Tag Archive: Declutter Program

Three Symptoms of Compulsive Hoarding Behavior

If a person enjoys collecting things, does that automatically make them a hoarder? NO. There are three common symptoms of compulsive hoarding behavior to watch out for.

Symptom #1:
The person will have an irrepressible obsession with acquiring material items. These items do not even need to be acquired through shopping, it is common for hoarders to get them from the trash and from other people.

Symptom # 2:
The compulsive hoarders living space becomes so over-ridden with these items, that it makes it very difficult for the person to move around and function normally in the space. As the rooms become more and more cluttered, they become completely unusable.

Symptom # 3:
The person who is exhibiting the hoarding behavior shows signs of diminished functionality because of this disorganization and may also begin to suffer from depression.

A person can only be diagnosed with compulsive hoarding behavior if all three symptoms are present. The compulsion has to be so overwhelming that it actually causes visible problems in the life of the person affected.

Compulsive hoarders have a tendency to perpetually attain as well as save material possessions indefinitely. Even when items are useless and maybe even hazardous. It is quite common for hoarders to save items for years or even decades.

To better comprehend to emotional state of the hoarder, here is a common hoarding scenario:

A man in his sixties has attempted to get some professional help with his hoarding behavior. His wife has left him and his children have moved out because he refuses to get rid of the junk that has accumulated in the house over many years.

He feels helpless, but is not capable of throwing away the items.

The kitchen has a lot of old food containers, wrappers and trash on the floor. The living room is completely full of boxes of junk and there is only a narrow walking path within that room.

The fire department becomes aware of the situation and deems his house as “not up to code”. They then give him a deadline to clean up his home and advise him that is if it is not completed by that date that the city will be forced to take action. Even after being given a warning about the situation, his compulsion to attain items through uncontrollable shopping and through ‘roadside trash collecting’ has not ceased.

What does it feel like to be him?

When he walks down a street, he actively avoids going by newsstands, because he knows that he will have the compulsion to purchase an excessive number of magazines and newspapers. If he does, the new purchases will then wind up in some random box in the living room – again.

He is uncontrollably drawn to the newsstand, thinking that maybe those newspapers and magazines will contain information that will hold the key to turning his life around for the better.

He also feels this way when he observes people throwing away broken furniture, appliances or gadgets in the trash. He looks through dumpsters and trash cans regularly (at least once a week) to acquire stuff. He feels as though if something can be repaired or ‘isn’t in that bad of shape’, then it is worth saving.

When the professional organizer/therapist arrives, they start off slow. The therapist asks the man to choose just a few items to throw away (items that have no use and are not needed).

When he attempts to throw away a small piece of paper with some random notes scribbled on it, he feels like he can do it at first, but then he starts to get frantic as the scrap of paper falls into the trash can.

The reason? He feels like he is throwing away a piece of himself.

Hoarding Assessment Checklists

Checklist 1

Put a check mark when risk/hazard

is found

Some areas in the home have visible fire hazards

Hoarding of excrement and/or urine

Bathroom has no running water

Bathroom is unusable and unsanitary

Emergency personnel will be unable to enter the house quickly due to hoard

Windows cannot be opened from the inside

Doors cannot be opened or can barely be opened

Stairs are unsafe to use

Living room floor has clutter

Bedroom floor has clutter

Dining room floor has clutter

Materials are piled high from floor to ceiling

There are piles of heavy materials

There are unstable piles of materials that can shatter or break (e.g. glass)

There are sharp items mixed with the floor clutter or piles

Electrical wiring is unsafe

There are no smoke alarms

Smoke alarms are present but are defective

An area or several areas inside the home have pooled water

Structural damage is present

Stairways are physically damaged and are not usable

Rotting food is present

Insect infestation found

Rodent infestation found

Dead animals are found mixed with the clutter

There is presence of animal waste inside the house

There is presence of fluids such as blood and vomit

Some parts of the home are structurally compromised due to molds and other fungus

Running water is not present in other parts of the home

Electricity has been shut off

Garbage collection has been discontinued

Click here to download and print Hoarding Assessment Checklist #1

Checklist 2

Rate the ability

of the person to conduct a specific activity

Scale: 1 – 5

He/she is able to cook in the kitchen and prepare his/her own food properly.

He/she is able to make full use of the refrigerator.

He/she is able to safely use the stove or oven.

He/she is able to use the kitchen sink and counters.

The dining room table is not cluttered or is at least usable. The person is able to eat on the table.

He/she can navigate the house safely and is able to access all the areas of the home.

He/she is able to use the bathroom and the toilet.

He/she is able to use the sink in the bathroom.

When someone knocks on the door, he/she is able to respond quickly and he/she can reach the door quickly, as well.

