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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Cait Kelly Inequality reporter

Julie never imagined hoarding would dominate her life. As help is cut, she fears for the future

The illustration shows a window with stacks of books slowly closing in on a figure.
The shame of Julie’s hoarding is wrapped up in secrecy. Only her daughter and two friends know. None of them can help her. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design

One pile for boxes, another for lamps. Then there’s the tower of yellowing newspapers, the top one dated 2003, alongside mounds of clothes, children’s toys, letters and bills that were paid years ago.

The stacks of objects littering Julie’s* home in Point Cook in Melbourne’s western suburbs are neat – there are just a lot of them.

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