Hoarding disorder affects between 2% and 6% of adults. Many people have seen the shows about people with hoarding disorder, which includes extreme cases of hoarded properties. There are three main components of hoarding disorder:

• Insatiable need to acquire more items
• Inability to part with items
• Intense distress at the thought of getting rid of or not having a desired item

Hoarding disorder affects every part of a person’s life. It also affects anyone who lives with or cares for a person with hoarding disorder. Without treatment, hoarding disorder gets worse as a person gets older. If you have hoarding disorder, you’re not alone. Eco Bear is a veteran- and women-led business offering hoarder property cleaning services in Los Alamitos, CA. Our compassionate and thorough services allow you to live in a safe, sanitary and clean environment that you’ll feel proud to call home.

How Hoarding Disorder Impacts Your Life

In the early stages of hoarding, the condition impacts your life in several ways. You might describe your home as messy or disorganized. When you find out someone is on their way to visit, you might shove everything into a basket or box to be dealt with later. However, later rarely comes. You may buy things in duplicate or triplicate because you can’t find them. As the condition gets worse, you may feel distressed about your living conditions but unable to take action. You may feel embarrassed about your home and stop allowing people in it. Your ability to do self-care, such as preparing a meal or taking a shower, may be lost. You might trip over the hoarded items, leading to injuries. 

If you live with others, the hoard affects their quality of life, too. Children living in a hoarded environment miss out on social interactions with their peers. They might have a tough time concentrating on homework or studying for tests. Teens may be embarrassed and avoid spending time at home. If you have a partner or spouse, they may be frustrated by the amount of items. They may feel as if there’s no room for them in the home.

You may not be able to socialize or reciprocate on invitations with friends and family. This leads to strained relationships. As your social support network shrinks, the stress may trigger your hoarding to get worse.

What Hoarding Disorder Does to a Home and Property

As items pile up in a hoarded home, you may only be able to get around through narrow paths. Tall stacks of items can fall, so you end up walking on things. The piles of items make it difficult for repair technicians, electricians or plumbers to fix problems. This increases your risk of a fire or water damage. The weight of a hoard may cause floors and ceilings to bow and joists or support beams to crack. Hoards may hide water and pest damage, triggering mold growth and more structural problems. When hoards include rotted food, human or pet waste or other biological material, pests may infest the space. Pest infestations lead to more structural issues as well as a risk of disease.

Who Has Hoarding Disorder

Anyone can get hoarding disorder. Men and women develop it at similar rates. Some things that increase your risk of hoarding disorder include:

• Over the age of 50
• Family member with hoarding disorder
• Co-existing mental health disorder, such as anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Live alone
• Unresolved trauma or grief

People from all geographic, educational and income backgrounds develop hoarding disorder. There are hoarders in all professions. Some people learned the behavior from a parent or relative, and for others, a traumatic event triggers the behavior.

Why Professional Hoarder Property Cleaning in Los Alamitos Is Needed

Hoarded properties contain a multitude of hazards that put your safety and health at risk. Some of these hazards are:

• Blocked exits
• Broken heating or cooling system
• Broken plumbing
• Inaccessible appliances
• Inaccessible shower or toilet
• Feces
• Pests
• Mold and thick dust buildup
• Structural problems
• Fire hazards

How Eco Bear Cleans Hoarded Properties in Los Alamitos

Our Los Alamitos hoarder property cleaning services begin with a site assessment. This allows us to plan for the right number of cleaners. We arrange the logistics for waste and recycling hauling and specialty services, such as tow trucks to remove non-running vehicles.

The next step is the cleanup. On cleanup day, you’re welcome to be onsite, but you don’t have to be. We’ll communicate with you throughout the process. Our thorough cleaners set aside salvageable or special items. 

Some hoards include pets. If that’s the case, we work with local veterinarians and Humane Society agents to safely remove them from the home and provide care. Hoards may include pests, and we coordinate with Los Alamitos pest control practitioners. We document the cleanup for insurance and code enforcement purposes. A hoarded property may take us a couple of days to one week to completely clean and restore.

Why You Should Choose Eco Bear’s Hoarder Property Cleaning Services

We put safety as our top priority. Our skilled cleaners wear gloves, face masks, aprons and goggles during the cleanup. We’re fully licensed and insured for hoarder property cleaning in California. Some additional reasons to choose Eco Bear’s Los Alamitos hoarder property cleaning services:

• Affordable rates
• Rapid response and completion times
• Women and veteran-led company
• Trained cleaning professionals
• Resolve health and building code violations

Having someone go through your property can be a stressful experience. We treat you and your belongings with respect and compassion. Our goal is to leave you with a safe, sanitary and comfortable property.