When people find out that part of our work at HALO is cleaning and repairing hoarder houses,
they are intrigued. Many people launch into telling us about the hoarded home in their
neighborhood with boxes and newspapers piled on the front stoop and garbage strewn around
the yard.

However, the reality is that many houses being lived in by someone with hoarding disorder are
not spottable from the outside. For every recognizable hoarded home in your neighborhood,
there are likely others that you cannot label from the sidewalk.

Are You Living In A Hoarder House

Some people with hoarding disorder are not able to recognize the state of their living space. A
home does not become hoarded overnight. It happens gradually and it can take time before
problems arise. Some people with hoarding disorder have a hard time coming to terms with their
hoarding behaviours even when confronted. Their emotions and state of mind may not reflect
their actual circumstances.

Signs Your House May Be More Than Just Cluttered

It is normal for any house to have some clutter. Clutter is understood to be the buildup of items
in places where they do not belong. Where the line between clutter and hoarding starts to gray
is when misplaced and accumulated items start impacting daily life, healthy routines and safety.

If your belongings are keeping you from moving freely through your home, opening doors or
have rendered important appliances and facilities unusable, you may be living in a hoarded
home. For a deeper dive on the difference between clutter and hoarding, check out HALO’s blog
Hoarding vs. Clutter: When To Get Help.

How To Help A Hoarder In Denial

If you know someone who suffers from hoarding disorder but has trouble seeing the state of
their living space there are a few steps that you can take to try and help.

Speak with Love. Instead of forcing your opinion of what needs to happen onto your loved one –
speak with love and use “I” statements to describe the changes you’d like to see. For example,
“I am worried about you” and “I would like to see you safe” instead of “Your way of living is
unsafe” or “You cannot keep living this way”.

Ask Questions to Help Understand. Entering into any situation thinking that we know all that
there is to be understood is short-sighted. The same goes for thinking we understand what other
people are going through – including loved ones with hoarding disorder. In order to truly understand the experiences of others, we must ask questions.

Listen Authentically. What is asking questions if we do not actively listen to the answers we are
given? In order to actively listen and learn about the experiences of others we need to keep an
open mind and heart.

Offer Help. There is a difference between pushing help upon someone or offering to be of
assistance. This also means being respectful if they are not open to getting help.

In any of these cases, if you know someone living with hoarding disorder or suspect that you
may have hoarding disorder yourself, please give HALO a call. We can help.

You Cannot Judge A Book By It’s Cover

Just as it is impossible to judge a book by its cover, it is not always possible to spot a hoarded
house by the exterior of a home. Typically, inside the home holds the key to whether the space
is hoarded or not. Thankfully, no matter the space, HALO can present a solution. Give us a call.
Send us a message. Reach out in whatever way feels safe and know that we can help.