remind me of things and keep me up to date with the happenings around me (newspapers, magazines, etc.). If I get rid of them, I might forget things.

I am not able to clean up by myself — It is difficult for me to clean up without outside help, so things pile up.

I live in such a tiny place — If I lived in a bigger place, I wouldn’t have to live this way. I can’t decide which things to get rid of — I have a difficult time deciding which things to keep and which things to throw away.

Many people can find themselves overwhelmed by extensive clutter. Oftentimes, this problem is caused or aggravated by increasing age, physical disabilities, and symptoms of several mental disabilities including, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), major depression and head trauma. Sometimes, major life changes like divorce, death of a loved one, unemployment, severe illness or the birth of a new child can affect one’s ability to discard household items.

For more information and/or referrals to clinicians, call or visit the Mental Health Association of San Francisco at 870 Market Street, Suite 928, San Francisco, CA 94102. Our phone number is (415) 421-2926.