Cleaning out a hoarded home

At HALO, we get a lot of calls from the loved ones of people with hoarded homes. They are desperate to know what they can do to help their mother, daughter, father, son, sister, brother, best friend, etc… with hoarding disorder. We are constantly asked one question in particular, “How do I clean out my loved one’s hoarded home?”. And so, at HALO, we wanted to provide you with a few answers to that question.

Step #1: Don’t!

If you have a loved one with hoarding disorder, it is very likely that you want to help them. You may even feel that you need to help them; like you are somehow responsible for them and their wellbeing. This could not be further from the truth. You are not responsible for cleaning their space, nor for their wellbeing. While this loved one is living, and God willing that will be for a very long time, it is not and never will be your responsibility to make their space clean, safe or livable. So, at HALO, our #1 answer to “How do I dlean out my loved ones hoarded home?” is “You don’t!”.

Step #2: Seek to understand

The best thing that you can do is seek to know what having hoarding disorder is. With knowledge comes understanding and with understanding comes our ability to empathize. This is where the real magic happens. Once we can empathize with our loved one, we can see that taking matters into our own hands will never work.

Step #3: Encourage them to help

Hoarding disorder is an illness – albeit a mental health one. You would not tell someone with a broken leg to try and cast it on their own and in the same way we cannot ask someone with hoarding disorder to heal themselves. People with hoarding disorder have been known to improve their condition greatly, and in such, improve their living conditions and quality of life, with the help of a mental health professional specializing in hoarding disorder.

Step #4: Be prepared for the long road

Individuals seeking help from a professional for their hoarding disorder often travel a long road to recovery with bends and twists and switchbacks along the way. They may even need multiple interventions where their home is made livable during their lifetime. As their loved ones, one of the best things we can do is meet them where they are every time with love, understanding, empathy and patience.

If you or someone you know is an individual with hoarding disorder who may need some assistance with their wellbeing and the state of their living space, HALO is here to help. Our empathetic and patient approach has proven repeatedly to be an affective way to help those with hoarding disorder, their family and friends alike.