Me and My Clutter

My inquiry project deals with my clutter problem. I found a great blog/site, clutterdiet.com. http://www.clutterdietblog.com/ This site has been an incredible resource. I found out that clutter problems are similar to diet/weight problems-something else I know too well. That, alone, has been a revelation to me. And it has helped me understand my behaviors. Resolving to finally understand and do something about my clutter issues, I read a lot of the information on this blog and posted to it. Maybe someone who shares this problem could give me insights.

I am exploring the following questions for my inquiry:
1. What, exactly, are my cluttering habits?
2. Why do I do it? What do I get out of it?
3. How does this affect the other people in my life?
4. Who influenced me to become a clutterer?
5. What steps can I take to resolve this problem?

I am exploring these questions in no special order-I am finding that they all bleed together-much like the mess that is my closet.

I explored another site, www.disposophobia.com. "Disposophobia" is a term they coined, describing someone who is overly attatched to their possessions, sometimes needing to get outside storage to keep it in. That's me. This site is put out by a company called Disaster Masters. They are professional organizers, who deal with people who are extreme hoarders. The company is run by Robert Alford. He speaks on a video titled "Help Someone I Know With Disposophobia. There is a link to it on the disposophobia site. But it can be found on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEegrSpfLtM. He sits in the middle of extreme clutter, talking about clutter habits. He says that people can't make a hoarder stop; therapy and drugs don't work. In fact prodding, theraby or drugs can make things worse. Looking at the images in the film and on the website, I realize that I am nowhere near as bad as some of these people. But it has been very unsettling to watch. What does Robert Alford suggest? His company can help. Call 1-800-THE PLAN. For a fee, his company will send a project manager to help deal with the clutter, get the person organized, and provide help and support for the person, so that they can control their cluttering/hoarding. I mean, their "disposophobia."

I also watched "Help! I'm A Hoarder, Part 1 from TLC, on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daKsMsa8YAc. I felt this was a "don't let this happen to you" moment. I know people say, "Oh, that could never happen to me..." But many of theos are just whom it happens to. It scared me. (Note: I tried pasting the URL directly from my computer, but was prevented by the site, so I copied it on paper and typed it in.)

I have interviewed 2 people-my partner, whom I live with, and a psychologist friend of mine. Tomorrow, I plan to interview the two people who share my office. I photographed some of the accumulation cluttering my apartment. Correction: MY accumulation. I have to upload the pix to the computer. I will be photographing my office space and a possible solution as I go along.
I have gotten an on-line book sent to me, which I haven't read yet, about this. It's called, 30 Ways to Find Time to Get Organized, put out by the clutterdiet people.

I have noticed that I accumulate things I really belive I have to have. I have to look into this more. I am being confronted by how my clutter is affecting other people. I don't mean to be inconsiderate or annoying, but this is not just my problem-it affects others. I think that understanding this will not only give me new insights and make me an easier person to share space with, but it will make me a better teacher. My making meaning of this can lead to my being able to steer my students to unclutter their thinking and communication skills so that they can utilize them more efficiently to make sense of their world/s