Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Collecting by Gail Steketee, David F. Tolin and Randy O. Frost (2007, Paperback)

When I started to read this book I immediately saw my myself in so many ways. As a collector and admirer of many things I am also a hoarder and have accumulated way to many things that I will ever find a use for and that clutter various sections of my home. This book has many step by step procedures and work pages to map your progress as you begin the program. The book also deals with the psychological problems of why so many people save as much as they do. While there are some parts of the book that can be very repetitive, the author never puts pressure on the individual to deal with his problem, rather instructs the individual to work at their own pace while remembering that they are reading this book and participating in this program to better their lives and their emotions. Personnaly I have initiated steps to deal with my clutter problem, and the book has helped me to get a grip on my clutter problem and handling the hardship of parting with some things that have been in ones life too long. I highly recommend this book to folks that have a hoarding problem, or trouble with letting go of the clutter that can make a house look ugly and unappealing.

What I DO NOT LIKE about the book, is that it does not have an index. What I DO LIKE is that is that it is really excellent/superb for its genre. I have worked my way slowly through it over several weeks, doing all of the exercises, questionnaires, etc. and taking notes on the book and it has proved equal or superior in helping me with Compulsive Hoarding than a couple of therapists that I have consulted with.

If you are a health professional, you may well find this to be an extremely supportive book to help you navigate the perplexities of compulsive hoarding. If you have minor to strong packrat tendencies, you will get insights that are very valuable for the price, and some real help

I bought this for my sister, didn't actually read it all myself, though I've read similar parts before. At first she said, "It's going in the trash," which is funny because she never throws anything away. But later she quoted it a couple of times, which is remarkable. It's non-judgmental, psychologically sound, not preachy, and practical. I was disappointed because it is short -- seemed 'lightweight' -- but I think that's a good thing for its audience. Definitely worth the money if it will help you broach a difficult topic with a friend or family member.