Decluttering can be hard for us all but it can be even harder if you have a tendency to hoard things. Here, we will offer our decluttering tips for hoarders. We hope they help.

If you are prone to hoarding, or live with a hoarder, decluttering can feel like an impossible task. Although decluttering is never a super easy task, it is made much harder if you have a lot of stuff to work through and find it hard, or live with someone, who finds it hard to part with things. 

Within this article, we will talk you through some of our decluttering tips for hoarders, with the hopes of finding something that helps you clear out your home. 

Why Should Anyone Declutter Their Home? 

Before we get into our tips, we are going to look at the importance of decluttering for all of us, whether you are prone to hoarding or not. 

Better Mental And Physical Health 

Decluttering has been linked to decreased levels of stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, lower risks of asthma and improved overall health. 

Better Focus

Clutter makes it hard to focus because your brain is taking in everything that is surrounding you all the time. Decluttering will help you to focus on tasks. 

Higher Self-Esteem 

Having a lot of clutter can make it hard to stay organised or to keep your home clean and tidy. Decluttering will help you to improve your living space which will give you a sense of achievement and pride. 

Better Relationships

Clutter can lead to conflicts with the people you live with or, if it is extremely bad, with the people who care about you. Decluttering will help to ease these conflicts and lead to better relationships. 

Improved Way Of Life 

A clutter-free home is simply a nice home to live in. Everything from cooking meals to sleeping is made better. 

Decluttering Tips For Hoarders 

Now we know all the benefits of decluttering, let us get into our decluttering tips for hoarders. 

1. Set Small Goals 

Whether you are the hoarder or it is someone you live with, it is really important that you set small goals. This could be as simple as decluttering one drawer or throwing one thing away. 

It is important to start small because decluttering can be very hard for a hoarder. And no one becomes a hoarder overnight so you cannot expect to stop being one overnight. 

Declutter one area or throw one thing away and then give yourself, or your housemate, some time. You need to get comfortable with decluttering. 

2. Set Timers 

Many people find things to be easier when they are broken down into smaller chunks. This can be by doing what we have suggested above – setting small goals – but you can also do this by breaking tasks down into chunks of time. 

To do this, you just need to set a timer for 5, 10, 20 minutes (whichever time feels manageable to you) and then declutter until the timer goes off. 

3. Make It Fun 

Play your favourite songs, take breaks to grab food and make a cup of tea. And, when you reach milestones within your decluttering, make sure you celebrate them with a fun activity or a meal out. Don’t celebrate by buying anything as this will end up with you just going around in circles. 

4. Deal With ‘What If’ Scenarios 

We all deal with the ‘What ifs’ when it comes to decluttering. 

What if I need it in the future? What if I want to wear it at some point?

This is the point where you need to be really honest with yourself – Do you really think you will ever need/use/wear this time again? 

If it is an item that you do use but only at certain times of year, these types of items could be stored within a storage unit. 

5. Figuring Out What You Really Need

When you begin decluttering, you really need to think about what you really need. Yes, you need to be honest with yourself but many of us find it hard to figure this out. If you are a hoarder, it can be an even harder thing to figure out. 

You can use a method, such as the KonMari method, where you ask yourself if it ‘sparks joy’. Or you could just ask yourself: 

Do I really need this item? Does it help or add value to my everyday life? Do I love it? 

Again, you have to be honest with yourself when you answer. 

6. Remove Items You Want To Declutter Immediately

Once you begin decluttering, placing items you no longer want/need into boxes, you need to make sure to remove these items from your home as soon as possible, if not immediately. 

Have a plan for what you want to do with these items. Some will go to charity shops, some will go to the rubbish tip and some may go into storage. Just make sure that you remove them as quickly as possible. 

7. Only Use Storage If You Really Need To 

Self storage is great. It can provide you with extra space whenever you need it but, if you are a hoarder, it can be really easy to declutter but then just put all of your stuff into a storage unit. This will not be helping you in the long run as you have not removed these items from your life. 

Self storage should be used when you really need it for those items that you don’t need year round but don’t have the space in your home for. This includes things like seasonal clothing, seasonal sports equipment and holiday decorations. 

We are always here to help you with your storage needs but we actually want to be helping you so use our storage if and when you really need to. 

8. Make Some New Rules 

Once you have decluttered, make some new rules for before you purchase something. This could be asking yourself – Do I really need or love this item? 

Or it could be waiting 24 hours before buying something. Within this time, you may have realised you really don’t need or love the item. 

9. Be Kind To Yourself Or Your Housemate

One of the most vital tips is that you need to be kind to yourself during this whole process. Or to who you live with as they work through this process. 

Hoarding is a mental health illness which has a great effect on a person’s life and wellbeing.  You need to work through your decluttering at your own pace. Be kind to yourself or your housemate/family member. You are doing the best you can. And, if you think you need it, ask for help. 

Decluttering Tips For Hoarders 

Decluttering is hard for us all but it can be even harder if you are a hoarder, or you live with a hoarder. It is really important that, when decluttering, you set small goals and allow yourself to go at your own pace. You will have a lot of ‘what ifs’ and it is important that you are honest with yourself about the answers. 

Once you have decluttered it is really important that you remove the items you don’t want/need any more from your house as soon as possible and only use storage if you really need it. It is a good idea to set yourself some rules for new purchases but, throughout it all, be kind to yourself or the person you live with. 

Decluttering is good for us all and we hope you have found our tips helpful.