Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Husband Hoarder

59 replies

user1476041120 · 07/03/2024 12:37

Can you advise me of how to deal with my husband who I suspect has a hoarding disorder. He will not throw anything away - gets really angry if I dispose of old newspapers that he has not read ( but they are weeks old ) and old clothes that do not fit or are worn out. Old tools and garden stuff is packed into a very large shed AND a single garage, that you cannot get in it because of stuff . These are just small examples of his hoarding . The main thing is tools and DIY materials IN our home . He buys tools and DIY materials intending to do a project but he never completes the task . The furthest he gets is to demolish the internal electrics / plumbing of our home and just not put it back. Its not that he can't do it - as soon as everything is ripped out - he procrastinates and will not get on with the renovation at all . I fear that our home will become unsellable if he carries on like this. My mental health is really suffering because of his behaviour but I don't know how to start to get help. Family just say - get someone to finish the work , but I fear that he will just keep starting another 'Project' and it will never end, unless I get help . We are in our 70's and I just want to be finished with DIY of any sort . At the moment we have no hot water , no central heating and only a wood burner for heat at night. I have had to go out ALL DAY this winter as the house is so cold. No heat in the bedrooms all winter! Please can you just give me any advice about what to do

OP posts:
Pushtart · 07/03/2024 12:52

have you tried talking to him about the wider problem? Do you think he would go talk to someone else? are you able to tell him to stop, or does that lead to arguments?

ThePoetsWife · 07/03/2024 13:02

You can't change him but you can change how you deal with it - either he gets help for his disorder or you leave

Hbosh · 07/03/2024 13:10

There are few disorders as persistant as hoarding disorder, and sadly they only tend to get worse with age. I'm so sorry you've had to live like this!

I know the thought of getting a divorce at age 70 must be dreadful. But unless this problem is handled professionally, it's only going to get worse from here. I also realise you might take a fall financially trying to sell your house in the current condition. But imagine waiting another 5 years to end up taking even less money away because it's gotten so much worse.

You're at an age where you should be enjoying retirement after having worked hard all your life. Not dealing with cold winters without heating! This is inhumane.

I only see 2 ways forward. Either he accepts there is a problem and deals with it, or you accept that he's never going to get better and you leave to enjoy the few good years you have left in good health.

pikkumyy77 · 07/03/2024 13:11

Leave. This is a very serious mental health condition and you will never fix it. You will not be able to sell the house at this point.

pastypirate · 07/03/2024 13:17

Do you have funds to pay for the hot water etc to be sorted? If yes then give Gunn an ultimatum he sorts it in the next 7 days or you get a contractor in.
No heating is a deal breaker.

Really hope you are ok op this is dreadful. Keep posting we can at least suppprt you x

Pushtart · 07/03/2024 13:23

I agree that for your own sake and health, that you need to get someone in to finish the jobs and heating etc Then address the problem with him and insist he seeks help. Its very sad and I am sure not so simple, but help is definitely needed.

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 07/03/2024 13:25

Is this a new behaviour? Or has he always had tendencies but it has suddenly worsened? Hoarding behaviours can appear with some types of cognitive decline or might be related to a change in lifestyle for example retirement

Mischance · 07/03/2024 13:25

I thought from the title of the thread that you were collecting husbands!

DeedlessIndeed · 07/03/2024 13:34

I don't think there is anything you can do to change him, unless he's ready to get on top of things himself.

That leaves you with having to make an awful decision on how you will spend your retirement.

There is an interesting hoarding thread in the Housekeeping section. A lot of lovely posters who experience hoarding tendencies post there. It is very insightful.

emmsee · 07/03/2024 13:35

Have you spoken to a doctor about your husband's mental health and the possibility of dementia being a contributing factor. Do you have the funds to get a plumber to sort out your heating and maybe stay in a holiday cottage while it's being sorted. Your family seem to be advising you but could they step in to back you up? Good luck in improving the situation. It sounds really difficult.

