While at least 1 in 50 people face hoarding issues, our staff at Project X in Denver can help explain what’s the process of a hoarder clean up. We’ve assisted in hoarding cleanup for many of our Colorado neighbors. Project X is by your side every step of the way. We are committed to being respectful and discrete and will assist you in decluttering, addressing acute cleaning needs such as mold or biohazards, providing structural repairs, and remodeling to return your home to its original state.
A hoarder clean up is not easy, but that’s why Project X believes in creating a comfortable and safe space where all needs, concerns, and boundaries are addressed prior to and during the hoarding cleanup. Let’s go through the step-by-step process of a hoarder clean up.
Understanding the Hoarder
We know that by simply discussing the cleanup it can be stressful to you. We understand how allowing our Project X team to come into your home will trigger many emotions. That’s why we promise to:
- Help you determine what items are valuable and absolutely essential
- Do our best to identify possessions that can be cleaned and kept
- Be honest about what items pose a health risk and need to be discarded
- Involve you in all decisions and not rush you through the process
- Not judge you or the condition of your home
- Show you respect and kindness at all times
- Encourage you at every step and celebrate your progress
Develop a Plan
Many of the hoarding situations can be dangerous, containing mold and bacteria, pests and dead animals, and fecal matter, and may pose a fire hazard. But no matter the situation, our goal is to restore your home to a safe living condition.
We develop a plan with your well-being in mind as well. We want to be sensitive to your emotional needs and anxieties as we declutter and sanitize your home. Our goal is to show respect for you and your things throughout the process.
Our Project X team will do the heavy lifting. We will be responsible for removing large piles of garbage, repairing property damage, cleaning intensively, and organizing. We will look at the situation and make a work plan that will include a list of tasks with their priorities.
Safety
One of our top priorities is to keep everyone safe as we complete our tasks of cleaning the home. We will need you to make some difficult decisions about how to handle specific items of sentimental value, documents, and other things. We will take every precaution to avoid biological contaminants, fire hazards, structural collapses, but don’t worry we know how to handle it.
We will also want to clear a path for safe entry and exit and start to clear the items from the nearest room first. We always use appropriate professional equipment and cleaning supplies to remove the items and disinfect the premises.
Disposal
We will use a dumpster to throw away all the discarded and damaged items.
Staging Area
There will need to be a staging area which is an open space where we will put the contents in order to sort them out and organize the items. It is best if it is a covered area to protect the things from the weather. The staging area will be used for all of the items that might be able to be saved, sold or given away.
Organize and Make Decisions
We will begin cleaning the house, one room at a time, getting rid of the throw-away items and helping sift through the things that are salvageable.
The kitchen and bathrooms are often the toughest to clean, so we usually begin with those rooms. Starting with the bathroom allows us to have clean running water and soap which will help us stay safe. It is unlikely that there will be items of value found in the bathroom, so it is often easy to get rid of everything including toiletries, towels, and fixtures. The surfaces can be cleaned quickly.
Then it is best to tackle the kitchen where we remove the trash, old food, and clean surfaces. The dishes and cookware can be taken to the staging area and cleaned up or disposed of.
After the kitchen is cleaned, we will move on to another room, leaving the closets and storage areas for last because they take a lot of work.
It’s best to get rid of the trash first. This includes the garbage and the items that can not be saved. Our Project X team knows which medicines, fuels, explosive substances, oil-based paint, and other items must be disposed of in a particular way for health and safety.
Create a recycling area where you can put any items that can be recycled.
We usually begin at the top of the pile and work down, working on removing things stacked on tables, sofas, beds, and chairs. We will continue until we clear it down to the floor. We will ask you to look through your items like clothes, purses, and bags for any forgotten cash, jewelry, or other worthwhile items. Once we clear the room we may even move the furniture out so we can clean the entire room and make repairs if needed.
In the staging area, we will put your items into groups. For example, we may sort them by usable things that you want to keep, usable things you want to donate or give away, and throw away items. Going through the items in the usable categories can sometimes take some time. Deciding what you want to keep and what you want to donate can be stressful and time-consuming. Some items need to be gone through carefully so you don’t miss important items like letters, family pictures, and other important documents. Many things may be sentimental to you like documents, artwork, and items with special meaning. We just want to make sure any of those items are also safe for you to keep.
Once we have the donations determined, you can choose a charity to receive them. Many charities will come and get your donations. You need to know what they will and won’t accept. Any items donated may be able to be used as a tax deduction.
Clean and Repair
Once we have your house cleared out, then begins the intensive and thorough cleaning. This can take some time. There may need to be some repairs done to the home. We can help you with those as well, including mold removal and remediation, water damage restoration, biohazard cleanup, carpet cleaning, asbestos abatement, and remodeling and construction. Your furniture and appliances need to be completely cleaned and disinfected. Those items can then be organized and put back in the home.
Once you understand what’s the process of a hoarder clean up and the clutter is gone, our Project X Restoration in Denver experts can provide your home with all necessary cleaning and repair services in order to restore it to a safe, livable condition.
Please contact us today for more information.