3. Even decluttering a tiny area is a huge undertaking that would take more than a few hours or days to complete. A person with a hoarding problem can find even a tiny amount of clutter to be an organizational nightmare. A person with a hoarding problem may be distinguished from someone who is just prone to mild disorder and clutter by their inability to organize their belongings efficiently. That example, if a person who does not suffer from hoarding problems sets aside three hours to sit in front of her heaps of belongings, she can generally sort and organize them with some efficiency.

4. Your loved one has a habit of not paying his or her bills on time. Bill collectors may be hounding your loved one because he has missed payments on his house or credit card despite having the funds to do so. When you call your loved one, you might find that the phone has been disconnected again, or that she is without electricity or heat. Because of the clutter in the house, your loved one may be unable to find invoices, essential notices, or documents.

5. Because of excessive purchasing, your loved one is in debt. Another clue that your loved one may be suffering from hoarding is that she spends more money than she earns. People who hoard may not admit to buying stuff they don't need, in part because they have a different perspective on the situation. They will tell you without blinking that having extra presents on hand for unexpected guests or last-minute festivities is always a good idea. It's possible that you'll see shipments that she hasn't opened. You may discover that your loved one has stocked her pantry and closets with far more goods than she can possibly need, or that she has stocked her freezer with expired or old food that she refuses to throw away.

6. Your loved one has problems finding items and is averse to putting things away. Because there is so much stuff, your loved one may have difficulty finding items. She might whine that she's misplaced her handbag or phone yet again. She can be late for appointments because she can't find her calendar or the note you sent her with the time and location of your meeting. People who hoard insist on keeping their possessions visible, frequently in stacks from floor to ceiling or strewn across most horizontal surfaces, which exacerbates the problem.

7. Repairs to your loved one's home are put off. You might be perplexed as to why your loved one complains about a leaking faucet or a broken toilet yet refuses to let you fix it. She may tell you that the broken toilet isn't a big deal, or that she appreciates your assistance but needs to clean up the house first before you or the plumber arrive. You may have watched as the roof caved in or weeds choke the front and back yards over the years, but your loved one insists that things aren't that terrible.

8. Your significant other demands that she meet you at your home or at the function. People who hoard frequently feel uneasy having strangers in their houses. They may be afraid that you will discover the extent of their hoarding problem, or they may simply be bored of your repeated fights about it. You may be perplexed as to why your loved one is anxious to meet with you but only if she can meet you at your home or at the event; and why she consistently declines your offers to pick her up or drop her off at her residence.

9. Your loved one's garage is overflowing, so he rents a storage unit or many. Overflowing closets and garages could be an indication of a hoarding problem in the making. Furthermore, your loved one may have many storage facilities in the back and front yards, or he may have asked you to store items in your garage or storage places for him. Your loved one may be paying rent on multiple storage spaces and always appears to be looking for more.

10. You will not be allowed to touch or borrow your loved one's belongings. You may have been offended when your loved one refused to lend you a saw, a book, or even yesterday's newspaper when you visited him. When you picked up something of his or pushed some papers aside to sit on the sofa, your loved one may have barked at you. When you visit him, you may have learnt to keep your hands in your pockets and to stand rather than sit.