There are not as many tasks as challenging as helping a hoarder relocate to a brand-new home. The house of a hoarder is usually jam-packed with items of all sorts. From old newspapers and torn-up clothes to piles of books and plenty of other knick-knacks, hoarders are known for their habit of holding on to every item they come in contact with. So once you need or want to help a hoarder move into a new home, you are going to be faced with a job of massive proportions. Luckily, you can always get plenty of help when trying to help your loved one move. From hiring premier cleaning services in Dallas to seeking out a good moving team, you just have to look for assistance.
Be understanding and accommodating
One of the most important things that you need to remember is that hoarding is a type of disorder. People who have it usually have a hard time letting go of certain items as they have a need to save them for later use. There are many different circumstances and risk factors that can cause a hoarding disorder. However, the precise cause cannot be determined.
And if you understand that hoarding is a disorder, you have to show understanding for your loved one who is suffering from it. It’s imperative that you don’t express any judgmental feelings towards the person you are trying to help. And since people with a hoarding disorder are anxious at the very thought of having to throw anything away, you need to have a patient discussion with them. Instead of trying to convince them to throw everything away, try seeing what their limits are and how many items they are willing to let go of. You can count it as a success if you manage to clear out 10% of the items that are currently in the house.
Seek assistance when trying to help a hoarder move into a new home
Unless you have all the time and energy in the world to dedicate to this task, trying to assist a hoarder during relocation isn’t a one-person job. Quite the contrary – it usually entails an army of people. The first thing we suggest is browsing the database at Best Long Distance Movers, which is where you can find all the best moving companies in your area in one place. Pick a moving company, choose the right moving services, and have them pick up those belongings you decide to move into a new home.
Secondly, if you don’t like to deal with different types of dirt that you will notice after moving piles of items that might have been sitting in place for quite a while, we suggest you think about cleaning services. They are an effective way to get your property in order without spending your time on the task. Besides, with all the work that awaits when helping a hoarder move, you could use every second of free time.
If you have managed to find moving help and a reputable cleaning company, then you have everything you need to tackle this task. Don’t worry; finding the right assistance was probably the hardest part of the process.
Assess the situation and make a realistic plan
This is the part that usually determines how successful you will be in your mission. Not every hoarder’s home is the same. Some are at the very beginning of their disorder and have only piled up a couple of things. Others are deep into their hoarding habits and have almost no empty spaces in their homes. That’s why you first need to assess the situation and then make a suitable plan of action.
Make a cleaning and decluttering checklist. Decide which rooms you want to tackle first and set a decluttering goal. As previously mentioned, you will be successful even if you manage to get rid of every tenth item in the house. For a hoarder, that’s a considerable number of items.
Always come prepared and equipped
Hopefully, the hoarding habits of your loved one haven’t become extreme. But if they have gotten out of control and their Texas home is filled to the brim, then you will have to mentally prepare yourself for some gruesome discoveries. Decluttering, removing items, and cleaning up the house of a hoarder can expose you to biohazards, such as hantavirus, staph, and E. coli. That’s why it is of utmost importance to protect yourself with gloves and a face mask. Of course, make sure you pay extra good attention to your hygiene and disinfect your hands as soon as you are done cleaning.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to deal with furniture assembly, disassembly, and packing yourself, you can always find Texas-based experts in one place to help with these tasks. As we mentioned, there are many databases online with scores of reputable moving companies; all that’s left is selecting the one that fits your needs.
Create categories when decluttering the house of a hoarder
Decluttering is always done in the easiest possible manner once you group your items into categories. Create a pile of items that you plan to keep, the ones you plan to donate or sell, and the ones you are going to throw away. Of course, since you are trying to help a hoarder move into a new home, you will be working with them. And if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that they are going to have a hard time letting go of any items. That’s when you can jump in with some useful pieces of advice.
For example, it’s always a good idea to throw away an item if you haven’t used it in a year. Likewise, there’s no point in holding onto something that’s torn, ragged, broken, or outdated. Once you manage to convince your loved one to put some of the items onto the ‘throw out’ pile, you will succeed in helping a hoarder move into a new home. With the items categorized and ready, all that’s left to do is wait for the movers to relocate the items to the new address.
