Hoarding – Where Are You Putting My Stuff?

A Hoarder’s Worst Fear

When it comes to hoarding, most people eventually fear where their belongings will end up—especially when the authorities step in and demand they clean up or move out.

Mayken™ understands cleaning up a hoarder’s property is more than just removing junk, there is a requirement for compassion, diligence and even acting responsibly to help the individual out where ever possible.

A Hoarding Story

Last year a middle aged lady called us with fear in her voice. She owned her own apartment but with many neighbours complaining, the Condo Board had no choice but to evict her because of many previously ignored notices. They had reached the end of their rope and there would be no more extensions.

This deadline was final and it was fast approaching.

The following Wednesday was that day and we could hear it in her voice, she was feeling anxious and the panic was setting in.

She asked, “How do I clean this up? How can they tell me to leave when I own my own place?”

Not knowing what the process was or how to go about it, she searched the internet for information about hoarding and potential help cleaning up her property and she found our company Mayken™ and asked us for help. And help we did.

We went to see her the next day.

Upon our arrival, we called her to meet us at the front door, as she previously requested and she came to greet us at the main apartment doors. We then took the elevator up to the ninth floor and stood in front of her apartment door while she put her key in the lock to let us in.

She was shaking profusely and at that point I wasn’t sure if it she was nervous or if she had a condition causing her shakiness. I noticed the dirt on the door and walls and the soiled carpet in front of her door leading to the hallway and could easily understand the condo boards reaction.

As she unlocked the door, we were immediately surprised when it opened only a few inches—just enough for her and me to squeeze through. Since my partner couldn’t fit, he had no choice but to remain in the hallway waiting for me as I viewed her two-bedroom apartment to answer her questions to get some idea on how much this would cost?

And how long it would take us to clear out?

Entering The Apartment

We couldn’t see the floor as it buried, so we had no idea what shape it was in, so in our experience of giving her a quote became all dependent on the condition of the unseen. In this case, it was based on a daily quote with the number of staff members and hours worked. This included the disposal bins but the disposal fees were extra.

In situations like this, where we don’t know what might be buried beneath the piles of clutter, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is absolutely essential to keep our team—and their families—safe. We suit up in full Tyvek suits with hoods, booties over work boots, N95 respirators, and both nitrile and leather work gloves.

In this property the contents and debris ranged from a three foot deep compacted walkway, to as high as the ceiling in some areas which involved covering most furniture (level 5).

I was working closely with the client picking and sorting through her important items, while the other two team members were removing obvious debris with her permission. We packed up all salvageable items, boxed them, and moved them to a storage room.

With a staff of three, we were able to clear out her apartment in two days with exceptions of one extra staff member assisting for one day hauling the heavier appliances and furniture.

Following the condo board and resident by-laws, we bag all debris and contents before discreetly hauling them through the hallway, down the elevator, and out to the dumpster bin placed outside on the main floor.

Post Removal Cleanup

Now that all the contents, doorways, and patio doors have been cleared for easy access, we can focus on assessing any visible damage to the floors and walls. From there, we begin the cleaning and sanitizing process, and help with replacing appliances and furniture.

With what looked to be an overwhelming task for this little elderly lady we were able to come in and quickly and efficiently help her get her world back in order. We not only impressed her and helped her out of what felt like an impossible situation, but we also learned that the condo board was impressed with how efficiently we cleaned up the hoarded unit.

With continued support she tries to lead a clutter free life style but still needs constant support from her contacts to help her moving in a positive forward direction.

Mayken™ is proud to be able to help people get past their hoarding. While we do provide hoarding cleanup services we can also provide organization assistance after the fact and with our many contacts in the industry we can also provide recommendations for further assistance to avoid falling back into bad habits.

If you or someone you know is struggling with hoarding, reach out to us for a free quote. It won’t cost you or the property owner a thing. We’ll come in, assess as best we can and provide you written estimates of the time and costs involved to return a home back to it’s original condition where possible.

The hazards of hoarding are real. We can help calm the overwhelm with our professional hoarding cleanup services.

You can contact us at 403-272-1995 or use our contact form.