My mother lives with me, and I do understand her not having all the things she once had in her home. That includes all the clothes!! Which by the way she could no longer wear. Well since moving into my home in her closest are things she can actually wear, but every day she is pulling clothes ou the closet, rearranging them and putting them back, Sometimes she pulls out everything!!!, hangs 3 to 4 pieces on a hanger and tieing them in knots. I always her why she doing this, she said I'm trying to get them arranged. I guess this should not bother me its just that when I tell her to get dressed we going out, I cant find anything matching or decent for her to put on. Every time I empty a tote she says she needs it to pack her hats or summer clothes, which I have already moved out of her room. Is this just something that goes with dementia or alzheimer? She does have advance dementia.
I think she must get great enjoyment from "playing" with her clothes the way she does. My mother has similar behavior with "important" papers. She sits in her room and sorts and re-sorts for hours. She has saved so many papers over the years, like my dad's check stubs from the 60's ! This may seem totally wasted time to me but I think it reminds her of days when there was more purpose to her life. The way I see it, is that it is harmless and brings her happiness so I don't make too much of it.