The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life

I decided to download and listen to this audiobook as a way to further understand hoarding tendencies, what the triggers are (if there are any) and how one can be supportive when a friend or family member is trying to deal with their hoarding/cluttering habits. I love how Dr. Zasio admits in the opening chapter that even she has the 'dreaded' makeup drawer, full of products that she has either worn only once or not at all, but cannot seem to bring herself to get ride of the unused products. Always nice to see the 'human' side of the professional so early on in a self-help book. ;-) While the book contains some extreme case studies of hoarding - where health and safety issues are paramount - the book really covers the whole spectrum of show more hoarders/clutters and had some really useful suggestions for organizing and de-cluttering one's life. Of course, I didn't agree with everything Dr. Zasio mentions, like her suggestion that a new pair of shoes should not be purchased unless you are prepared to get rid of a pair of shoes (something I cannot and will not do, thank you very much Dr. Zasio), but I was happy to see that she did acknowledge that there is a difference between "bibliomania" and "bibliophilia" (WHEW - we can all breath a collective sigh of relief over THAT one!). I also like the importance she places on not just treating the hoarder/clutter but also the members of the family. Family members unwittingly, or without understanding their effect on the individual, actually contribute to the hoarding tendencies when they try and change someone without being supportive in a nonjudgmental manner or in not fully appreciating that 'hoarding' is a mental condition that can be triggered by anxiety, past experiences and even depression. Hoarding is socially isolating and a horrible downward spiral that can overcome the sufferer, making the removal of all judgmental comments, actions and behaviours so important when helping and supporting a sufferer. I wish the book had taken on more of an in-depth clinical/psychological presentation but I can appreciate where the book's focus on organizational tips and tricks will appeal more to a larger reading audience, including readers who are not hoarders but just want some insight into how to de-clutter their lives. show less

Every book on hoarding that I pick up seems to start with defining hoarding. Don't enough books have that already? Then again, the mental disorder is relatively new, so perhaps each book needs to define where they are coming from.

This book covers how to view hoarding, and even cluttered behavior, in an interesting manner. This author firmly designates hoarding as an anxiety disorder and discusses it as a need to shift thoughts. She offers an extended discussion of Cognitive Distortion with regard to cluttering and hoarding, especially when compared with normal habits.

Yes, hoarding is a spectrum, like all of humanity is a spectrum. We are not neat little boxes to be shoved in. So agree with that.

I like that she's breaking down show more clutter-keeper and hoarder. I also like that she presents a spectrum for both clutterers and hoarders.

This book is chock full of information, though a little dry in its presentation. People who watch the show Hoarders on A&E will know the author well. The text made me willing to explore more of her works. show less

I love the show Hoarders and I love Dr. Robin Zasio. I picked this up thinking that it was going to be a lot of stories of extreme hoarders as is presented on the TV show. While some examples were discussed, this was more of a self help book to help you purge the clutter from your life. Even if you are not an extreme hoarder as depicted on the show (I still remember that episode when they were pulling out the dead cat bodies from the clutter and the home owner was like so that's what happened to Fluffy) there is lots of good advice that everyone can use including how to organize your stuff and what the shelf life is on certain things. There is also a useful section on how to talk yourself out of buying things an internal dialogue you show more can have with yourself when you are reluctant to get rid of things. It doesn't mean you didn't love your grandmother just because you are getting rid of the Chia pet she gave you when you were ten. I am off to purge those old newspapers and magazines now. That stack of laundry that needs to be put away does not mean I am lazy, I am a perfectionist. Thanks Dr. Zasio! show less

I really appreciated Robin Zasio's direct yet compassionate approach to hoarding. I have seen her on the TV series Hoarders, and admit it's one reason I chose her book. However, I also love the subtitle: How to live a happier, healthier, uncluttered life. That is something I would like to achieve.

Zasio introduces hoarding as being on a spectrum, with many of us having some hoarding tendencies. I am not a hoarder per se, but Zasio encourages us to recognize areas in our life that we should deal with.

This is not a book focusing on organizing, but rather why we hoard and how to face our desire to hold onto things or to collect things. For me, her suggestions on how to deal with clutter resonate and make sense in a way that other books show more I've read on organization don't. show less

I thought this book was going to teach me how to deal with loved ones who have hoarder tendencies (which it did) but it also gave me a lot of insight into what factors contribute to hoarding. The author also did a great job in showing me places in my life where I exhibit hoarder traits and had some interesting ideas about organization and de-cluttering.

Enlightening discussion of everything from mild clutter to full-blown hoarding. Be warned, though: it's like researching on WebMD.com -- you'll be biting your nails thinking about the state of your closets and that junk drawer in the kitchen, wondering if these are the early signs of a serious problem.

Interesting.

I didn't agree with the author all the time but some solid suggestions and perspectives.