Compulsive hoarding is considered a legitimate mental disorder that, in many cases, requires professional help to overcome. Without that help, the behavior of the hoarder could lead to unintended consequences that affect more than just the individual in question. Resolving a hoarding issue is vitally important at a number of levels.
Hoarding resolution is one of the services we provide at My Divine Concierge. We can come into your home, help you separate through your belongings, assist you in disposing of what is no longer needed, and clean up at the end of the process. If you think you are dealing with a hoarding situation in your family, here are three reasons to get it resolved as quickly as possible:
Personal Health
The average hoarder does not realize how dangerous his or her behavior is from the standpoint of personal health. The home of the hoarder is generally a breeding ground for various types of rodents, insects, and bacteria with names you have never heard of. Mold is also a big concern as well.
Understand that rodents and insects carry disease. Moreover, if the right conditions exist in the home of a hoarder, they can present the perfect breeding ground for spreading those diseases. Bacteria, viruses, and mold can also flourish amidst a dirty and unkempt environment. Residents living in a home with someone who hoards are prime candidates for asthma, skin conditions, allergies and a whole host of other problems.
Personal Relationships
Compulsive hoarding is a condition that is not typically recognized by the person suffering from it. That individual sees his or her behavior as completely normal. However, family members usually do not see things the same way. And unfortunately, unresolved hoarding leads to strained relationships that can end in the parties going separate ways. We have seen first-hand how hoarding has led to divorce and separation from children.
The damage to personal relationships may be the most severe of all the consequences of compulsive hoarding. Believe us when we say that those relationships are more important than any amount of material goods you may or may not possess. Do not risk your personal relationships over stuff.
Condition of Property
When a compulsive hoarding situation is allowed to continue for an extended amount of time, it can very easily lead to dangerous conditions within the home. For example, mold and insect infestation can weaken floorboards, walls, and roof timbers to the point of eventual collapse. Decaying food and dead animals also present a certain level of danger.
We have seen more than one situation in which the property of a hoarder has been condemned by a local municipality. The homeowner may be given only a certain amount of time to clean up and restore the property before the town seizes it and razes the home. Not only is hoarding a potentially dangerous situation for you, it can actually cost you your home as well.
My Divine Concierge is unable to assist you with the mental aspects of compulsive hoarding; that is best left to mental health professionals. However, we can help you clean out your property and bring it up to code. Our hoarding resolution service involves spending as much time with you as necessary to go through all of your belongings. We will help you organize what is to be saved while also disposing of that which needs to go.