Set SMART Goals to Take on Hoarding Cleanup

Hoarding cleanup has all the earmarks of an impossible task. People faced with the prospect of having to undertake hoarder property cleanup can feel overwhelmed and experience what really does amount to despair. One technique you can employ to make the process of cleaning up a hoard more manageable is setting what are known as SMART goals. In this article we discuss how applying SMART goals can make taking on and cleaning up a house where hoarding has occurred a far more manageable and less overwhelming endeavor.

What are SMART Goals?

SMART goals aid you in identifying specific, concrete objectives when it comes to undertaking hoarder property cleanup. (The individual components of SMART goals are presented in a moment.)

Typically, when a person undertakes any type of cleaning task, let alone one involving hoarding remediation, that individual sets a goal such as I will clean up the entire kitchen. A SMART goal is far more specific and would be something along the lines of: I will sort through half of the items on the kitchen table today.

What are the Elements of SMART?

The elements comprising SMART are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-Bound

Each of these individual elements are discussed in turn.

Specific

Previously in this article we did begin to discuss the idea of a specific objective as part of the SMART goal process. Many people do set goals and objectives in a rather casual manner: “I am going to clean the dining room today.” While such a goal might be specific enough in a non-hoarding setting, it is not when you are faced with hoarder property cleanup. For example, the dining room table will have far, far more “stuff” on it than an individual in a non-hoarding setting would ever face in regard to the entire room itself.

Measurable

Once you define the specific area that will be subject to hoarder cleanup at any given time, you then need to establish how much will be done in that specific area. For example, using the dining room table as a guide, you might determine to clear the table of all dishes and utensils that have amassed there over time as the measurable component of your SMART goal.

Attainable

When setting the specific and measurable aspects of a SMART goal, you must always make certain that what you select in these two areas is attainable. You can blow attainability in the hoarder cleanup process by selecting too large of a space to take on at one time. You can further mess up cleaning up a hoard by going overboard in the measurable arena as well.

In the final analysis, when it comes to establishing a SMART goal, you must be realistic. In that regard, you likely would benefit from getting advice from others regarding the reasonableness of what you propose to do in regard to SMART goal planning and plotting.

Relevant

What you set as a SMART goal needs to be relevant to the task at hand. When it comes to hoarder property cleanup, the initial task at hand is removing the stuff and getting a house cleaned up. Therefore, a goal of painting the dining room would not be relevant to the task at hand. Yes, it may (sort of) make the room look better. However, in the absence of eliminating the stuff and cleaning up the mess, a particular space will not be restored to an appropriately livable condition.

Time-Bound

When setting a SMART goal, you need to establish time parameters as well. Returning to the dining room table, one time parameter would be that you will undertake the specifically delineated tasks relative to the dining table today for two hours. In addition, you will want to consider a more long-term time objective. For example, you will have the entire dining room cleaned off and cleaned up in six two-hour sessions stretching over eight days.

Retaining Professional Assistance as Part of the SMART Goal Process

You do not have to work through a hoarder property cleanup process on your own. You can set as a SMART goal hiring a hoarder property cleanup company to take on specific elements of the remediation process at your home. There may be some tasks you and others can undertake on your own. However, a company like Eco Bear can take on the more daunting elements of hoarder property cleanup for you.

Evaluating Your SMART Goals

Finally, when it comes to utilizing SMART goals as part of the hoarding cleanup and remediation process at your house, you will want to evaluate how the process is going. You will want to evaluate the effectiveness of SMART goals overall and of each of the essential elements that comprise a particular established SMART goal. By regularly evaluating the process, you will be able to make appropriate adjustments but also come to recognize that you are making important progress.