# Compulsive shopping and hoarding **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902 "2010-03-01T19:09:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/21 "2010-03-04T23:14:22Z")
> [@czarcaztic](#): > > She’s 5 inches tall? 😃 “I really think you’re just making much too big a thing out of it.” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/22 "2010-03-04T23:49:40Z")
There’s a pack rat a few streets over, but she isn’t wealthy, she just collects CRAP and keeps it in old cardboard boxes, so all her stuff gets thrown in a dumpster by her kids once a year or so (they must send her on a casino weekend or something). All that good stuff of your mom’s, you read how to put it to good use from us posters. But unless she gets some kind of treatment, it’ll just start up again… ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/23 "2010-03-05T02:01:41Z")
I would stay out of it even if you’re mom agrees to get rid of things. My mother was a hoarder and even if she agreed to get rid of something at our urging later on we would get blamed for everything being ruined or being our fault for making her get rid of anything. Hoarding needs professional help. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/24 "2010-03-05T20:49:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by Fatsdominum View Post > what good deed can a person do with 500 bags of clothes that will fit 5", 90 lb. woman? > She’s 5 inches tall? Yes, but she’s very wide. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/25 "2010-03-06T20:21:30Z")
In addition to homeless shelters, battered woman’s shelters, etc… Donate to whatever organization is taking clothes and household items to various earthquake affected places. Donate any warm clothing, coats, hats, gloves, etc to local schools, especially if there is a low income district in your area. Donate to the Department of Social Services (CPS) for foster kids who have very little clothes. If she’s a member of a church, donate to her church. Many churches have fundraising yard sales in the spring. Have a yard sale of her own and give the proceeds to her favorite charity or a local food kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902/26 "2010-03-07T05:28:47Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > A very, very important thing to remember is that hoarders can show extreme agitation and even anger if pushed to get rid of things beyond their preferred speed and level. Hoarding stuff can be a very emotional issue. > > Also, many hoarders will feel that they must go through every single item separately. Since you’re dealing with clothing - she may want to keep a shoe if a mate can’t be found, as it might turn up. She may check through pockets/purses/etc even if the item clearly has a tag on it and has never been used. She may find excuses to keep just this one item. And that one. Oh, and that one too. Amen to that! Ask me how I know. (pause) I am the son of a compulsive spendthrift Mother, and a compulsive hoarder Father. Also, both of them were “messies.” Nothing was ever picked up, and I mean nothing. The sight and smell of their house was overwhelming. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compulsive-shopping-and-hoarding/530902.md?page=1)