Comments on: Top 10 Signs That You Are “Hoarding,” Not Just “Collecting” http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/ The Official Blog of D. Allison Lee Professional Organizers ~ Your Portal for Organizing News & Lifehacks Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Deb Lee http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6273 Deb Lee Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6273 @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus It might seem the people helping you didn't have a good understanding of what should be kept and what should be discarded. It's a delicate process that requires the homeowner and anyone helping to work side by side, and to discuss the ground rules. Though there may have been misunderstandings, I suspect those helping you were not evil stealers. ;) On a final note, congrats on taking the bull by the horns and letting go of some things. I wish you the best as you move forward. @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus It might seem the people helping you didn’t have a good understanding of what should be kept and what should be discarded. It’s a delicate process that requires the homeowner and anyone helping to work side by side, and to discuss the ground rules. Though there may have been misunderstandings, I suspect those helping you were not evil stealers. ;)

On a final note, congrats on taking the bull by the horns and letting go of some things. I wish you the best as you move forward.

]]> By: Geralin http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6272 Geralin Tue, 22 May 2012 23:21:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6272 FYI - the word, "hamster" is derived from the German verb "hamstern" meaning "to hoard" - there are similar verbs in various related languages.   On a somewhat related note, many birds and rodents hoard; there are various types of hoarding behaviors in the animal world.   FYI – the word, “hamster” is derived from the German verb “hamstern” meaning “to hoard” – there are similar verbs in various related languages.  
On a somewhat related note, many birds and rodents hoard; there are various types of hoarding behaviors in the animal world.  

]]> By: Linda Samuels CPO-CD http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6271 Linda Samuels CPO-CD Tue, 22 May 2012 19:27:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6271 In reading through some of the responses, a few other thoughts occurred to me. Change won't happen if there isn't a reason to change. So if the collections are not negatively effecting your space, they are bringing you joy, they aren't causing you stress, creating health or safety challenges, then is there a reason to change? Perhaps instead, it's time to just enjoy your collections and let go of the worry. However, if you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, experiencing relationship strains or any of the other issues that were mentioned, seeking out the right type of help is key. In the post, Ariane includes a link to a wonderful list of resources from books, to websites to professionals. If you're enjoying your stuff, continue enjoying it. If you're in pain because of it, what is the next small step you can take to moving forward? In reading through some of the responses, a few other thoughts occurred to me. Change won’t happen if there isn’t a reason to change. So if the collections are not negatively effecting your space, they are bringing you joy, they aren’t causing you stress, creating health or safety challenges, then is there a reason to change? Perhaps instead, it’s time to just enjoy your collections and let go of the worry.

However, if you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, experiencing relationship strains or any of the other issues that were mentioned, seeking out the right type of help is key. In the post, Ariane includes a link to a wonderful list of resources from books, to websites to professionals.

If you’re enjoying your stuff, continue enjoying it. If you’re in pain because of it, what is the next small step you can take to moving forward?

]]> By: Jade http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6270 Jade Tue, 22 May 2012 14:46:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6270  By myself. Others try but they can't seem to tell what I would like to keep, they rarely promise a good home/use of stuff they get rid of. I saw one of the hired hands put recycling in the trash. Eeeeeevil people. when they're not stealing your money they take your stuff!  By myself. Others try but they can’t seem to tell what I would like to keep, they rarely promise a good home/use of stuff they get rid of. I saw one of the hired hands put recycling in the trash. Eeeeeevil people. when they’re not stealing your money they take your stuff!

]]> By: Deb Lee http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6269 Deb Lee Tue, 22 May 2012 14:22:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6269 Hi @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus - Thanks for sharing your photos. It sounds like you're ready to let go of some things. Did you get help with organizing and purging or did you do it by yourself? Hi @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus - Thanks for sharing your photos. It sounds like you’re ready to let go of some things. Did you get help with organizing and purging or did you do it by yourself?

