Many people love to collect things whether it be stamps, postcards, trains or dolls. But sometimes the need to collect and acquire gets out of control, and that, experts say, is when hoarding begins.
Lynnie Pagella posted an ad on Craigslist recently that read: "Clothes Hoarder Cleaning Out." The subject line was meant to get attention and sell some of the items she wanted to part with, but she worried there was some truth to the self-proclaimed title.
She admits, she loves to collect things, especially vintage clothing, During the day she shops at consignment stories and in the evening it's auctions, looking for vintage finds.
On one shopping trip, Pagella stopped by Saver's on the Berlin Turnpike and instantly began stacking dresses in her arms that she planned to buy. She admitted, she already has countless dresses at home. But this was only the tip of the iceberg, it turned out.
Inside Pagella's home is a collection of pants, consisting of 64 pairs. The clincher is that Lynnie doesn't wear pants, and the remaining collection is what is left after she cleaned out a significant number of pairs. She also has a vintage wedding dress collection which is stored in six large bins, jam packed and overflowing. The collection began when Pagella's daughter said she was going to get married. Her daughter has since bought a new wedding gown and won't be wearing any of Lynnie's collection, though the collection continues and includes groom's tuxes as well.
Pagella quit her job as a nurse to "collect" full-time. She sells some of the items on Ebay, but admits she takes in more than she sells.
Parts of her home are unusable because of the number of items she has stored inside, something doctors say is a good sign Pagella may have a problem.
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"Maybe where we see Lynnie is right at the beginning of that escalation, and what she's told us is she's always had these tendencies, what she ended up doing was changing her occupation and social life so they would accommodate that acquiring habit. That habit is now starting to get out of control," Dr. David Tolin of Hartford Hospital said.
Experts say hoarding is a difficult cycle to break and Lynnie has her family's support as she tries to get her acquiring under control. Hoarding can become a health hazard, in extreme cases, it can even lead to death if hoarders are left alone to live in what eventually becomes a household of clutter and filth. If you suspect a friend or family member is exhibiting signs of this disorder, it is best to try to get them help as soon as possible.
