My new friend Dr. Amie Ragan has a terrific blog called Psychology of Clutter that I recommend you add to your bookmarks. I'll be featuring her posts frequently because she and I are each like the Yin to the other's Yang. I dig it. Today's entry on The Psychology of Clutter discusses the line between living a cluttered life and hoarding. Here's a short excerpt from Dr. Ragan's blog...
"... I have had adult children tell me of their parents whose homes now resemble hamster cages complete with little trails to the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. For a while, we in the mental health community justified this behavior when it came to older adults. We would make excuses about people growing up during the depression and having to go without. The current thinking, however, is that an overwhelming majority of people who grew up during that time are frugal, yes, but do not hoard. We no longer accept hoarding as normal for anyone..."
Past blog entries I've written about hoarding:
Animal Hoarding
When Clutter Kills
Visit Dr. Ragan's blog Psychology of Clutter to read the rest of her post about clutter versus hoarding.