Hoarding is the excessive accumulation of items and the difficulty in discarding them, which can result in significant clutter within the home.
This can affect a person’s ability to leave their home safely in the event of a fire and may also lead to feelings of isolation if they feel unable to invite people into their home due to fear of judgement.
Greater awareness can help people access support earlier and improve understanding within communities, allowing friends, family members, and professionals to respond in a compassionate and supportive way.
What causes hoarding behaviour?
The exact cause of hoarding disorder is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, neurological, and environmental factors. Some common contributing factors can include:
- Trauma: Experiencing significant loss, abuse, bereavement, or other traumatic events can sometimes trigger or worsen hoarding behaviours.
- Family History: People with a family history of hoarding may be more likely to experience similar behaviours themselves.
- Mental Health Conditions: Hoarding can often be linked with other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Raising awareness
Raising awareness of hoarding disorder and behaviours is important because it helps reduce stigma, encourages understanding, and supports people to seek help without fear of judgement. Hoarding is often misunderstood as simply being untidy or disorganised, when in reality it is a complex mental health condition that can have a significant impact on a person’s wellbeing, relationships, and safety.
People can also have very different views about what a cluttered home looks like. For some, a small pile of belongings in an otherwise tidy room may feel overwhelming, while for others clutter may only become noticeable when it affects movement through a space.
To help provide a clearer understanding of clutter levels, the Clutter Image Rating Scale was developed which you can see below. This uses a series of images showing rooms at different stages of clutter, ranging from clutter-free through to severely cluttered environments.
Support Is Available
If the Clutter Image Rating Scale has made you think about your own home, or that of a family member, friend, or neighbour, support is available. Reaching out for help can feel difficult, but it is an important first step, and there are organisations and services across the UK that can offer practical support, advice, and understanding.
Within our Supported team, we have dedicated tenancy sustainment and hoarding officers who are here to listen and provide support where they can. You can contact them at sustainmytenancy@havebury.com
You are not alone, and support is available whenever you are ready.
Further resources
Here are some further resources should you need them.
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