HOARDING CLEANUP

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In the past, those who collect things in their homes that most would have thrown away to the point of making their homes dysfunctional, or even unlivable, were described as just being lazy. It is now being discovered that people who exhibit this behavior can’t be described so simply, and is a psychological condition similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), although it is not yet clear whether it is a direct symptom of OCD or something new entirely. This condition is typically called “hoarding disorder”, or “compulsive hoarding”.

Compulsive hoarders often store things in their homes that many would consider trash or objects that have little or no use, but keep them in case of some unforeseen necessity in the future. After some time of storing these things, rooms in the home start to become cluttered, to the point that space becomes unusable, or even to the point that the room may not be entered at all. As the home becomes more and more cluttered, the resident often becomes despondent towards asking for help as they are ashamed of the condition of their home, and the conditions within the home become worse still. If there are pets in the home, the situation becomes much worse since they are usually allowed to urinate and defecate in the home.

Hoarding is a very serious situation and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Since the hoarder will seldom seek assistance, it usually rests upon those in their family, or their friends to recognize the condition, and seek assistance on their behalf. Some of the hazards associated with hoarding include, but are not limited to:

• Biological hazards from pets (urine, feces, corpses), human waste, kitchen trash, blood
• Chemical hazards
• Fire hazards, papers, boxes
• Unsafe stacked objects
• Sharp objects improperly stored

Hoarding can even get to the point where there is no room in the home to use basic necessities such as beds, bathtubs, sinks, and kitchen appliances.

The first step to restoring the home to a functional state and the dignity of those who reside in the home is to call or send a message to us. We will evaluate the home to determine the best course of action to remove trash, waste, and other objects that clutter the home and make it unsafe.

We are professionals who are experienced with hazardous materials including chemical and biological hazards, and we will be able to identify those hazards, and safely render the home safe. If you know a friend, family member, or perhaps yourself, who is in need of our services, please call, or send a message to let us help.