7 Cleaning Tips for Hoarders
Look, you are probably not a hoarder in the clinical sense of the word. Hoarding is a disorder with recognised psychological effects. However, if your house is not a sanctuary and is actually a place that leaves you stressed then this article may be for you. This article contains 7 cleaning tips for hoarders, to help you get on top of your current situation and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
Credit: ServiceMaster
7 Cleaning Tips for Hoarders
Evaluate the Situation & Create a Plan
How bad is your current situation? How many years have you spent collecting this clutter? Is it something you can manage on your own? Do your family support you getting on top of this situation. Is it something you can fix in one day or will it take some time?
It’s okay if you don’t fix it all today. It’s better to have a plan that you will stick to then to create some unreasonable expectations where you will likely fail. That’s why the first of our cleaning tips for hoarders is to make a plan. Your plan should cover one room at a time and set deadlines for task completion. Otherwise, you’re probably never actually going to clean up this mess.
Understand Why the Hoarding or Clutter Happened & Why You’re Cleaning Up Now
If you want to clear up your declutter, you need to do this for you. You need to know why you have made the decision to clean up your hoarding now. You need to know why the clutter happened in the first place. If you haven’t resolved the initial issues that caused the problems in the first place, chances are they could happen again.
Set Manageable Goals
As I mentioned, when you are a hoarder who is looking to clean up, it’s important to set manageable goals. This is such an important cleaning tip for hoarders, that I thought I would mention it again. If you’ve spent years creating clutter, you are unlikely to resolve this issue overnight. A manageable goal maybe 1-2 rooms at a time over a few weekends. Start with a small room or area so that you can feel some early success. This will keep you motivated.
A good place to start is by looking up the “SMART goals” framework on Google. Here’s a picture to illustrate how it works:
Credit: Kazoohr
Make Sure You Have the Right Supplies & Process
The following list is not an exhaustive list but it’s a good starting point.
- Heavy-duty trash bags – throw out the rubbish.
- Empty boxes – some cardboard boxes are good to place recycling and papers in. You may also need some heavy-duty storage boxes – for things that don’t belong where they currently are. You’ll also want boxes for those things that are too good to throw out.
- Buckets and mops – you should clean after you have cleared the floor.
- All-purpose cleaners/disinfectants, sponges and cloths – you’ll want to wipe down all surfaces after you have cleared them.
- Broom/dustpan, vacuum cleaner and extra bags if necessary – you are likely to generate a lot of dust whilst cleaning after hoarding, so you’ll want to vacuum when you have cleared a room.
Donate or Sell What You Can
Not everything should be thrown in the bin. If an item can be salvaged it should be divided into either a donate pile or a sell pile. If you try to sell some items, either via garage sale, facebook marketplace or similar, you need to set yourself a strict deadline to sell it. If you don’t sell it within that timeframe, donate it to charity so it doesn’t just become clutter again. Otherwise, you are not actually resolving your hoarding problem.
Use the “Box Technique”
This is probably our best cleaning tip for hoarders. If you can’t decide whether to keep something or not, put it in a box. Put that box in your shed or garage. If you haven’t used it or opened the box after 6 months, then it’s time to donate that item to charity.
Know When it’s Time to Reach Out for Help
Sometimes, the idea of cleaning clutter around the house can just be too overwhelming. If you are stressed and continue to put off cleaning, then it may be time to reach out for help from a psychologist and/or cleaning professionals. Professional psychologists can help you dispassionately look at a situation and make better decisions about what to do with items around the house.
Call Mindspot for free help in Australia 1800 61 44 34
Professional cleaners can also ensure that that your house is cleaned thoroughly after the clutter is gone.If you would like to discuss how we can help you with clutter in your life, please get in touch today.
Book a deep cleaning service online instantly!
Book a home cleaning service or end of lease cleaner online instantly!
Check Out our Other Posts
End of Lease Carpet Cleaning – Steam Cleaning or Dry Cleaning
End of lease carpet cleaning can generally be done in one of two ways – dry cleaning or steam cleaning.
Both dry carpet cleaning and steam cleaning have their benefits.
Cleaning Tips – Keeping Your House Looking Tidy
Keeping your house looking tidy can be difficult. These tips will help you make your house look tidier, reduce your stress, and make you feel more comfortable in your home. It’s about setting up the right systems and the right daily tasks. If you create the right habits you will find that cleaning becomes easier and your life becomes less stressful.
End of Lease Cleaning – Your Outdoor Cleaning Checklist
With this article, we wanted to share with you a brief checklist for your outdoor areas that you’re usually required to clean to get your bond back. If you are renting a house and there is an outdoor area, then your end of lease preparations must include these areas
COVID-19 Office Cleaning – Keeping Your Staff Safe
COVID-19 Office Cleaning. We wanted to share with you some tips that you can implement yourself. It’s important to keep your workplace safe. We hope this article helps.
Strata Pressure Cleaning – Why Outdoor Cleaning is Important
We recognise that high-pressure outdoor cleaning is a vital part of a strata cleaning service. We’re skilled in all areas of outdoor pressure cleaning and can make even the most caked up areas shine again.
Strata Garden Maintenance – What Does that Mean
Strata cleaning Companies offer a broad range of services. For many companies, one of those services is strata garden maintenance. If a strata building has common garden areas, then it’s up to the building managers to ensure that these garden areas are maintained.
Car Park Cleaning – 5 Reasons Why it’s Important
Does your strata property have a car park? If so, it’s vitally important to ensure that your chosen strata cleaning company regularly cleans and maintains your car park. Don’t believe me? Let me expand a little below.
Strata Cleaning – What You Need – It’s the little things that count.
It’s the little things that count. It’s that strata cleaning company that does those “little extras,” the ones you may not think about when initially looking for a quote, that make a big difference. If you can choose the right strata cleaning company in the beginning, it will be a big stress off your strata manager’s shoulder later on.
How to Choose the #1 Strata Cleaning Company in Sydney
There are many strata cleaning companies to choose from. This can make it difficult to choose the best strata cleaning company in Sydney. We wanted to help you make the right choice by giving you a process to follow. Here is what you need to consider when choosing the strata cleaning company for your building.
Cleaning Tips for Toilets – Your 6 Step Checklist
These cleaning tips for your toilet make it easier for you to keep the toilet clean, and keep it disinfected, so that you can ensure that one of the most touched surfaces in the house doesn’t become an avenue for sharing germs and viruses.