ApolloandDaphne · 07/03/2024 14:40

My uncle was exactly as you describe your DH. My aunt despaired about this but stuck with him despite the fact their house was never truly habitable. They are both dead now and apparently the house is unsellable. One of their family members is living there whilst trying to sort it out I have no answers for you but he is unlikely to change. You either accept this and stay or decide you can't live with it and leave him.

Starlight1979 · 07/03/2024 14:58

Mischance · 07/03/2024 13:25

I thought from the title of the thread that you were collecting husbands!

Same here 😂

WhatWhereWho · 07/03/2024 15:18

Do you have kids or other family who can talk to him. Do they know the situation? They should. Would he be willing to see the doctor? Is it a recent development or has he always been like this?

"At the moment we have no hot water , no central heating and only a wood burner for heat at night. I have had to go out ALL DAY this winter as the house is so cold. No heat in the bedrooms all winter! Please can you just give me any advice about what to do "

This is not a safe or a healthy way to be living. Do you have anyone you could temporarily stay with? Might shock him into realisation. But it sounds like he probably needs professional help.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 07/03/2024 15:32

Hoarding is a serious MH problem and your only real option going forward is to leave him. I am so sorry to write that but given that he is not at all ready for cleaning or clearing its the only way forward for you.

Happyinarcon · 07/03/2024 15:58

Two things to suggest, one is adhd medication which can help with executive function and get your husband to start reevaluating his possessions - this can also help with motivation which might mean things get finished.
Second is only something I have observed in myself, which is being stuck in a freeze response as a result of childhood trauma. This means you feel reluctant to make any decisions or changes or move forward in any way. Trauma is a bugger to unravel. It might be wise living separately for a time and making sure your own living conditions are maintained.

user1471538283 · 07/03/2024 18:58

This is no way to live and it will make you seriously sick.

You need a comfortable home. Would you consider selling and splitting up? Do you have support to help you get out?

user1476041120 · 08/03/2024 21:52

Thank you so much for your support . I was beginning to think that I was wrong and should give him more time .TBH I did leave two two Years ago but I came back after he said it would all be different and he would get it all finished.
That did not happen . All I want is a HOME. Somewhere not filled with tools. I have a first grandson now - I love him to bits . I even thought that would make a difference but NO !!
Truth is I would have to fight him for my share of the house and at my age this seems way too scary so I put up with it BUT I am so miserable

OP posts:
user1476041120 · 08/03/2024 21:57

I tried that two years ago. He said he WOULD NOT SELL and I would have to fight him in court for my share so I caved in and accepted that he was going to finish it but he never has
I am so scared of being on my own after 50ys of marriage

OP posts:
user1476041120 · 08/03/2024 21:59

That just leads to a rage -then he does not speak to me for weeks

OP posts:
user1476041120 · 08/03/2024 22:04

MY house is worth about £400K Its paid for we do not have a mortgage - but he says he will not sell at all = he says I will, have to fight in the courts for my share - and I do not the money for that

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 08/03/2024 22:04

I'm not going to say it will be easy and you'll instantly be happy, but you're not happy now. You're not even comfortable. You're not even WARM.

Where did you go when you moved out before?

When you divorce, if you possibly can you employ a lawyer and they do the fighting. You don't have to do it yourself.

Violinist64 · 08/03/2024 22:04

My husband is a hoarder, but by applying strict boundaries l have managed to keep the house under control. My feelings are that l live there too and I cannot function properly in a messy home. If you are on Facebook, there are two groups that might help you - Families and Friends of Hoarders and Spouses of Hoarders. Hoarding is a very serious mental health problem and one that tends to worsen with age, unfortunately. I am sorry that you are going through this.

Ofcourseshecan · 08/03/2024 22:08

OP, have you got access to enough joint money to get the work professionally done? If so, do it, and tell your husband you are leaving if he tries to prevent it.

It does sound as if dementia may be exacerbating his existing problems. Do encourage him to get help. But please don’t stay if he refuses to help himself. Don’t let him drag you down with him.

Best of luck. I hope your family back you up.

