Hoarding can pose significant dangers to health and safety. These risks include unsanitary living conditions, fire hazards, and the potential for injury. It can also lead to social and emotional challenges like isolation and family conflict.
As a certified level 2 hoarding specialist from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, I offer a variety of support options for individuals and families struggling with this challenge.
When to Seek Immediate Help
If you or someone you know is an immediate danger to themselves or others, please take action.
- You can request a Wellness Check by contacting the Halifax Regional Police’s non-emergency line at 902-490-5020. They can provide a home visit when a friend or family member expresses concern about a person’s health or safety.
- You can also contact your local fire marshal.
- In case of an emergency, always dial 911.
My Services and Limitations
At this time, I can only provide general assessments, DIY, and virtual support for homes rated above Level 1 on the ICD Hoarding Scale. The image below provides an overview of the five levels of hoarding to help you better understand the varying risks and challenges.
I am not a hazardous cleanup professional. I cannot assist in situations involving overflowing trash, strong odors, infestations (such as dust mites, fleas, carpet beetles, or flies), or hazardous materials like used diabetic needles and pet vomit and fecal matter.
For these complex situations, I highly recommend contacting a specialized service like Service Master Restore and your local pest control company. Before hiring, be sure to read reviews and ask if their staff is trained in trauma-informed care.
Image Source: https://1sthoardingcleanup.com
Please see below a list of additional recommended hazardous clean up companies for assistance with setting up a safe environment.
Recommended Hazardous Clean Up Companies
Recommended Medical Professionals:
Recommended Learning:
SMR Blog Posts: Hoarding in an Apartment – Property Manager Risks and Biohazard CleanUp for Property Managers.
OCHD Podcast: Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding Disorder
- Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding, by Fugen Neziroglu, Jerome Bubrick and Jose Yaryura-Tobias, 2004. A book for people who hoard and for their families. This book provides background on the phenomenon of hoarding and gives direction on how to address it, both as self-help and as family intervention. Helpful to professional organizers in developing a general understanding of hoarding or a plan for assisting a specific client.
- Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring workbook, by Gail Steketee & Randy O. Frost, 2007. A self-help workbook for people who hoard. Useful for professional organizers to help clients articulate their specific challenges and to walk them through the change process. (Note: A companion guide was also published for therapists who provide clinical treatment for hoarding.
- Buried in Treasures: Help for compulsive acquiring, saving, and hoarding, by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, & Gail Steketee, 2007. Introduction to the phenomenon of hoarding for people who hoard and their families. Helpful to professional organizers in conceptualizing the problem of hoarding and ways to address it.
- Digging out: Helping your loved one manage clutter, hoarding, and compulsive acquiring by Michael A. Tompkins, & Tamara L. Hartl, 2009. Introduction to harm reduction—the improvement and not necessarily the elimination of a problem behavior—as it applies to hoarding behavior. Helpful when working with the client’s family and with clients who are unable or unwilling to dismantle their hoard fully.
Additional Resources:
Trained Professional Organizer & ADHD Specialist 