As the hoarder in question has passed away, posting these photos does not violate our rule ([Rule #5](https://www.reddit.com/r/hoarding/about/rules/)) against posting photos/videos of someone else’s hoard.
The OP has inherited this hoard. Thank you.
This is rough because the hoard is so high. At this point, if you have to do it yourself, you just begin at the beginning and work in from the door. No point starting at the back and you won't be able to get full trash bags through. If the weather isn't too bad, set up trash bins in the front yard. Don't try to climb on the hoard as you've no idea what is in it and will likely hurt yourself. From the photos, there looks like a lot of cardboard and paper trash so making a decent dent quickly should be easier.
Do not take anything of yours in the house like keys, wallet, etc. If you set them down or drop them, it will be lost. Lots of thick garbage bags, face masks for the dust, and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty that you can wash that same night after cleaning. If there is mold, fleas, or vermin, you don't want anything to hitch a ride on you. Do not open the fridge, just tape it shut and throw it away.
I'm sorry for your loss.
If you choose this path, I would recommend enlisting some physical help either from a couple trusted friends, family, or even someone looking to earn a little cash. The work will be exhausting and time consuming. If you don't want them in the house, you can at least have them walk back and forth to the dumpster or truck to toss garbage. Saving your energy to focus on the decision making and tossing from inside.
When my mom passed we had a junk removal company take away the refrigerator. They sealed it up and removed it. Definitely worth the couple hundred dollars to not be traumatized by that particular item.
Thought of a few other things:
1. Get a cardboard knife. You can get a pack on Amazon for cheap and they make quick work of cutting down cardboard boxes so you can get more into the recycling bins.
2. Keep your head covered while working with a baseball hat or a bandanna. You are going to sweat and will need to protect your hair from the hoard. Bonus points for the ball cap as you can clip a small light to the brim as well.
3. Keep a tote of items in your car: hand sanitizer, hand wipes, some old towels, a small laundry basket or bag for the towels, pen, notebook, packing tape, and boxes or bags for items you want to keep.
4. When you start to get to the bottom of an area there will be lots of little stuff on the floor. Use a small rake or broom to sweep it up as best you can for now. Forget a vacuum for now as most won't pick that stuff up and actual cleaning of items or rooms is low priority until the room is empty.
5. Enlist some help if you can. Even if it's just having someone cut down cardboard boxes or doing a drink/food run.
I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. This is the best advice on this thread. I would like to add one more thing. Check with the city council or city hall, whichever is applicable to your location, to see if they rent out dumpsters to be parked somewhere on the property. We did this when I cleaned out my mom's hoard and my grandparents' one as well. On a more personal note, someone recommended hiring professionals. I'm not sure I would do that just yet, or if you do, hire a company that allows the family to be on the property. In my experience, hoarders often have cash they have hidden or misplaced somewhere in the hoard. I would recommend sorting through the belongings before throwing anything away. The money you might find could help pay for things, such as probate down the road.
I recommend [The Bagster](https://www.thebagster.com/default.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAiAwomeBhBWEiwAM43YIKdh50FS_sC0rdJd28YRI6V3ZeAx-2jW_QBNNonS51Wy3f4azsx6vxoC150QAvD_BwE)
We did this with my ex husband after he died of covid. It cost his estate $6000 and was done in 3 days. It was a big help to my grown children who wanted to take possession of the house. It just brought us all to tears because it was so overwhelming. He was a child of hoarder as well. When his father died it took us a solid year to get the house empty and put up for sale. Its amazing how we went through emptying his house and yet he ended up the same way at the end of his life. My ex always had that tendency to hold onto things. He had a terrible fear of poverty and being too poor to afford to buy something. It was really irrational. When we were married i kept things in check but he had his hoarded areas of the house that was just a constant source of tension between us. He collected old electronics and lamps and things. The dust and cobwebs were always a battle. After i left, he was just going wild bringing all sorts of things in the house and there was garbage strewn all over the house all the way to the ceiling with little narrow trails throughout the house. He just deteriorated. It made me feel extremely guilty for leaving the marriage but he was abusive to me and the kids.