He/she sleeps in the bedroom and on the bed.

He/she is able to do laundry (there is running water, washing machine is working, laundry area is accessible, etc.)

He/she is capable of finding important documents with ease.

He/she is able to care for animals adequately.

Click here to download and print Hoarding Assessment Checklist #2

Why Storage Companies Are A Bad Idea

When people consider organizing their home, they sometimes get overwhelmed and may even consider getting a storage unit to store some items. They think this will help solve their clutter problems. Maybe, if they can just get some of the stuff out of their house, then they can organize everything that is left. Although, that is not usually the case. The only real solution for your clutter problem is to sort though items and decrease the amount of things that you actually keep.

Self storage companies put commercials on television bragging about how they can solve your clutter problem. Do not let them convince you that this is a great idea. It definitely is NOT a good idea. They entice you with great offers for your first months rental on the storage unit. Some companies offer $1 for the first month or even the first month free. Even if you intend to just utilize the storage for just 1 month, I would still avoid taking that route. It sounds good in theory but, what usually happens it that you end up leaving the items in there longer than you intended.

I, and many other people, have used a storage unit in the past. I have learned a valuable lesson from my personal experience. In my case, I was in the process of moving from one apartment to another and the renovations on the new one were not going to be completed for about 2 weeks. Instead of sorting through my belongings and getting rid of some of my unnecessary stuff before I moved, I thought it was a great idea to get a storage unit temporarily (or so, I thought) to make the transition easier. I intended on getting all of my items out before the end of the month but, of course, that did not happen.

As is the case with most people, once you put the stuff in storage, you tend to forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind. I, myself, always seemed to be too busy to go and sort through the stuff or get anything out. And of course, you can only go there when the place is open, which also limits the time you have to sort through the items. Before you know it, you have been paying for the storage unit for over a year. The costs really add up. I realized that it would have made my life a lot easier if I had just sorted through everything before I moved. That way I could have just kept the items I really needed (not the ones I just wanted to hold onto) and downsized. Not to mention, all of the money I would have saved.

The storage companies already know that this is going to happen to most of the people who rent the units. They know that once people get the items into these units that they are going to keep them there for an extended period of time. That is what they are counting on. That is why they do everything they can to convince your to put your items there in the first place. They figure that if you were the type of person to sort through the items quickly, then you would have done so earlier and, therefore, would not have needed to store these items there to begin with.

I know, because I used to be that type of person myself. It is not easy to change and it is difficult for people to part with certain items, especially sentimental items. These companies know that when a person finds it hard to deal with all of the clutter (and the emotions that go along with it), that they can easily take advantage of their vulnerability and offer what appears to be an easy way out.

This only prolongs your agony. Try to avoid this trap at all costs. The money spent on a storage unit, each month, could be better spent on something else. Plus, if you are unable to continue paying on the unit for any reason, then the storage company keeps all your stuff and auctions it off. That is why you see shows like “Storage Wars” popping up on television. It happens so frequently that they actually turned it into a TV show.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you get rid of all of your mementos or family heirlooms. But, I do suggest that if you have some special items, the best place for them is not in a storage unit. You should honor these items, by displaying them in your home, so that you can see them and appreciate them everyday. What is the sense of having these precious items if you cannot enjoy them.

I believe that everyone can learn to declutter their homes and lives. Once things are neat and organized, you may also notice that some of your stress will go away and you may feel a new sense of calm. This is usually because it is so much easier to find things that you need and is becomes more effortless to maintain the organization. Begin your decluttering process today. You will be so happy that you did.

Reduce Clutter Information

Reducing clutter in you home is easy if you have the information that you need to know, in order to get your things organized. Most people do not even think that they have any clutter.

But what exactly is clutter?

Can you define it? Most of us would be hard pressed to define the word. But, we know it when we see it! Actually, though, the definition is easy and fairly straightforward. Clutter is any item which you own, but you don’t use or you don’t take care of.

Now, think about this. If you own and use an item, you’re probably going to take care of it — at least to some degree. But if you have some article you don’t use, you’re more likely not to take as good care of it.

For example, there’s the souvenir plate from Disney World that Auntie Vera gave you. Do you really love that plate as much as you say? Then why is it stashed up in the attic with your yearbook from high school? That souvenir plate has just passed “the clutter test.”

We find reasons — or sometimes we create — reasons why we just can’t start the decluttering process today. And even if we do start the process, we find many more excuses for not throwing items away.

Trust me, on my quest to make our personal spaces less crowded with items we neither need nor use, I think I’ve heard just about every excuse for not throwing individual objects in the trash. From wanting to sell them at a yard sale to donating them to a place that can sell them.

