A hoarder and a collector are two different persons.
The hoarder has a pathological view to collecting while the collector simple collects for the pleasure of it.
Let's look at what else sets a hoarder apart from the collector.
When you use the word "pathological" it usually describes a disease.
In the case of the person who hoards, this refers to the compulsive behavior of collecting those things that have little or no value.
He doesn't seem to be able to control this behavior until his collections take over his home and his life.
On the other hand, the collector is able to describe very well the value of his collection and is proud of it.
While he feels strongly about it, parting with his collection does not cause the same stress and anxiety that this does to the hoarder.
The collector also tends to be organized with his acquisitions and maintains a balance between his life and his collections.
How else can you identify a hoarder? Here is a simple checklist of their compulsive behaviors: His collection is disorganized.
They are not sorted according to a category and are stored or displayed in disarray in his home.
He has difficulty parting with possessions.
He gets tense and distressed just thinking about the process of discarding his things and ends up throwing away nothing.
He views his possessions as things he cannot live without.
He has very strong emotional attachment to his possessions.
He is always thinking that others are touching his collections.
He is also depressed with the way his collections have turned into clutter in his home but cannot bear to part with it.
He must be able to see his things all the time.
He has cut himself off from normal interactions with his community.
He spends most of him time rummaging through garbage cans in search of things to add to his collection.
Or he spends his time in his home checking on his existing collection.
His compulsive behaviors cause problems within his own family.
He has problems with money.
Because he spends most of his time with his collections, he no longer has time to earn a living or manage his finances.
A hoarder needs help, especially if their homes have become unsafe for them and for their neighbors.
With this checklist you can easily see if someone you know has a hoarding problem and get them help as soon as possible.