Clutterers Anonymous

{{Short description|Hoarding twelve-step program help group}}

Clutterers Anonymous (CLA) is a twelve-step program for people who share a common problem with accumulation of clutter. CLA says that it focuses on the underlying issues made manifest by unnecessary physical and emotional clutter, rather than hints, tips and lectures.{{cite web|url=http://clutterersanonymous.org/what-cla-offers/|title=What CLA Offers |website=Clutterers Anonymous|accessdate=2014-11-17}} CLA had active meetings in about 70 cities in 24 states in the US, and several in England, Germany, and Iceland, as of 2011.http://www.clutterersanonymous.org Clutterers Anonymous{{cite news |last=Morford |first=Mark |title=Clutter cure begins with garbage bag |date=2005-11-04 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=2007-06-24 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/04/DDG2JFI5V11.DTL |archivedate=2012-10-24 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024115126/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2005%2F11%2F04%2FDDG2JFI5V11.DTL |url-status=dead }} CLA Tradition 3 states, "The only requirement for CLA membership is a desire to stop cluttering."{{cite news |last=Randazzo |first=Angela |title=Help Clearing Clutter is a Call Away |work=Los Angeles Daily News|date=1999-10-01 |accessdate=2007-06-24 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83627305.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020092641/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83627305.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-20}} Clutterers Anonymous replaces "powerless over alcohol" in the First Step of the Twelve Steps originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with "powerless over our clutter."{{cite news |last=Nazario |first=Sonia |title=Self-help: We can't help it |date=1999-08-08 |accessdate=2007-06-24 |work=Chicago Sun-Times|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4507455.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516170152/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4507455.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16}} CLA was founded in May 1989 in Simi Valley, California. CLA notes that there are countless reasons a person may become a clutterer or hoarder, however this program does not concern itself with the "why". Instead CLA focuses on helping those still suffering, with a path to "sobriety", in this case de-cluttering in order to restore serenity, clarity, and the ability to live a fulfilling life.