7 Decluttering Tips for Hoarders
Hoarding becomes an issue for people, especially when the amount of stuff reaches the point where it becomes difficult or impossible to move around their home or apartment because of how much is there.
But, when it becomes time to help a hoarder with their issues, we have a few suggestions on the best things you can do for and with them.
1. Clean Up the Pathways First
This is the most important thing, getting rid of junk or anything that might block a person’s ability to move quickly through the house.
Even if you move things around so that they are merely out of the way, this could allow you to dispose of some things just on the basis of tossing trash and debris out of the way.
2. Go Through the Paperwork Next
Get three boxes and start sorting through all the paper.
- One box is for things like old newspapers and magazines.
- The second is for paperwork to be shredded.
- And the third is for paperwork to be saved such as medical records and bills.
Gather the boxes of old newspapers and things to be shredded out as quickly as possible.
3. Never Delay Donations
Anything that has been promised to be donated should be donated or disposed of immediately at the end of the day. This helps to prevent the hoarder from trying to reclaim the item and bring it back into the living space again.
4. If You Can’t Dispose of It, Store It
Moving things into storage can help deal with the hoarder’s anxiety because it lets them get things out of their house and still have them if they think they will ever need them again.
Did you know we can help move your items into storage?
Call (707) 343-0682 or text (707) 721-6742 now.
5. Reduce Clothing Piles
This is another common item to hoard – clothing. Start by getting rid of anything that can’t be worn again, then work through things that no longer fit or wish to wear again.
And like anything else, donate or dispose of clothing immediately after the cleaning session.
6. Hire A Junk Hauling Company
A professional junk removal company like Good Riddance Hauling can help donate and/or remove almost anything!
7. Find Mental Health Care
Oftentimes, hoarding may be caused by underlying mental health issues, and while decluttering won’t solve this problem, it might offer enough space both physically and emotionally to help them in the long term.
Regardless of how you tackle a pile of junk, you can always contact our hauling professionals for a free quote. From full-service hauling to full demolition services, we can help with your trash and disposal needs.
