8 Early Signs of Hoarding Disorder and How to Spot Them

Hoarding is more than just collecting or having a messy home. It’s a condition that can affect a person’s daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. Recognizing the early signs of hoarding can be important in making it easier to manage and preventing further deterioration.

Let’s break down the early warning signs of hoarding disorder, why it happens, and what can be done to help.

5 minute read

What Is hoarding disorder?

Hoarding disorder is when someone has extreme difficulty letting go of possessions, leading to excessive clutter that makes their living space unsafe or unusable. Unlike regular collecting, hoarding is driven by anxiety and emotional distress. People with hoarding disorder often feel intense fear or sadness at the thought of throwing things away.

Why people with hoarding disorder hang on to things?

People often hang on to objects and sentimental items for a number of reasons, Dr Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD, explains why people with hoarding disorder (HD) hang on to objects in this video from the International OCD foundation.

• Transcript

  so all of us enjoy having objects they

  bring meaning to and joy to our life

  individuals with hoarding disorder are

  no different from all of us we have

  three main reasons that we keep objects

  so one is sentimentality something that

  reminds you of a happy time or a loved

  one the second is the aesthetics you

  know walking along the beach and seeing

  a beautiful seashell you want to take it

  home and and remember the beauty of the

  day and the end the object and the other

  is the usefulness so I don't want to

  throw this away it could come in handy

  someday

  now individuals with hoarding disorder

  have these same reasons but they're

  magnified so objects may have all three

  of these reasons or the feelings may be

  more intense and that's really where the

  attachment comes in and the difficulty

  parting with objects individuals with

  hoarding disorder are very creative and

  they can come up with lots of uses for a

  particular object and you know had

  clients where something as simple as a

  toilet paper roll they could use it for

  binoculars for a kids a child's science

  fair project you know can be donated to

  a local school an art project could be

  made out of it however one of the

  differences of distinguishes an artist

  versus somebody with hoarding disorder

  is that those ideas are not fulfilled

  and realized so when you asked somebody

  with hoarding disorder they don't have

  plans to donate it to a school

  they don't have plans to make an object

  they may have plans but they don't

  actually execute on that one of the

  things I would say about hoarding

  disorder is that it stems from some

  characteristics deep within us as human

  beings that are actually positive so

  wanting to be conserving resources and

  throughout the evolution of man

  it's been important in times of

  relatively few resources to gather

  resources and it's been very adaptive

  but as time has kind of gone by with

  Industrial Revolution and also a lot of

  advertising we get more and more

  pressure that taps into the that

  fundamental need to save and conserve resources

Early signs of hoarding

If you’re concerned that a friend, family member, or even yourself might be developing hoarding tendencies, here are some of the first warning signs to look for:

• Difficulty discarding items

  One of the biggest signs of hoarding is struggling to throw things away, even when they are broken, expired, or unnecessary. The person may feel strong emotional attachment to objects or fear they will need them in the future.

• Excessive clutter starts to build up

  At first, clutter may seem manageable, but over time, piles of items start to take over rooms, making it hard to use furniture or move around.

  The clutter often builds up in an unorganized way, making it difficult to clean or find things.

• Strong emotional reactions to letting things go

  People with early-stage hoarding disorder often feel extreme distress when asked to part with items.

  They may experience anxiety, sadness, or even anger if someone suggests cleaning up.

• Holding onto unnecessary or unusual items

  Hoarders may keep items that seem unnecessary or excessive, such as stacks of old newspapers, empty containers, or broken electronics. Some may even hoard things with little to no sentimental or practical value.

• Spaces becoming unusable

  A clear red flag is when rooms start to lose their intended purpose—chairs covered in piles of clothing, sinks filled with unused dishes, or beds covered in stacks of books and papers.

• Difficulty organizing possessions

  Someone in the early stages of hoarding may struggle to sort or organize their belongings. Even if they want to clean up, they may feel overwhelmed and not know where to start.

• Buying or collecting more than needed

  Hoarders often feel compelled to buy or collect items they don’t need, even when they already have multiples of the same thing. They might say, “I might need this someday” or “It was such a good deal, I couldn’t pass it up.”

• Social withdrawal and embarrassment

  As clutter builds up, people may start avoiding visitors because they feel embarrassed about their living conditions. They might isolate themselves from family and friends to hide the problem.

Why do people start hoarding?

Hoarding disorder is complex and can be linked to different factors, including:

• Trauma or Loss: A past painful experience, like the death of a loved one, can trigger hoarding as a way to hold onto memories.

• Anxiety or OCD: Some people with hoarding disorder also struggle with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or depression.

• Fear of Scarcity: Growing up with little or experiencing financial hardship can lead to a strong fear of not having enough.

• Perfectionism: Some hoarders feel that if they throw something away, they might regret it, so they keep everything just in case.

What Can Be Done to Help Hoarders?

If you notice these early signs in yourself or someone else, taking small steps can help prevent hoarding from getting worse.

• Start small

  Instead of tackling an entire home, start with one small area, like a single drawer or countertop.

• Set limits

  Decide on a realistic number of items to keep, such as keeping only 10 books instead of 50.

• Seek support

  Talking to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can help. Hoarding disorder often requires professional help, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

• Focus on safety

  If clutter is creating fire hazards or making it difficult to move around, safety should be the top priority.

Hoarding disorder develops over time, and recognizing the early warning signs is the first step to addressing it. By understanding the emotional and psychological reasons behind hoarding, loved ones can offer support in a compassionate and effective way. If you or someone you know is struggling, remember that help is available, and small changes can make a big difference.

Resources for Further Reading in the US

• International OCD Foundation – Hoarding Disorder Resources

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

• Local Hoarding Task Forces and Support Groups

By approaching the situation with understanding and care, you can provide meaningful support without pushing them away.

Find support for people who are experiencing hoarding in the UK through Help for Hoarders, Hoarding Disorders UK or Hoarding UK today.

Written by Cara Hernon BSc Medical Science

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