Hoarder, when do they need help?

The time has come and your mom has finally accepted that she needs to move.  The problem is that you don’t know where to begin with clearing the clutter and, quite honestly, you are concerned that she has the tendencies of a hoarder.

You know that she is not going to manage to sort and clear out her home on her own but you are sure that between you, you will manage.

The question is…

Well, let’s look at it step by step.

The Institute for Challenging Disorganisation has identified 5 levels of hoarding and depending on what level you identify will depend on how much assistance your mom, and you – will need.

In order to identify the level of the hoarder, we look at different areas as suggested by The Institute for Challenging Disorganisation.  These areas are…

Structure and zoning

We will start with inspecting the structure of the home.  Are all doors, stairways and windows functional and accessible?  Are the plumbing and electricity in full working order? Is the home adequately heated in winter and adequately ventilated? Is the building generally structurally sound?

Animals and pests

If there are pets, we will assess if the behaviour and sanitation are appropriate.  Is there visible or odorous pet waste and is the pet population appropriate? We will also assess for infestation of pests either insect, rodent or any other and ascertain at what level this infestation occurs.

Household functions

Next, we will look at the overall functioning of the household.  Are there areas or rooms that are not used for their intended purposes e.g. using the bath to store things or not being able to access the study because of clutter?  Is there a regular routine of housekeeping and maintenance and are the appliances in working order and used for their intended purpose?

Health and safety

Finally, we will look at the health and safety of the home.  Is the general sanitation of the home sufficient?  Are there any odours related to food or food preparation, laundry or toilets?  We consider food and food preparation areas here, as well as laundry and bathrooms.  Is the bed made up and is it regularly slept in or is it inaccessible due to clutter etc? Are all hazardous materials stored in an appropriate and safe manner?

Depending on the level identified will determine whether this is a project that you can tackle with your mom. Whether you should consider bringing in a speciality moving manager or professional organiser such as ourselves to assist. Or whether your mom’s psychological conditions are too severe and this process needs to be done in conjunction with a psychologist.  Either way, what your mom needs from you is support, patience and understanding and together you can take the necessary steps to help her through this process.

For more information to help a hoarder, visit Spaulding Decon’s site, Spaulding is a hoarding specialist based in the U.S. We have attended Laura Spaulding’s webinar through NASMM – The Association of Speciality and Senior Moving Managers of which we are both members.

Click here for an article describing a collector, clutterer and hoarder.