Are you a packrat?

A person who likes to accumulate material items and has a very hard time parting with things is often labeled as a "packrat" in our society.

Out of curiosity I was doing some reading about the rodent the packrat on Wikipedia found a few the terms to be more accurate than I would have previously thought.

• The packrat is active nocturnally. Like many people whose disorganization causes stress which can lead to sleep problems like insomnia developing. I often hear clients complain of trouble sleeping due to the guilt of not staying up to deal with their clutter.

• Packrats will often trade one item they have for something more interesting. Animal experts have observed a packrat carrying one treasure and dropping it to pick up another item that is more interesting to them. Hmmm... I think I have seen this at yard sales by people who are in search of the best treasure for a quarter.

• Packrats will store their treasures inside their vast nests. The treasures have no purpose for the rodent other than to take up space or in some instances to support a part of the nest. How many treasures do you own that have no real purpose except to take up space? I have seen homes where it seems that those "treasures" are helping to support the ceiling of the home.

• Packrats continue to expand their nest to make more room all the time. Hmmm... how many of us look for bigger houses, rent storage units, expand our home, or bring sheds into the backyard, all because we need more room for our stuff. I once spoke to a family that was looking to sell their home for the sole reason that they wanted to have a bigger junk room.

• The rodent is said to be very vocal with fighting between other rodents. Clutter is the cause of MANY fights and rifts in families. I see clients all the time that are desperate to ease conflicts with spouses, friends, and family members by heeding their requests for the person to get more organized.


So the next time that you are called a packrat or you use the term to label someone else... stop and think a moment if you really want to be compared to a rodent who spends their life in a state of high stress, with little rest, always in search of the next big treasure to add to their stash. Do you really want to keep running the same "rat “race or are you ready to make a change in your life? A change that can decrease your stress, improve your sleep, improve your relationships, and allow you to enjoy your life more... a change to get more organized.