Recommended Books on Hoarding
Recommended books can be a powerful first step in understanding hoarding disorder and its impact on individuals and families. Written by experts, researchers, and people with lived experience, these books provide comfort, insight, and practical strategies for change. Whether you are personally struggling with hoarding or supporting a loved one, these recommended books offer guidance, compassion, and tools for progress.
Choosing the right book depends on where you are in your journey—some focus on the psychology behind hoarding, others provide hands-on decluttering strategies, and a few share stories of recovery and resilience.
Hoarding can be a complex and challenging issue to understand and address. Here are some highly recommended books on hoarding that provide valuable insights, practical advice, studies to prove effectiveness, and personal stories about hoarding.
Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding
David Tolin | Randy O. Frost | Gail Steketee
Rating: 3.96/5 (616 ratings)
Published: 2007
Best For: Evidence-based CBT, structured self-help, long-term recovery
Summary: This comprehensive guide offers a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to address hoarding behaviors. Co-authored by leading experts, it provides practical strategies and exercises to help individuals reduce clutter and improve decision-making.
Studies indicate a 28% decline in hoarding severity scores post-treatment, with group CBT showing improvements of 21%-68%
192 Pages
Available on Amazon
Digging Out:Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring
Michael A Tompkins PhD
Rating: 3.61/5 (196 Ratings)
Best For: Family support, harm reduction, communication strategies
Summary: Aimed at those supporting someone with hoarding disorder, this book emphasizes compassionate approaches and realistic goal-setting. It offers tools to navigate the challenges of assisting a loved one in managing their clutter.
208 Pages
Available on Amazon
Reclaim Your Life from Hoarding: Practical Strategies for Decluttering Your Home, Organizing Your Space, and Freeing Yourself
Eileen Dacey MSW LCSW
Rating: 3.98/5 (based on 49 ratings)
Best For: Step-by-step decluttering, self-care, beginner-friendly, exercises
Summary: This workbook provides actionable steps to help individuals declutter their homes and minds. It combines practical exercises with self-care tips to support lasting change.
176 pages
Available on Amazon
Hoarding Disorder Help: 15 Minimalist Steps to Help You Declutter
Milton Harrison
Rating: 4.39/5 (limited reviews)
Best For: Quick-start guide, minimalist approach, concise strategies
Summary: Offering 15 straightforward steps, this book guides readers through the decluttering process with a minimalist lens. It’s designed for those seeking immediate, manageable actions to address hoarding behaviors.
139 pages
Available on Amazon
Help for hoarding: Stop Accumulation and Overcome Hoarding Disorder
Sawyer Price
Rating: 3.0/5 (limited reviews)
Best For: Understanding hoarding triggers, motivational insights, newer perspectives
Summary: This recent addition explores the underlying causes of hoarding and provides motivational strategies for change. While it offers fresh insights, it may benefit from being supplemented with more established resources.
340 pages
Available on Amazon
Common Themes You’ll Discover in our recommended Books
While each of these books has its own approach, several themes connect them. Many emphasize cognitive-behavioral strategies—helping readers change thought patterns that contribute to hoarding behaviors. Others highlight the importance of self-compassion, since shame and guilt often prevent people from seeking help.
Practical decluttering methods are also shared, often tailored specifically for those who feel overwhelmed by possessions. Another key theme is harm reduction, which focuses on making living spaces safer and more functional even if full decluttering isn’t immediately possible. These shared ideas can give readers hope and a framework for recovery.
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