No shame, guilt, or sadness is necessary while living with a hoarding disorder. Research has shown that hoarding disorder affects between 2 and 5 percent of the US population. Before the topic of hoarding help comes up, the individual must understand that there is no judgment or criticism involved in the matter. Helpers understand and accept that the person dealing with this issue may already be embarrassed, and that addressing the situation is painful for those with the disorder.

The 5 Stages of Hoarding Disorder

In order to receive any sort of hoarding help, whether it be restoring the home itself, or getting to the psychological cause of the hoarding, it’s best to first understand the 5 stages of hoarding:

Stage 1 – Clutter is not yet excessive, and all doors and stairways or steps are passable. No foul odors are present and the home is still considered sanitary and safe.

Stage 2 – Two or more rooms are cluttered. There are slight odors, and garbage cans are overflowing. The kitchen and bathrooms may have a covering of light mildew; one exit is not usable; some pet dander or waste is present, and evidence of any housekeeping is not apparent.

Stage 3 – Only one bedroom or bathroom is usable. Dust, spoiled food, and strong odors exist in the home. There may be an excessive amount of pets and visible clutter visible from outside of the home.

Stage 4 – There is sewer backup in the home, and electrical wiring is presenting a hazard. There is evidence of flea infestation, rotting food, lice, and pet damage to the house.

Stage 5 – At the most extreme level, the home is rodent-infested, and human and pet feces are apparent. The kitchen and bathroom are unusable because of large amounts of clutter. The electrical and water services may not be functional. Many areas of the house are non-accessible due to clutter.

When is Too Much, Too Much?

When a person collects and retains certain items and they begin moving beyond the designated containers or areas where the items may naturally reside, they may start overflowing into the person’s living space. The individual may be within the first stages of hoarding if this is the case. If concerned parties may begin to remove things from the hoarding home in an attempt to help, this is not a successful tactic in the long-run. What could be done is some sort of encouragement for the hoarder to seek professional help. Making a change could prove to be difficult for the individual and may take some time to achieve.

Clutter and Hoarding

Helping someone who has a cluttered house is generally just a matter of assisting them in organizing, sorting, and taking the time to do so. Professional cleanup companies handle these situations as well. Hoarders, on the other hand, may have a disorder that causes them to create situations that ruin their quality of life. Often, the cache can eventually make the house unable to occupy.

How A Professional Company Can Help

Once you reach out to a company such as Bio Recovery, the hoarding cleanup team will work closely with the homeowner to decide what gets thrown away, and what gets organized. After that, and when the client is ready to do so, the house will be thoroughly cleaned out. The belongings that are left will be sorted through and are either used by the homeowner; given to charity; shared with family, or thrown away. Nothing happens to any items unless the client agrees that it should.

If you are not a hoarder, but you could use some help in getting your home cleaned up and in order, Bio Recovery does that, also. The same is true for those who may be moving out of a house.

Getting Help with Hoarding Disorder

You could have a hoarding disorder if:

You have an ongoing problem when it comes to throwing things out or giving them away.

Anxiety occurs when you think of how to save the items you have and when you suffer the distress of parting with them.

You have items that fill, block or clutter your active living areas, making them impossible to use.

The use of many rooms is not possible because of the enormous amount of items in them.

Help can be found in two general ways; through a cleanup company to restore your home, and if that’s not enough, contacting a local psychologist to further work out the disorder.

Call Bio Recovery

We are biohazard specialists. Call us 24/7, 365, nationwide for the hoarding help that will get your home back to normal. You can count on us.