Understanding Hoarding and How to Help

Hoarding can show up in lots of different ways. Sometimes it starts small, like holding onto things that seem useful “just in case.” Over time, those items can build up and create safety issues, especially for older adults.

To learn more, we spoke with Toshiba Bodden, Tenant Resource Counselor at Boston Senior Home Care. Through her work with older adults in supportive housing, she’s seen many kinds of hoarding and how to gently help someone start to declutter.

What Can Cause Hoarding?

Hoarding doesn’t have a single cause—and it certainly isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. For many people, it’s a combination of life changes, practical challenges, and emotional attachments that cause an unsafe amount of items to pile up in the home.

“A person may start with a collection of valuables. But over time, the collection can grow to an overwhelming size. When it becomes too large to manage safely, it can turn into a hoarding situation,” Toshiba explained. In her experience, people with hoarding tendencies often want to declutter, but are unsure of how to start.

According to Toshiba, here are a few common situations that can lead to clutter piling up:

• Downsizing to a smaller space and feeling unsure about what to keep or give away
• Joint pain or other physical limitations that make it tough to sort, lift, or organize
• Forgetting what’s been stored, especially when things are tucked away in hard-to-reach spots
• Mindfulness of throwing things away and a preference for passing items on to loved ones

In many cases, the items being kept hold personal meaning, such as old work tools, hobby supplies, childhood keepsakes, or gifts from loved ones. What looks like clutter might actually be a meaningful collection of memories, so it’s important to approach the situation with respect.

Why Hoarding Can Be a Problem

While it’s natural to hang on to things that feel important, too many items in the wrong places can start to cause real safety concerns.

Here are a few home safety concerns that Toshiba has encountered:

• Tripping hazards such as boxes, bags, or clothes on the floor
• Clutter blocking pathways and exits, which can be dangerous in emergencies
• Stacks of newspapers, bins, or books that could fall over and cause injury
• Piles of paper, food wrappers, or damp laundry that could attract insects, rodents, or mold

Keeping a home clean doesn’t just make it more comfortable for the resident – it also helps keep the neighborhood and community safe and pest-free.

How You Can Help

When it comes to supporting someone with clutter or hoarding tendencies, patience and empathy go a long way. Toshiba recommends starting with a simple, judgment-free conversation. Ask what the items mean, where they came from, and why they’re being kept. Often, there’s a deep story behind each item.

Sometimes, what a person needs most is a little support and encouragement. That might look like:

• Having someone who can help sort through things and make decisions without pressure
• Reassuring them that their items will be appreciated, especially if they hope to pass them along to someone else
• Coordinating donation drop-offs or finding an organization that offers free pick-up

Patience, understanding, and teamwork can make a big difference for a person with hoarding tendencies, and help turn a tough task into a meaningful experience.

To explore resources in Massachusetts, visit MassHousing’s Hoarding Resources page.