First published: 11 March 2022 @ 6:00 pm
The concept of a hoarder house may be familiar to you. The house has become cluttered with junk and useless items that you may or may not know what to do with.
The floor is cluttered with boxes, containers, toys, furniture, and other objects that no longer have any use. The house smells musty and must be cleaned up immediately.
What is a hoarder? The American Psychiatric Association describes people with hoarding disorder as those who acquire and save useless items. People with hoarding disorder cannot discard these items even when they are no longer needed or useful.
Some people may just have an excessive amount of stuff. But some people have so much stuff that it affects their health, finances, relationships, and ability to function.
Maybe you’re trying to help a hoarder friend or family member. You want to clean out their house and make it livable again.
Or maybe you feel like you’re a couple steps closer to having this psychological disorder yourself. Maybe you’re feeling some of that hoarding behavior show up within yourself.
Either way, a hoarder house needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
But how do you know what to do? What do you need to do? How do you get started?
If you’re considering cleaning out a hoarder house, this article is for you. You’ll learn about how to handle the hoarding situation with out hoarding cleaning checklist.
Here’s some hoarding cleaning tips you can consider:
Have the Right Cleaning Supplies
One of the most crucial things you need to do is make sure that you have the right cleaning supplies. Here are some of the items you may need:
- Heavy-duty trash bags
- Mop and bucket set
- Vacuum cleaner
- Broom and dustpan
- Rags, spongers, wet wipes
- Cleaners and disinfectants
You can find many different types of cleaning supplies at most home improvement stores. If you’re not sure what you need, ask the store employee for help.
Additionally, aside from heavy-duty trash bags, you will benefit from having other means of storing your useless junk. So, make sure you have a bunch of cardboard boxes prepared.
You can also consider dumpster rentals if you think you’ll end up with a lot of trash.
Set an Organizing and Cleaning Strategy
Having a clean house is essential to getting rid of the clutter. But how do you get it all organized?
When it comes to cleaning, the key is to have a plan. When you’re trying to organize your household items, it’s important that you create a system.
Creating an effective organizing system for your home means creating a system that works for you. It doesn’t mean that you have to follow every step exactly, but that you can adapt the steps to your needs and habits.
You can also consult a professional organizer to help you get started.
Declutter All the Worthless Items
First things first: you need to start going through the house. Start the decluttering process and sort your household items.
Some people just want to keep stuff because they feel that it is valuable. This can lead to an unhealthy obsession with collecting things that aren’t actually useful or necessary.
While some people can afford to buy everything they want, others don’t have that option. And others are not able to use or maintain all of their possessions.
The goal is to get rid of the clutter and let go of space-eating clutter to make room for valuable, salvageable items.
Start with the things that have no value and those that you don’t need anymore, like the piles of junk mail on your counter.
Tip: Incorporate the Marie Kondo System
Marie Kondo, credited with popularizing the Konmari method, has a great decluttering system that can help you get rid of clutter.
It recommends starting with a visual inspection of your belongings.
The bookshelf that you’ve kept for years, the vase that you haven’t touched in years. The boxes of items that have been gathering dust for decades.
These are all examples of things you can start getting rid of.
Look at each item and ask yourself, “does this spark joy?”
If the answer is no, get rid of it. It’s a simple system that can help you make room for valuable items and save you time in the process.
Last Resort: Hire a Professional Cleaning Company
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the hoarding situation, you may want to consider hiring professional cleaning services.
Professional cleaners can help you get rid of clutter and clean up the hoarding situation.
When you’re working with professional cleaners, they will help determine how best to clean your house. They’ll also provide professional equipment and services that are tailored to your needs.
You may want to contact local cleaning professional companies in your area for help in getting rid of your clutter.
You can also check out this list of professional restoration companies on websites such as Yelp.
Final Thoughts
If you’re considering cleaning out a hoarder house, you can do it. It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible.
You may want to consider using professional cleaning services to help get the job done. You may also want to consider having a solid clean-out plan.
With the above suggestions, you can take the necessary steps to help make your home clutter-free and move on with your life.
Finally, you might be trying to get a loved one who is a hoarder to start taking the steps to a cleaner life. In this case, one of the most important things to do is to sit them down for an intervention. Tell them that they need to take the steps to get their home in order.
You can start by asking them if they have any unwanted items they would like to donate for people in need. This will give them a reason to get rid of clutter and begin the process of decluttering.
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