Despite its name, National Pack Rat Day isn’t a holiday that encourages people to pile more stuff into their closets, garages, or storage rooms. No, it’s a day that encourages everyone to take a good hard look at their homes and to clear out some of their clutter. After all, just about all of us have some clutter that we could part with if we just made the time. This holiday is observed on May 17th every year, so if you are looking for an excuse to get rid of all that junk you’ve stockpiled, then this day is the day to start the process of decluttering.

The History Of National Pack Rat Day

Unfortunately, at this time, we’re unable to uncover who invented National Pack Rat Day or even when it was invented. We do know that it’s been around for a few years, but that’s currently all we know at this time. We’ll continue to research this holiday and will add additional information about this holiday’s history as it becomes available.

Facts About Compulsive Hoarding

Even though people often conflate pack rats with compulsive hoarders, these are really two different categories. Packrats tend to keep a few items that they don’t need and can get rid of if they choose, while compulsive hoarders are people who have a problem discarding the useless items in their lives. In this fact section, we’re going to take a few moments to list a few facts about compulsive hoarding.

• Approximately 1.4 million people in the United States are affected by compulsive hoarding.
• Compulsive hoarding tendencies can begin during childhood or the teen years but can worsen as the person gets older.
• Some people hoard because the fear of making a wrong decision prevents them from throwing stuff out.
• Most people who are compulsive hoarders don’t realize that they have a compulsive hoarding problem.
• Some studies suggest that there’s a connection between OCD disorders and hoarding behavior.
• Hoarding can often accompany other mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder, social anxiety, and depression.
• Therapy can be more effective in helping someone with compulsive hoarding than medication can be.
• Most people suffering from compulsive hoarding hoard personal possessions such as books, photos, clothing, and containers.
• There are some people suffering from compulsive hoarding that may hoard human waste products or garbage.

Observing National Pack Rat Day

To observe this holiday, a person first has to be honest about their home and the stuff they have in it. They have to consider whether they’re really a packrat or not and if they determine that they are, then they should take the steps to clear out their clutter. If there’s stuff that you haven’t used in a while, then it’s more than likely not something you need to keep around. Recycle those items that can be recycled and clear out all of the trash. Once you’ve done that, you can use the hashtag #NationalPackRatDay to spread the word to other hoarders that they should also clear out their clutter.