Help me! I'm a paper hoarder! Stacks of paper everywhere! Advice?

[Anonymous]

I purchased a countertop shredder that has changed my life! I keep it in my kitchen where I sort my mail daily. It is on a counter next to my recycling bin. As soon as mail comes in, I sort it and bam! No more paper clutter. Bills go in mounted file bin on wall. Coupons to purse. Invitations to bulletin board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I could help. I deal with this on a daily basis. My husband has junk mail from 20 years ago. I keep big baskets all over the house in a vain attempt to limit the chaos. I've learned to check the mail before he does and throw out 90% of it. Ive tried to be polite and have him check to make sure that I'm not throwing out anything important. But then he retrieves most of it 'just in case'. I finally decided to devote the entire second floor (all the bedrooms) to his mess and that of our son (who is even worse than he is), as long as he leaves the first floor alone. I don't even go up there anymore. It's not a great compromise, but it's the best I've been able to come up with. This truly drives me crazy.

Get to a therapist that specializes in hoarding. You need help. Your DH and DS need it more, but start with yourself.

The Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington is a great place to start.

Google "hoarding scale" and look at the second floor of your house compared to the photos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a problem letting go of paper. I'm talking about mail, documents, reports, receipts, coupons, etc. the piles and disorder are taking over my house. Any advice to managing all of this rubbish? I have 4 kids so I have lots of school papers, educational reports, medical documents, etc. my file cabinet is bursting and completely full.


How do you do it? I go to friends' houses and don't see a single piece of paper anywhere?

Scan everything or take pictures of them and save them on your computer. Problem solved. For motivation, roaches and other bugs are attracted to paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I could help. I deal with this on a daily basis. My husband has junk mail from 20 years ago. I keep big baskets all over the house in a vain attempt to limit the chaos. I've learned to check the mail before he does and throw out 90% of it. Ive tried to be polite and have him check to make sure that I'm not throwing out anything important. But then he retrieves most of it 'just in case'. I finally decided to devote the entire second floor (all the bedrooms) to his mess and that of our son (who is even worse than he is), as long as he leaves the first floor alone. I don't even go up there anymore. It's not a great compromise, but it's the best I've been able to come up with. This truly drives me crazy.

Get to a therapist that specializes in hoarding. You need help. Your DH and DS need it more, but start with yourself.

The Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington is a great place to start.

Google "hoarding scale" and look at the second floor of your house compared to the photos.

That doesn't sound like a problem to me. A messy problem sure but hoarding? She doesn't say that she keeps old boxes of food or pizza from weeks ago 'just in case'. That would be a problem. I do think that a lot of people have emotions and get emotionally attached to things they perceive as having sentimental value or a memory such as old jeans you wore in high school that attracted all the guys or your kids first toy, etc.

[Anonymous]

Keeping stacks of junk mail from 20 yrs ago isn't a hoarding problem? The guys wife gave him half the house for his mess. Hope he gets some counseling.