Hoarding Vs Clutter - How Can You Know the Difference?
By Martha Clouse

The A&E show, Hoarders does not give viewers the option to walk away untouched. Whether you are shocked, saddened, or can relate to the accumulation of things, it is impossible not be moved by the plight of these homeowners. So how do you know if you or someone you know is a hoarder? According to Mike Nelson, author of Stop Clutter from Stealing Your Life and originator of Clutterless Recovery Groups, less than 1% of the population is a true hoarder. He explains the difference this way:

A hoarder cannot make rational decisions about what is useful and what is not. Thus, the hoarder often saves garbage or soiled items. If you don't you probably aren't. You are probably "just" a clutterer, like the rest of us. I have worked with hoarders in my consulting capacity and it is a very sad and difficult task to help hoarders.

A hoarder obsesses about her stuff and is compelled to collect it. A clutterer just lets it pile up. We don't give it much thought. It seems to flow into our lives without any effort on our part.

A hoarder is usually unaware of anything being wrong. If you are concerned about your clutter, you are in good shape.

In an attempt to quantify the difference between accumulating clutter and actual hoarding, the Clutter-Hoarding Scale used by many helping professionals was developed in October of 2003. An explanation of purpose and scope is given in the report accessed from NSGCD.org

The NSGCD Clutter Hoarding Scale is an assessment measuring tool developed by the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) to give professional organizers and related professionals definitive parameters [to distinguish clutter from hoarding.] These parameters relate to health and safety issues and present a potential range in which professional organizers and related professionals may actually choose to work.

"This scale is primarily based on the interior of a home, except where the outside structure affects the overall safety of the interior, as indicated. It does not include sheds and unattached garages and out buildings.

Four categories are taken into account and described in specific terms for each of the 5 levels of the Clutter-Hoarding Scale. (Level I is low; Level IV is high.)

- Structure and zoning
- Household functions
- Pets and rodents
- Sanitation and cleanliness

The hardest thing for a friend or family member of an extreme clutterer or hoarder is the feeling of helplessness. How do you approach another adult to convince them that their behavior is unsafe, unhealthy, and unproductive?

As the Clutter-Hoarding Scale indicates, there often is an underlying psychological cause that must be addressed before clearing the clutter can begin. For Levels III and higher, the NSGCD recommends that organizers work hand-in-hand mental health experts, health and safety personnel, and perhaps even the judicial system in order to make a lasting difference.

These are a few of the characteristics present when cluttering/hoarding adversely affect quality of life:

1. Most hoarders have never been married and live alone.
2. Possessions, books, even papers, come to fill an emotional need.

• As clutter builds, life feels out of control.
• Embarrassed by the disarray, a clutterer/hoarder will not allow other people to enter the home.
• The hoarder becomes increasingly isolated since he cannot invite friends and family in.
• She spends more time outside the home because the home is uncomfortable physically and emotionally.
• There is the equivalent of three laundry baskets or more of dirty clothes per bedroom.
• Former cleaning practices are disrupted since clutter covers most surfaces
• Pet hair and excrement are not cleaned up regularly, making living conditions unhealthy.
• Food preparation surfaces are not clean and dirty dishes fill the sink, overflowing onto the counters.
• There is a resulting unpleasant odor that permeates the home.
• Household maintenance is not performed when needed, leading to mechanical and structural problems.
• One or more major appliances is not operational.

A doctor will hear, "I have this pain...," or a dentist, "This one tooth has been bothering me." Pro organizers hear about the sister-in-law who has waist-high clutter throughout her house. It is heartbreaking to know that help is available, but no one is willing to confront the loved one and get assistance.

Hopefully, seeing that others have overcome the same problem and have their homes and lives back will be a motivating influence to clutterers and friends alike. Hoarders show producers and the professionals who donate their time and energy to reach out have brought the problem home - literally into our living rooms. Now what are we going to do about the elephant in the room?

Sometimes life throws you a curve and the resulting disorganization seems like a mountain. After moving 11 times in 20 years as a military wife while raising four children, Martha shares with you what she learned "under fire" about coping with change, using time to your advantage, and how to create a calm oasis out of chaos.

To learn more about cleariing clutter, maximizing storage while retaining a spacious feel, the basic systems you need in your home office to guarantee productivity, how to save an hour a day consistently, and to receive access to the free e-booklet "60 Tips to Organize Your Life", visit http://Organized4L.com.

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