The Hoarding Cleanup Process

During the past ten years, the staff of Bio-Trauma 911, Inc. has helped hundreds of hoarders in Indiana and surrounding states to reclaim their living space and lives.  Our staff of caring and compassionate experts work with hoarders and their family members to make the remediation process as pleasant as it can be.  As experts in this field, our staff understands that it may take several weeks, even months, to get everyone on board so that the process can be started with full participation from the hoarder.

Hoarding or Compulsive Hoarding Disorder makes it very difficult, and nearly impossible, for a person to discard or part with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.  The mere thought of throwing away an item of perceived value or importance will cause distress and hardship for the hoarder.  Regardless of actual value or worth, excessive accumulation of items will occur.  This accumulation, over time, may become so severe that the hoarder and/or other family members find it very difficult to live a normal and healthy life.

So often our initial contact with the client comes by way of a concerned family member or friend. Unfortunately it is all too common for hoarders to live in isolation. Many family members have no idea that their loved one is in fact a hoarder.  In the home of a family member and friend with a hoarding disorder, one would typically find the counter tops, desks, sinks, stoves, stairways and nearly all other surfaces to be stacked with items.  When no more can be stacked on these surfaces, these items may begin to clutter up the garage, storage barns, vehicles and yard.  Among the first signs of hoarding disorder will be the amassing of items and the difficulty in discarding of these items.  These signs or symptoms may often surface during the teenage years.  As the person ages, the situation becomes progressively worse and more difficult to treat.

While our company is a strong proponent of professional intervention and treatment for hoarding disorder, it’s not unusual for hoarders, with the help of family members, to seek out help on their own.  It is during this time, or after a successful treatment program, that our staff will meet with the hoarder and typically a family member. During the initial meeting, which may come after weeks of telephone conversations, we discuss the remediation or cleaning process.  At this point or a short time later, we like to have a full understanding of the value and importance the hoarder places on items in the home.  Often times it’s important to save certain items, as not everything should be discarded.  Likewise, during the cleaning process, our staff will take time to search for and retain: momentos, valuables, photos, important documents and other items that shouldn’t be thrown away.

To properly clean a home of a hoarder generally requires several of our technicians to work long days for the better part of a week.  It is not an inexpensive process but one that many hoarders find to be invaluable.  The excitement, joy, disbelief and complete relief expressed by so many of our clients is a true testament to our unwavering commitment and dedication to our clients and their goal of realizing a better way of living.

To learn more about Bio-Trauma 911 and our hoarding cleanup services, please visit us at www.treathoarding.com