AM I A HOARDER?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? You're not alone. In fact, many people have either asked themselves that question or have had family members or friends use that term to describe them. But there is a difference between having too much "stuff" and suffering from the disorder of hoarding, a condition that with treatment and help can be resolved.

Signs to look for that you may need help in getting rid of unwanted items in your home are if you see your spaces getting smaller and smaller. Or using areas of your home that were once not so cluttered. Putting shelving up in a basement, putting boards down in an attic to store items, garage rafters, stuffing closets, or even in some cases, turning that 3rd bedroom into a storage room or walk in closet. It may be time to take action. Ask yourself, when was the last time you looked in that attic and actually needed something. Or items in the rafters of the garage, when was the last time you pulled out a ladder and used anything that was stored up there. Experts say if you haven't used an item in 5 years, you most likely won't and it's time to pitch it!

Maybe you are like a lot of people and say "you never know when I might need this," or "it's still good, why throw it out?" only to find out it's now been 7 years and that old suitcase in the basement, is now out of date, or worse, moisture has given it a new bad smell, or mice are setting up a nest in it. It is not uncommon for stored items to be infested with pests using them for nests, but also items exposed to moisture to be ruined. Many times, we are called to a home where the client stored their college textbooks (because we know how expensive those were) in a crawl space just to have us come out and peel the decaying boxes off of the concrete floor.

Back to the question, am I a hoarder? If you find yourself in any of the scenarios listed above, rest assured you are not at that stage. Your friends and family may be correct by calling you a packrat, or someone who saves everything, but you are not a hoarder. These condition you live with can be fixed and usually in one day! Simply go through the items you have in storage and truly ask yourself when was the last time I used the old pots and pans in this box in the basement? If the answer is not in the last 5 years, it’s time for it to go. Also, if you find yourself moving a box from the garage to the basement or to the attic, rather than just tossing it, it’s time to let it go. When you have determined the items that can stay, maybe old sentimental photo albums or that plumbing tool you may need again someday, then mark them to stay. All the other stuff just let us know when we come out for a free estimate and we will get it out of your life, for good. Sometimes it is a good idea to have a family member who is not a "saver" to be with you to help you determine if you really need an item or not.

Hoarding is another serious condition as we mentioned earlier where we can also help. Hoarding is classified as a mental disorder. Classified under the disorder of obsessive-compulsive disorder which is also an anxiety disorder. There is help. Working with a therapist hoarding can be controlled and no longer be a burden on you or your family. If you keep items that are of no value such as stacks and stacks of newspapers, food containers or items you believe someday you can fix or repair, these are signs you need help in stopping this cycle. If your home has paths through rooms that the clutter is so high, or mounds of items you cannot even see the bottom of the floor, this is also a sign you may be a hoarder. Look at some of our photos on our web site and you will see you are not alone. You can get your life back, and we can help.

Any questions please feel free to call us and we will set up a time to come out and help you take back your home. Whether it is 5 boxes in a garage, an off-site storage space you have been paying rent to for 5 years and never even visit, or a hoarding situation, we can help. We use a crew of trained men and women who do this for a career, not a summer job. There is nothing they have not seen. We also use box trucks (like a moving truck) so everything is loaded up unseen rather than a dumpster in front of your house that all the neighbors can see. We also donate as many items as we can, so if you were right that some of the items you have been holding onto can be used, we will make sure they live on - just not in your spare room anymore!