How can a non-hoarder write a book about hoarding? That is easy. I was raised by one, I was married to one, and I served as landlord to many more hoarders. My life has been a tug-of-war of emotions dealing with being criticized, compared to, and punished by my dad for mom's extreme hoarding, and the pain and work it causes everyone involved. Through the journey, I have come to accept the humanity of the hoarder who is buried, cocooned, and insulated by their stuff. I hope my insights will help with whatever journey you are undergoing with your loved ones, even if their hoarding has left no room in their life for you right now. Please don't take it personally, but read the seven reasons I have finally concluded that these individuals choose their mountains of belongings over us. Wishing you health and peace on your journey that you are undertaking, whether it be understanding, compassion, physically shoveling out the garbage, or ultimately accepting the world of hoarding your loved one has now put in front of you. Wishing you the best- Laura Cochran, author A-Z of Hoarding the 7 reasons people hoard Table of Contents: A-Z of Hoarding Introduction Chapter 1: Seven Categories of Hoarders: And Why We Stare Chapter 2: Emotional Hoarding -the elderly hoarder -the empty-nester -the widow, the widower -those who hoard because of emotional attachment to the item -those who hoard because of deceased loved one -filling the void left by children leaving, by someone leaving them, by someone dying -feeling unlovable -hoarding because a loved one touched this item -a loved one might need this item Chapter 3: Need-Based Hoarding -the child who needed, and grew up needing -the artist -the crafter -the scrap-booker -the food hoarder -those who hoard everything because it might be needed or useful later Chapter 4: Inability To Make A Decision Hoarding -the caregiver -the care-provider -those who hoard because they are not capable of making a permanent decision about this item at this moment -too overwhelmed -decision-making has this hoarder paralyzed -afraid of making the wrong decision -self-criticism over any decision -paralyzed by fear of criticism of others, past or present, rendering them incapable of making a decision right now -the reader Chapter 5: Slob or Addict: Selfish Hoarding -the tenant -the roommate -the slob -the gamer -the addict -those who hoard because they are too self-absorbed, self-feeding, to care about their surroundings -indifferent to those they affect Chapter 6: Gift Hoarding; Useful To Others Hoarding -the gift collector -the do-gooder -the neighbor who saves everything for someone else -extreme food hoarding -extreme prepping for catastrophe -fear based hoarding of supplies to save society from Armageddon and end of life events Chapter 7: Compulsive Shopping for the Rare; Collectors -the shopper -the collector -the loner -the eccentric -the antique collector -the person who finds the deals and buys the sales -the one-person flea market -the rationalist; this rare treasure adds value to me, adds value to my life and self-worth -the reward of finding the one item that will sell -the self-validation of finding a rare item -the compulsive ebay seller; their home has turned into a storage facility -the collector of the rare Chapter 8: Animal Hoarding Chapter 9: When A Non-Hoarder Marries A Hoarder Chapter 10: When A Hoarder Marries A Hoarder Chapter 11: The Hoarder We Love -can they be helped -what are states and communities doing -hoarders who don't want help -loving them the way they are -when they endanger themselves -when they endanger others (family, housemates, neighborhoods, apartment complexes, firefighters) Chapter 12: Famous Hoarders -celebrity hoarders -those who became famous because of their hoarding Chapter 13: Protecting The People We Love Staging an Intervention: When You Must Step In