Way back when, people spent time cleaning their homes in the spring because of all the dust and debris created by fireplaces or wood-burning stoves used during the winter months. When warmer weather arrived, it was time to open the windows, wash everything, and freshen the home. Today, many people still follow the tradition of spring cleaning by deep cleaning their homes and switching seasonal clothing in closets. But spring cleaning can also be an excellent opportunity to address hoarding behaviors. If your home feels overfull, using spring cleaning for hoarding can help you begin reducing clutter in a manageable way. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, think of spring cleaning as a starting point. It’s a chance to take small steps toward creating a safer and more comfortable home.
Understanding the Difference Between Clutter and Hoarding Behaviors
Clutter is something that accumulates in everyone’s home from time to time. We may put something down, like the mail, intending to go through it later but never follow through. Before we know it, the next day’s mail arrives and adds to the pile. The same thing can happen with laundry or dishes.
The difference between clutter and hoarding behaviors is that someone who is not challenged by hoarding behaviors will typically address the clutter when it begins to bother them or when they have a reason to follow through like someone coming over for a visit or a bill payment that is overdue.
Another distinction is that a person challenged by hoarding behaviors often finds a reason to keep almost everything. They may fear they will need the item one day, or they may simply feel overwhelmed by the thought of tackling the pile of things.
Taking small steps and engaging in spring cleaning for hoarding can make a meaningful difference.
Why Spring Cleaning for Hoarding Can Be a Helpful Starting Point
While any time is a good time to begin reducing clutter, spring can be an especially helpful season to start.
Why?
Because there is often a natural sense of renewal in the spring. The light is brighter, the days are longer, and everywhere we look there are signs of change. The grass is becoming green again, plants start to bloom, and there is a cultural focus on refreshing the home.
All of these things can work together to spur a person into action. As space begins to open up, it often becomes easier to keep going.
Start Small When Using Spring Cleaning for Hoarding
Instead of setting a huge goal of decluttering and cleaning the entire home, divide the home into small, manageable sections. Then break the work down even further into the smallest possible task.
Take the kitchen, for example. Instead of saying that you will declutter and clean the kitchen, tell yourself that you will declutter and clean one counter, one shelf, or one drawer.
Set a timer for between 15 and 30 minutes and stop working when the timer goes off. Small sessions like this can help you make steady progress without becoming overwhelmed.
Use Simple Sorting Categories to Reduce Clutter
Before you begin, gather your supplies. Use small bins or boxes to help you sort the items you come across into simple categories:
- Keep
- Donate
- Recycle
- Toss
- Decide Later (set a date to review these items again)
Keeping the categories simple to follow makes the process easier and helps you keep moving forward.
Look for Easy Items to Remove First
Give yourself permission to remove anything that is broken. You may have said to yourself in the past that you would fix the item, but if it hasn’t happened yet, it may be time to let it go. If it can be repaired and used by someone else, consider donating it. Otherwise, place it in the trash.
Anything that is more than six months past its printed expiration date should also be thrown away.
If you have more than two or three of something, consider donating the extras.
Making quick decisions about obvious discards can build momentum and help you continue making progress.
Kate’s Story
Kate is a client who struggles with hoarding behaviors. She loves movies and books and has collected VHS tapes and DVDs for many years. A room she would like to use as both an office and a guest room had become too full to use.
Recently, Kate decided she wanted to reduce the number of these items so she could have a friend come to visit her this summer.
We gathered a couple of tubs and labeled them Keep and Donate.
Kate’s office was full of bookcases, stacked boxes, and tubs overflowing with books, tapes, and videos. There was only a small path leading to her desk.
Instead of tackling the entire room, we decided to sort one stack at a time. We started near the door and set a timer for 20 minutes.
It was easier than Kate thought it would be. She quickly placed items into the donation bin that she no longer wanted or that she knew she had duplicates of. The 20 minutes flew by.
By the end of our session, Kate had filled three tubs. She decided she would donate them to her church, which was holding a spring sale to raise money for a mission trip.
It’s often easier to donate things when you feel good about where they are going.
Kate knows reaching her goal will take time, but she can already see progress—and that is encouraging.
Focus on Safety When Tackling Hoarding
I often talk about the importance of safety in your home. In every home, it’s important to keep pathways clear so you can easily walk through the space.
Make sure you maintain access to doors and windows and reduce tripping hazards whenever possible. Improving safety is an important step when addressing hoarding behaviors.
Be Compassionate With Yourself During the Process
Letting go can feel difficult. Sometimes it can even feel like something you simply don’t want to do, especially when an item has emotional meaning.
