Karen Krupovage, Owner & Qualifying Broker, Affinity Real Estate, LLC

Packratitis... a common phenomenon here in America. The disease can start out with something as a simple as a "to read later"pile or other times the beginning phases are the result of something stronger like temporarily storing a sports collection in a spare room. The to read late pile can be added to daily and moved from one place to another to accommodate the need for space to do something other than read. Then the pile gets moved out of immediate site. Out of immediate site leaves room for new piles to start - maybe the next pile is a "to fix" pile. A "to fix" pile is a great place to keep stuff like a broken key fob; a perfect sized box that could be used to mail something, someday to someone; or how about the dog toy with the squeaker coming out? The temporary location for the collection of sports paraphenalia can quickly become a complete junk room - too scary to ever want to enter to find anything - so they don't and there it begins. Whatever the initiating circumstances, if simple pack rat tendencies are not kept in check, one could easily contract full blown packratitis.

I'm estimating at least 75% of homeowner's with a garage have some degree of packratitis. (The remaining 25% have another disease known as Neatnickitis which is a topic for another day). A majority of the homes I see, cannot accomodate the family's vehicles because of packratitis. I always have to wonder when a buyer tells me they need a home with a # car garage if its really for cars or for stuff. (I live in an area with very few basements.)

Some people with more severe cases actually move beyond the realm of their immediate real estate and venture into actually paying for storage units and outbuildings. When the disease has caused a need for expansion - its really time to think about getting help. Some considerations:

• Moving. Having to pack up and condense belongings and physically move them to another location within a specific time could create that perfect sense of urgency to clear out things. If there is limited packing space then items are forced to be prioritized as to where they go. Caution: moving may actually produce adverse results. Some people may just pack up every disorganized pile and move it with them to the next address creating yet another pile to go through after they unpack the necessities. Once items are packed up, its out of sight out of mind AGAIN.
• Think of packratitis as a selfish disease. No one likes to be called selfish, but while things are being ratholed in another room, others are missing out on using them or enjoying what they could offer had they been sold, donated, re-gifted.
• Ever heard the expression - the more you clear the clutter from your life, them more new things will come into it? Its true - give it a try. Just because someone gives you something, it doesn't mean you have to keep it. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to someone else.
• If the daunting task of going through piles just feels overwhelming - seek help from one of the 25% Neatnickitis people - they toss everything and if you're really afraid of having everything go and no say in what can stay, these people will surely motivate you to want to do it yourself.
• Consider how close is your degree of packratitis to actual hoarding? Does it scare you? It should.
• Think about all that you could do with the extra time and space. No pressure to constantly find time to go through piles. Every "thing" could have a place where it belongs.