So what's the difference between hoarding and just plain clutter?We're asked this question quite often—either by clients needing help with clutter clearing but who hesitate to admit that they are in fact hoarders, preferring to call themselves "messies," "disorganized," or even "collectors"—or by those seeking help for their friends or relatives. So what's the difference? For any situation requiring the clearing of clutter, we use the NSGCD Hoarding Scale as our guide. Simply put, it's a matter of degree and livability. The Hoarding Scale uses five levels of livability, 1 being functional and 5 being the highest degree of dysfunction. Below are very brief descriptions of the levels:
Most people with some form of chronic disorganization but not necessarily hoarding disorder would fall into Level 2, possibly moving into Level 3. Full Levels 3 through 5 do enter the realm of hoarding if the conditions are directly caused by the hoard, which is usually the case when we're called in to clear the clutter.
Fortunately for the true "messies"—disorganized but not hoarders—the prognosis is quite good if they work with an expert trained to help with the various forms of chronic disorganization, such as ADHD, OCD, traumatic brain injury, etc. For true hoarders, studies and research have found the two most effective methods in helping people with hoarding challenges, after the clutter has been cleared, have been NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) and cognitive therapy. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMichelle Quintana Featured Service Information
• Hoarding Clearout Saves More than "Stuff" · Why Clients Hire—and Trust— Clutter&Hoarding Pros · Levels IV & V Clear-Out · Is My Loved One a Hoarder? • After the Clean-Out • Animal Hoarding • Decluttering for the Elderly • What Is a Hoarding Clean- Out? • Hoarding vs. Clutter • Hoarding Help in Orange County • Hoarding Help in LA County • How to Choose a Hoarding Clean-Out Company • Why a Junk-Hauling Service Is NOT What You Need! • Paper, Paper, Everywhere! • Are You a Concerned Third Party? • Estate Clearing for a Loved One—You're Not Alone • Clearing a Hoarded Estate During the Holidays • Where Do You Fit In? • Deep Cleaning a Cleared Estate • "That's okay, we have insurance . . ." • Planning to Sell Your Hoarded Estate? • In-Home Assessment for Hoarding Remediation-- Second Step to Success • Is Your Relative's Home Red-Tagged? • 7 Simple Step to a Successful Estate Sale |