Hi, have you been to your doctor? Might need medicine first. I for one have been working my way out of my hoard, too embarrassed to have cleaning people, and they mostly want to clean organized homes. Please read on daily chat, some people start with 5 minutes or 15 minutes a day. I felt immobilized looking at it, feeling I must do it all or nothing at all. Now that I have been working on it daily for over 3 months, I can walk in every room without tripping, and can really see the floor, more in some rooms than others, at least not dangerous anymore. I hope you will read "Buried in Treasures" or a similar book, can get at library, and just start small. Keep posting on here for support, wish you the best.

Hi, Dana. I'm sorry I don't know any cleaning companies in your area, but you can click on "national resources" above and find companies in your area. That is what I did for my state, and I did go through the cleanup/cleanout process but it was not cheap to do. In my case, it was more squalor than clutter, just FYI, and that was a result of my not doing anything to clean up.

You can tackle this on your own if money is a big issue. You can do that by getting daily support and advice here on the board. And you can look into professional support. Most regular cleaning companies will not deal with hoards or squalor. For squalor, especially level 3 or higher, it requires hazmat-trained folks.

But there are folks here who are digging themselves out of all types of situations one day at a time. It requires daily work, and in some cases, getting a therapist who understands your type situation (for example, if OCD is involved, or depression, or medical issues, etc.).

Good luck and come back!

I went through a bout with depression a year and a half ago and during that time, my small apartment got trashed. I procrastinated almost everything as far as my apartment goes and it has reached a point where I feel helpless. Trash everywhere, clothes scattered, most things I own are just strewn throughout my apartment.

Has anyone had any good experiences with cleaning companies in Philly? I need help.