Over the last several years, the term “Hoarding” has crept into our vocabulary due large in part to the popularity of various TV shows exposing the worst cases of this issue. Hoarding impacts anywhere from 3 to 7% of the population in the United States. This means as many as 200,000 homes in Oklahoma alone!

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It’s important to understand that hoarding isn’t just the result of a messy housekeeper. Often there are other issues tied  to the accumulation of clutter. Steri-Clean Oklahoma teams are specially trained in the psychology behind hoarding in order to help you or your family members find a new beginning. 

 

What is Hoarding?

 

Hoarding is the gathering of any type of clutter to the extent that it impairs the use of a home or building to the point that areas cannot be used for their intended purpose. It is often measured on a scale from 1-5, with a level 1 being some light clutter to level 5 having entire rooms that are inaccessible due to accumulation of clutter.

The term hoarding does not make a distinction between types of items that are accumulated. It just refers to the accumulation, collection, or buildup’s interference with the ordinary function of a home or building. 

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Why does my loved one hoard?

 

Every person affected by hoarding has a different reason for why they do. Often, hoarding is merely a symptom of an underlying issue that the client is facing. Generally, hoarding is a coping mechanism used when a person has a desire to fill a void in their lives created by a number of factors. 

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The contributing factors can include: depression, PTSD, fear of losing something, perfectionism, control, OCD or ADD/ADHD, sentimental attachment to items, fear of waste, difficulty to accept a lost dream, poor decision making, genetics or learned behavior, the high associated with collecting, safety or desire to push others away, or contributing emotion to inanimate objects. 

 

Underlying factors can contribute independently or can combine to form multiple reasons why you or your loved one may have trouble cutting through their clutter. Unfortunately, unless these underlying factors are also addressed, hoarders have as much as a 97% recidivism rate for re-cluttering their space. 

 

Steri-Clean Oklahoma ensures that we focus on the underlying issues instead of just cleaning up a hoarder’s house. We work hand in hand with you and your family to feel as comfortable as possible through the process of cleaning up the hoarding. 

What can I expect during a hoarding clean up?

 

Steri-Clean Oklahoma has several goals when assisting hoarders and their families. Our method is designed around five main principles: compassion, empathy, trust, understanding, and support. 

 

We work diligently to reduce any embarrassment you or your family member may feel related to the condition of their house. Our technicians treat you and your family as if you were our own family. We work with the client to identify important items that need to be salvaged and take special care to honor requests of our clients. Our primary focus is to make our clients and their families as comfortable as possible during this process. We work hand-in-hand with our clients to determine a plan for hoarding cleanup and then through the actual clean up process. 

 

If you or a family member struggles with excess clutter in their lives, give Steri-Clean Oklahoma a call today to set up an estimate.  Whether your job is in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Lawton, Ardmore, Ada, or in a more rural area, Steri-Clean Oklahoma is here to help. 

 

Call (888) 577-7206 for a free consultation with an Oklahoma expert.

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