Decluttering when you’re a hoarder can be a lot difficult than one can imagine. A hoarder’s heart lives in the stuff that they own, and to suggest them to get rid of even a little bit of that stuff can drive them to the verge of anxiety. If you’re one of them, I understand how difficult it can be to keep your living space organized and clutter-free. As much as you want to declutter your home right now, it’s way too difficult for you to implement most of the decluttering advice you receive on a daily basis.
Here is something I would like to say if you identify yourself as a hoarder of all things unneeded – Don’t beat yourself up for not being able to let go of stuff. With a little bit of discipline and patience, you can declutter your home just as well as the rest of us do. But the guidelines for you are a bit different, and you might have to work a bit harder to make your space a tad more liveable.
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I was a big-time hoarder as a kid so much so that I couldn’t get rid of anything. Not even the chocolate wrappers. It took a whole lot of teachings and realizations to turn myself into someone who knew what to keep and what to discard. Below are a few life-changing tips & strategies you can implement for decluttering your stuff without feeling overwhelmed:
1. Seek Help
There’s always a reason why people tend to hoard. If you identify yourself as a hoarder, seek professional help from a psychologist who might help you figure out why you have been suffering from Hoarding Syndrome. A professional might also be able to guide you through the process of emotional grieving that comes with having to let go of your stuff.
Once you’ve sought professional help, contact someone from your friends or family to help you declutter. Make sure that the person you call in understands you enough to be able to help you out. They can be a close friend, neighbour, kids, parents or a spouse.
2. Learn About The Many Benefits Of Decluttering
Decluttering for hoarders isn’t easy. They need to be convinced that the pain of getting rid of their stuff is worth the benefits it will bring in. As a hoarder, you must first know how easy your life would become if you get rid of the unnecessary stuff.
While decluttering your bathrooms can make it a more hygienic place, decluttering the kitchen will make it easier for you to cook food. A decluttered kitchen also prevents the distraction that comes with having extra décor items and kitchen tools.
You must also know that a cluttered home makes way for spiders, cockroaches, rats and other pests that can make your life difficult and your home unliveable. A decluttered and organized home is the biggest enemy of anything that’s stopping you from living a stress-free life.
3. Start With The Obvious Trash
I have a hoarder in my family and I can certainly tell you that they can’t get rid of trash without being helped by someone. So if you’re a hoarder, ask the person helping you to pick what they think is obvious trash – the food wrappers, empty bottles and cans, used disposable cutlery, etc – and help you in getting rid of it. If you’re someone who is helping a hoarder in decluttering, make sure that you ask them before getting rid of the trash. You don’t want to upset them by throwing away the things that are important to them.
4. Ditch Duplicates
Once you’ve gotten rid of trash, move on to ditching the duplicates. It would be easier to convince yourself to get rid of duplicates because you will know that you still have an item similar to the one you’re going to discard. Some of the duplicates you can ditch are:
- Extra bedding or comforters
- Extra pots and pans
- Hair styling tools
- Spare furniture
- Measuring cups and spoons
5. Declutter Slowly & Steadily
Trying to declutter all at once can seem a bit overwhelming if you’re a hoarder which is why you need to give yourself enough time to deal with the emotions that come with decluttering.
For instance, if you’ve made up your mind to give your closet a purge, start by sorting through the clothing items. If needed, take pictures of the clothes you’re letting go of. Then go for shoe decluttering the next day, and accessories on day 3.
Remember that your home has too much stuff to be dealt with and slow declutter is the only way to prevent overwhelm. Allow yourself to grieve as you part with the stuff and prioritize your wellbeing above everything else.
6. Consider Donating As Much As Possible From Your Declutter Pile
Donating your stuff can help ease some of your emotional baggage, especially if you’re finding it hard to let go of stuff. Knowing that someone who is under-privileged will be able to use your stuff and appreciate it will help you convince that it was all worth it. Consider donating duplicates and other items that haven’t been useful to you like kitchen utensils, books, old clothes, old furniture, kids’ toys and games.
7. Stop The New Stuff At The Door
This is easier said than done, but decluttering won’t be of any use if you step out shopping the same day as you declutter. If you or someone you know is a hoarder, focus your efforts on stopping the inflow of new stuff as much as possible. You can either cut down on the number of shopping days to stop the inflow of stuff or declutter more often than usual. Remember that choosing the former option will save you time, money and energy that goes into decluttering too often.
So there it is! I hope these decluttering tips for hoarders & packrats turn out to be useful for you and help make your life better.