If one of your loved ones suffers from hoarding, the obvious solution is to clear out their home. But taking care of it yourself will probably make things worse. There are plenty of other ways to help restore their property to a safe, clean home again.
ICE Cleaning is a specialist cleaning company that offers a discreet, delicate hoarder cleaning service. Its technicians can remove hoarded possessions, decontaminate the property, and eliminate lingering odours. They are available nationwide and can be on site in an emergency in an hour.
Continue reading to find out how best to help a hoarder.
Don’t force them to clear out their home
People who hoard have an emotional attachment to their belongings, even the ones you might think are useless or rubbish. They could suffer from hoarding disorder, which is when people struggle to get rid of things because they feel the need to save them.
It is often linked to other mental health problems, like OCD, PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders. Throwing things out will cause them a lot of distress and won’t improve their mental state. Even telling them what to get rid of or touching things without their consent can be very upsetting.
This could potentially damage their relationship with you and trigger them to hoard more. Instead, focus on helping them tackle the cause of their problem.
Encourage them to seek professional help
You should try to talk to your loved one so they can open up about why they are hoarding. They might not recognise that they have a problem, and if they do, they may be willing to get help.
You could also offer to help them find professional help. Research therapists that specialise in hoarding disorder or recommend a support group in their local area.
Be supportive and patient with them
It might be difficult to see someone live in an unsafe, unsanitary home. But if you want to help them, you must be respectful of the disorder.
Firstly, don’t judge them or the state of their home. Hoarders tend to be socially isolated, and might feel ashamed. Make sure you use the words they use like “collection” or “belongings”, not “junk” or “clutter”. They will trust you more, and you will understand their situation better.
Don’t expect hoarding to have a simple solution, either. It is a tough problem that requires gradual work, whether that is improving their mental health slowly, or tackling the clean-up room-by-room when they finally clear out.
Rather than telling them that they should not do it, explain your concerns for their safety. By working with them to reduce the fire risks in their home, for example, they might become aware of the problem.
When your loved one is ready to clean out their possessions, ICE Cleaning can help. Its technicians can safely and quickly clean a hoarder home, and are trained to minimise the stress of the situation.
