Hoarding comes in various levels of severity.

Hoarding, as defined by Merriam-Websters dictionary, is “the practice of collecting or accumulating something”.  Collecting items is not necessarily a bad thing - in fact we all have to at some level just to function.  But when it turns into a compulsion to continually accumulate items and/or you have an inability to discard the items without having a great deal of distress, that’s when issues develop, including unsanitary living conditions.

There are multiple levels of hoarding commonly rated on a scale of 1 to 5.  Paying attention to the levels of hoarding can help stop a problem before it starts. 

Hoarding comes at a great expense to the individual with the problem – both monetarily and emotionally.  Often the compulsion to purchase items has them do such in multiples and yet the individual will never use the item or give to someone else.  The secondary item purchased essentially goes to waste along with the money spent to purchase it.  Then, due to the condition of the home, the individual will typically not have others come to their home out of embarrassment, causing a level of isolation.

Taking the steps to clean out the home can be overwhelming.  Getting help from other sources is usually necessary to take true steps in stopping a bad situation.  Having an outsider who can evaluate what stays and what goes helps make quick work of cleaning the home.  A professional can determine what items have a real or sentimental value to the individual and family, while sorting out what can be donated to a good cause or what simply needs to be discarded. Depending on the level of hoarding, and the length of time of collecting the items in the home, removal of items to be discarded can vary from debris in the home to removal of flooring, furniture and mattresses in order to restore the home to a healthy state.  

After a home has been cleared and the person comes back to the residence, it’s important that they continue to get additional support from family, friends and mental health professionals so that the individual continues to make healthy choices.