Compulsive hoarding is a complicated mental health disorder. It involves collecting and keeping a lot of items, including things that other people would find to be of no use or value. Those items clutter the living spaces and make it difficult to access key parts of the home, such as the oven, bathtub or toilet. As the items accumulate, a person with hoarding disorder starts to feel distressed. They may dislike how they’re living, but they feel powerless to do anything about it. Hoarding leads to problems with daily activities of living, such as preparing food, showering or even safely navigating from room to room. At Eco Bear, we’re a team of skilled cleaning professionals specially equipped to clear any hoarder property in Baldwin Park, CA. We put safety as our top priority, and we treat each client with respect, compassion and professionalism.
What Hoarding Disorder Is
There are a lot of misconceptions about what hoarding disorder is. Hoarding disorder is different from collecting. A collector is proud of what they have, displays some or all of their collection and does so in a special place. They look forward to having guests in order to show off their collection. In contrast, a hoarder’s items are in disarray. There’s no organization or pride in the hoarded items. Hoarding disorder encompasses both acquiring new items and not getting rid of things that are broken, unneeded or obvious trash. Many people with hoarding disorder have difficulty telling what’s trash from what’s useful or safe. Hoarding disorder also involves:
- Fear of not having enough
- Inability to make decisions
- Procrastination about simple things, such as taking out a bag of trash
- Obsession with keeping items
- Emotional connection with the hoard
- Physical inability to clear the hoard
Who Develops Hoarding Disorder
Anybody can develop hoarding disorder. Recent research has found that there’s a genetic component to this condition. It’s common for a person with hoarding disorder to note that a parent, aunt or uncle or grandparent had the same problem. Hoarding can also be a learned behavior. For example, if you were always rewarded with new toys and clothes as a child, you might seek to acquire more items in order to get a similar feeling of self-worth. Researchers have also found some patterns in who is more likely to develop hoarding disorder. Those who are at the highest risk of hoarding disorder include:
- People who live alone
- Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety or depression
- Perfectionists
- Those with a history of trauma
How Hoarding Disorder Affects Families
Most people with hoarding disorder deny they have a problem. They don’t realize there’s a problem with the hoarded property until their family members are distressed by the situation. Many hoarders learn to live with the hoard. If you have hoarding disorder and are a parent of minor children, Child Protective Services may get involved. If your elderly parent has hoarding disorder or lives in a hoarded property, Adult Protective Services may remove them from the home. Hoarding disorder also makes it difficult to perform everyday or special family functions. It may be impossible for you to have people sit at your table for a meal. You may stop inviting people to your home. You may even refuse entry to your family members or friends. At Eco Bear, our compassionate cleaners understand how hoarding impacts your social relationships and family life, and we’re ready to clean the hoarded property so that you can enjoy a positive social connection and support from your friends and family members.
What Happens To a Hoarded Home and Property
In many cases, hoarded properties become a public nuisance. A repair technician, utility worker or neighbor might notice the hoard and report it to code enforcement. A friend or family member may also report the situation, especially if the person with hoarding disorder denies the problem or refuses to take action. Once the authorities are aware of a hoarded property, there can be serious consequences. Children or senior citizens can be removed from the home. Humane society and animal protection officers may remove pets from hoarding situations. A hoarded property that isn’t cleaned could be condemned. Our team at Eco Bear aims to prevent these consequences from happening. We efficiently clear the hoard in order to avoid legal action, fines and other unpleasant effects of hoarded properties.
Types of Hoarded Properties We Clean
At Eco Bear, we clean all types of hoarder properties in Baldwin Park. We clean small apartments, townhomes, condos and multi-story family homes. Our skilled cleaners also handle ranches, estates and properties that include a business. We clear hoarded homes, garages, sheds and yards. Some of the most common hoarded items we remove include:
- Antiques and inherited belongings
- Large amounts of retail items, such as clothing, shoes, toys and purses
- Recyclable materials, such as metal, cardboard and paper
- Books, electronics and media
- Food and household supplies
- Trash, medical or biological waste
- Broken, contaminated, or non-functioning belongings
Some hoarding situations also include pets. We work with Baldwin Park Humane Society and animal control agents to get pets veterinary care. If the hoard is affected by a pest infestation, we’ll coordinate our services with a local pest control company.
Why Eco Bear Is the Right Choice for Hoarder Property Cleaning
Eco Bear is the right choice for hoarder property cleaning in Baldwin Park. We offer a rapid response time, fully inspect the property and provide competitive, fair pricing for our services. We have the skills to safely work with hazardous and unsanitary materials on the property. Our strong work ethic and attention to detail ensure that your property will be completely remediated and meet all of the local code requirements. We leave you with a clean, sanitary and safe home and property.