I am a hoarder too. Not proud of it, but can't stop.

I don't hoard anything important except to me. Maybe having people come in here and take things made me start. It made me get rid of things other people might want anyway.

So I have all the boxes and crates of 'stuff'. I have tried endlessly to clean out, but don't get anywhere.

Someone above said they feel claustrophobic in a hoarders house. That may be another reason I can't 'cure myself' of this. I feel comfortable in the overstuffed surroundings, and agoraphobic without it. And since I avoid being around people as much as possible, this may be a way for me to feel comfortable hoping no one will enter my physical world.

I know it isn't healthy, but it is very hard to reason with oneself at times.

Are your parents stubborn or are they so attached to their things they would feel like losing things is losing a part of themselves?