Ask:
I'm not sure if it's my ds's special needs or just his personality but his hoarding seems to be boarding on obsession. (He is 8.) He stashes wrappers, toilet paper tolls (and he doesn't save them for crafts), empty Kleenex boxes, any kind of packaging or garbage. He can not stand the thought of parting with anything. Yet after he goes to sleep at night I clean out his room and he doesn't notice the next morning. He just can throw out anything himself.
Does anyone have a hoarder and how do you handle it?
Answer:
OMG, yes! I blame my and dh's genes! I never thought of it as part of Aspergers! DH's mom is a terrible clutter hoard. I don't think her house has been cleaned in over 20 years - the same junk lies where it was when we got married (I am NOT exaggerating. Her counter has never been cleaned of it's clutter. She has floor to ceiling in their old bedrooms, etc.). My mom is a sentimental keeper, but her clutter is more knicknacks. Now my dad, he's horrid. He hoards everything and it's sooo messy and just...yuck! I know he got that from his frugal/cheap mom, whom I love, but....
DS doesn't want to throw out boxes from toys. He's always looking for odd things - pieces of material, etc., and hates throwing anything out. Even tissues - I have to remind him to use the trash can that IS NEXT TO HIS BED. I know some of it is comfort. You can imagine what it's like when I try to get rid of old toys. He keeps his artwork. Let's just say he's very creative and prolific. I think I'm going to give him my house when he grows up and move to a new one so I don't have to get rid of things. He got so upset when we got rid of our leased Accord to buy a CRV. Yet, when my cats died, he was sad, but took it in stride. Go figure.