Hoarding Disorder
A mental health condition involving persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, which leads to clutter that keeps living spaces from being used as intended. Since 2013 it has been recognized as its own diagnosis in the DSM-5, the standard manual used by mental health professionals.

Common Acronyms
OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder
CPS: Child Protective Services
APS: Adult Protective Services

Hoarding Behaviors
definition

Hoarding Tendencies
definition

Clutter
A large volume of possessions that fills living areas and interferes with daily activities. Clutter alone doesn’t mean someone has Hoarding Disorder. What matters is the difficulty letting go and the impact on daily life.

Excessive Acquiring
Repeatedly collecting, buying, or picking up free items that aren’t needed or for which there’s no space. Many, but not all, people with Hoarding Disorder experience this.

Difficulty Discarding
The core feature of Hoarding Disorder. Parting with items, even ones of little value, causes significant distress, often because of a perceived future need or an emotional attachment.

Insight
How aware a person is that their hoarding behavior is a problem. Insight can range from good to absent. Low insight is common and is a symptom of the condition, not stubbornness.

Collecting vs. Hoarding
Collectors typically organize, display, and take pride in their items, and their collections don’t stop rooms from being used. Hoarding usually involves disorganized accumulation that causes distress or impairment.

Clutter Image Rating (CIR)
A widely used assessment tool that shows a series of photos of rooms at increasing levels of clutter. People pick the image closest to their space, which makes it easier to describe severity without judgment.

Clutter-Hoarding Scale®
A five-level scale developed by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). Professionals use it to assess the condition of a home and to plan safe, appropriate next steps.

Chronic Disorganization
A long-standing pattern of disorganization that affects quality of life and keeps coming back despite repeated self-help attempts. It can overlap with hoarding but is not the same thing.

Animal Hoarding
Keeping more animals than a person can properly care for, often while not recognizing the animals’ declining health or living conditions.

Squalor/Self Neglect
Unsanitary living conditions, such as spoiled food, waste, or pest infestations. Squalor can happen alongside hoarding but is a separate concern.

Harm Reduction
An approach that focuses first on safety, such as clear exits, working smoke detectors, and safe pathways, rather than on removing all clutter at once. It respects the person’s pace and builds trust.

Forced Cleanout
Removing a person’s belongings without their participation or consent, often under eviction or code-enforcement pressure. Forced cleanouts are often traumatic, and clutter usually returns without ongoing support.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Hoarding
A form of therapy, adapted specifically for hoarding, that helps people understand their thoughts about possessions, practice decision-making, and gradually reduce acquiring and clutter.

Hoarding Task Force / Hoarding Alliance
These organizations may include mental health providers, social services, code enforcement, fire departments, housing agencies, and professional organizers. Task forces coordinate a compassionate, effective response to hoarding situations. Hoarding alliances provide resources and referrals to related professionals and members of the community.

Person-First Language
Saying “a person with Hoarding Disorder” instead of “a hoarder.” This wording recognizes the individual as more than their condition and helps reduce stigma.

Professional Organizations
There are many organizations that support individuals, small businesses and others in the US and Internationally including:
- ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization)
- NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals)
- IOCDF (The International OCD Foundation)
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