I know how hard it truly can be to part with some material possessions. And we now know why it’s not the easiest thing in the world. It can be very overwhelming. Especially when the memories, attached to the items, are of people that are no longer with us. Believe me, I get it! I’ve been there myself.

But at the end of the day, when you look around after you’ve tried to declutter and you still see a bunch of unused “stuff”, what have you really accomplished?

Nothing more and nothing less than merely going through the motions. Now you can tell everyone “I’ve tried.” Well, perhaps you assessed the situation and determined that it was hopeless. Or you surveyed a room or two only to find it a little too emotionally draining.

But as long as you’re carrying around even one of these excuses, you really haven’t “tried” at all. You’ve just successfully — for another day — avoided the entire process.

Hopefully you will use the tips and tricks (provided in my other articles and eBook) that have helped me through this process and begin to finally reduce all of the clutter that you have been accumulating in your home.

Declutter Your Kitchen Drawers

Now is the time to declutter the kitchen drawers. Lets start with the junk drawer. Each of us has at least one “junk drawer.” This is the miscellaneous drawer that isn’t big enough to hold a utensil tray or wide enough to contain all our miscellaneous cooking tools like wooden spoons, spatulas and various measuring cups.

Most of us convert it into a dumping ground out of necessity. It becomes an “I-just-don’t-know-where-to-store-it” stuff drawer. Matchbooks often get thrown in here, along with lone screwdrivers, thumb tacks, elastics, and pens that usually make their way into this drawer. It seems convenient, especially when you think that you do not have time to put the item back where it belongs.

The first thing that you need to do is to decide what you really need and what you do not. And only you can be the judge of that. But keep in mind, if you are throwing stuff in this drawer just because you are too lazy to put it back where it belongs, then that is just making more work for yourself later.

It is best if when you are finished with an item, that you put it right back where it belongs. If you do not have a particular place for an item, then figure out where the item is most commonly used and store it there. For example, if you are storing that screwdriver in the drawer because you find yourself using it often in the kitchen, then it is ok to store it in a kitchen drawer, But if you are just keeping it there because you don’t want to take the extra steps to put it in the tool box in the garage, then do NOT store the tool in this drawer. Put in the tool box where it belongs.

As you go through the drawer, have a trash bag and empty box handy. If you have any old rusted thumb tacks, worn out elastics, pens that no longer write or any other items that are no good then throw them away. Use the box to hold the items that need a new home. Now take that box and go room to room putting the items back where they should be. For instance, any office supplies should be put away in your office, tools in the garage or basement, etc.

Once the drawer if cleaned out, you’ll probably discover that you really do not have may items left in the drawer, But before you put any additional items in this drawer, you should ask if there is a better “home” for that particular item.

Proceed to go through all your drawers. If your house is anything like mine, you probably have one more monster drawer to conquer. And that is the one that is full of wooden spoons, spatulas and miscellaneous kitchen tools that do not fit in the silverware tray or in that container on your counter that holds most of that kind of stuff.

Ask yourself how many spatulas do you really needs. Do you need multiple sets of measuring spoons and cups, How many manual can openers and veggie peelers do you you really need? Do you really need to own three potato mashers? Unless you are cooking for an army of men, I doubt that you will need that many.

I’m sure you’re beginning to get the idea. Now on the other hand, if you find you need different sizes of spatulas, then by all means keep one of each size. But otherwise, it is a good time to get rid of them.

Take each of those items that you decide not to keep and considering donating any items. that are in good condition, to a thrift shop or rummage sale.
 

 

Declutter and Organize Your Entire House

The fact of the matter is, your home did not become disorganized in just one day so it is not going to only take one day to declutter and organize your house. You may consider setting aside a specific amount of time every day to tackle this problem. Start out by getting three boxes; put labels on them indicating items to “give away”, “throw away” and “put away”. The “throw away” box should be lined with a garbage bag, making it easier to throw out the trash.

Begin by doing one room of your home at a time. Keep in mind that the goal is to organize therefore you will want to do your cleaning in an organized way. Start at the entrance of the room and continue to work your way clockwise around the room. Be sure that you do not skip any part of the room. It may be difficult to determine what items are important to keep and which ones are ready for the trash or for the give away box.

You should ask yourself several questions when determining what you will do with a specific item. Begin by asking yourself how you feel about each item. Do you love it? Does the item have sentimental value? Does it make you feel sad or guilty? You should not feel guilty about getting rid of something that was given to you, if it is just cluttering up your home. Another thing to ask yourself is if the item has been used in the past year. Ask yourself if it is broken, in bad condition or if you have another one that might be better. These are all good reasons you may want to get rid of a particular item. As soon as your “give away” box is full, you can either take it to your local thrift store or you might consider listing the items for sale on eBay or craigslist.

