The following are tendencies that are very common in those who struggle with hoarding, and to a lesser extent, in non-hoarders. Read the questions below and note how many resonate with you:

1. Do you have a hard time parting with items, even if you never use them or they're broken?
2. Do you have many items around your house that don't have a permanent home?
3. Do you tend to make piles of things, to be dealt with at a future time, and these piles often linger for more than a few days?
4. Are there areas in your home (the dining room table, for instance) that must be cleared off before they can be used for their intended purpose?
5. Do you save things often because you are concerned about how you will feel if you need them in the future and no longer have them?
6. Do you often save things without a clear idea of how you'll use them in the future?
7. Do you still have items that you once bought with the intention of giving them away as gifts?
8. Do you have boxes of possessions that have moved with you from home to home but you've never gone through?
9. Do you often buy multiples of the same item because you've forgotten you have it?
10. Are you helpless when faced with a "good deal," even if it's a good deal on something you don't need?
11. Do you take free things, like shampoos from hotels or packets of soup crackers, that you never wind up using?

The more of these questions you answered yes to, the stronger your hoarding tendencies, and your environment is likely cluttered accordingly. If you answered yes to all of them, it does not mean you are a hoarder; many of us have hoarding tendencies, but because they are kept in check, things don't escalate to the point where life is greatly affected. Still, the more you have, the more mindful you need to be of your habits so your environment does not cause you undue stress.

Source: The Hoarder in You