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What’s the Difference Between Casual Hoarding and Compulsive Hoarding?

January 8, 2012 By Avery Associates

A View on Compulsive Hoarding in London

Compulsive hoarding in London has got more attention recently as people become more aware of this secretive and debilitating condition, and its now coming to light that London has hundreds of secret compulsive hoarders.

It is quite common for people to worry that they may be affected by compulsive hoarding now that there is more awareness of the condition. After all, many of us are guilty of holding onto our personal items longer than necessary and not reusing or recycling them as much as we should.

As a London house clearance company we are able to see there is a big difference between casual hoarding and compulsive hoarding and the vast majority of us are not compulsive hoarders.

A Nation of Hoarders

Many people hoard objects on a casual basis. If you have something that you never use, you may want to hold onto it in case one day you need it. Or perhaps you have something to which you have attached a sentimental value such as an old school report or an invitation to a wedding. These are valueless in themselves but important to you, and for that reason you may find it hard to throw them away.

But this is normal behaviour and very different to the behaviour of those suffering from compulsive hoarding should remember that with compulsive hoarding, everything gets a value attached to it, no matter how small or useless it may be. An old scrap of paper, an empty can of beans, bills, old newspapers – things that many of us would see as nothing more than junk are collected and stored away.

It is the inability to throw things away that makes the difference between casual and compulsive hoarding. Sufferers of compulsive hoarding cannot throw anything away no matter how irrelevant it is. They attach value to all their items and keep hold of them no matter what they are.

Compulsive Hoarding is a Mental Condition

Although some of us may have more tendency to hold onto our belongings for longer, most people are not affected by a mental condition as in the case of compulsive hoarders.

Although not completely understood, compulsive hoarding is thought to be linked to OCD, and it is completely different from the casual hoarding of items. Once you have seen the inside of a property of someone affected by compulsive hoarding you will see quite clearly that the conditions are a lot more extreme than anything you might be used to.

People who are severely affected by compulsive hoarding often live in conditions which are simply uninhabitable to many. There are so many objects that they can only move around through thin passageways, and the filth can be overwhelming.

Compulsive Hoarding is Different from Casual Hoarding

Although you may have a habit of hoarding old belongings in your home, this does not necessarily mean that you are affected by compulsive hoarding. We are now seeing lots of cases of hoarding, and this serious condition affects the lives of the sufferers, their families and even their neighbours. But most of the people who like to keep hold of objects in their homes are not affected by compulsive hoarding at all.

Do you have a property affected by hoarding ? Need a house clearance ? Call Jeffrey Avery for confidential advice on 0800 567 7769

Filed Under: Compulsive Hoarding Tagged With: casual, compulsive hoarding, mental condition, school reports, valueless

Our House Clearance Services

We provide a full house clearance and property management solution:

  • We clear hoarded houses, regardless how big or how cluttered
  • We clear all types and sizes of property, irrespective of location, or access is restricted or where parking is difficult or not available.
  • We can help avoid water damage by draining the central heating system.
  • We can secure the property and change the locks.
  • We can reinstate the gardens and maintain them whilst the property is empty.
  • We can provide 24 hour security to eliminate the risk of squatting or unlawful occupation.

As well normal house clearances we specialise in clutter clearance and we can clear a hoarded house which may contain years of accumulated possessions, or which have abnormal amounts of general household items, sometimes as a result of compulsive hoarding syndrome.

Equally we can help to clear a property where the occupants were previously unwell and unable to care for themselves or their property which sometimes results in insanitary, dangerous or just plain unpleasant conditions.

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Client Reviews

Apr 1, 2021
by R G on Avery Associates
A great job, well done

My parents had lived in this house since 1961 and accumulated a lot of stuff. Jeffrey put my mind at ease and assured me that he and his team could tackle... Read More

Mar 26, 2021
by Tim and Chris on Avery Associates
Sensitive House Clearance

We're extremely pleased with the house clearance service that Jeffrey provided. This was a daunting and emotionally difficult task for us but Jeffrey ... Read More

Mar 8, 2021
by Jason Sims on Avery Associates
South Coast House Clearance & Document Retrieval

"I would like to thank Jeffrey and everyone at Avery Associates for assisting my dad and me. Following a death in the family, my father had to make last... Read More

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Avery Associates
291 Mitcham Rd
Tooting SW179JQ

Tel: 0800 567 7769 or 0208 640 0044

Services provided throughout London and the Home Counties. View our clearance case studies.


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