Most of us have watched the television shows with horror about folks who gather so many possessions in their homes that they become hoarders. But, have you wondered how this ever started with these folks. Clearly, we’ve learned that the worst cases of hoarding are a result of a psychological disorder, and professional help is required to resolve help these folks. But, many of us have a milder form of this. Do any of the following describe you?
You Might Be On the Road to Becoming a Hoarder if –
- Is your garage filled with things you hope to do something with in the future?
- Do you have a junkroom filled with similar things?
- How about your attic or basement – filled so much it’s hard to walk through?
- Have you purchased a shed for the backyard or a rented a storage unit, just to find a place to move some things you might need in the future?
- Are closets filled until things spill out every time the closet door is opened?
If this describes a home you’ve inherited, the good news is we will be happy to buy that house as is.
If one or more of these describes your home, it’s time to make a change. So, here’s a few steps to get you started.
Get Several Boxes
- Discard Box – This is for anything that’s broken, torn, or otherwise destroyed. If it has an expiration date that has already passed, it goes in that box. Anything that is too worn out to be used by someone else should be placed in that box. Everything in that box will be put in the trash.
- Donate Box – This is for anything that still has value, but would be difficult to sell yourself. This usually applies to clothes, shoes, and other such personal items. Everything in this box will be taken to Goodwill or another non-profit in the area that accepts donations like this.
- Sell Box – This is for anything that still has value that you could sell in a garage sale, on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Plan a garage sale or starting selling these items online.
- Keep Box – The only things you should keep are things you will use in the next 12 months. Organize them in a few boxes, and at the end of that year, anything you didn’t use in the past year should be put in one of these other boxes.
Don’t be a hoarder, make a change now to improve your quality of living. You won’t regret it. Just getting organized will help you find the things you really need when you’re ready to use them.