Really it comes down to this:

If the person in question has a hard time giving things up that should be thrown out ... they are most likely a hoarder. Not all hoarders think they are one. I didn't and still not sure if I am. It is hard to tell since the line is grey and there are no concrete ways to know .. as far as I can see. Maybe there is but I need someone to tell me what those lines are.

I am trying to figure out if I am a hoarder so I have been looking for information. I will share with you:

http://www.womensforum.com/why-do-hoarders-hoard.html

http://www.charlesandhudson.com/archives/2009/12/7_deadly_sins_that_lead_to_hoarding.htm

My apartment manager accused me of being a hoarder and wants to evict me. So I started really looking at my self. I did not think of myself as one but when I look at these lists .. well this is me:

1. I don't have friends come over except one who is the son of a hoarder .. because I am embarrassed of my place and afraid what they will think of me
   
2. Every room has some how become like a storage room and I have run out of room to "put things away"
   
3. I have even put things in my car trunk because I didn't have the room
   
4. My table is full of stuff
   
5. It is hard to vacuum unless I do a lot of cleaning and picking up stuff first.
   
6. I have just a pathway in my bedroom
   
7. I never answer the building buzzer if people do not call first because I don't know who is coming over and I only allow certain people to see my place
   
8. I have clothes that no longer fit me (but I really want to fit into again because I hate my current weight and I used to be always skinny ...) as well as I have way too many papers of stuff that I printed out to read later but have never found the time to read.. and no where to store them..
   

I hope telling my story helps you figure out how to tell if someone is a hoarder or not. It is hard to differentiate between just collecting and hoarding .. I am just learning the difference now. The hardest part is learning to let go of things. Especially those tied to memories ..

I am not sure that my loved one has a problem with hoarding. She does not collect a lot of objects. My concern is that she is hoarding her house. The house is not liveable and yet she refuses to move, even though we have provided her with other options. She seems to be irrationally attached to the house despite its threat to her health.

Is it possible to hoard a house? Or could it be another issue? Any helpful insights would be greatly appreciated!