Many people live with compulsive hoarding disorder. Estimates made by mental health professionals suggest that 2% to 5% of people around the world have this condition. It’s characterized by a compulsion to acquire more items, even if those items are broken, damaged, contaminated, useless or have no value. Another aspect of hoarding disorder is the inability to remove items from the home or property. Many people with hoarding disorder feel a responsibility or attachment to the items, even if they know those possessions are getting in their way. For most individuals, hoarding disorder manifests during their early adult years, and it gets worse with age. After many years of hoarding, a home becomes so cluttered that it can’t be safely or fully used for its intended purposes. Eco Bear’s team of professional hoarder property cleaning specialists offers thorough services. We clean all sizes and types of hoarded properties in Compton, CA. Our focus on safety and our compassion make us the right choice for hoarder property cleaning in Compton.
Who Struggles With Hoarding Behavior
While anybody can develop hoarding disorder, mental health professionals have found some risk factors that make it more likely for a person to hoard. You may be more likely to develop hoarding disorder if you:
- Have a parent, grandparent or sibling with hoarding disorder
- Have depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Live alone
- Are over the age of 50
- Are a perfectionist or procrastinator
- Struggle with decision-making processes
Our Eco Bear team works with people of all ages and backgrounds who have hoarding disorder. In some cases, two or more people in a household are affected by hoarding disorder. We’re ready to help you remove the clutter from your home and property so that you can live in good health, safety and comfort.
Things People Hoard
Each person’s experience with hoarding disorder is different. Some people may have started as collectors, searching for unique purses, dolls or tools. Others have a wide variety of interests and amass a wide variety of items in their hoards. At Eco Bear, some of the most commonly hoarded items we clear from homes and properties include:
- Printed materials, such as books, magazines, newspapers and mail
- Household goods, including appliances, boxes, bags, decor and linens
- Building materials and project supplies
- Vehicles and parts
- Food
- Consumer goods, such as clothing, shoes and accessories
- Toys, crafts and leisure items
In addition to hoarding these items, some people with hoarding disorder may accumulate too many pets. Depending on the type and size of home, a household can legally have several dogs or cats. However, people who feed strays or do not get their cats or dogs fixed may quickly accumulate dozens of pets. We work with Humane Society and animal control agents as well as veterinarians in order to ensure that the animals are healthy and cared for properly.
What Makes It Difficult for People To Stop Hoarding
The reasons why a person hoards and what makes it difficult for them to stop the behavior and let go of their excess belongings differs for each individual. Cognitive behavioral therapy often helps with these behaviors, but you’re still left with a full house and property. Eco Bear’s professional cleaning team is ready to clear the hoard for you so that you can have a safe, clean and sanitary home. Our clients have identified many reasons why they have hoarded properties in Compton, including:
- Delight in acquiring new items
- Inability to say no to free items
- Indecision on what to get rid of
- Lack of knowledge about how to dispose of certain items
- Perceived value of hoarded items
- Desire to give items to someone who can use them
- Perfectionism
- Organizational problems
- Fear or anxiety related to not having an item when they need it
Why Hoarder Property Cleaning Is Necessary
While you may have accumulated all of the items in the hoarded property on your own, you didn’t do it overnight. Clearing a hoarded property and getting it into compliance with Compton’s building, health and environmental codes could be a huge task. You can’t do it by yourself in a short amount of time. Our expert cleaners work efficiently to clear large hoards from properties. A hoarded property leads to a wide range of problems. Some effects of hoarding include:
- Pest or vermin infestations
- Water or mold damage
- Structural damage
- Risk of Child or Adult Protective Services removing children or elders from the home
- Risk of Humane Society or animal cruelty investigators removing pets from the home
- Fines from building or health code violations
- Condemning of the property
- Inability to get out of the home in case of fire or medical emergency
How Eco Bear Cleans Hoarded Properties in Compton
Our thorough cleaning process for hoarder properties in Compton begins with a site evaluation. We determine the volume and weight of the hoarded items, which allows us to schedule dumpster and recycling services. We also review the hoard in order to determine if it contains medical or biological waste, which requires special equipment and materials for safe removal. We handle all types of hoards, including those with:
- Rotted items or trash
- Animal feces and biological waste
- Pest infestations
- Hazardous items
- Salvageable items
What Makes Eco Bear the Right Choice for Hoarder Property Cleaning
Safety is our highest priority at Eco Bear. Our skilled cleaners use personal protective equipment. We safely remove the hoard so that you can return to a clean, clutter-free home. Our attention to detail means nothing gets overlooked.