You may not have realized how many items were out of place in your home until your see your “put way” box after you begin to declutter a room. Once this box is full then stop your decluttering and put these items away now. Do not put it in a closet, the basement or the attic and think that you will get to it later. You know that you will never get around to doing later. Do it right, now then you can move on to the next task.

While working your way around the room you are decluttering, do not skip things like furniture, shelves or drawers. This is the best time to organize the room, as well. For example, if one piece of furniture is a desk, then go through and organize the draws. Be sure that you have a specific place available for items such as pens, envelopes, stamps, mail, and important papers. Make sure that you also sort through the papers to see if you could get rid of anything that is older then a year or possibly create a alternate space in the home where you can keep important financial information for several years.

Decluttering your home is not as overwhelming as you think it is. Just make sure to take your time and be consistent. Do a little every single day until each room is done. Keep a cloth with you also so that you can clean as you go. When all your decluttering is completed, then you can go through the room again to display your special items and set up every room of your home just the way you like.
 

 

Decluttering Life: Tips For Decluttering

When we think about decluttering our life, we first have to consider how it all got started. Our clutter begins to accumulate even before we are born — and we are not even aware of it. So it is not even our fault yet! At this point it is what others people are “doing to us.” Have you ever noticed that?

I’m referring to the continuous accumulation of material things in our life. Think about the concept of a baby shower. Even before we’re born we begin acquiring items through this ritual. Then our family discovers any number of reasons to “shower” us with even more material gifts as we grow up.

Now, gifts are great, but . . . eventually our room of gifts and toys and stuffed animals morphs itself as we get older into a house of stuff — some needed and some, well, not so necessary.

A favorite saying of people lately is “life happens.” Life, in fact, is exactly what happens while we ‘re making our plans for the future. Before we have our plans set in stone, it seems our life situation has changed — and well, so much for our plans.

This is the same thing that happens when it comes to our possessions. “Clutter happens.” Look around you. It’s hard to believe that, at one time, your home was empty – completely empty, to be redundant! What would you do, if someone told you that you had to leave it all behind, how would you react?

Could you, in fact, willfully walk away from all your material possessions right now?

It is time to find out what items are really important to you. Time to assess the items that you have and determine what is necessary and what items are just clutter.
 

 

Declutter Help For Your Basement

Most people need a lot of declutter help in the basement. The basement is an area where we somehow give ourselves permission to create clutter, although we may hate clutter in every other room in our house, If you live in an older home, you basement may not be finished. I’ve lived in a couple of older homes where the floors of the basement themselves were nothing but dirt – yes, dirt. Another home actually did have a basement with a cement floor, but there was nothing “finished” about it. While I did the laundry down there, I even hesitated about storing non-perishable foods, it looked very bad and felt really damp.

Today though, if you have a basement, you’ve probably had at least a portion of it finished. You may even have a rec room or other livable space in your basement. So you need to treat it like any other area of your home. Don’t use it as a dumping ground for boxes of items you don’t know what to do with. Now, I totally understand that the basement can cover a lot of space. So while you stand there with trash bag in hand, eyes glazed over with fear, let’s lead you in the proper direction.

Take one box at a time and break down your goals. See that corner right there? Start there. The point is to pick a corner, then work sections at a time. Do you have an abundance of boxes? Check them out as quickly as possible. If you discover one box is entirely Christmas decorations, then using a permanent marker, mark it as such. You can always come back later to sort through that (and perhaps place it in a nice plastic storage bin). At least for now, you know what’s in there.

Decluttering a large space like the basement appears overwhelming unless you break the task into smaller more manageable tasks. Today’s goal may be to just discover what’s lurking in each of these boxes and toss the worst of this junk. And that’s great. Just keep in mind that once this first step is completed, you’ll still have several more steps to go. This is your initial clean up. When you find a box or bin with items you can tell you aren’t going to want to keep, then dig into it. However, for the time being – and to conserve your time and help you to stay on track – don’t try to transform the basement all at once.

When you have one corner completed, move on – clockwise – to the next area of clutter. Do the same thing here. If it’s a box with needed supplies, mark it and set it aside. If however it’s storing that 1970s outfit that you are never going to wear again then toss it. If you really believe that an item is salvageable, but you don’t want it, consider giving it to a thrift store or church sale. Otherwise, consider this all past-prime material and toss!

If you don’t own a dehumidifier and use one in the basement, or have already waterproofed your cellar, then you may be disappointed by condition of some of your “treasures.” You may discover that the damp basement has claimed some of the life of certain collectible pieces. You may even realize that some of your items are damaged beyond repair due to the damp, dank conditions of your basement. If that’s the case, it’s best to cut your losses and toss the items out. There’s no use crying over items that are already damaged.
 

 

Declutter Program eBook

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