
How Do You Stop Hoarding? Strategies & Tips
3 min.
Actionable tips and expert advice to tackle hoarding disorder, reduce excessive clutter, and create a home that feels calm and functional.
Hoarding disorder is more than just holding onto a few extra things—it’s a behavior that can significantly impact a person’s mental health, relationships, and quality of life. If you’re struggling with hoarding tendencies, know that you’re not alone, and there are ways to move forward. This guide provides practical steps and emotional support to help you reclaim your space and peace of mind.
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Strategies to stop hoarding
Hoarding disorder is the persistent difficulty of discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. A key feature of hoarding that makes it different from “collecting” is that the hoarded items often hold little to no value to others besides the person who is hoarding the items.
Over time, this leads to an accumulation of items that can cause excessive clutter and make a person’s living space unusable. Unlike collecting or typical clutter, compulsive hoarding is characterized by significant emotional distress and impairment in daily functioning. However, managing hoarding is possible — here’s how.
1. Seek professional help
Hoarding often stems from deeper psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Emotional attachment to possessions, fear of losing something important, or trauma can also contribute to hoarding behaviors. Understanding these underlying causes and working with a mental health professional is the first step toward addressing the issue.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, helps individuals understand and change the thought patterns that contribute to hoarding. A therapist specializing in hoarding disorder or social work can provide personalized strategies and ongoing support.
2. Set realistic goals
The thought of decluttering an entire home can feel overwhelming. Instead, start with a small, manageable area, like a single drawer or a corner of a room. Set realistic goals and timelines to stay motivated.
3. Adopt decluttering techniques
Effective decluttering methods can make the process of organizing your living space less daunting. Try these approaches:
- The one-year rule: Discard items you haven’t used in the past year.
- Sorting categories: Divide items into “keep,” “donate,” “recycle,” and “trash.”
- Question practicality: Ask yourself whether the thing serves a useful purpose or genuinely brings joy.
Be kind to yourself throughout this process. Progress, not perfection, is the goal. Celebrate each step forward, no matter how small, and acknowledge the courage it takes to address a hoarding problem.
4. Challenge negative thoughts
Hoarding often involves deep emotional attachments to possessions. Work on reframing these thoughts by focusing on what you gain from letting go: space, freedom, and a sense of control. Develop healthier coping mechanisms for anxiety, such as journaling or mindfulness exercises.
5. Involve support systems
Though not a replacement for professional help, trusted friends or family members can provide encouragement and practical assistance. If this feels too personal, consider joining a hoarding support group—whether in person or online—to connect with others who understand your experiences.
6. Establish new habits
Preventing re-accumulation is key to long-term success. Some helpful habits include:
- Limiting new acquisitions with a “one in, one out” policy.
- Setting regular dates to reassess and declutter spaces.
- Creating organizational systems to maintain order.
7. Adopt practices for long-term maintenance and relapse prevention
Overcoming hoarding is a journey, and maintaining progress requires ongoing effort. Here are some tips for staying on track:
- Regularly reassess your possessions and living spaces.
- Identify and manage triggers that might lead to hoarding behaviors.
- Stay connected to support networks, such as therapists or support groups.
- Develop routines to prevent the build-up of excessive clutter.
How Charlie Health can help
If hoarding is affecting your mental health, Charlie Health is here to help. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides mental health treatment for people dealing with serious mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. Our expert clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With this kind of holistic online therapy, managing your mental health is possible. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start healing today.