What is the term used to define the problem with hoarders?

Mental illness.

Yes, but isn’t there a specific term that classifies it as it pertains to hoarding.

Obsessive compulsive disorder.

Compulsive hoarding or pathological collecting.
Bibliomania if it is hoarding of books.

I would say mental illness.

Check this out. My mother in law just said this to my wife.

My Wife: Mom we have to throw these cereal boxes away.
Mother In Law: I know, I’m just putting them away for now.

WTF IS THIS?! This is nuts.

Our garbage can is full at the moment, but this is crazy. Our garage is in a clutter too. She told my wife, “there is a way around the garage, you have to go this way and that way…”

Obviously there shouldn’t have to be a “pathway” to remember, there should just be the entrance towards the door, and walking space between the two doors and garage door. What should we do about this mess? My wife is the owner of the house.

*expired cereal

Owner of the house, as long as she is courteous, trumps hoarder, even if its her mother.

Just say “No.” It will be a nightmare once the baby comes. You want things as neat and clean as orderly as possible. Old cereal boxes do not fit into that scenario.

Is there a way my wife can address mother in laws doctor of this problem in a nice creative manner?

I wouldn’t worry about nice and creative. Just take him or her aside and say, “My mother is an obsessive hoarder and it is really a problem. Do you have any suggestions on how we can deal with this?”

OCD….........

The television shows greatly exaggerate some of the peoples problems. It makes for an interesting show. I feel that they are not handling each individual situation, as it should be.

The majority of people with a major OCD, need psychological evaluation. not begging them to give up thier possessions.

Each call I have answered, involving a major OCD person, was either turned over to a family member and removed from their home or taken for an evaluation.

This is a sticky situation. After careful consideration for the persons well being, a decision is made. I never had a major OCD person to resist the help I offered them. Its the way it is handled, that makes the difference in the outcome.

Do you live with your mother in law in this same house? If you do, then I agree it is a problem. If you don’t and it isn’t a fire hazard, then all you can do is suggest counseling. It is a mental illness and a strange compulsion but relatively harmless. Much preferable to an axe murderer which is also a mental illness.

I agree that the person who owns the house has the final say. If your MIL owns the house, you can talk to her about the baby coming and your need for neatness and order. If there’s a cluttery garage and cereal boxes, but all else is neat, than I say let it go. If the whole house is a disaster, it’s time for some intervention.

@jca: He told us that his wife owns the house.

@whitecarnations;Here’s a rewrite:

My Wife: Mom,I am throwing the cereal boxes away.
Mother In Law: I know, I’m just putting them away for now.
My wife: This is not negotiable. The baby is coming soon and I am throwing the cereal boxes (and anything else you two want to dispose of) now as I just said. Do you want a cup of tea?

Or this version;

My wife; Good-night, mom.
Sweet dreams. White, sweetie, get the trash bags. We’re going to declutter the garage.

OK, screw that. Shit’s outta here, like it or not! If MIL doesn’t like it, she can get out, too!

I think @gailcalled is spot on in her suggestions @whitecarnations.

This must be very stressful for your wife. I also think speaking to your mother-in-law’s doctor would not be a bad idea. Clearing the clutter now is a start but that could also be very stressful for your mother-in-law. It sounds as though she has a mental health problem and you might need additional advice and support to deal with it in the longer term.

What we have done is offer to list the items on Freecycle.com so they can get re-used and not thrown away, plus have yard sales for items that can be sold. Tomorrow, I will be taking a van load of items to Goodwill which did not sell in the week end yard sale – and I will be able to take a substantial tax deduction on it. Mother-In-Law was happy to be able to help us with this.

In my opinion it is a little bit of OCD (to clarify on what some others have stated above obsession is the thoughts, compulsion is the action) mixed in with a lot of sadness and many times loneliness.

@whitecarnations Is it just a few boxes here and there? Or, piles and piles of papers and things? The cereal is expired how long? I would eat cereal expired one month. Some people are too OCD about being clean and neat, I am trying to figure out if all of you are extreme in different directions, or if this is just little things that people could easily overlook.

obsession

@JLeslie makes a good point. If the cereal boxes weren’t opened, and they were not expired for long, I would eat them. Expiration date is often extra early, as a precautionary measure so when the product is sold it’s at its freshest. If boxes were opened or if expiration date was 6 months or more, I would balk.

I’m with @jca. I’d eat them if they were less than a year expired and unopened.
I would not buy more until they were gone.