Hoarding is a complex psychological issue that is rooted in a few different emotional and mood disorders. Therapists and psychiatrists use a variety of different methods for counseling hoarders who are trying to recover from their condition, but if you are a hoarder, the most important thing you can do is help yourself. Here are a few tips on decluttering your home and your life and recovering from hoarding disorder.

Give yourself time.

Trying to push yourself too hard when working through years of hoarded possessions can cause you to stress so much over your issues that you cannot deal with them properly. Some hoarders have several self-storage units filled with their possessions, along with the hoards in their homes. If you don’t have a professional clean-up crew to help clear out your home, then it can take months to bring your living space under control. Devote time every day to cleaning, but work at a steady pace.

Talk to your family and friends for support.

Hoarding often stems from emotional issues that go unaddressed for years. People struggling with any mental health issue are more likely to succeed in recovery if they have an interpersonal support network. If there is no one in your life, finding a mental health support group is crucial in ensuring your success.

Be flexible.

You may need to clear some extra space in your home so that cleaning is easier. Finding Irvine CA storage units or portable storage gives you a place to store possessions that you need while you are cleaning your home. However, this should only be a temporary solution. Make sure that you do not use these storage spaces to keep a part of your hoard.

Remember that things are not memories.

A common mental block for many hoarders is that they are afraid to throw possessions away because of some sentimental value, such as a gift from a relative who has passed away. However, there is a difference between keeping mementos of milestones such as the birth of your children and keeping junk. Even if you throw away a gift from someone who died, you are not likely to forget that person.

Get organized.

Getting organized refers not only to your possessions, but the way that you approach clean-up. The best strategies are the ones that let you see the progress you make. If you are disorganized about clean-up, it can seem neverending because you are only decluttering one area at a time. Work on one room at a time. This keeps the task from becoming overwhelming, and it is easier to see one room becoming decluttered than it is to see random areas of the house decluttered.