Hoarding disorder

A recognised mental health condition (DSM-5) characterised by persistent difficulty letting go of belongings, regardless of their value, due to a strong perceived need to keep them.

Hoarding disorder is now recognised as a distinct condition rather than a feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It usually involves three things: difficulty discarding, accumulation that congests living spaces, and significant distress or impairment as a result.

It is more common than people think — roughly 2 to 6 percent of adults — and tends to deepen with age. It often runs in families. Most people experiencing it know that what's happening doesn't quite make sense to outsiders, and that knowledge is its own weight.