Hoarders – How To Avoid Getting There

I definitely have my fair share of clutter, but I don't know if I would consider myself one of the hoarders. What is the line between hoarder and clutter? The line... is blurry. I know that's not much help, but check out data from a new survey regarding people and space.

Half of the people surveyed said one or more rooms in their home is "unsalvageable" because of clutter.  Pro-tip: if you have a room that you think is unsalvageable... EMPTY THE ROOM and start over.

34% of respondents said their space feels "cramped." 

55% of people wish they didn't have to get rid of stuff to have enough space. Hello? That is a red flag that you could have some tendencies or hoarders. Most people wishes their home had more space.

Did you ever watch the TV show, "Clean House?" I loved the show. They helped people stop being hoarders and start getting organized. The first thing people had to do was divide their belongings into three piles: Keep, Sell, and Trash. Then they had a yard sale and whatever didn't sell was donated.

Clutter: You do not have a place for everything and everything in its place. You have some extra stuff, but it's not stopping you from living in your house.

Collecting: Do you have a set of possessions that you display? Obviously, you have a collection. Some collections are bigger than others, but again, it's not stopping you from living in your house.

Hoarders: You have possessions that have reached a point where it impedes your ability to use rooms of the house for their intended purposes.

Do you have a giant collection of anything? You may (or may not) be a hoarder. When people were asked what items they have a hard time getting rid of, clothes were number on on the list. Kitchen appliances, hobby items, and shoes were other top responses.

From my own experience cleaning out family homes, newspapers were an issue. I have no idea why. But I have helped friends clear out family homes and the worst hoarders always had a ton of old newspapers.

The majority of people (77%) felt that there should be a place for everything and everything in its place, but how do we get there? I know I need to purge nearly every room in my house. My house isn't dirty, but it is cluttered. I've started purging one room at time in attempt to get better organization in my home.

I love the idea of a serene home. It should be a place we can escape the madness of the outside world. Which rooms should you start with if you want a better organized home? Honestly, the bathroom or some other "small" room. Instant gratification can be a great motivator. Once you have one room done and you're feeling good about it, you may look on to the next room you want to declutter.

Respondents of the survey said that the easiest rooms to organize are the living room, bedroom and bathroom.