Figure Out the Reason and Why You Are Choosing the Hoarding Cleanup? How to Hire a Professional for Hoarding Cleanup Services? Is your house or office space full of items that you consider valuable and irreplaceable, yet they actually are useless and non-functional? If your living area is full of items hindering you from using it comfortably, then it’s time to ask a professional about hoarding cleanup.
Hoarding may make you have a misplaced attachment to certain items that have no actual value. You may find yourself keeping newspapers, plastic bags, clothes, shoes, old useless appliances, non-functional furniture, and so on. This may affect your overall day-to-day activities and by extension have a negative impact on your living conditions.
Hoarding tendencies are hard to curb instantly but can be managed over time using hoarder cleanup processes every other time. If you are planning on carrying out a successful cleanup exercise, you can either hire hoarding cleanup services or manage the clutter yourself. Here are 10 useful tips you can consider for an effective cleanup process:
Figure Out the Reason and Why You Are Choosing the Hoarding Cleanup
You must understand what caused the hoarding tendencies to manifest in the first place. Hoarding usually happens over a long period of time. It could stem from anxiety and past traumatic events like poverty or fire outbreaks. When you identify the root cause behind your compulsive tendencies and why you are choosing to clean up, it helps ensure that you stay motivated. It keeps you focused on your goal.
Assess the Current Situation and Come Up With a Plan for Hoarding Cleanup
When it comes to hoarding, you could be dealing with a single room or an entire house full of clutter. You must, therefore, gauge the entirety of the work to be done. Then you can come up with a time-based plan. This will ensure an effective and efficient hoarding cleanup process. Remember, if you don’t set a time-based plan for the cleanup, you may end up procrastinating. This will make an even bigger pile of junk!
Set Manageable Goals
Setting small incremental goals can help you clean up the place more effectively. You can use the “SMART goals” framework to help with the cleaning process. That is, you can choose to cover a single room at a time. Set clear time frames for the completion of each task. Start by cleaning a small room first. For example, the bathrooms or pantry, then gradually work your way towards the larger rooms. Finishing smaller tasks can feel rewarding as it gives you the drive to accomplish more tasks.
Ensure You Have the Required Cleaning Supplies and Tools
For an effective hoarding cleanup, you need a few cleaning supplies to ensure that the entire place is carefully organized, cleaned, and sanitized. Since clutter accumulates gradually over the years, the spaces might be infested with vermin and bacteria; rendering the places hazardous. This should be carefully dealt with to ensure safety for everyone involved. Some of the supplies needed include:
- Heavy-duty trash bags
- Empty cardboard boxes
- All-purpose cleaners and disinfectants
- Brooms, dustpans, and vacuum cleaners
- Buckets, mops, sponges, and cleaning cloths
- Gloves, masks, and a first aid kit.
Remove Working Appliances and Large Furniture
Cleaning around furniture and appliances can be quite a headache; more so if they are bulky. You may fail to reach some areas which are critical or even damage the good items in the process. For an easier and effective cleaning process, you should remove appliances and furniture. This will also ensure you have access to every nook and cranny of the living space, leaving no junk behind.
Sort the Items
To make the hoarding cleanup more effective, you can use large cardboard boxes. Categorize the items inside the living area. Only retain items with actual value that are still usable and separate them into items to donate, keep, or throw out. Consider donating items that are in good condition but won’t be used presently or soon. For those that are broken, old, or potentially hazardous, use the right disposal method which is safe. Any other item that you are unsure about should be kept in a separate box to be sorted later.
Use a Top to Bottom Approach
When cleaning houses that have more than one room, you should start by cleaning rooms that are farthest from the exit. This ensures that dirt doesn’t go back to areas that you have already cleaned. This makes the cleaning process more efficient.
Check For Damage and Perform the Necessary Repairs
Due to the clutter and possible damage from mold and rodent infestation, you should repair the flooring and furniture before reusing. Hoarding cleanup is not only about cleaning the spaces but also ensuring all the remaining items are in good working condition. You should discard anything that is damaged beyond repair and fix those that need repairs to cut costs.
Thoroughly Hoarding Cleanup the Entire Place
After sorting all the clutter, and removing the furniture and appliances, deep cleaning and sanitization of the entire place should follow. This ensures that the spaces remain safe, functional, and habitable. After all, why remove hoarded items only to leave the place partially clean? It will be a complete waste of time.
Know When to Ask For Help
Hoarders find it hard to part with most items. Therefore you should seek professional help to facilitate the process. In cases of vermin, bacteria, molds, and insect infestation, a biohazard cleanup company can help with the cleaning process.
Final Thoughts on Hoarding Cleanup
Whether you choose to do it yourself or hire the services of a professional, a cleanup is necessary to de-clutter your space. Change doesn’t have to come in a single day; therefore, patience and discipline are key when it comes to the hoarding cleanup process. You got this!