In my personal search to learn more about hoarding, chronic disorganization, and mental health, I’ve discovered quite a few organizations, books, and links that you might find helpful. I’ll add new resources to the list as I find them. Please drop me a line if you have your own favorites that would be worth including here.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Resources for Hoarding, Chronic Disorganization, and Mental Health
- Children of Hoarders: an organization for children from hoarded homes, with information on resources for hoarders and their loved ones
- Clutterers Anonymous: a 12-step program to help people who struggle with clutter issues
- Expert Q&A: Hoarding Disorder: an article by Carolyn Rodriguez and Randy O. Frost for the American Psychiatric Association
- Institute for Challenging Disorganization: a non-profit with educational resources, a search tool to help you find an ICD-certified organizer, and links to other helpful organizations.
- International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) hoarding resources: an excellent site to learn about hoarding disorder, and it has a resource directory of therapists, clinics, treatment programs and support groups
- Mayo Clinic: information on hoarding symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
- MentalHealth.gov: U.S. site with links to get mental health help and with educational information from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), MedlinePlus and National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), and Youth.gov
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): a grassroots organization that advocates for better public policy on mental health issues; the site has educational info and links to local mental health resources
- NAMI Hotline: 800-950-NAMI (Monday-Friday, 10 am – 6 pm Eastern Time)
- NAMI links for help in crisis situations
- National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals: site where you can find a certified professional organizer or productivity consultant
- “What to Do When the Hoarder Does Not Change”: video interview with Randy O. Frost
Books on Hoarding
I’m a humongous fan of libraries. What’s not to love about an abundance of books, movies, and music you can access for free, none of which you have to permanently store in your own home? If your local library doesn’t have a copy of the books listed below, you can find most of them on Amazon or another online bookseller. Of course, if you want to dog-ear, highlight, and keep the book as a handy reference, purchasing your own copy is advised. Libraries tend to frown on that kind of behavior. 🙂
See my Affiliate Disclosure page for more details.
Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, and Gail Steketee
Children of Hoarders: How to Minimize Conflict, Reduce the Clutter, and Improve Your Relationship by Fugen Neziroglu and Katharine Donnelly
Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring by Michael A. Tompkins and Tamara L. Hartl
The Hoarder in You by Robin Zasio
Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding: Why You Save and How You Can Stop by Fugen Neziroglu, Jerome Bubrick, and Jose A. Yaryura-Tobias
Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee
Treatment for Hoarding Disorder: Workbook by Gail Steketee and Randy O. Frost
Books on Cleaning, Tidying, and Minimalism
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life by Marie Kondo
Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson
Clean Mama’s Guide to a Healthy Home: The Simple, Room-by-Room Plan for a Natural Home by Becky Rapinchuk
Simply Clean: The Proven Method for Keeping Your Home Organized, Clean, and Beautiful in Just 10 Minutes a Day by Becky Rapinchuk
The C.H.A.O.S. Cure: Clean Your House and Calm Your Soul in 15 Minutes by Marla Cilley
Hoarding TV Shows
- “Hoarders” on A&E: some may find it hard to watch or consider it voyeuristic, but I found that the show was therapeutic for me and also motivated me to put it on pause and get up to clean at random intervals
- “Hoarding: Buried Alive” on TLC: my experience with it is the same as the other show — heart-wrenching, compelling, infuriating at times, and oddly motivating