‘I will use it later’ — Man stocked up his home with so much hoarded items, says it can be useful in the future

SINGAPORE: A 59-year-old man has a habit of hoarding miscellaneous items, justifying that he will need them in the future, and there would be no reason to spend money to buy them again. 

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the man is working as a swimming coach and a lifeguard. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he only earned S$800 a month, of which he gave S$700 to his wife and son. Due to his financial struggles, he had to rely on his mother’s savings and borrow money from time to time. 

He felt powerless and insecure, especially when his father passed away during this time. He admitted, “I never knew when I would get sick. Everything was so uncertain.” 

With this in mind, he went to affordable second-hand stores, bought some valuable items and stocked up his home. 

“If I saw some items thrown away by others and thought they might be useful in the future, I would pick them up and take them home,” he declared. 

Now, because of hoarding, the living room of his five-room HDB flat was filled with dozens of fish tanks, hundreds of backpacks, countless pairs of shoes, more than 10 bicycles, at least 10 fans and wooden cabinets, and many more. These items are now blocking the windows and the ceiling fans of the flat, and they could barely see any sunlight. 

Furthermore, after his daughter moved out, more items such as vinyl records, record players, and sound systems occupied a room. “I like to collect them so I can listen to them later,” was the man’s justification, even though he now sleeps in a small area next to a double bed. 

Additionally, the bathroom is barely wide enough for them to take a shower, and the kitchen is a total mess. Only the top door of their refrigerator opens, and the man has to move some items to open the washing machine and put some clothes in. 

“My previous refrigerator broke, and I had to buy a new one, which was heartbreaking, but if my current one breaks, I have this one as a backup, and I can find an electrician to fix it without spending any money,” the man explained as to why there is a spare refrigerator present. 

In the flat, the only room where they can move freely and see the scenery outside is the room shared by his 34-year-old son and wife. 

Unfortunately, this hoarding habit of the man became a reason for his wife to request a divorce. However, the man did not agree and stated that he would clear the house. 

A community mediator helped him clear out some clutter, and the man admitted that the emptiness within him and his disconnection from his family led him to seek material possessions. 

“In their eyes (hoarders), all belongings are treasures, not trash. Moving them away is like cutting off a piece of flesh from them,” the mediator admitted. 

What is hoarding?

Hoarding means collecting and keeping too many things and having a hard time getting rid of them, even when they don’t seem valuable to other people. This habit can lead to clutter and distress, and might be considered a mental health condition in serious scenarios. Hoarding can show up in many different conditions, and it can be hard to treat.