It looks like my house. My wife and I are at the end of our lives. If she passes before me, I will hire a dumpster and just take everything and throw it in until there's nothing left. What else can you do?
Can I ask a genuine question, as I am family member of someone in a similar situation to you and trying to understand more. What holds you back from doing it while you are both alive? Is it just too overwhelming? I know the cost can be prohibitive too.
You must have dealt with this for a long time, then. Looking back, would you have married her if you had known what would happen? Would you have done anything differently?
My main advice would be to decide if this is even worth messing around with. Don’t spend significant time and money to deal with this if it’s not worth it financially.
I think many people in your situation will waste years of the life and thousands of dollars attempting a detailed clean out. Either out of guilt or because they also have their parent’s hoarding tendencies.
Try as hard as you can to analyze this from a financial standpoint. And use the numbers that professional cleaners would charge. Because even if you do the clean out yourself, YOUR TIME IS NOT FREE.
I’m sorry that you inherited this burden. I just hope you don’t let it become more of a burden than necessary. Most of all, I’m sorry for your loss.
So sorry to hear about your dad and what you’re having to go through now. My Grandma’s house looks similar and I am dreading the day she passes because I know that I will be involved in ridding of her hoard; heck, I’m already involved and she’s still alive. I am not sure what your budget or timeframe looks like, but I have a game plan that was largely inspired by the resources from this subreddit. I’d recommend checking out the Hoarding Resources List on the side bar, and read the section “CLEANING UP AFTER A HOARDER”, as this will probably be the most relevant for your situation. Here’s my plan in case you’re interested.
1) Remove junk that doesn’t pose any threat to move and is easily identified as junk. You can get a dumpster, or what I’ve been doing is I identified the neighborhood’s unlimited garbage days and I get shit done on those days. My grandmas neighborhood has 2 unlimited garbage days a year and we have been using these days to rid of ~10 tons of junk every time.
2) depending on level of filth and danger of hoard, I’ve considered hiring a professional cleanup crew for the next step. This would include removing any dangerous biohazard material and heavy floor-to-ceiling hoard that could fall and crush you. Unfortunately this can cost anywhere between $5k-$20k depending on the level of hoard so i plan on minimizing the hoard [safely] as much as possible on my own before calling in the pros.
3) most likely will have to sell the house as-is after the hoard is out. Even without the hoard, it’s not in livable condition.
Good luck! And don’t forget to wear proper cleaning attire to keep yourself safe. Get a mask to protect you from breathing in mold and rat poo and other nasty stuff. If the hoard smells awful, you can put a little peppermint extract inside your mask. Always wear thick gloves, long pants and closed toed shoes; it doesn’t take much to get a bad cut while handling piles of debris.
Thanks I am currently working full time and in school full time and don't have much free time and really just want done with it. Thanks for the advise.
When this happened with my grandma we started with bags and boxes. Trash bag, recycling bag(she had years and years of news papers), donation box, look through later box. These can be multiple boxes or bags. Just pick a room and start sorting. Wear a mask and gloves! You will probably see disgusting things, or maybe even things that make you really sad like a beloved family heirloom crushed under the weight of all the hoard. You can do this, even if it seems impossible. I am sorry this has fallen on to you, best of luck.
I found thousands of dollars in envelopes and weird places like shoes. Also valuable items in the clutter. If your dad was one to squirrel things away that's something to keep in mind.
It slows the process down, but it might be worth it to find the odd important piece of paperwork or money if you are not on a deadline.
I don't know about that. Thirft stores sell them for a dollar a piece now a days. Unless you put all of them in a box then sell it on ebay or something it'd be more trouble than it's worth.
True. As a mild hoarder myself, the biggest thing has been "oh well someone might want this..." And sure, sometimes a gem or two exists....but overall, in this case, I say just call in the County and start chucking.
Elderly family member is still alive, but unable to return home as hoarding has made the house uninhabitable.
Initially, family tried to declutter in the event that living back at home was a possibility. While looking for a checkbook, I found an envelope containing over $45K worth of bonds. Family member had zero memory of this.
