The Difference Between Hoarder & Collector

  The difference between being a hoarder and being a collector is neatness

  The hoarder stacks magazines or newspapers or books (car parts, toys, VHS tapes, etc.) in huge piles, without regard to condition or provenance or historical importance, etc.

   The collector has those same piles bagged, boarded, boxed, unopened, filed alpha-numerically by publisher or author or artist (or most likely, all three), with key issues noted as well as historical significance.

   The hoarder might be able to tell you approximately what he or she has, and where it might approximately be located, but the collector can tell you exactly what he or she has and exactly where it is located.

   That's it, that's the difference. 

   Organization.