LaughterLentil · 08/03/2024 22:10

Report via social services, who will make sure the fire brigade install fire alarms for your safety. SW will encourage the husband to seek MH support and refer your 'case' to the hoarding panel, who will monitor the situation. Personally, I would then throw a bag of rubbish out, every single day without telling him. It doesn't matter what, start at the back at the bottom, he will never know! Ruthless, I know, but under the strict instructions of the fire brigade, it will make you feel more courageous.

Elleherd · 09/03/2024 04:16

Please ignore if this isn't of use. Sorry it's long.
I have hoarding disorder and very likely inattentive ADHD. 2nd generation hoarder who grew up in a squalor hoard and very aware of its effects from both ends.
Your thread has flagged on my notifications because a poster has linked it to another I’ve talked about hoarding on in detail, also in ‘relationships.’ You might find some of the detail on it useful.

I’m so sorry you are living in this situation. Hoarding’s a miserable pernicious and very serious MH disorder, and an industry has grown up around it that makes a lot of money keeping hoarders needing services, possibly because there's no actual cure, just self- awareness, followed by self-management.

Even as a self-aware hoarder who desperately wants to change, it is extremely difficult to get actual help. But nothing can change until the individual with the disorder wants to change.

You've three deeply connected problems. Separating them out may help you.

His hoarding issues
His beginning but not finishing projects
Your mutual ages

It is the middle one that is breaking your marriage and destroying your happiness most and fastest. Your ages and the way your husband responds to issues, mean your chances of solving things through self help are tbh very low.

The waiting list for diagnosis for ADHD investigation is now years, and the chances of getting medication for it (legally) without diagnosis is slim. Happyinarcon who raised it, is correct about trauma usually being involved in flight, freeze, behaviors, and it being a bugger to unravel.

Throwing things out surreptitiously or forcibly as someone else suggested, exacerbates the behavior in the person with the disorder, it makes others feel better for the short term but longer-term backfires on everyone. The idea the hoarder will never know is a fallacy. They may not initially realize, but once they do or suspect it, it causes massive insecurity deepening the impulsive behavior. In some individuals it can result in violence.

Fire brigade fitting alarms if you don’t already have them, may help him see his behaviors in a different light, but this is generally an early baby step rather than a big wake up, and may not be helpful if most of his hoard apart from the DIY tools is confined to outside the house.

IME SW ‘monitoring’ is only helpful if you have a very insightful SW and an LA interested in helping residents overcome issues, and not just wanting to charge for ‘services,’ which if he then doesn’t pay for can result on a lien on the house.

There really aren’t simple easy fixes for this situation even when the person really wants them and less so when the person is still in the denial phase.

Given your ages, his lack and your desire for a decent home where you can have your grandchild, sadly, separate accommodation is likely to be your best bet.

If that’s to bad an option for you, then your next best bet is to learn about hoarding and start working on the situation as a partner who wants to help him solve his problems, rather than a partner whose had enough. You shouldn’t have to obviously, but second has already been shown not to work with him, the first can, but it’s very time and energy consuming. (For many, love and understanding that we feel we don’t deserve can allow us address issues and get things moving. Criticism and blame that we feel we do deserve, puts us in defense mode and shuts us down.)

The 'I’m going to start a project, and run out of interest in it’ is the deal breaker here, because it sounds like he is in denial of the practical misery he is actively, (ripping things out) rather than passively, (keeping everything) creating.

It is giving him a sense of being in control of things, moving forward, still being ‘vigorous’ and being ‘his own man’, while actually drawing attention to how far out of control, not vigorous or ‘his own man’ he actually is.

Part of hoarding is that it's generally an exterior manifestation of deeply suppressed internal pain and problems that the person either wont or can’t acknowledge. It's maladaptive behavior, but we don't know that for decades.

The external behavior forces unwanted attention onto the fact the person is hiding or has buried a mess inside. The hoard and extreme attachment to items is a maladaptive behavior symptom, that forces the fact somethings wrong inside, out into the light and doesn’t help them or those around them unless it's recognized, and generally by then, so much damage has been done to everyone around them.