Symptom Tests

[Self-Test] Is Your Clutter and Disorganization Out of Control?

Hoarding is a serious condition linked to ADHD, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive behavior that affects approximately 2 to 5 percent of the population. Take this self-test to understand hoarding symptoms in adults and where you fall on the messiness to hoarding spectrum.

By ADDitude Editors Verified Updated on June 6, 2022

Hoarding Symptoms Test for Adults

Most of us are somewhat messy, but hoarding is a serious condition linked to anxiety and obsessive compulsive behavior that affects approximately 2 to 5 percent of the population. Take this self-test to understand where you fall on the messiness to hoarding spectrum.

This self-test is designed to determine whether you demonstrate symptoms similar to those of hoarder. This test is not intended to diagnose or to replace the care of a health care professional. If you are concerned about your messiness, please seek professional assistance for a diagnosis and treatment.

When you get something new, do you find a permanent place for it?
When you think about the prospect of friends or family seeing your mess, are you ashamed?
When there’s a bad smell in your home, do you to look for the cause?
When someone comes over and touches something in your home, do you get suspicious or worried?
When you have to declutter, do you agonize over each thing you need to throw away?
When you see an amazing sale on something, do you buy it immediately?
Is the furniture in your house covered in clutter?
When you were a child, did you get overly attached to certain objects?

(Optional) Would you like to receive your hoarding symptom test results — plus more helpful resources — via email from ADDitude?

Can’t see the self-test questions above? Click here to open this test in a new window.

Hoarding: Next Steps

1. Take this Test: Executive Function Deficit Symptoms in Adults
2. Read: When Your Mess is Causing Stress
3. Read: Stop the Slide From Clutter into Hoarding
4. Take this Test: Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Adults
5. Research: 13 Clutter Hacks for the Easily Overwhelmed
6. Download: 22 Clutter-Busting Strategies for Adults with ADHD

31 Comments & Reviews

  1. I have always lived in small apartments or houses exactly so I don’t hoard things. I wouldn’t say I’m exactly a hoarder, but if there is an empty space I am apt to fill it instead of leaving a blank white space here and there in my house. The push of overconsumption and planned obsolescence doesn’t help the non-accumulation of objects either. Side note: French women will remove something from their closet before brining a new article of clothing home. IE they buy a new dress with the idea of replacing the old frayed one in the closet. I’ve adopted this too.

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