My best advice is to acknowledge the discomfort. If you can, place the item in the donation pile and let it sit there for a few minutes.
If the feeling becomes too strong, you can take the item back and decide to revisit it another time.
But if you notice that the feeling begins to fade, you may find that you are ready to let the item go.
This happened to another client just last week. We were decluttering a closet and came across several items that had belonged to her mother. One sweater was easy for her to donate. She placed a second sweater in the donation box but after about five minutes took it back out and returned it to the closet.
She simply wasn’t ready to let that one go yet.
And that is okay. Progress is progress.
Closing Thoughts
Spring cleaning does not have to mean scrubbing every corner of your home. When approached thoughtfully, spring cleaning for hoarding can be the beginning of meaningful change.
Small steps—one drawer, one shelf, one short session at a time—can gradually reduce clutter and help create a home that feels safer, calmer, and easier to live in.
The important thing is to begin.
If you are planning to do some spring cleaning this April, consider registering for the 12-week virtual decluttering course that Jonda Beattie and I are teaching.
I am always available to answer questions. Please send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone call. You can reach me at: diane@dnqsolutions.com or visit my website: https://dnqsolutions.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spring cleaning a good time to start addressing hoarding behaviors?
Yes. Spring cleaning naturally encourages people to refresh their homes and take a closer look at what they own. The seasonal shift can provide motivation to begin reducing excess belongings and creating safer, more comfortable living spaces.
What if tackling hoarding in my home feels overwhelming?
Feeling overwhelmed is very common. Instead of trying to address everything at once, start with one very small area such as a drawer, a shelf, or a single box. Setting a short timer—perhaps 10 or 15 minutes—can make the task feel more manageable.
How do I decide what to let go of?
Begin with items that are clearly no longer useful, such as broken objects, expired products, or duplicates. Removing obvious discards first builds confidence and helps create momentum for making more difficult decisions later.
What is the difference between clutter and hoarding?
Clutter usually refers to disorganized items that can still be managed or cleared with some effort. Hoarding behaviors often involve a persistent difficulty letting go of possessions, even when they no longer serve a purpose, which can lead to overcrowded or unsafe living conditions.
Should I ask someone to help me?
Many people find it helpful to work with someone they trust. This could be a friend, family member, or a professional organizer who understands hoarding behaviors and can provide guidance without judgment.
What if I make progress but the clutter returns?
Maintaining progress takes time and practice. Creating simple routines for discarding or donating items regularly can help prevent accumulation and keep your home feeling more manageable.
Spring cleaning is, as you note, about renewal and refreshing. While I suspect the same emotional obstacles to purging and letting go of items throughout the year may be at play at the time for spring cleaning, perhaps people with hoarding disorders may feel part of a larger, organized (no pun intended) movement if everyone is making the big effort at the same time, at the start of the season. While there’s more of an obstacle to making changes, having a “place” (in the schedule, at the start of the spring season) may provide the structure many of these individuals need to feel good about embarking on the process.
I love that you focus on small actions, simple categories, and low-hanging fruit. Too often (with all clients, not just those with hoarding disorders), the monumental nature of the task can make the idea of taking any action at all overwhelming. Focusing on small, distinct steps and giving oneself grace may give people the breathing room they need. As always, your expertise is uplifting, Diane!
We can start again at any time. However, it can be even more energizing when we begin at the start of a season, year, or month. And spring, as you said, is a hope-filled season. So it’s an especially inspiring time to clear, declutter, and clean.
You mentioned setting boundaries around the work. So using timers (20-minute chunks) and focusing on one bin or drawer at a time can keep progress high and overwhelm low.
Great post, Diane. This post is helpful for family members who want to do spring cleaning and live with a hoarder. I love that you talked about small steps. No one needs to be a minimalist overnight. It takes time to get comfortable with letting go. Thanks for sharing your client experience; it is very helpful.
I rarely think of a person with hoarding disorders being interested in spring cleaning, but why not? The coming of spring might be just the motivation to get started.
Working one small area at a time and then maintaining that area could be huge.
Thanks for the insights.
Thank you, Jonda!
I’m glad you talked about what to do when the clutter returns. With any compulsive behavior, relapse is a very real possibility. It can be very discouraging, making the person want to give up trying. Having a plan for getting back on track and not being too self critical are so important.
Another reason spring is a great time for this is that it is actually warm and safe (i.e. “ice free”) enough to get things out of the house! Here’s to spring and a time of renewal on all levels, including our households!
How true, Seana! I’m so happy that the warmer weather is returning.