ICD® Clutter Quality of Life Scale

The Clutter Quality of Life Scale (CQLS) has been designed by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization^® (ICD^®). It helps people to assess the personally felt impact that clutter has on their well-being, both for people helping themselves and for organizing professionals to help their clients.

The CQLS is designed to measure inward, or subjective, consequences of clutter from the individual’s perspective. As such, it provides an indirect assessment of a person’s well-being by measuring personally felt negative consequences of clutter in that person’s life across important life domains commonly associated with quality of life (QoL). The CQLS essentially measures the personally felt impact of clutter on QoL across life domains, which can be quite different from 3rd-party observation measures, such as ICD’s Clutter-Hoarding Scale^® (C–HS^®). Both tools can contribute to a full understanding of the impact of clutter on a person’s life.

Disclaimer: The most recent version of the CQLS consists of 11 questions that are scored. The previous version had 18 questions. While some languages have been updated, others are currently undergoing revision by a dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers. Although it may seem that your language is not yet updated, please rest assured that we are diligently working towards its completion. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

CQLS PDF Public Version

CQLS PDF Professionals Version

Recommended applications of the CQLS include:

• Assessment Tool: Find out how clutter affects you and your environment.

• Monitor Progress: Use this evaluation any time you start an organizing project to see how you have progressed.

• Assess Completed Projects: Evaluate if additional organization is needed for your project.

• Understanding the situation: Combine the ICD Clutter Quality of Life Scale (CQLS) with the Clutter–Hoarding Scale^® (C–HS^®) to develop a comprehensive understanding of the client’s situation.

In addition, you can use the different fact sheets ICD^® offers under Resources & Tools not only in English but in various languages. Use them to know more, resolve some quizzes, and get tips.

Chronic disorganization may not go away, but it can get easier.

ICD^®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization, is pleased to be able to offer free resources to people affected by chronic disorganization, the public, and organizing and related professionals.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation of $5, $10, or $25 to help ICD continue to offer these resources free of charge and fulfill its mission to provide education, research, and strategies to benefit people affected by chronic disorganization.