Worried about how much stuff you own and struggle to get rid of your possessions, even when they’re crowding up your limited space? Hoarding is a serious problem. Do you wonder if you have a hoarding issue? Learn about the five stages of hoarding, how they progress from bad to worse and how you can avoid your habit becoming a serious issue.
Read on to find out more about the five stages of hoarding.
What is Hoarding?
Firstly, what is hoarding? Hoarding is a poor habit that entails someone having problems getting rid of stuff. Hoarders generally have trouble getting rid of their personal belongs. They may be sentimentally attached to belongings or might even feel guilty throwing out things – even if they’re just shopping bags or old business cards. In general, hoarding means that a person acquires things out of fear, rather than intentionally keeping items because they either:
- Serve a practical purpose, or;
- Bring a person joy.
Hoarding doesn’t automatically mean a person is dirty or unhygienic. However, if a person progresses through the stages of hoarding (which I’ll touch on shortly), then a person can be unhygienic or dirty. However, hoarding is a progressive disorder with stages ranging from mild to livelihood and life-threatening.
Types of Hoarding
Common types of hoarding include garbage hoarding, paper hoarding, media or photo hoarding, food hoarding, animal hoarding and collectibles/knick-knack hoarding. While hoarding garbage and trash is more serious than the other types of hoarding, all types are problematic. Hoarding causes physical and mental health problems and can cost the hoarder money in the long run. An animal hoarder may struggle with taking care of the pets’ hygiene and may struggle financially due to the responsibility of taking care of vet bills, food and whatever else is needed for the pet. A person who hoards paper may frequently lose bills or other critical documents. The hoarder loses time, money and wastes mental energy constantly searching through the mess to find what he or she needs.
The Difference Between Hoarding and Acquiring Clutter or Collecting
Collecting Clutter vs. Being a Hoarder
The main difference between hoarding and collecting clutter is straightforward. A person who clutters gathers things and just lets them sit around the house without a designated spot. They might keep salt and pepper shakers on the kitchen table and random boxes and bags on the living room table. These items should be put elsewhere or thrown away, but a person with cluttering tendencies will let stuff pile up on surfaces. With a bit of practice, a clutterer can create good habits surrounding putting things back where they belong. On the contrary, a hoarder lets stuff pile up because he or she has sentimental attachments to items, even if they serve no purpose. Hoarding is a chronic issue, while a person who clutters needs to create designated spaces and storage solutions for his or her personal belongings.
Collecting vs. Hoarding
Not sure if you or your loved one collects or hoards? The primary difference between being an avid collector and a hoarder is quite simple, actually. A collector acquires things over time. The collector takes an interest in a certain niche. For example, my grandmother used to have a cupboard full of matching salt and pepper shakers. She intentionally collected them because she thought they were interesting and a nice addition to the home. Additionally, she kept them in a designated clear cupboard that was regularly dusted.
On the contrary, hoarding means that one keeps stuff because of an unhealthy attachment – even if the item is complete junk or he or she already owns 2 of the same items. He or she simply just cannot get rid of stuff – even if it doesn’t serve a purpose or genuinely brings joy.
The Five Stages of Hoarding in Detail
There are 5 stages of hoarding ranging in a minor issue to a very serious problem that requires help. These five levels of hoarding aren’t law, but are general guidelines that help one determine how severe their issue is and if they should seek assistance.
Stage 1: Minor Hoarding Issues
- Small issues such as having a home full of clutter. The stairs of this person’s home are likely blocked at this person tends to buy and acquire things he or she doesn’t need. At this stage, the hoarder likely struggles with throwing away or donating personal possessions.
Stage 2: A Visibly Cluttered Home and Issues Hosting Guests
- At this stage of hoarding, the hoarder may be issues hosting guests. He or she may not have enough room due to clutter taking up spaces. Additionally, he or she may simply be embarrassed to host guests due to the mess. At the second stage out of the five stages of hoarding, at least one entrance will be blocked. One major appliance, such as a stove, may be unusable as there is a large amount of clutter on it.
