You’ve probably seen them on television or read about them in newspapers. People who live in constant dirt and filth. People who can’t walk around their homes or even use the kitchen or bathroom because they don’t have the room to do so, or the plumbing stopped working years ago and nobody can get inside to fix the issue. You may think these instances are rare. They couldn’t possibly happen to you or somebody you love. Sadly, hoarding can happen to anyone, anywhere. It is possible, however, to catch the signs of hoarding early and prevent a bad situation from getting worse. What are the signs that somebody is a hoarder and a professional hoarding cleanup may be necessary?
Inability to Throw Anything Away
It doesn’t matter if the items are old newspapers, broken toys, or expired food – the hoarder doesn’t understand why they should throw it away. They might believe it has value, they can use it for something else later, or, if it’s food, it’s still safe to eat, in spite of what the “Best By” date may say. The idea of throwing something away may cause them anxiety, panic, or stress.
Accumulation of Items
With the inability to throw anything away comes the accumulation of items. It might start slow, such as a pile of clothes in the basement, or stuffed junk drawers. Eventually, it could lead to a multitude of potential health and safety issues, including a mold problem, which would eventually require professional mold removal.
Hoarding Cleanup
If they’re buying more clothes than they could ever wear, more food than they could ever eat, or things they’ll obviously never use, a hoarding cleanup may be in order.
Contact ServiceMaster Professional Cleaning and Restoration of Chester Springs, PA today to find out more about our hoarding cleanup services or the other cleaning and restoration services we offer. We can be reached here or at (610) 431-3553.