The Secret Lives of Hoarders: True Stories of Tackling Extreme Clutter (27 page)

Most localities do not have physical support groups for family members of hoarders or for hoarders themselves, but that is changing. Meanwhile, there are multiple support groups online. These grow and change quickly, so to stay current on what's available, search on the following keywords: hoarding support, squalor support, organizational therapy, families of hoarding, and children of hoarding.

Animal hoarding is a growing disorder that is receiving increasing attention, with more and more resources and research becoming available. Please be aware that the pictures on some of these websites are graphic and can be disturbing. Additional information can be found by searching for these keywords: animal hoarding, animal abuse, pet abuse, animal cruelty, and foreclosure pets.

For a hoarding cleanup to be successful, it is important for hoarders to get a better understanding of what is the trigger and why they hoard. I encourage all hoarders and family or friends affected by hoarding to seek therapy if needed. Below is a list of websites that can lead to local therapists who can help with long-term treatment. Keywords include psychology, therapy, cognitive therapy, social workers, abuse, divorce, grief, and separation.

We have written an overview of hoarding—what it is, why it happens, and how to help. These books are helpful to learn more specifics about the disorder and how to work with it, for understanding the psychology of hoarding, and for step-by-step suggestions on how to organize a house so that it stays clean.

Some families may try to clean the home themselves and some families may bring in a professional. Regardless of how the home gets cleaned, it's important to explore all options before making a final decision. Remember that it sometimes takes a hoarder decades to clutter up a house, and it won't take one weekend to get it empty. Safety and price are the key factors to consider when deciding on a physical cleaning process.

 

There are very few professional cleaning companies in the United States that can handle both the mental and physical requirements of a hoarding cleanup, although that will likely change. Before hiring someone to clean a home, please research the company thoroughly, ask for references and proof of insurance, and find out how many hoarders the company has worked with. Ask about success rates and ask to speak with hoarder clients, not just the family member who hired the company. The company 1-800-GOT-JUNK can handle Stage 1 or 2 hoarding, when the job focuses just on debris removal and not mental issues. The other two companies can take any job up to a Stage 5.

Some organizers can clean a Stage 3 house and higher, but most are better for aftercare than the initial cleanup. The organizer can teach ongoing skills to the hoarder. As with the cleaning services, research the options and get to know the organizer before hiring. This person will be working side by side with the hoarder, so make sure their personalities match. Look for Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) certification for more extreme cases.

Every job will need lots of different supplies, most of which can be picked up at any local or national hardware or home improvement store. The most important items are listed below.

If the family is not hiring a professional junk removal company to help, a Dumpster is indispensable. Try to find a thirty-cubic-yard Dumpster or larger (a cubic yard is roughly the equivalent size of a dishwasher). Some cities will require a permit if the Dumpster is stored on the street. If at all possible, have the Dumpster full each night so it can be picked up early the next morning.

Most houses need document shredding because of old tax and financial papers, medical records, and other secure information. I recommend calling a document shredding company that will come to the hoarder's house, shred on-site, and give the hoarder a certificate showing that the documents have been shredded.

If storage is necessary, we recommend portable storage, which can be easily dropped off and picked up at any time. We tend to work with SmartBox USA because their boxes are the perfect size for sorting, shipping, and storage. They charge a monthly fee.

I recommend having a contact number handy in case spiders, rats, mice, fire ants, or roaches appear during cleaning. The hoarder may already be aware of what infestations are in the house. Look online for a local provider. Keywords are pest, rodent control, critter, and the name of any specific insect or animal in the house.

One way for clearing out used or expired prescription medication is to call a local veterinarian's office or police department, as both process large amounts of controlled substances. Also check with local pharmacies, as many of them have national bag campaigns in which customers can fill a bag and the pharmacy will mail it to the FDA to be destroyed (free of charge).

It's possible that the house may have some chemicals that are no longer safe. Have a list of the chemicals and call the EPA one time to discuss disposal options. They will most likely point the resident in the direction of a local dump on a special day, but it never hurts to contact the EPA first. Many professional cleaning companies will take care of this for the family.

If the house has alarming amounts of feces, urine, or medical waste, then the family should most likely hire a professional service. But if the family has questions during the research phase, I suggest contacting the company below and asking about their medical waste pickup.

We've found that many hoarders are in financially challenging situations and could use a few extra dollars. Although few sales of hoarded items yield financial windfalls, these resources are the best opportunity to earn some cash or a tax deduction.

Having a yard sale or estate sale is rarely worth the effort. We only work with auction houses, which typically take between 25 and 35 percent of the sale to cover their expenses.

Most home shopping networks will accept recent returns on merchandise still in the packaging (obviously it must be clean). Call to ask about the options, and if the first customer service representative says no, then speak with a manager and explain the situation.

Scrap metal prices fluctuate according to the economy and time of year. Local scrap metal yards can quote prices for “separated” and “mixed” scrap. Unless the aluminum and copper are already separated, they will pay the lower “mixed” rate. Get a receipt and make sure the rate per ton matches the quote over the phone.

If delivering the metal isn't an option, ask the local scrap yard if they can recommend a delivery service (expect to split the proceeds fifty-fifty with that service). For junked cars, most localities will insist that the registration and title are present before scrapping the car.

I
've always believed that opportunities can show themselves at any time. The first time I met my writing partner, Phaedra Hise, I learned that the magazine she worked for had just folded. I ended up paying for the coffee, but by that afternoon I had a literary agent and a rough draft for a book proposal. I must thank Phaedra for working side by side with me on this project and crafting my ramblings into purposeful stories with action and direction. Phaedra turned her life upside down to make this book happen, and I could never thank her enough. I also want to thank Jane Dystel at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management for putting her name behind mine and having the guts to discuss hoarding before it was cool. Most important, thanks to my publisher, John Duff, for having the vision to see that a trash guy with a blackjack problem could help millions of people understand hoarding.
The Secret Lives of Hoarders
would not exist if John had not put his money and his mouth behind this project. I greatly appreciate his guidance, support, and wisdom.

I first understood the idea of opportunities showing themselves at any time after my father died, which prompted me to get involved in a bereavement camp for children called Comfort Zone Camp in Richmond, Virginia. Volunteering at this camp helped me not only to learn how to deal with grief—and help others do so—but to understand myself better and to literally find myself. I now have a business, a wife, and a son because of my time there. During his lifetime, my father taught me to work passionately and keep a wicked sense of humor. A big thank-you to Ed Paxton, who is missed every day.

Thanks especially to A&E Television Networks and specifically Andy Berg for giving me the opportunity to be on television and to help hoarders. Thanks to the entire staff at Screaming Flea Productions Inc. and the crew for encouraging me to be myself and for making
Hoarders
an incredible show. A special thanks to the amazing Dr. Suzanne Chabaud for adding to this book and for being an awesome travel companion. Thanks also to the Caplan family and to the Harrington family (especially Sean for letting me stay in his house while I figured out my entire life). And thank you to my Australian friends, Marcus and Thomas: I only understand half of what they say, but even half is enough to make a difference in my life.