Susan Lindo, 59, of Middlesbrough, lives in a home overwhelmed by clutter. Shelves are packed to the brim, and piles of boxes and bags cover the floor. In fact, one of her bedrooms is completely inaccessible due to the vast amount of belongings. Every night, Susan has to climb over a mountain of bags just to reach her bed.
For years, she believed her hoarding was simply a result of laziness. That changed after an eye-opening interview with BBC Radio Tees, during which she learned that hoarding is a mental health condition. The revelation came after Clouds End CIC in Birmingham, which provides support to hoarders, described hoarding as a “mental health emergency” requiring urgent intervention.
The conversation left Susan in shock. She realized her hoarding had deep roots in her childhood, where her parents, who exhibited similar behaviors, never taught her the importance of tidying up. “I wasn’t brought up to know how to tidy. I didn’t even know how to use a vacuum cleaner,” Susan admits. Despite her best efforts, she struggled to break free from her inherited habits.
Her husband, Robert, 63, takes on much of the housework, handling the cleaning, washing, and disposal of trash. Although he has a passion for collecting books—he owns over 2,000—Robert hasn’t purchased new books in months.
During the radio interview, Susan also heard an alarming warning from Cleveland Fire Brigade about the fire risks posed by hoarding. A firefighter explained that cluttered homes can easily fuel fires, block escape routes, and make it harder for emergency responders to act quickly. The brigade also offers free home safety visits, acknowledging that many people with hoarding tendencies may not fully realize the dangers they face.
Susan now worries about the fire hazard in her own home. With Robert’s book collection, which includes a significant amount of paper, and only one clear exit—the front door—she fears that they wouldn’t be able to escape quickly in the event of a fire. “To get out in a fire? I honestly don’t think we would,” she says.
Hoarding is more common than many realize. According to Hoarding Disorders UK, the organization has seen a sharp increase in calls and emails since the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoarding is a mental health and anxiety-based disorder, with individuals often forming emotional attachments to possessions or believing that they may be useful someday.
Rachel Bebbington, a counselor at the charity Let’s Connect in Hartlepool, believes that the anxiety from recent years has exacerbated hoarding behavior. “For some, it’s a learned behavior from their parents, while for others, it’s a way to cope with emotional pain,” she says. Hoarding can lead to self-neglect, and many people don’t realize the extent of their condition, often feeling too embarrassed to ask for help.
Despite the challenges, Susan is committed to overcoming her hoarding disorder. She has tried to declutter before, appearing on a TV show in 2021 that helped clear her home, but she eventually fell back into old habits. This time, however, she is determined to tackle the problem one step at a time. She’s donating items to charity shops, which has given her a sense of purpose and relief.
“My goal is to have everything in its place. I need to get it done because enough is enough,” Susan says. She’s taking the task slowly, dedicating 10 minutes a day to decluttering, to avoid feeling overwhelmed. “I know what to do, it’s about getting my mindset right,” she adds.
Susan’s message to others struggling with hoarding is clear: “Don’t be ashamed. It’s just the way I am, the way I’ve been brought up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. One day might never come if you keep waiting.”
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