Stage 3: Clutter Spilling to the Outside and Poor Sanitation
- At the third stage out of the five stages of hoarding, the hoarder has acquired enough stuff that it has piled up on the front porch and/or in the backyard. Inside likely smells from garbage and unsanitary conditions. Garbage is everywhere and every surface is littered with dirt and dust. Additionally, the hoarder may be struggling with weight gain and anxiety due to the lack of space for walking and the unease caused by this lifestyle.
Stage 4: Sewage, Sanitation and Pest Problems
- At the fourth stage of the five stages of hoarding, the bathroom will have sewage issues. The toilet may not flush and the sinks may be clogged. Animals, insects and rodents may be crawling around. Terrible smells come from every room of the house. At this stage, if it hasn’t happened already, the hoarder will be suffering physical and mental health issues.
The Final Stage (Stage 5): Irreversible damage, Fire hazards, Nonfunctional Utilities
- The final stage out of the five stages of hoarding is the most serious. While a person at the other levels of hoarding may be able to live in their home, he or she is unable to at this level. There is likely no electricity or running water. Trash and clutter is littered and piled up everywhere. Each entrance is blocked. At this stage, the home may have structural damage and authorities may be called. Hoarders at this stage generally need serious help for their hoarding disorder.
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The Five Stages of Hoarding and Getting Help
Do I Have a Serious Hoarding Problem?
How do you know if your hoarding issue is serious? It’s difficult to know where to draw the line, but generally, if you’re past the second stage of hoarding, you should get help. When your home is unhygienic and unliveable and you cannot stop hoarding without help, it’s time to get assistance.
Getting Help for A Serious Hoarding Problem
If you need help with hoarding, you might be able to get help from family and friends to clean up. However, if it’s a serious problem, seek out professional advice. A therapist will be able to help you on your journey to creating and maintaining better habits. Even if the therapist can’t solve your issue, he or she can guide you in the right direction. Additionally, a therapist is a great way to help you see your emotions and reasons for your actions in a more objective manner. Don’t be afraid to get help. It might be embarrassing, but once you improve your situation, your mental and physical health will be in a better place – and so will your relationships!
How to Move Out of the Five Stages of Hoarding
If your hoarding issue isn’t too serious and you’re on stage one or two out of the 5 stages of hoarding, you can consider decluttering your home yourself. Below are the top decluttering tips for hoarders. Ideally, you’ll want to look which of the stages you’re in of the five stages of hoarding and aim towards moving down a step at at time.
Tip #1: Write Down Your Goals in a Journal
How does the saying go? Something like, “You can’t track what you don’t measure.” Before you work on your hoarding problem, it’s crucial to dig down to the ‘why.’ Why do you want to get rid of stuff? Aside from the obvious benefits mentioned here, what is the number one reason working on your hoarding problem will help you personally? Write down your reasons for working on your hoarding issues in a journal. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, choose just one reason.
Some reasons to get you started include:
- The ability to host guests at your home
- Decreased anxiety
- Increased space to exercise and motivation to commit to a workout schedule
Setting just one goal and writing it down can help immensely with motivation. Working on moving down the chain of the five stages of hoarding is a big step. Write it down and post it in a visible area of your home such as your fridge. When you see your goal, you’ll be more motivated to stay on track.
Tip #2: Declutter One Area or Room At at Time
As I mentioned in the previous step, setting one goal at a time is crucial. This also goes for actually cleaning and decluttering your home. When you start working on your hoarding issue, tackle one area or room at a time such as the garage. Once you’ve successfully decluttered this area, work on another. If you want, you can even start with one type of possession at a time. For example, you can declutter clothes in your wardrobe first before moving on to books or kitchen items. Take it slow. One step at a time!
