I have been a Bad Boy, No self control at all!

Okay, so it's more like addiction then? When I was active in various action figure groups back in the day, we used to refer to the hobby as "plastic crack"!

On a more serious note, I do often wonder when collecting becomes hoarding. I had business dealings with a man some years ago who was quite wealthy but seemed to have crossed a line between collecting and hoarding. He had a small staff and a pretty large house, so the worst excesses were kept in check. Also, the stuff wasn't just junk but amazing and expensive antiques and artwork. His house was dark and gloomy but the downstairs was maintained. The upstairs was full of junk as well as expensive rugs, furniture and other items. I recall a room with paperwork and magazines scattered around along with a brass HO locomotive, all left on top of an expensive oriental rug. Definitely an odd situation!

I would define hoarding as a mass accumulation without any organization. Buying up things simply as self endulgence, only to be unappreciated and quickly forgotten.