What Is Hoarding?

Hoarding involves extreme attachment to personal possessions and, consequently, great difficulty letting go of objects that other people would easily discard, donate, or recycle. After a while, possessions start to build up so that important parts of the home cannot be used for routine activities such as preparing food or socializing. People with hoarding may experience emotional distress or strained relationships due to clutter in the home, their difficulty discarding, or acquisition of additional items.

If you’re interested in learning more about hoarding, check out this podcast: Story Collider Podcast or read Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Gail Steketee and Randy Frost. This fascinating book provides a good foundation for understanding hoarding behaviour. In Addition, we urge you to check out our resource page for a more detailed look at hoarding.

We acknowledge that the UBC Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam). We recognize their continued struggles, and hope to honour them as we do our part in working towards reconciliation.