Hoarders cause a lot of trouble not only to themselves but also ton with the police or forcibly cleaning the collector’s apartment will only exacerbate his problem. In addition to providing a professional hoarding cleanup service, a hoarder needs understanding and psychological help. Hoarding is a disease of the 21st century. Life expectancy and the number of elderly people are increasing, and the level of income allowing people to buy and gather different unnecessary things increases with the years. The pace of change is getting faster – hoarding can be an attempt to find a sense of stability and security in things. What’s more, popular culture dictates the constant replacement of old things with new ones and the old ones end up in a garbage bin, which is a great source for hoarders to replenish his or her collection.

Luckily, there are specialized organizations as well as companies providing a professional hoarding cleanup service that can help hoarders with their problems.

There are many methods of helping hoarders that are similar in essence and sequence of actions.

1. First of all, it’s necessary to arrange a meeting with a hoarder and assess how difficult the situation is. Then, it’s important to discuss the situation with the hoarder and his or her family or and develop a strategy for help together. There is an “icebreaker form” for those who are embarrassed to talk about hoarding or do not know how to describe problems and may miss important details. This is a test questionnaire in which a hoarder or a member of his family needs to answer certain questions which determine the severity of this disorder. The degree of hoarding can vary from gathering trash to the complete unsuitability of housing for life when a hoarder literally does not have a place to sleep, the bathroom does not function or the whole apartment requires urgent professional hoarding cleanup service. Some apartments where hoarders live teem with insects and rodents. There are even snakes in some apartments.

2. Secondly, it’s necessary to call a professional hoarding cleanup service to clean and disinfect the premises. However, it’s important to know that cleaning will only work if the hoarder himself wants to live in a clean apartment. If you forcefully clean the premises or persuade the hoarder to do it by manipulating him, this will give only a short-term effect, and then the hoarding will continue.

On the other hand, a professional hoarding cleanup service can do the job so well, that a hoarder will look at his apartment from a different angle and immediately change his attitude to life.

In fact, a professional hoarding cleanup service does not only clean but also helps with furniture and storage places arrangement so that it is comfortable to live in his house.

3. Thirdly, it’s necessary to turn to the help of psychotherapists. In order to treat Hoarding Disorders the methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy are widely used. The American Psychiatric Association also confirms that CBT is the main method of helping hoarders. During CBT, people gradually learn to throw away unnecessary objects with less anxiety, reducing their need for them or the desire to save these things. They also learn to improve decision-making and the ability to relax. For some patients, medications may also be helpful.

Remember that hoarding is a disease and it requires a careful attitude from the side of professional organizations.