I think I collect too much stuff

If collecting or keeping items is affecting your daily life, relationships, health or wellbeing, support is available.

Many people find it difficult to part with possessions. You are not alone.

On this page

Understanding your collecting habits

Thinking about how collecting affects your life can help you decide whether you would like support or want to make changes.

It may help to ask yourself:

  • When and why did I start collecting?
  • Do I find it difficult to let things go?
  • Is collecting or keeping items affecting my daily life?
  • Do I feel frustrated, overwhelmed or isolated?
  • Are my possessions affecting my relationships?
  • Is clutter creating health or safety risks for me or others?
  • What changes would I like to make?

Making changes can be difficult, but support is available if you would like help.

Check the level of clutter in your home

The Clutter Image Rating Scale can help you understand whether clutter in your home may be becoming a concern. It uses images to show different levels of clutter in common rooms such as kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms.

A rating of level 4 or above may indicate that support could be helpful. Fire risk may become a concern from level 5.

Clutter Image Rating Scale(PDF, 327KB)

Making positive changes

Positive change takes time. You do not have to make every change at once. Start with something that feels manageable for you.

Excess clutter can create unsafe or unhealthy living conditions.

Risks may include:

  • trips and falls
  • blocked exits and pathways
  • increased risk of fire
  • difficulty using cooking, heating or other appliances safely
  • difficulty for emergency services to enter or move through the home.

Small changes can help reduce these risks:

  • install and test smoke alarms
  • keep exits and pathways clear
  • make sure utilities are connected and working safely
  • avoid naked flames including candles or incense burners
  • keep at least one metre clear around heaters, appliances and cooking areas
  • unplug appliances when they are not being used.

Fire safety information

Hoarding or severe clutter can increase fire risks. Information and resources are available to support our community to improve fire safety.

Hoarding and fire risk handout(PDF, 1MB)

More information:

Decluttering can take time, and small steps can make a difference.

Some practical tips:

  • Start small. Set aside a short amount of time each day to work on decluttering. Start with 5 minutes and gradually increase the time when you feel ready.
  • Focus on one area at a time. This could be as small as one drawer or a corner of a benchtop.
  • Only handle things once. Decide what to do with an item when you pick it up. Where possible, find its new home rather than putting it back to deal with later.
  • Keep sorting simple. Use a small number of categories, such as recycle, rubbish and donate.
  • Aim to remove more than comes in. Over time, this can help reduce the amount of clutter.

Professional decluttering and cleaning services may also be able to help. Look for a service with experience supporting people affected by hoarding or severe clutter.

Disposing of unwanted items

Important: Throwing away a person's belongings without their agreement can cause significant distress and should be avoided.

Council has information and services to help with unwanted items:

If there is an immediate risk to someone's health or safety, call triple zero (000).

Council's Positive Ageing team can support people with complex needs, including hoarding. They can also help connect people with other services and support.

Support services can help people understand their needs, improve living conditions and make gradual changes over time.

To speak to the Positive Ageing team, call Council on 1300 88 22 33.

Making Space support group

Making Space is a support group for people experiencing excess clutter and its associated challenges.

For more information, see Making Space support group.

Other local services

Other local services can help with challenges that may arise alongside hoarding or severe clutter:

If there are serious health or safety risks, services will consider what action may be needed to help keep people or animals safe.

Resources

Living a Life Less Cluttered booklet(PDF, 2MB)

Hoarding and fire risk handout(PDF, 1MB)

 

Books

  • Buried in Treasures: Providing help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding by David Tolin, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee.

Related information

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