With our consumerist culture of low-cost goods, flash sales, and fast-changing fashion, we tend to keep more in our homes than we have room for. Whether it’s the old tools and towers of boxes in the garage, the accumulated years of material stacked up in our living rooms, or the piles of objects of an estate others have left behind, the amount of belongings can become overwhelming to the point where we don’t know where to start when it comes time to clean things out. When the amount of items we own becomes more than we can handle and impedes our daily life, then you may be dealing with a disorder called “hoarding.” Hoarding is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding disorder experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs.” In recent years, businesses have developed services to help people who hoard clean up and sort through these towering piles of belongings or to help families clean out the estates of their loved ones. Whether it’s someone who just needs to clean out their garage to someone whose house is completely uninhabitable, there is a service to help deal with the accumulated years of material so the hoarded home can be cleaned up or restored to functionality. When it comes to hoarding cleanup companies, there are three kinds commonly found in any area. While some companies specialize in only one type of cleanout, others offer an array of services you can pick and choose from to best suit your needs.
- Junk Removal When you have a bunch of stuff you just want to get rid of and you aren’t concerned about any of the contents, then a junk removal company is the quick and easy solution. Once you call a junk removal company, their employees arrive with a large truck and haul away whatever items you point to. These materials can be electronics, clothing, mattresses, appliances, furniture, and building material, among countless other items. Some companies will even provide light cleaning when all the items have been removed. Whenever possible, many junk removal companies emphasize recycling and donating unwanted items whenever they can. The limitation of choosing a junk removal company is they are unable to handle any bio hazardous material such as feces, urine, or any other bodily fluids. The staff at these companies are neither trained nor equipped to handle the inherent dangers. If these materials are among the hoarded belongings, then you need a bio hazard cleanup company to handle the job.
- Clutter Cleanup Sometimes when you aren’t sure exactly what is in the pile of items and you need help sorting through them all or you have a smaller amount of items to clean out rather than a whole house’s worth, then you need to hire a clutter cleanup company. A company such as this will have someone you can work with directly, someone who will take the time to get to know your needs, what people will need to keep an eye out for as things are sorted, and will help you organize the remaining items so the livability of a home is restored. Similar to a junk removal company, clutter cleanup companies are unable to handle dangerous materials. This kind of company’s specialty is to be hands-on with you and help you sort each item, not to handle materials harmful to yourself or others. In addition, many clutter cleanup companies will haul away anything you don’t want.
- Hoarding Cleanup A hoarding cleanup company will do it all: they help you sort through items, look for valuables, handle bio hazardous materials, and haul away what you no longer want. In addition, a hoarding cleanup company will deep clean the area for you once the hoarded material is removed. Equipped with personal protective gear, industrial-grade cleaners, and professional equipment, hoarding companies are also able to remove bodily fluids, urine, feces, blood, bacteria, mold, needles, drug paraphernalia, animal remains, and the odors that go along with them. If you want a professional organizer to work with you throughout the process, this kind of company can often provide one or can refer you to someone they work with on a regular basis. The only drawback to working with this kind of company is you may not need the services they offer. If you know the belongings you want to be removed don’t contain bio hazardous material or other such dangers, then a clutter cleanup or junk removal company would be a better fit for your needs. If there are dangerous materials among the piles or if the items have been there for a long period of time to where animal feces or mold is a real possibility, then a hoarding cleanup company is a good fit for what you need done.
Choosing the Right Company
When picking a hoarding cleanup company to help you restore your home or business, first consider the following questions:
- Are there valuables you need to locate?
- Do items need to be sorted?
- Are there any hazards among the materials?
- How involved do you want to be in the cleanout?
- What do you want the end result to be?
- Do you need emotional or organizational help in the process?
Based on your answers to these questions, decide which kind of hoarding cleanout company you need to hire then find the one in your area that best meets your needs. Most companies will be happy to give you a free consultation and estimate. If you have any questions about our hoarding and estate cleanout services or would like a free consultation or estimate, call us 24/7 at (516) 580-3775 and we’ll be happy to help.