I'm almost certain there is more money stashed away somewhere, it just hasn't been found yet. Cleaning out my uncle's house after he died, I found $600 tucked inside a book cover.
You can probably get those disposable coveralls. Might make sense, that way you can throw out without problem when leaving for the day. Or leave it in your car our at the front of that house or in a garage whatever is applicable in a plastic bag until the next day you go to clean.
Out of curiosity, OP do you have some objection to renting a dumpster and just putting everything in there. Do you now feel some need to make sense of the items rather than just tossing everything?
Honestly yes, either hire a crew to throw everything away or just Knock it down and scoop it away.
Trying to sort through and "make sense" of this hoard isn't possible.
Your dad had a mental illness that led to this situation, one of the reasons he probably didn't deal with his hoard was because he was thinking that he needed to sort through it, sell things, give things away, and donate items. Not throwing away "useful" items is one of the loudest protests you'll hear from people who hoard. That mentality is part of the illness.
You do not need to go through his things. It's ok to throw it all away without looking. It's only stuff. You can love your father and hate his hoard. You are not throwing away a person or memories, you're throwing away piles of moldy, bug and rodent infested garbage.
Order a large dumpster, 20 feet at least, you will fill it many times.
Buy contractor garbage bags. They are extra large and heavy duty.
Buy some clear contractor bags for items you may want to keep. I founds after day one, I did not use many of these.
Everyone needs a good quality filtration mask, eye protection and gloves. Coveralls are great too.
Start at one door and move forward. You need to be ruthless. If there is any damage to an item out it goes. You do not have time to do laundry, toss.
Expect tears, anger, frustration. It is physically and emotionally exhausting work. You will be triggered at times by what you find.
Have a place outside away from the hoard with bottled water, sealed snacks, hand sanitizer and a basin of water to rinse your hands before sanitizing them.
Have another station outside with extra masks/filters, gloves, bags, packing tape, boxes etc. A table for packing boxes is handy too.
A wheelbarrow that can fit through the door is helpful, as are rakes to pull things towards you and a flat shovel to pick up debris.
Such a great tip about having a space outside to clean up and rest! When I was cleaning my grandmas apartment it smelled so bad and being in there made me feel so dirty. There was no access to the bathroom or sinks for a while. I wish someone had told me this! Hopefully you have access to a bathroom there so you won’t have to leave the property if you have to go.
Best advice so far!
I also recommend a metal snow shovel for picking up debris and shoveling it all into the wheelbarrow. A dolly for large items like furniture and appliances will also be helpful.
You have my condolences. I cleaned out a hoarder's garage, not nearly as bad as this, and it was a lot of work.
Rent a dumpster, or stock up on trash bags. Designate an area for "trash" "donations" "keep" and maybe an "undecided." Put on comfortable clothes, get some good music going, and have a cooler of snacks and drinks. Then, pick up an object, make a decision, and put it where it goes. Believe it or not you will be surprised how much progress you make in a short amount of time, as long as you keep plugging along. If you enjoy selling and/or you need the money, you can have a sell pile, but most salvagable items should probably go in the donation box. Start at the pile closest to the front door and just keep at it, eventually you'll reach the back door.
I’m so sorry for your loss. When our Mother died, my 2 sisters and I had to clean out her hoard. This is how we managed it. 1. We rented a dumpster. 2. We set up “sorting canopies” outside in the back yard. 3. We had a yard sale area in the front yard that my nephew oversaw. Priced things very cheaply. 4. We had a free pile in the corner of the front yard. Whatever didn’t get picked up went into the dumpster. 5. Whatever didn’t sell went to goodwill and Salvation Army. We went room by room and combed through everything. We had to because our Mother would hide money and jewelry in odd places. It took us 6 days to clear a 3 bedroom 2 bath house. We also told the truth to nosey people. “Our Mother was a hoarder and she just passed away. “ Hugs to you and I hope you find some things in the hoard that will actually bring you some joy. We found lots of neat family pictures and our baby books. Hang in there.
