Signs You’re a Box Hoarder – and What to Do About It

Whether it’s an appreciation for beautiful packaging or saving one for future use, we’ve all kept boxes around at home at some point.

For some people though, it’s become like an obsession, almost to the point of hoarding.

If you think you’ve been keeping more boxes than you should – or if your family has expressed their concerns about how many boxes you have at home – then you need to step back and see whether you have a problem hoarding boxes.

You Know You’re A Box Hoarder If…

1. You keep boxes for no reason – You hold on to boxes even if you literally have no need for them. The boxes just sit on a shelf or get stored in a closet and accumulate over time.

2. You get stressed about de-cluttering – You get anxious and insist on keeping every single box. Your reason? Because they might be useful

3. Boxes start to take over your home – Your closet and garage are overflowing with boxes. You continue to acquire/keep boxes at the expense of liveable space.

4. You’re too emotionally attached to boxes – You hold on to a box from 10 years ago because of what was once inside it. You have a strong – if not misplaced – sentimental value on the packaging and refuse to let it go.

Issues With Box Hoarding

Hoarding boxes at home can create a variety of problems for you and your family,

The biggest problem for many is the lack of space. Boxes can fill up closets and, in severe cases, entire rooms. Over time, it can take over your living areas, leaving you and your family with less space for other things.

Then there’s the issue with clutter. It’s common for box hoarders to feel embarrassed about the mess of boxes in their homes, which makes it difficult to have other people inside. Friends and relatives can be discouraged from visiting, resulting in social interactions diminishing. Some box hoarders even end up living around faulty appliances or malfunctioning utilities because they don’t want the plumber or electrician to see the mess.

Box hoarding can also cause rifts in your family. Being forced to live in a cluttered home, for example, can be a source of resentment among spouses.

How To Stop Being A Box Hoarder

Find other ways to use cardboard boxes

Saving a box for future use is one of the reasons people keep boxes. But if you’ve saved more than enough boxes, the rest are just waste. Instead of saving extra boxes for future packaging, get creative and think beyond the “ideal” purpose of that box. For example, you can use cardboard boxes as storage for your kids’ toys. (You’d have fun with your kids decorating or painting these boxes for their rooms.) Or you can even use it as a paper recycling bin.

Take photos then discard the boxes right away

If you’re keeping a box for sentimental reasons, you’re more likely to hoard it. One good way to overcome this urge is to take a photo of it before discarding it completely. This way, you can preserve its memory without keeping the actual box. This also works if you’re buying electronics or re-purchasing certain items. Just snap a photo of the item info (model number, colour, cost, etc.) printed on the packaging and discard the box right away.

Get help

If hoarding boxes has become a big problem for you and your family, don’t be afraid to get help from experts. Getting support, guidance, and advice from psychologists and other professionals can help you overcome this addiction with less stress.

And To Wrap It Up…

If you have the tendency to hoard boxes, don’t worry – it’s not the end of the world. With the right techniques and guidance, you can overcome the urge to hoard boxes and gain confidence in your ability to stay organised.

If you have old boxes that you want to get rid of, have a chat with us to learn more about what you can do with it. As a supplier of recycled boxes, we know a lot about boxes and what you can do with them.