Try to put yourself in the hoarder’s position to better understand their mindset and emotions. Ensure that you will be there for them after the clean-up.
Many hoarders are concerned about the safety of their homes so by explaining the need to rearrange items as a safety concern, the hoarder may agree to the rearrangement. If this goes well, you can begin to discuss removing items.
To a hoarder, every item in their home no matter how insignificant is important to them and has an emotional attachment. You must be aware of this when helping a hoarder clean up.
Hoarders are aware to some extent that their behaviour is not normal. In order for the hoarder to trust you, you must keep their disorder confidential and avoid discussing it with others without their knowledge or permission.
One way to get a hoarder to cooperate with the clean up is to let them know that if their items are donated, they will serve more of a purpose to someone who needs them as opposed to just sitting in the clutter.
It is important to have patience with a hoarder as you help them come to the realisation that they are living in substandard conditions. Helping them make this realisation is half the battle.
There are many professional therapists who specialize in hoarding cases. It is important for the hoarder to seek professional help to resolve the issue.
More on How To Help a Hoarder in our article: https://melbourneforensiccleaning.com.au/how-best-to-help-a-hoarder/