We all accumulate a few outdated possessions along life’s journey, which we no longer require but hang on to anyway. Payment receipts from an old lease agreement, unused postcards that WhatsApp superseded, the possibilities are almost endless. There’s no need to worry about containing clutter in small quantities like that. An occasional spring clean should send them on their way.
However, collections may accumulate in some people’s homes to the point they affect their lifestyles negatively. These are the people whom society labels compulsive hoarders, almost as if they do so deliberately, which is not the case. In reality we are dealing a creeping condition that steals up on hoarders gradually, until they lose control over their hoard.
Containing Clutter Becomes Tougher in Five Phases
Compulsive hoarding unfolds in five phases that have been the subject of thorough research during the past few decades. Nowadays we understand it is a medical condition, an obsession if you like. However, at this stage there is no ‘cure’ for it. We can only do our best to ‘treat the symptoms’, by containing clutter in hoarders’ homes.
The Five Phases of Hoarding Disorder
- Phase 1 hoarding begins almost imperceptibly in the early stages. There is some light clutter in the form of unused items accumulating. However, the house is clean, all rooms are usable, with all doors and windows accessible.
- Phase 2 flows from Phase 1. All living spaces and exit doors are still reachable. The home is in a generally safe, sanitary, and mould-free state. However, there are a few cluttered heaps on the floor.
- Phase 3 emerges as mild clutter becomes moderate, and any thoughts of containing clutter begin to fade. Many areas of the home are becoming inaccessible. The general state of hygiene is embarrassing. The situation needs attention.
- Phase 4 manifests as a severely-cluttered home. Some appliances, even plumbing and electricity may have ceased working. Stairways and exit doors are becoming non-navigable. The home is in an unsafe and unsanitary state.
Phase 4 Hoarded Home Image Copyright Avery Associates
- Phase 5 reduces the home to an almost-unimaginable state of filth and chaos, with clutter that must be moved aside to enter, and walk through rooms. Few appliances and services work. The situation is out of control.
Why Bother a Friend with Developing Hoarding?
Hoarding is more than a ‘bad habit gone wrong’. It can consume the affected person’s life, to the extent they have difficulty living in a way that the rest of us regard as normal. Their occupation, social relationships and personal hygiene all suffer. This affects their ability to function in a typical society.
Intervention by well-intended family and friends encounters obstacles from the beginning. A hoarder regards their lifestyle as completely normal, because everything they accumulate has a useful purpose, at least in their mind. They may be reluctant to allow access to anybody who might want to change that reality.
However, and this is the core thought in this article, we cannot allow hoarding to continue unabated if we truly love the person. We have to convince them that containing the clutter is sensible, for the following reasons provided by National Health Service.
- The clutter can accumulate to a point where it becomes a health risk.
- It can complicate cleaning to the extent that this becomes impractical.
- Unhygienic conditions may develop encouraging insects and rodents.
- Falls and trips become more likely when navigating obstructed passageways.
- A fire risk could develop, especially with doors and windows blocked off.
Increasing clutter in a home may also indicate another, underlying condition, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and even dementia. These represent even more solid reasons why we need to care about a loved one with hoarding disorder.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Helps Contain Clutter
Cognitive behavioural therapy may help a hoarder understand that they need outside help with containing clutter. A qualified therapist assists a hoarder to talk about themselves, and improve their decision-making and organizational skills.
This therapy can in turn help them realise that they need practical help to clear their clutter. However, National Health Service suggests that the therapist should stop short of assisting with this. This is because they prefer the hoarder to be actively involved in the process, as opposed to being ‘forced into it’.
Get Help with a Hoarder House Clearance
Avery Associates are here to support you, whether you need to clear your accumulated clutter, or facilitate the process for a friend. We provide a rapid, effective, sympathetic and highly confidential solution, which made us a popular choice in the Greater London area down the years.
Perhaps that’s because we are not a franchise cleaning service. We are a privately-owned business of many years standing, and excellent repute. Speak to us if you require an experienced, sensitive and discrete de-cluttering and hoarded home clearance, at a price you can afford and that suits your schedule.
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