Where Does One Draw the Line Between Collector and Hoarder?

*Originally published on 11/5/10



I've never watched Hoarders. I've seen commercials for it, but it's not a show that really caught my attention. For those unfamiliar, the show follows various people who have amassed so much stuff (and refuse to get rid of any of it) that their home is literally filled past capacity.

You look at clips and it's really insane. My parents thought my dorm room in college was bad, that was nothing compared to what some of these guys do.

Collecting is a fun hobby. Whether it's movies, trading cards, stamps, books, video games, or even ticket stubs to concerts or movies; it's always exciting to expand your library and try to build up your collection. However, if left unchecked, collecting can soon turn to hoarding as you desperately try to acquire more stuff.

There are things that differentiate the two, despite their behavior seeming to be similar and if you are an avid collector, it's important to know where the line is so that you don't go off the deep end.

The big thing is to keep your place tidy. When you walk into the homes featured on Hoarders, it looks like a trash heap. A gargantuan collection is fine, and can often times be awe-inspiring, but have a place for it so that it doesn't end up on the floor. Use your shelf and closet space so that things don't spill over.

Don't be afraid to get rid of some things. Clothes can pile up quickly to the point where you have more clothes than room to hold it. If there are shirts that you know don't fit; give them away as a gift or donation. Cleaning house every once in a while is vital if you want to keep your house in order.

If you're an avid gamer, don't be afraid to trade some of your older games in. It will clear out space and save you money on new releases.

Avid readers can save a lot of space by purchasing an e-reader. If your shelves are packed to the brim, you can lighten the load significantly with one of these gadgets.

Boxes are helpful in packing things away, but those too can pile up and if you're not careful, you can find yourself in a labyrinth of your own making.

Of course, this is all pretty simple stuff, but the hoarders go above and beyond and keep anything and everything regardless of what they do with it.

Keeping family heirlooms is fine and it can make for a great family legacy, but not everything is worthy of keeping. There is such a thing as garbage and while reducing your waste for the sake of the environment is noble enough, you don't accomplish anything by letting it all pile up in your house.

If you have a storage room, be sure to put that to use. It can be a good indicator of when it's about time to clean house. If you find that the room is cramped, go through and try to get rid of some things. You'd be surprised how much stuff you have that you don't use, or even need for that matter.

As said before, if you are a collector of something, be sure to keep it somewhere safe. Having a vast array of movies and video games that are spread out all over the floor only makes things more difficult for you as it makes individual games hard to find, it makes it difficult to walk around and it's just unpleasant to look at.

People have an odd fascination with stuff. You can always use more of it, and sometimes it's tough to figure out where to keep it all. It's important that you do though, as it can start a spiral that will end up causing more harm than good.