I would contact Steri-Clean and ask them if they would be so kind as to answer my questions.

hoarders.com

Good luck and best wishes. :)

Still trying to finish hoarding recovery actions (cleaning and repairs) with little to no support resources (the ordeal has had major financial impact over the months it has taken). Critical requirement is "professional sanitization" level cleaning. Trash and debris are long gone, but surface cleaning remains to be done (multiple pets, etc.). Bare hardwood floors, drywall/plaster walls). Major "accredited" services have either been unresponsive or quoted prices that are simply unaffordable. Looking to get specific details of cleansers/equipment (if any) used by these services, to try to do the cleaning myself with a couple of helpers. Any info/insights? Thanks.

Another pivotal inspection this week - and WAY behind. Hoarder is a constant interference, and can't get any psych "real time - on site" intervention help. I am at the end of my rope!

Thanks, unfortunately still a long way to go before authorities are satisfied. Initial focus was largely on trash/rubbish/squalor (and still some to go), but significant clutter remains on one floor. Night and day from what it was at the time of discovery, but someone not seeing the original conditions would still see a cluttered mess .... But there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks, I'm picturing Yosemite Sam, although without the mustache. Prior to this point, a good 60+ yards had been dug out and hauled off ..... About another 10-15 yards to go.

Thanks for the support and recommendations every little bit at this super stressful time helps. Had about 10 yards of trash hauled off today by a trash service, after I foolishly allowed hoarder to pick through the bags. This after making an effort to sort out recyclables from trash and to save items such as ruined but perceived still valuable clothing in separate bags. Regardless, the trash removal threw the hoarder into a fit of absolute rage, borderline violent. I guess I wouldn't want this process to be too easy .....

Thanks.

The house is mine, hoarder lived there mostly alone as I have been on the road working out of state for a number of years. Deadline with authorities is a moving target, with periodic progress inspections every few weeks. But an extremely critical one coming up next week.

Thanks for the insights. Clean up must happen or I could lose the house. Place is structurally sound, has electric, water, heat, septic all functional, but hoarded mess persists in a few pockets. Authorities require nonspecific cleanup of the excess accumulation, followed by professional sanitization of the premises, before any consideration of allowing re-occupancy. Acceptance criteria appear to be subjective; i.e. just because a dwelling is messy/sloppy, this should not be a basis for declaring it uninhabitable, but the determination is pending. Hoarder would be rendered homeless if the recovery effort were to fail. Hoarder could be kept away by being declared a trespasser, then I could have a crew just scoop out the remaining debris and be done. But I'm trying to make an effort to save whatever possessions within the debris the hoarder holds dear (which unfortunately goes well beyond what is rational).

Guidance of attorney and all associates is to "drop the hammer" and get the hoarder blocked as a trespasser, then simply scoop out the remainder of the mess. While initially too difficult to do, the confrontational, raging, and just irrational behavior of the hoarder may make it easier to make that decision......

I guess what I had naively envisioned was a therapist/coach who could be involved onsite during the initial cleanout phase (which I am still very much in), to assure the hoarder that nothing of value was being taken away. But the sense I am getting at this time is that from the standpoint of involving a mental health professional, I'm looking at a rather glacial pace of moving toward an improved condition for the hoarder - nothing that is going to help over the coming weeks(?) It appears that the only way to get to "done" sufficient to satisfy the authorities is to have the hoarder legally blocked from the house until it's over. Which will further traumatize/enrage the person, but I can't have the individual blocking every step of the process (ranting at trash hauling crews/chasing them away, ripping open packed trash bags and strewing the contents, searching through the trash bit by bit, etc., etc.).

Basically at the end of my rope with this. Thanks.

Thanks. The willingness to change, or lack thereof, may be a problem. This is all research I should have done a year back, if I were aware of the ongoing problem and its severity -- BEFORE authorities got involved. Unfortunately now it's a case of trying to get the place to at least a point where authorities will release it back to me, undoubtedly still containing a lot of "stuff", but perhaps neatly binned/stacked until it can be worked through with the hoarder receiving help. What makes it worse is the subjective acceptance criteria, and the time pressure imposed. None of this works well with trying to turn around the hoarder - no doubt a long term process, if it can succeed at all. Situation quite desperate at this time, so I'll randomly try someone from the list. Thanks.

Mojo Life Coaches prepared a program called
"Hoard No More".
It contains a rescue book, a rescue workbook and a CD/video.
You can learn more about the program by clicking the link here that is on the lower left side of this page.
I have the material and have thoroughly studied it.
My problem is not with the "Hoard no more" series.
My problem is the hoarder in my life refuses to change.
As long as the hoarder is willing to/wanting to change, Mojo Life Coaches can make it happen.

Has anyone here heard of or used "mojolifecoaches.com"? They were referred by one of the advertisers on this site, and they claim significant success in dealing with OCD/hoarding cases. But I haven't found any independent reviews. Thanks.

Thanks, but what I'm trying to do is avoid randomly selecting someone from the list who may not work out for this situation, since the status is too critical to risk a failure, and time is of the essence. I'm more interested in networking with anyone in the Maryland-DC area who has used one of the listed professionals (or anyone not on the list), to benefit from their experience. Thanks for any links!

Trying to complete a hoarding cleanup, with huge progress made, but still a long way to go to satisfy local authorities. Problem is hoarder is present at the site whenever cleanup is attempted, and blocks/intervenes every step of the way. No effective way to keep hoarder away, so I'm stuck between a rock and hard place. A local (Maryland - DC suburb) OCD qualified coach/therapist is probably the answer, but can't get any recommendations locally. Suggestions appreciated, thanks!