The 5 Levels of Hoarding: What Each One Looks Like
Professionals use a five-level scale to describe a home, not a person. Here is each level in plain words, and what it means for a cleanout.
When people talk about the levels of hoarding, they usually mean the Clutter–Hoarding Scale published by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. It rates a home from Level I to Level V. Knowing roughly where a house sits tells you how much help it needs and what kind. This guide is part of our Sacramento hoarder cleanout series.
What the Scale Measures
The Clutter–Hoarding Scale is an assessment of the home. Its authors state that it is not for diagnosing people; it only assesses the volume of clutter and the environmental risks. It looks at five things: the structure and its exits, animals and pests, whether the rooms can do their jobs, health and safety, and how much protective equipment someone entering would need.
The Five Levels
| Level | What the scale describes | What it means for a cleanout |
|---|---|---|
| I · Low | A standard household with little or no clutter. All doors, stairways and windows are accessible; smoke detectors work. | An ordinary junk pickup, if anything. |
| II · Guarded | One major exit blocked. Visible or odorous pet waste, light to medium signs of household pests, clutter getting in the way of some key living areas, mildew in the kitchen or bathroom. | A normal cleanout crew can handle it, usually in a day. |
| III · Elevated | The scale calls this the pivot point between a cluttered home and a hoarded one. Clutter visible outdoors, light structural damage, a light insect infestation, at least one room no longer used for its purpose, garbage cans full or overflowing. | A planned, multi-load job. Sorting takes longer than hauling. |
| IV · High | Structural damage older than six months, odor or evidence of sewer backup, clutter blocking access to exits, hallways and stairs, rotting food. | Needs a coordinated team: hauling plus cleaning, pest control and often repairs. |
| V · Severe | Irreparable structural damage, no running water, heavy infestation, key living spaces unusable, exits blocked, human waste present. | Needs outside intervention and written agreements. Remediation specialists come first. |
A Quicker Test: The Clutter Image Rating
The Clutter Image Rating is a set of nine photographs each for a kitchen, a living room and a bedroom, running from empty to packed to the ceiling. You pick the photo that looks most like your room. The International OCD Foundation says a room at picture 4 or higher may point to hoarding disorder and that the person would benefit from seeking help. It is a useful way for a family to agree on how serious things are without arguing over words.
Clutter, Collecting or Hoarding?
- Clutter is disorganization. The rooms still work, and the person can part with things once they get to it.
- Collecting is selective and organized. Collectors display what they have and can still use their home.
- Hoarding involves persistent difficulty letting go, distress at the idea of discarding, and living areas so full they can’t be used as intended.
What the Level Means for Us
Take Care Junk hauls household contents: furniture, boxes, bagged trash, appliances, yard debris. We don’t haul biohazard or medical waste, and we don’t clean, disinfect or treat for pests. At Levels I to III that usually makes us the main crew you need. At Levels IV and V, hauling is one part of a larger job, and a biohazard cleaning or remediation company should see the home first.
Send us photos or ask for a walk-through and we’ll tell you honestly which kind of job it is. For prices, see hoarder cleanout cost in Sacramento; for safety risks at the higher levels, see hoarding fire and safety hazards. You can also go straight to our hoarder cleanout service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 5 levels of hoarding?
What is Level 3 hoarding?
Is the hoarding scale a diagnosis?
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