I giggle when a prospect calls and says I am a hoarder. True hoarders/collectors would never admit to that fact.
Hoarding is at five different levels. Levels four and five are when the board of health has contacted them to vacate the property. Or they have all entrances and exits in the home blocked with “stuff”. They are unable to use the bathroom or kitchen because it is so full of whatever they have collected. They might have many animals in the home and they are unable to care for them and the animals go to the bathroom on the floor. The home is so full of “stuff” from whatever they collect, that they have literally cornered themselves into an area of the home where they live. It could be a corner of the house with no access to the bathrooms or kitchen.
The above is the extreme condition, but hoarding/collecting is a serious matter. Some of these residents have depression, which have gotten them to this point. These individuals have had some drama in their life such as a divorce, a job loss, a death, or a major event that has caused them to retreat.
Levels one, two or three are usually piles of “stuff” on the floor. Levels one and two there can be a path to move around, but there should still be intervention. Hoarders/collectors collect “things” because it may give them a sense of belonging, holding on to past memories.
Pack Rat’s or surface collecting are also people that can’t let go. They may have poor health and cannot clear or clean up areas. Or they may feel if it’s on a kitchen counter or dining room table, “I know where it is”.
For the above, pack rats or surface collectors, don’t know how to organize, to find things. They may not have the room in their living space or just don’t know what to toss.
In all of the above cases, we will work with them, with the exception of level four and five hoarding. We need to work alongside the family and residents’ consent. If the loved one has passed away, we work with the trustee or family, in helping resolve the clean out and prepare the home for listing it on the real estate market.
Shopaholic’s are those who over buy. They buy items they never use or open. But it’s the act of shopping and receiving a package. Some shopaholics can’t sleep at night, so they go to the shopping network or QVC and wait for their only visitor to come to the home, which the UPS person. There are resources for this, in getting help. But boxes and packages can be sitting around the house due to the same mental illness as mentioned above.
If you know of a person who might suffer from the above, seek assistance. If you don’t know who to call – call us to refer some help.
Call us for assistance.