The psychology of hoardingThe psychology of hoarding
All In The Mind
We all have different approaches to how much stuff we accumulate. But what happens when your attachment to things becomes so strong that a decision to let go of anything is impossible?
29:18•2 Oct 2016
The Psychology of Hoarding: Perfectionism, Paper Piles and the Slow Work of Change
Episode Overview
- Hoarding is defined by both excessive acquisition and difficulty discarding, leading to blocked living spaces and emotional distress.
- Many people with hoarding problems show strong perfectionism and decision-making difficulties, which make letting go feel risky and overwhelming.
- Objects can take on human qualities or feel like part of the self, so discarding may feel like a physical violation or loss of identity.
- Group courses based on Buried in Treasures help people slowly practise discarding, tolerate distress and reassess the real value of possessions.
- Support workers emphasise that lasting change comes from the person making their own decisions, even if that means only a few items are removed at a time.
“Because we want perfection and if we can't have it, we have chaos.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This episode of All In The Mind looks at hoarding through a psychological lens, with a strong focus on how people try to change deeply entrenched behaviours. You’ll hear about Sydney’s notorious Bondi hoarding case, setting the scene for just how serious hoarding can become, including heightened fire risks and legal battles.
From there, the episode shifts into quieter, more personal territory, as Catherine and Joanna describe homes so crowded that beds are upright against walls and washing machines are almost unreachable. Catherine jokes about her “23 cane baskets” and “15 suitcases”, yet her words carry the heavy truth of feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Psychologist Professor Randy Frost explains hoarding as “the acquisition of and failure to let go of a large number of possessions” that block living spaces and cause distress.
He talks about perfectionism, decision-making difficulties, and the intense emotional attachment to objects that can feel like “someone cut off my arm” when things are thrown away. Joanna’s memory of being told a bottle would “cry” if discarded shows how these emotional bonds can start early and become hard to break.
Mercy Split, a hoarding and squalor resource manager, describes painstaking home visits where, over two hours, someone might only manage to part with “three pieces of paper” – but those three items don’t come back, and that’s the point. Catherine shares how a Lifeline hoarding course based on Frost’s Buried in Treasures programme helps her face the discomfort of discarding and build “confidence and a level of self-control”.
For anyone curious about how hoarding links to perfectionism, trauma, and the slow work of change, this episode offers frank stories, practical approaches, and cautious optimism. Could understanding the psychology behind hoarding be the first step in clearing your own mental or physical clutter?
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