Walton said she created an online community on TikTok, where she has more than 2,500 followers, after feeling pressure from the stigma attached to the disorder.
“I wanted to find people like me,” she says.
She is now running a free in-person group for others living with the condition, which will be hosted at Brackley Fire Station on Oxford Road on the first Friday of every month, starting on 7 August.
Walton says she wants to create a safe space for people to share their experiences and learn about the health, wellbeing and fire safety risks associated with hoarding.
Jo Cooke, the director of Hoarding Disorders UK, said: “The more that we raise awareness about hoarding as a mental health disorder, the better people will understand it.
“It is not about people that are lazy or dirty or someone that can’t clean their house properly, it is not a lifestyle choice.”
Cooke is part of a group pushing for national guidelines about the condition as it has reached “crisis point”.
“A lot of professionals are not equipped to deal with the complexities of hoarding,” she added.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Hoarding disorder can have a very distressing impact on the lives of individuals and their loved ones.
“This government is improving access to mental health support, with a record £16.1bn of funding in 2026-27, recruiting thousands of additional mental health workers and expanding NHS talking therapies.
“Later this year, our Mental Health Strategy will outline how we go further to build a mental health system that responds earlier, reduces waiting times for support, and helps people to participate in education, work, family and community life.”
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