Extreme Hoarding Edinburgh

Extreme Hoarding Edinburgh Has To Offer

You have more than likely found our page by typing into Google ‘Extreme Hoarding Edinburgh’.  Please read the below information where we explain in a little more detail what this phrase actually means and how we can help you.

Extreme hoarding is a condition we can’t fully understand until faced with the reality of a hoarder’s home. The instinct is to help with the best extreme hoarding cleanup process possible. But, first, we need to appreciate why hoarders exhibit these behaviors and the best way to help without causing distress.

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What is extreme hoarding?

Simply put, extreme hoarding is a condition where people hold on to large quantities of items the rest of us deem as useless. These collections can become so excessive that they end up harming the lives of the person accumulating these items. For example, they may sleep on a sofa because there are too many items on their bed or even cannot enter a particular room because of their situation.  They may also put themselves or pets at risk of physical harm if there are tall stacks or any hazardous waste materials. 

This health risk is why you need a team like Patersons Pro Cleaning Edinburgh to clean the home once cleared. But, you can’t rush the process. You need to deal with the condition appropriately for the best results. 

When is hoarding more than collecting clutter?

The term hoarding is misunderstood and misused as older relatives with cluttered homes face the label unjustly. Clutter is when we have many possessions in a small space, but each piece typically has some practical or emotional value. It could be a figurine collection or lots of gifts and souvenirs over the past decades. Extreme hoarding Edinburgh cases often show people amassing piles of more random objects while unable to throw them away. Old newspapers are a common hoarding item. But, it could be as random as hundreds of coffee stirrers or old batteries.

Why do hoarders hold on to so much material?

Hoarding is all about perspective, and it is important to realise that we see hoarded items differently than those that hold on to them. To the rest of us, old magazines, packaging, and other random items have no worth and would be thrown out with no concern. Hoarders, however, struggle with this and find ways to justify keeping things. Some examples may be sentimental for personal reasons. 

Some may seem practical and worthwhile even though they’re not – like those stirrers and batteries. Or, they may insist that they are performing a service or helping the environment by not consigning items to landfills. Whatever the reason, the process makes sense to them, and the prospect of losing the objects can be distressing. 

Is extreme hoarding a mental illness?

This idea of distress and the justification for extreme hoarding raises questions about whether this is a mental illness. Some may class hoarding as its own mental health condition. Others will label it as something experienced by people dealing with other disorders. It isn’t uncommon for hoarders to have Obsessive Compulsive tendencies and personality traits. Some may have anxiety disorders or issues of trauma. For example, hoarders may struggle during a period of bereavement where they don’t want to change anything in the home or deal with more loss. 

How to help extreme hoarders clean their homes?

Because there is such a strong tie to mental health issues, anxiety, and trauma, friends and family must tread lightly. It doesn’t help to go in and use “tough love” in extreme hoarding cleanup. Learn why your loved one has these items, empathise with them, and take small steps in handling the excess. If you can determine one type of item they don’t need or cut the clutter by a small percentage, that’s progress. It’s better to take baby steps forward than spiral backwards.

How to deal with the home of a hoarder that’s passed away?

There are also extreme hoarding in Edinburgh cases where family members go into the homes of deceased relatives and are confronted by the extent of their hoarding. This situation can be overwhelming with so much to deal with. While the temptation may be to do a mass clearance via cleaning experts, don’t forget that there may be clauses in a will that prohibit this. 

Work with a professional cleaning company for an extreme hoarding cleanup. If you are dealing with an extreme hoarding situation or have just cleared the home of a deceased hoarder, get in touch with a professional cleaning company. Cleaning experts like Patersons Pro Cleaning Edinburgh can get the place tidy and freshened up again.

We have many years of experience dealing with various types of cleaning situations and have build up an excellent reputation with local customers and businesses throughout Edinburgh.  Why not complete our contact form today and see how we can help you or even your family and friends.