]]> By: Deb Lee http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6268 Deb Lee Tue, 22 May 2012 14:07:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6268 Hi @7e4d040ce2bd4c9f1cc64345e86db85b:disqus - I'm glad that you found the article helpful. I actually don't see hoarding and collecting as the same thing (for the reasons noted in the blog post), but I do agree that some items can have high sentimental value and create great memories.  Having the physical items can help you relive those memories, but so can pictures of those things. I love sharing photos and reminiscing with friends and family. I hope this helps you with your project. Thanks for stopping by. =) Hi @7e4d040ce2bd4c9f1cc64345e86db85b:disqus - I’m glad that you found the article helpful. I actually don’t see hoarding and collecting as the same thing (for the reasons noted in the blog post), but I do agree that some items can have high sentimental value and create great memories. 

Having the physical items can help you relive those memories, but so can pictures of those things. I love sharing photos and reminiscing with friends and family. I hope this helps you with your project. Thanks for stopping by. =)

]]> By: Linda Samuels CPO-CD http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6267 Linda Samuels CPO-CD Tue, 22 May 2012 14:04:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6267 Really great perspective here both about de-stigmatizing the "collecting" disorder and also the distinctions you make between collecting and the cross-over point to when that becomes a disorder. What a helpful post, Ariane. Really great perspective here both about de-stigmatizing the “collecting” disorder and also the distinctions you make between collecting and the cross-over point to when that becomes a disorder. What a helpful post, Ariane.

]]> By: Jade http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6266 Jade Tue, 22 May 2012 13:28:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6266  No thanks, My clutter remains in two rooms, is mostly kept clean. Even got rid of some old school artwork, That stuff took up a whole cupboard. Got rid of my three drawers worth of pamphletes I retrieved at doctor visits, the metal in my backyard I got for making a robot will be going to the recycle place. The rest stays. I love it all too much to be rid of it. besides, I'm scared of open spaces/places. Found some old photos from my photopucket.  No thanks, My clutter remains in two rooms, is mostly kept clean.
Even got rid of some old school artwork, That stuff took up a whole cupboard. Got rid of my three drawers worth of pamphletes I retrieved at doctor visits, the metal in my backyard I got for making a robot will be going to the recycle place. The rest stays. I love it all too much to be rid of it. besides, I’m scared of open spaces/places.
Found some old photos from my photopucket.

]]> By: oh http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6265 oh Tue, 22 May 2012 12:58:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6265 hi deb, I'm in the middle of a design project about hoarding vs collecting, and im struggling with the big question. i am a hoarder. i collect a lot of stuff, it does not have a specific subject about it, it's just stuff that i tend to keep. even if it's a piece of paper with something that i wrote on it 9  years ago. i don't like to get rid of things but i don't have rotting food and boxes full of stuff all over my house , just pretty things that i keep because of their visual and sentimental value. how do i let people know that collecting/ hoarding (for me it's the same thing) can even be good for you? it helps remembering stuff, even the bad things. and brings joy to the ones that keep it. thank u for that article. o   hi deb,

I’m in the middle of a design project about hoarding vs collecting, and im struggling with the big question. i am a hoarder. i collect a lot of stuff, it does not have a specific subject about it, it’s just stuff that i tend to keep. even if it’s a piece of paper with something that i wrote on it 9  years ago. i don’t like to get rid of things but i don’t have rotting food and boxes full of stuff all over my house , just pretty things that i keep because of their visual and sentimental value.
how do i let people know that collecting/ hoarding (for me it’s the same thing)
can even be good for you? it helps remembering stuff, even the bad things. and brings joy to the ones that keep it.

thank u for that article.

o
 

]]> By: Deb Lee http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2009/12/17/top-10-signs-that-you-are-hoarding-not-just-collecting/#comment-6257 Deb Lee Sun, 20 May 2012 18:48:00 +0000 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=5327#comment-6257 @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus  Thanks for sharing a bit about your life. It's nice to look back at things we buy or collect and recall memories of fun and interesting time. When those things start negatively impacting our lives, we have to make some hard decisions.  Do you need help re-structuring things so that you can move about more safely? @d3ae587691313bfa88c4a467dab44692:disqus  Thanks for sharing a bit about your life. It’s nice to look back at things we buy or collect and recall memories of fun and interesting time. When those things start negatively impacting our lives, we have to make some hard decisions. 
Do you need help re-structuring things so that you can move about more safely?

]]>