How to take back your life when your things are taking over.
Why does Cliff, a successful lawyer who regularly wins landmark cases,
step over two-foot piles of paper whenever he opens his front door? Why
do Joan and Paul ask Children's Services to take their three children
instead of decluttering their home? Why does Lucinda feel intense
pressure to hold onto her family's heirlooms even though she has no room
for them? They have hoarding disorder, which an estimated 2% to 6% of
the adult population worldwide experience.
Conquer the Clutter offers hope to anyone affected by hoarding.
Real-life vignettes, combined with easy-to-use assessment and
intervention tools, support those who hoard--and those who care about
them. Written by Elaine Birchall, a social worker dedicated to helping
people declutter and achieve long-term control over their belongings,
the book
- provides an overview of hoarding, defining what it is--and is not
- explains the difference between clutter and hoarding
- describes different types of hoarding in detail, including impulse
shopping, "closet" hoarding, and animal hoarding
- debunks myths about hoarding and hoarders
- explores the effects that hoarding has on relationships, on work, and
on physical and financial health
- presents a practical, step-by-step plan of action for decluttering
- contains dedicated advice from individuals who have successfully
overcome their hoarding disorder
The most comprehensive work about hoarding on the market, Conquer the
Clutter discusses special populations who are not often singled out,
such as the disabled and the elderly, and includes numerous worksheets
to assist individuals in determining the scope of their hoarding
disorder and tackling the problem. Over 40 pages of additional resources
are available online at jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/conquer-clutter.
