Clutter Image Rating is a tool to get an accurate sense of a clutter problem.

People have very different ideas about what it means to have a cluttered home. For some, a small pile of things in the corner of an otherwise well-ordered room constitutes serious clutter. For others, only when the narrow pathways make it hard to get through a room does the clutter register.

To make sure we get an accurate sense of a clutter problem, The International OCD Foundation has created a series of pictures of rooms in various stages of clutter – from completely clutter-free to very severely cluttered. People can just pick out the picture in each sequence comes closest to the clutter in their own living room, kitchen, and bedroom.

The only time to use judgement

Selecting which picture best describes your space requires some degree of judgment. Remember that no two homes look exactly alike, and clutter can be higher in some parts of the room than others. Still, this rating works pretty well as a measure of clutter.

In general, clutter that reaches the level of picture # 4 or higher impinges enough on people’s lives that we would encourage them to get help for their clutter problem.

Clutter image rating is for:

• A kitchen
• A living room
• A bedroom

Clutter Image Rating: Kitchen

(Please select the photo below that most accurately reflects the amount of clutter in your room)

Clutter Image Rating: Bedroom

(Please select the photo below that most accurately reflects the amount of clutter in your room)

Clutter Image Rating: Living Room

(Please select the photo below that most accurately reflects the amount of clutter in your room)

Let go of shame

There are many of us who would feel shame for having a space that felt overly cluttered, but we’re encouraging you to let that GO! It is completely normal to have clutter and to live with clutter. We’re sharing this clutter image rating tool so that we can start to decrease the stigma around living with clutter. As always those who have severe hoarding tendencies didn’t just develop these mental health issues over night. There is always a story behind the clutter. It’s our job to replace judgement with empathy.