We all know how difficult a hoarding situation can be and the sensitivity with which things need to be handled with the person who hoards and the cleanup required. Additionally, though there are some aspects of hoarding that affect the whole family or others who live or work in the home.
Hoarders can claim territory in shared living spaces
Hoarders need space to store and “organize” all of their stuff. After a while, it’s easy for the hoarder to begin talking over areas of the home for storage and in the process limiting the amount of usable space in the house. Eventually, the hoarders’ stuff can begin to crowd out other household members from using parts of their own home.
Hoarding can lead to financial Issues
Hoarding requires having and holding onto a lot of stuff. Many of these items can start out as impulse purchases or required necessities. Amassing large quantities of these items – depending on how they are maintained — can come with a financial cost. Along with the items themselves, purchased “storage pieces” also come with both spatial and monetary costs. Quite often, these expenses dip into household funds or start to accumulate quickly as credit card debit creating an additional burden on the family members.
Some social and emotional issues of living with a hoarder
The value a hoarder puts on their belongings cannot be underestimated. The concern for holding onto and protecting these items from others’ interference can be taken as these items having a greater perceived value to the hoarder than actual people/family members. This is especially true of children who are always very sensitive about where they stand in the hierarchy of a household.
Having all this stuff around a shared space can make that space look uncomfortable, dirty, or unwelcoming. People who live with hoarders often stop all at-home socializing with guests out of embarrassment for their living conditions and how those conditions could reflect on them personally.
Health and safety concerns when living with a hoarder
After a while, all of this stuff everywhere will start to create some sanitary issues in the home. Most basically, as things pile up it becomes more difficult to clean around them or even move things for cleaning because of the hoarder’s protective nature.
Worse, depending on the things the hoarder might be saving, the family members may end up dealing with items that create greater health hazards: dirty cups, pizza boxes, even pets which can lead to much more serious sanitation issues that can have both physical and mental health issues for residents of the household.
Getting help with a hoarding cleanup
Cleaning up a home that has a hoarder in it is a sensitive task and also a lot of work. It’s important that the hoarder gets the hep he or she needs to help them see their situation more clearly.
At the same time hoarding creates lots of extra stuff and just junk that create a big cleanup job. Flannery’s Handymen are equipped to help. We understand the needs of people dealing with a hoarding situation and can help with both sorting and cleanup as well as junk removal.
If you need help with a hoarding cleanup in Lynn, Marblehead, Swampscott, Salem, Saugus, and surrounding areas, you can contact us here or call us at 781-775-9943. We are happy to help you clean up and reclaim your home.
