The way I found this site is through a friend that I was sharing the story of my marriage. I am currently separated from my husband of 27 years. He has a serious problem with collecting junk, there is a mountain of it in our yard and now that I am out of the house, the house is getting filled up as well.
He finds "good stuff" everywhere he goes. It he thinks that he or somebody else could possibly use it, he hangs onto it. It is a dangerous fire hazard and has rats and is nasty beyond belief.
HE also stays out in it all the time. He never knew what was going on with his family. More like a visitor in the house than a part of the family. I don't think he feels comfortable where it is clean and fairly orderly. Mind you, I am NOT a clean freak at all.
One thing that he would do that about drove me out of my mind was to come into the house after work and find various chores that I had not gotten to do in the house during the day. Now I homeschooled 4 children, so there was always something to do. He would jump form one thing to another to another, complaining and harping until I would either melt down and cry or blow up in self defense. Then he would stop his tirade and would smile and ask me what my problem was. Untill the children got old enough to confirm what he was doing to me, I thought I was possibly imagining this treatment.
Anyway, I have had enough of this and as seeking a divorce. I am concerned about our son and would like some advice as to how to help him.

Oprah did a show once on something called Hoarding Disorder.
My friends husband does the same thing you described.
If he's not on ebay buying more junk that he never does anything with.
He's in his garages surrounded by all the stuff but never seems to complete a project.
Too me it always looks like he's being buried alive in his own stuff.

Homeschooled four children. Wow!! What an accomplishment.:)
What are the concerns you are having for your son?
Is he learning to repeat some of the same behaviors you mentioned that his father does?

the biggest thing that my son does is play pc games. Would do it 24/7. no job, no car, in debt up to his ears. But his life is just fine thankyouverymuch!! You know what I mean. There is alot of anger there and he seems to blame everybody else for the way his life is going when he does talk as if there is a problem somewhere. I have an earlier post that describes it in a little more detail.
I don't know if my husband is a lost cause. Even if he does get help, i've taken as much as I am mentally able. I had some sort of breakdown a couple of years ago. Put the kids in school and got a job. After 2 years of continuing to plead with him to do something about his mountain of "good stuff" I decided I have a life to live and I need my mind to live it. So I'm out, but I feel bad for him. Like I'm leaving an invalid. I feel very torn.
Anyway, thankyou for the encouraging words. If anyone out there has experienced the conflicting emotions that I am having. please share how you dealt with them.