Hoarder House Renovation: Before & After Photos

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Do you remember the hoarder house Kendra bought back in the winter? It’s finally finished, and the difference after eight months is hard to believe.

After Photos

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I’m not trying to shame anyone. “Hoarder house” is just easier to say than “a house where someone was hoarding,” and hoarding is a deep-seated psychological problem that’s hard to overcome.

The previous owners now live in a nice cottage in a retirement village.

What the House Looked Like Before

I don’t know how to describe the inside when Kendra bought it. Tiny paths wound from room to room, the refrigerator was falling through the floor, and dead animals turned up inside.

She could barely see what she was buying through all the trash. It took about 30 very large dumpsters to haul it away.

While they were cleaning it out, I went over and brought home a few vintage finds that weren’t in bad shape.

I have more photos, but this is enough to give you an idea. Now let’s see it eight months later.

The Front of the House and Porch

This mid-century house looks nothing like it did. It had been the neighborhood’s eyesore for years, and when Kendra is outside working, a neighbor sometimes yells, “Thank you!”

The Entryway

The Living Room

That caramel leather couch looks wonderful against the wood floors.

The Dining Room

The Kitchen

Kendra knocked down the kitchen walls to open it up.

I love the paneled texture and the bar stools.

The Laundry Room

The Bedrooms and Closets

The master bedroom has wood floors and lots of natural light from two windows.

The house has two other bedrooms. I combined all three closets into one image, since nothing about the storage is unusual.

The Bathrooms

I really like the fluted panels on the front of this vanity. Such rich texture!

The olive green tile around the tub is one of my favorite shades of green.

The Back Porch

It has a good-sized porch roof. Oops! The wrinkled rug didn’t have time to relax.

The house is ready for a family to buy and make their own. I imagine it’s sighing with relief.

Staging on a Budget

Kendra usually hires a stager, but the budget was tight this time, so she staged the house herself. My grandson Riley, who turns 22 in December, put all the furniture together, and I think he did a great job.

The furniture will go to his little house when this one sells. His place has about 900 square feet, 500 fewer than this one, so I hope the leather couch fits. They’re working on his house alongside this one, and it needs a lot of work.

She also had a small crew of just a couple of guys, because one of her workers had a heart attack and had to stop.

Eight Straight Months of Renovations

I can’t imagine working in that house. Kendra seems burned out, and this was at least her second hoarder house. The first was turned into an Airbnb, and the stories she told me about it were horrifying.

A grandmother, her 18-year-old grandson, and an infant with a feeding tube shared the only bedroom they could access. The grandmother had to be coaxed into leaving, because hoarders hate to leave their houses.

Is Kendra Taking Time Off?

She turns 52 next month, and her body is telling her it needs a break. She’s tired of splinters, of picking up human excrement left by strangers who wander into empty houses, and of thieves stealing expensive tools.

She’s tired of hauling heavy appliances up steps by herself when the delivery is dropped off instead of brought inside, and of telling crews how to do things twice.

She has even considered selling her duplex, the only property she’s bought without a crawl space. She hates that because she can’t see what’s going on underneath, and within about two years she had to tear out the concrete floors because of a problem there.

All Kendra knows is houses, selling houses, and flipping houses. I’ve encouraged her to teach her skills to other women on Instagram or YouTube.

She doubts she has anything to teach, but I’ve assured her that women want to learn these things so they don’t have to depend on a man to do it for them.

She could cover what to look for before buying a property, how to inspect a crawlspace, and everything else she’s learned in 15 years. (My house was her first flip.)

Hoarding Levels Explained

Level 1 (minimal clutter): Clutter is present but doesn’t significantly affect daily life. Exits, appliances, and rooms are all usable, and sanitation is intact.

Level 2 (a few safety concerns): Clutter is more noticeable and some rooms or surfaces are hard to use. Light odors or early mildew may appear, a pathway may start to be blocked, and the person may avoid visitors out of embarrassment.

Level 3 (major safety concerns): Clutter blocks at least one exit and several rooms lose their purpose. Expect heavy dust, soiled food-prep areas, strong odors, clutter outdoors, and growing social withdrawal or family conflict.

Level 4 (hazardous conditions): Clutter blocks most entrances and exits. Hazards include structural damage, rotting food, pest or flea infestations, and broken utilities such as sewer backups. Kitchens or bathrooms may be unusable.

Level 5 (critical mass, or “Collyer’s condition”): The most severe and life-threatening stage. The home is virtually uninhabitable, with severe rodent or insect infestations, feces, rotting waste, and often no working electricity or water. The risk of fire, structural collapse, or eviction often requires outside authorities or biohazard cleanup.

Hoarding disorder is recognized as a mental health condition (an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder) in the DSM-5. The 1-5 scale itself is an organizational and safety tool, not a psychiatric diagnosis.