It is quite normal for people to be attached to physical items such as clothes, shoes, and specific collections. It gives us a sense of achievement and contentment, as this means that we have successfully managed to acquire the goods that we yearned for. As we grow, we get rid of those items as we no longer have any use for them and find new interests and things we would rather keep. However, if you find yourself having difficulties letting go of the things you do not need anymore while continuously adding other things on top, you might have a problem that needs to be addressed. Here are some tips that will help you get over hoarding.
Acknowledgment
The first and very essential step to fostering change is acceptance. Acknowledge the reality of things and accept it as it is. If you want to get over hoarding, you need to acknowledge that you have a problem. The thing about hoarding is that sometimes you just put it off as a hobby, being sentimental, or as nothing. To address it, first acknowledge that you have a problem. You are a hoarder; accept this and acknowledge it as the stepping stone to change.
Find the Root Cause
Hoarding is usually a symptom of something bigger. This may be hoarding being a manifestation of an underlying emotional issue. Instead of dealing with this emotional issue, you may have unconsciously resolved to find comfort and relieve the stress by hoarding. Make an effort to find and face the root cause of the problem. It may be wanting to hold on to someone you lost, fear of change, hoarding as an outlet, or whatever went on in your life around the time you started this habit. Whatever it may be, you need to face it and address it.
Take one step at a time
Old habits die hard. This is to say that you cannot wake up one day and decide to completely change your habits in one day without it affecting you or without it relapsing. Slow and steady also get the job done. Instead of rushing yourself into stopping your hoarding tendencies, take it one milestone at a time. Plan how you will let go of the habit and gradually make changes to your lifestyle. Doing it abruptly will only trigger you into relapsing. Take it one step at a time. You are not in a competition.
Systematize
Planning and staying organized are essential to stopping hoarding. You need to have a sense of organization to pivot and support your need for change. A starting point could be having containers for things you want to throw out, donate, and keep. Instead of mixing everything and making you think you need everything, make use of a system of getting rid of things that you no longer need. Systematizing may also mean creating a weekly or monthly ritual to throw away things that you no longer need. This keeps you accountable and conscious of the fact that you are recovering and changing.
The law of subtraction
Stop adding more stuff unless you let go of stuff. This means that you cannot buy new things without removing other things from your life. If you want to buy a new jacket, get rid of that pile of metal you keep in your garage. If you want a new television, get rid of the busted washing machine in the laundry room. Every time you want to add something to your life, let go of another item. This will help ensure that you do not continue flooding your space with new items without making room for them. It is a sustainable method that will help you let go of the things you do not need anymore through prioritization.
Group Support
Sometimes you just need a group of people that resonate with you to get the support you need. It is very difficult and unrealistic to expect someone who has not gone through what you went through to fully appreciate and understand the struggle you are going through. To bridge this, find a group of people with similar backgrounds leading to hoarding and make time to routinely meet so that you can share your stories and support each other in your journey to change.
Memories Over Objects
It is very difficult to let go of something once you attach sentimental value. How can you let go of your husband's or wife’s clothes after they pass away? How is it possible to clean your child's or sibling’s room now that they have transitioned? Well, it may be very hard, but it is not an impossible task. Instead of relying on materialistic resemblances between things, try to find value in the memories instead of the things. The thing that makes you sentimental are the memories you had, not the jacket they wore. Value the memories more. If you are scared of forgetting, keep pictures instead. This will help you let go and move on by helping you declutter.
Find other healthy hobbies.
Replace hoarding with another healthy hobby. This will take your time and mind off the idle time that you used to fill with hoarding. Find something more helpful and beneficial to replace your old habits. This may be volunteering, physical activity, a new skill, or whatever makes you more interested. Focus on another hobby, and sooner or later, you will completely forget about the hoarding phase you went through.