Rubble Without a Cause
It may be hard for non-hoarders to grasp the intention behind their family member’s hoarding. Before going into some do’s and don’ts that we at Clutter&Hoarding Pros™ advise to potential clients, a word about the importance hoarders attach to their possessions—possessions that others may regard as junk, trash, or garbage.
In a recent Washington Post article (“Hoarding is a serious disorder—and it’s only getting worse in the U.S.,” Sara Solovitch, April 2016), the author cites one recovering hoarder’s name for his collection: “Rubble without a cause.” He says it actually “pains me to throw useful items away.” The difference with hoarders is that “useful” to them usually means something very different from what it means to non-hoarders. Yes, empty plastic food containers, cardboard boxes, clothing, and books can be seen as “useful,” but perhaps not hundreds of food containers, dozens of cardboard boxes filled with random “stuff,” damaged or outdated clothing that will never be worn, and books that will never be read. Many hoarders simply see these objects, and other things that might really be categorized as trash (such as rotting food and animal carcasses, junk mail, old newspapers, and even human and animal waste), as equally valuable. From our experience helping reclaim the houses and clear the estates of hundreds of hoarders, here are some do’s and don’ts that can be used by everyone involved in helping a hoarder. Hoarding Do's
Hoarding Don'ts
Remember that hoarding is now recognized by the psychiatric community as a very real mental illness. Putting your spin on the situation is not going to help. Truly helping a hoarder requires family and friends to step out of their comfort zones and treat their hoarding relatives as people with problems to be helped, not as objects of scorn or ridicule. When you’ve gotten to the point of calling for help with the clear-out of the hoarded estate, call Clutter&Hoarding Pros™ to come in and do the heavy lifting. While we don’t work with individual hoarders, we have cleared hoarded estates for hundreds of families faced with clearing and cleaning the estates of deceased or relocated relatives. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMichelle Quintana Featured Service Information
• Hoarding Clearout Saves More than "Stuff" · Why Clients Hire—and Trust— Clutter&Hoarding Pros · Levels IV & V Clear-Out · Is My Loved One a Hoarder? • After the Clean-Out • Animal Hoarding • Decluttering for the Elderly • What Is a Hoarding Clean- Out? • Hoarding vs. Clutter • Hoarding Help in Orange County • Hoarding Help in LA County • How to Choose a Hoarding Clean-Out Company • Why a Junk-Hauling Service Is NOT What You Need! • Paper, Paper, Everywhere! • Are You a Concerned Third Party? • Estate Clearing for a Loved One—You're Not Alone • Clearing a Hoarded Estate During the Holidays • Where Do You Fit In? • Deep Cleaning a Cleared Estate • "That's okay, we have insurance . . ." • Planning to Sell Your Hoarded Estate? • In-Home Assessment for Hoarding Remediation-- Second Step to Success • Is Your Relative's Home Red-Tagged? • 7 Simple Step to a Successful Estate Sale |