Extreme hoarder: An 82-year-old Ottawa woman struggling with hoarding that’s cost her time, ruined relationships and depleted her savings — her warning to other seniors

Wasted money and time

Wong invited CBC into her home to share her story of the downfalls of hoarding.

She hasn’t been able to have visitors for years in her home. There’s no space for them to sit down. There are items stuffed into every crevice of her house, with a narrow pathway winding between random items such as old newspapers, a birdcage, lamps and more.

"I stopped having people over and just started adding more clutter," she said.

Elaine Birchall, a hoarding behaviour and intervention specialist in Ottawa and co-author of Conquer the Clutter: Strategies to Identify, Manage and Overcome Hoarding, said, “Not every hoarding situation represents a disorder. It becomes a disorder when the person is functionally impaired ... [and] then becomes a disability as well," she said. "It ruptures relationships, it breaks trust."

It takes time, according to Birchall, to work with clients and help them let go.

Don’t want to end up a hoarder like Wong? Learn how to declutter your house and your finances to stay organized.

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Decluttering tips for your home and your finances

Decluttering can help make your living space safer, and cleaner and keep you from becoming a hoarder.

Some decluttering tips for seniors include:

• Start with one room: When you start with manageable goals you can avoid feeling overwhelmed
• Get rid of hazardous items: Broken items, old electronics or expired food are easy targets for the garbage bin
• Donate duplicates: Multiple pairs of the same shoes, extra pots and pans that you bought on sale, if you’re not using them there is someone in need who could benefit

Wong mentioned her retirement savings are tied up in maintaining her hoarding habit, and it is worthwhile to declutter your finances along with your living space.

To get started, here are five easy steps five easy steps:

1. Know where you stand: Assess your money situation and understand what bills you have, your debt level and your savings
2. Use the one-to-two rule: Only have one or two credit cards, insurance companies and chequing accounts to keep everything easier to stay on top of
3. Get rid of old accounts: If you want to follow the one-to-two rule you’ll need to close old accounts and consolidate
4. Get online: Once you automate your accounts and use online banking, you’ll be able to keep track of your money, bill payments and accounts
5. Stay organized: Know where you keep your files and keep them organized for easy reference

Cleaning house, whether it’s your living space or your finances, or both, makes it easier to manage your life and helps keep you on track.

As for Wong, she told CBC that she felt the responsibility to warn others to avoid the ‘trap’ that hoarders create for themselves.

Sources

1. CBC News: At 82, Pat Wong is warning others about the high cost of hoarding (October 30, 2024)

2. Saber Healthcare Group: Decluttering tips for seniors

3. Truist: How to clear your mind by decluttering your finances