Definition of Hoarding: the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them.
When it comes to hoarding, those few words above cannot begin to explain what hoarding really is. Hoarding has been called a hidden disorder, a subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and a health risk. But the best definition of hoarding that I can personally explain would be this.
Hoarding- a person that cannot let go of objects others would see as useless, constantly acquires items, food, animals, and stockpile the objects “just in case”.
The difference between hoarding and collecting is that collectors will arrange their items neatly, keep them clean, and on display. A hoarder will collect something in mass amounts, not on displayed, can not let go of items.