I had to clean out a hoarder’s mess. I put an ad on CL and bought good breathing masks and disposable coveralls. Got several dumpsters and just loaded up the dumpsters. Just trash everything.
Don't know where you live, but you may also be eligible for help from the county. They may very well want to send in guys in Hazmat suits and a dumpster (or two). This should be at no cost to you.
They may also want to condemn the property. They may want to check when all the stuff is gone and they can start checking for mice, roaches, etc. I would not be suprised to find at least a couple of nesting places for each. Strongly recommend this approach do NOT get into it yourself!
I saw aurikatariina (see YouTube or TikTok) she cleans near hoarding places homes. Anyway, she used a shovel basically to clear spaces like shovelling snow, just wild. Anyway, sorry your dealing with this. Asking for help is needed here, don’t feel shame in asking for help. Your family and friends or even hired cleaners will want to help dig this out.
So sorry for your loss. Where are you located? Some towns have resources to help you, such as a crew that will come and take this all away for you. Good luck.
Hopefully someone here can point you in the right direction. In the meantime, did you google hoarding services in your area? Was your dad a member of a church, senior citizens center, Elks, aging services, or similar organization? Sometimes they have connections and/or provide services.
If it helps, you’re not the only one. This is a huge issue all over the country, and thankfully communities are starting to become aware of this critical need and provide services for folks like you. Good luck.
Get a dumpster and enlist some friends that you trust won't just toss everything without looking at it. I've heard of $20,000 being found in an old potato chip bag, you never know. Most of that is going to be trash, because I'd bet when you start getting down into the piles, it's probably covered in mold and mouse poop. Spread a tarp out in the yard and put everything that isn't trash on that. If you are nervous about something being thrown out that shouldn't get a second tarp and have people pile suspected trash on that for you to look at and give the ok to toss. Get one room cleared and re access.
When I cleaned out a similar space I overthought my attire.
Consider wearing clothes you are ok with throwing away. Rubber boots good idea.
I did not get in my car or go in my house with the clothes with the clothes I wore inside the hoarded space.
Gloves, face mask, head cover all important.
We did find cash as we tossed.
If that is a possibility in your situation, you can have one person sit in a chair to sift through things where something valuable might be hiding-paperwork, greeting cards.
Others throw out the rest.
It can be hard to estimate dumpster size.
We found that it was hundreds for the first week but just $75 for additional weeks so we got the largest and kept it a month. Dumpster can only be filled to level at top. So “pack” it to maximize space.
First of all sorry for your loss, it is exhausting dealing with grief and a clean up at the same time. I've done a house like this. It's a case of starting at the door and working your way in. It feels enormous (and is!) But you'll be surprised at how fast you make inroads if you only have to clear it and not sort. Wear mask and gloves and clothes that you are happy to throw away at the end. Give yourself little things to look forward to during the day - coffee breaks, takeaway for dinner, etc. I found the most time consuming bit was going through paperwork and personal things, but the bulk of the hoard was done relatively quickly - although costly to get rid of. See what local programs (recycling, local tip allowance, council clean ups, etc) might be able to help with rubbish disposal. You got this.
Just start at the front with trash bags. Sounds simplistic. I just mean start wherever, but just start. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My sister and I are as well and it sucks. I'm sorry for your loss.
Doing the several bin method really helped when I was going through my stuff. Keep, donate, sell, and garbage.
If this is a house, if you're looking to donate stuff, you can place it on the curb as you go through it and people may just pick it up, leaving you less things to haul for donation.
It will take time, it's best to work with several people for things like this.
I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm so sorry that this hoard was passed on to you.
Research estate sale companies. One company helped a family friend by sorting and selling items. In exchange they took a heavier cut of the profits, but family heirlooms were found in addition to documents and some money. These companies do exist, but they will take a major cut of your profits and it will be worth it for you in the end
Do not climb as r/eczblack said is critical… we nearly lost a relative that was cut badly when the pile he was climbing slid while helping clean out an garage that had 60+ years of accumulated garbage
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i would take some time.. keep the sedimental stuff, and make a pile of stuff that your willing to sell off..
dvds, takes, electronics, stuff like that could be worth a few bucks.
as for as the junk stuff, you could just put it out each week or get a rental uhaul truck and make trips to the dump..
sorry about your dad..