Tip #3: Avoid Burnout by Taking Breaks
In addition to decluttering one area or room at a time, be sure to take breaks during your decluttering episodes. For every 45 minutes or so, take 15 minutes to get a snack or coffee, sit down and relax. Go outside, sit down and enjoy the sound of the birds chirping and the wind blowing. Remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. When starting a new habit, it’s completely natural to get excited and go wild. However, this just isn’t sustainable. Working too hard for too long can lead to burnout. Burnout can cause you to become less motivated, become more cynical and even give up.
In addition to cleaning one room or section at a time and setting achievable goals, avoid burnout by enlisting the help or family or friends. If you have a close enough relationship, your family member or friend can help you clean up. If you aren’t comfortable with him or her coming over and seeing your mess, you can meet up once a week or so. Keep your family member or friend posted on your progress, report on any challenges and seek encouragement.
Tip #4: Reward Yourself After Achieving a Goal
Decluttering and working on your hoarding issue is a big deal. You should be proud! Don’t forget to reward yourself for the progress you’ve made. After completing a stage in your anti-hoarding work, order some pizza or takeout – or whatever makes you happy! The positive reinforcement from regular rewards will keep you motivated to keep going on your journey to becoming a more mindful, clean person.
Tip #5: Allow Yourself the Right to Buy New Things
While it may seem counterintuitive to buy new stuff, you can do this no problem! When you work on a hoarding problem, you’ve gotten rid of a lot of personal items. Many of this stuff is junk or may be duplicate items of things you already own. Feel free to buy 1 or 2 new things if you have the room for it. Additionally, when you go out to buy something, ask yourself this question. If the answer is “yes,” you can feel safe about buying the item:
“Does this jacket/fancy perfume/antique lamp serve a purpose? Will I actually use this or at least get value from it?”
Need a simple way to reward yourself for the progress you’ve made? Allow yourself to buy one item for every room you declutter. Be sure the item isn’t too expensive and budget ahead of time so it’s included in your monthly expenses. Don’t max out your credit card!
Type #6: Try Decluttering a Room in 30 Minutes
It’s so easy to get distracted with out busy lives. If you’re feeling rushed, try decluttering a room in 30 minutes. Gather cleaning supplies, and boxes for what you’ll keep, throw away and donate. Dump everything on the floor, then quickly decide on each items’ destination. Set a timer so you know how long your decluttering challenge has taken. Once you’ve decluttered a room or section in 30 minutes, commit to doing this once a week or so at a designated time. Before you know it, you’ll be one step closer to fixing your hoarding issue!
Tip #7: Try a 30 Day Decluttering Challenge
Is stopping a hoarding problem overwhelming? Why not try it out for 30 days? A 30-day decluttering challenge is a great way to kickstart good habits. Each day, spend 10-15 minutes working on your hoarding issue. Clean one section of a room, whether it be inside the cupboards, fridge or the countertop. Just a few minutes per day spent working on hoarding will build good habits over time. Before you know it, decluttering will become second nature!
Remember – only take on a little bit at a time. If decluttering every day is too much, just do it a couple times a week. Help yourself stay consistent by setting aside a designated time slot on a specific day. A Saturday afternoon may be an ideal time if you have less going on with school and home obligations. There are no right or wrong times – just choose the best schedule that works for you! Additionally, be sure to plan out how you’ll take on the clutter cleanup by using a checklist.
Tip #7: Try a Decluttering Service
Still overwhelmed? If you can afford it, look into hiring a decluttering service. There are countless organizations out there dedicated to deep cleaning. When you hire decluttering and organizing services, you’ll free up time to do other stuff. Spend some much-needed time with your sister – or why not try a new side hustle or gig? Build new positive habits surrounding relationships and work in addition to committing to a life of cleanliness and intentionality!
A Final Note on The Five Stages of Hoarding
Working through the five stages of hoarding is a crucial process for those who struggle with hoarding. Even if you aren’t a serious hoarder, decluttering your life will improve your mental health, physical health and relationships. Take it slow and declutter one room at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be a decluttering pro and hoarding will be in the rearview mirror!
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
