a new book on hoarding and the meaning of things

In the riveting new read Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Randy O. Frost, a Smith College psychologist, and Gail Steketee, dean of the Boston University School of Social Work, reveal the world of hoarding disorders. The homes of hardcore hoarders, who represent up to 5 percent of the population, are more trash dumps than living spaces. It is only possible to navigate their interiors using "goat paths," narrow trails that wind through the mounds of books, old food, clothes, trinkets and containers

via scientificamerican.com

The good news is that this is treatable – 18 mo of therapy led to one hoarder's family living clutter free for the first time in years. Interesting review of the most pathological hoarders like the 200 cat lady, but most of us, I suspect, know people who are less extreme but still hoard enough to make their own lives more difficult than they could be.

Filed under: Interesting Tagged: the cure for hoarding