A guest post by Sara Thompson, Gresham Sanitary Service, Gresham, Oregon
You have probably seen these homes on TV, or maybe you’ve seen them in person. People known as “hoarders” compulsively accumulate any and all kinds of things in their homes until it is packed to the ceilings with their every possession. Hoarders usually have an inability to let go of unnecessary items and clean their environment. In some cases, hoarders' homes become dilapidated and dangerous. If you are managing such a property, this can present a serious problem, but with careful planning and consideration, your house can be habitable once again.
Dealing With a Hoarding Problem
People who become hoarders are in need of help, both with the situation at hand, and in terms of dealing with the disorder. Concerned family members and friends should have the hoarder examined by a doctor, and perhaps consult a therapist.
Helping the hoarder also involves completely cleaning out and organizing the home. Piles of clutter can make a home unlivable, creating both safety and sanitation issues. Thus, it’s critical for the home to be cleaned and organized before more problems arise. Possible issues involve fire (due to blocked exits, and huge amounts of paper and flammable objects) as well as the danger of illness from unsanitary conditions in the kitchen and bathroom.
Creating a Strategy
People who are involved with a hoarding cleanup project need to develop a strategy for cleaning the home, as many hoarding situations can become overwhelming. The best strategy is to break the cleanup into several projects, thus making the cleanup more doable. Here’s a list of jobs that will need to be accomplished in order to clean a hoarder’s home:
Creating a clean environment for a hoarder is a healing and healthy act. It’s a great gift to give a person who needs help. It can also be very rewarding for you as a property manager when the home has become rentable again.