My Home, Your Home - My Spaces, Your Space

Home means something different to each of us.

For some, it’s spotless and orderly; for others, it’s warm and full of character.

For Some it may seem like clutter or disorganisation, while for others, being surrounded by many belongings is simply a way of life.

And sometimes a home may slipp into neglect or squalor, where keeping up feels too overwhelming.

However it looks, every home is still a home to somone.

Homes Tell Stories

Our homes can tell many different stories. At times, they reflect who we are, what we value, or where we’ve been. In other moments, they reveal the busyness of life or the weight of challenges we’ve faced. And sometimes, they don’t feel like “us” at all! Instead they may seem empty, bare, lonely, messy, out of control, overly clinical, or even unsafe.

What Home Can Be

Home can offer comfort, privacy, and safety. It can be a place to welcome others, or a defence from the outside world. For some, it is filled with treasures and memories; for others, it feels like a burden to manage, or a barrier that keeps people away. However we relate to it, our space plays a powerful role in our lives.

The Possibility of Change

The change you may want might be more comfort, more safety, more connection or it might be less clutter, less burden, less stress. It could even mean adding more to your home to give it character, or letting go of things to create more space. Either way, the choice is yours.

The Purpose of This Guide

This guide isn’t here to judge or label. It’s about noticing the different ways our homes can affect us sometimes supporting us, sometimes weighing us down. It’s about understanding these experiences with kindness and honesty, and remembering that if change is something you want, it doesn’t have to be all at once, it can begin with small, gentle steps.

What Makes a Home a Home?

  • Safety – a place where we can rest, recover, and feel protected.

  • Belonging – somewhere that reflects who we are and gives us a sense of identity.

  • Connection – a space to share with others, or to keep private when we need it.

  • Comfort – not just furniture or things, but the feeling of ease when we walk in the door.

  • Memories – items, routines, or spaces that remind us of where we’ve been and who we’ve loved.

  • Choice – being able to shape the space to fit our needs, whether that means more, less, or simply different.

Understanding Space

Living Spaces

From Comfort to Concern

People usually want a home that feels like them: useful, meaningful, and personal.
A space that holds memories and comfort.
Where the kitchen serves life, the bed invites rest, and rooms feel lived-in.

At its best, a space is safe free from hazards like fire risks, pests, or blocked exits while still keeping the belongings that matter. For many it’s balance: a home that feels alive and supportive without the overwhelm of daily life.

But balance can tip in different directions. For some, spaces become so controlled, spotless, or stripped back that they feel empty, bare, or hard to relax in. For others, possessions build up faster than they can be managed, or upkeep slips away. What once felt meaningful or comforting can start to feel heavy, crowded, or unsafe.

This is when challenges emerge whether from environments that feel too clinical, too bare, or too full. A space may lose its function, stop feeling like “home,” or even pose risks to health and safety. These are signs of space challenges, ranging from everyday disorganisation at one end to more serious concerns like hoarding or squalor at the other.

Spectrum of Space

A Spectrum of Space shows the natural range of how homes can look across different stages of life, from very organised to overwhelmed, and everything in between.

Whether your space stays the same or shifts over time, you’re the one who decides what feels right for your home.

This is me and sometimes… oops, yep, that’s me too.

All homes change with life, energy, seasons, and support.

There is no final state only moments in time.

  • High Volume Space

    A home holding many belongings.

    Some areas may be hard to move through or use as things gather over time. The volume can bring practical challenges such as reduced pathways, difficulty reaching areas, or increased fire or fall risk.

  • Transitioning space

    A home holding more than usual. There may be extra bags, supplies, deliveries, holiday decorations, moving boxes, guest items, or belongings waiting for their next place or purpose.

    This space reflects a season, not a state. It may follow travel, visitors, a project, a big shop, holidays, renovations, study deadlines, or life events that temporarily change routines and rhythms.

  • Minimalist Space

    A home with only a few chosen belongings, where open space and simplicity feel grounding.

    Possessions are kept to what feels meaningful or useful. This style prioritises ease, breathing room, and calm through less, rather than constant upkeep or strict rules.

  • Busy - active home

    A home with life in motion. Schedules are full, people come and go, and daily tasks overlap.

    You might see projects on the table, school bags by the door, sports gear waiting to be used, or meals in progress rather than packed away.

  • Streamlined Intentional

    calm, orderly, and predictable.

    Everything has a place, and clear surfaces. Structured routines.
    Some people enjoy this style because it helps them feel settled, focused, and in control of their environment. Others simply love clean lines, simplicity, and open space.

  • Unsanitary space

    A home with built-up waste, soiled areas, or pests.


    Some areas may be difficult to use or clean, and surfaces or pathways may be compromised, increasing health and fire risks.

  • Organised Space

    A home that feels functional and easy to live in. Belongings have places to return to, and everyday tasks flow smoothly.


    The kitchen is ready for cooking, the bed is available for rest, and pathways are clear for movement and comfort.

  • Lived in

    A home where everyday life is visible. There may be dishes in the sink, laundry waiting to be folded, or items left out between uses.

    Rooms are usable, movement is comfortable, and any surface-covering or clutter shifts naturally as life allows.

Space Challenges

Clutter?

every day accumulation of items that make space untidy, but doesn’t stop the space from being used.

Disorganisation

Difficulty keeping track of items, schedules, or routines: the space may look messy but is not unsafe.

Chronic disorganisation

long term difficulty with organising, letting go and maintaining spaces, linked to trauma or other conditions but not necessarily at the level of hoarding disorder.

Collecting

Deliberate and organised accumulation of items where the collection is purposeful and usually displayed.

Excessive acquiring

Buying, collecting or picking up more items than one can reasonably use or store. this might mean frequent buying, collecting, or picking up things for free. the main issue here is the constant inflow of items, not necessarily the distress about letting go.

Hoarding - what it is

Hoarding refers to the ongoing difficulty of discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. It is recognised in the DSM-5 as a mental health condition and is defined by a strong need to save items, distress at the thought of letting them go, and the accumulation of belongings that make spaces hard to use.

Hoarding is considered a psychological concern that can affect daily life, relationships, and safety.

Squalid / Neglected Space

Severe living conditions: visible neglect, pests, mould, or hazards that pose health and safety risks;

Squalor describes the state of a living environment that shows signs of neglect, with little evidence of upkeep, and may include issues like pests, mould, or other factors that make the space unsafe.

It is considered an environmental and social concern, often spoken about in social work, public health, and aged care because of the health and safety risks it can create.

While it can overlap with hoarding, the two are not the same: some people live in squalor without hoarding, and others hoard without living in squalor.

Diogenes Syndrome (age-related squalor syndrome)

Usually in older adults, marked by extreme self-neglect, social withdrawal, and living in severe squalor, may overlap with hoarding.