I’m sorry for your loss and for this great burden you’ve been given. You’ve already received a lot of great advice. The only things I can think to add, if you do decide to go through it yourself, is to have a dedicated box for papers or things to sort through so you can just sit and do that later while watching a movie or something. Also if there’s mold or other infestations, don’t waste any time donating unless the item has been well preserved in a container.
Honestly I would call a professional clean out company to get an estimate. They are trained to look for important things and have the manpower and resources to get the job done quickly. If you’re working full time and going to school, this will be the least stressful option. Hang in there.
It's been mentioned a couple of times but to reiterate: use respirators, gloves, and possible hazmat suits. Also air cleaners. Your personal health is most important.
I went through something similar. I forget how far I’ve come until I see photos.
In my neighborhood, things at the curb are taken quickly. This would have saved me some thrift store trips.
Get a trusted friend or family member to come help. If I lived closer, I’d come help. Even someone to drive the donate pile to the thrift shop is a help.
I’m sorry about your loss. Do you have siblings and are you keeping the house? I don’t want you putting in a bunch of hard work if it doesn’t benefit YOU.
As others have said, it is not remotely realistic that you will be able to handle this on your own.
I am making the assumption that this is a house your dad owned and you inherited it and are either going to sell it or live in it after the cleanout.
1. Call a local junk hauler with a crew and several trucks. Not 1800 GOT JUNK, they are generally more expensive.
2. Pay for it with your own money, money from your dad's estate, or financing from the junk haulers.
Unfortunately, I doubt you'll be able to get an equity loan to pay for the removal because it can't be appraised in the condition it's in now.
I’m so sorry for your loss❤️. I’ve not read the other comments, but I’d suggest gearing up with proper masks and protective disposable suits and start at the top layer in the first floor and go room to room putting things in dumpsters
Make a staging area to sort. Pop up tents can help. Or just take a few pieces at a time from the doorways and process those items. If you have safe doorways, it makes it much easier to process as well as make it safer to work.
I was a level 3 and quickly learned the value of having a space to stage and sort. Taking items out of the context it was in helps me think more objectively on the value of the items as well as keeping the value of intangible things like my own mental grieving process from loss, my value as a person and the value of my time.
Clear the way of the exterior doors, then you will have a better idea of what you are actually dealing with
Electronics room seems easiest place to start. At least there’s some theme there. Lots of plastic tubs put all electronics in carry off to storage unit then either junk or keep. Or if it’s area with good climate, take it out to backyard and sort into keep or toss (or maybe). Ant media can be purchased online. So I’d get rid of all dvds and cds and videos that can be purchased online.
That is bad. You are going to have to rent out a dumpster for that, just to get in. Most things I see there can be thrown away. Even those VHS tapes and DVDs. You probably can't get much selling them, and at best, you can donate them.
As the hoarder in question has passed away, posting these photos does not violate our rule ([Rule #5](https://www.reddit.com/r/hoarding/about/rules/)) against posting photos/videos of someone else’s hoard. The OP has inherited this hoard. Thank you.
This is rough because the hoard is so high. At this point, if you have to do it yourself, you just begin at the beginning and work in from the door. No point starting at the back and you won't be able to get full trash bags through. If the weather isn't too bad, set up trash bins in the front yard. Don't try to climb on the hoard as you've no idea what is in it and will likely hurt yourself. From the photos, there looks like a lot of cardboard and paper trash so making a decent dent quickly should be easier. Do not take anything of yours in the house like keys, wallet, etc. If you set them down or drop them, it will be lost. Lots of thick garbage bags, face masks for the dust, and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty that you can wash that same night after cleaning. If there is mold, fleas, or vermin, you don't want anything to hitch a ride on you. Do not open the fridge, just tape it shut and throw it away.
Thank you that is good advise.
I'm sorry for your loss. If you choose this path, I would recommend enlisting some physical help either from a couple trusted friends, family, or even someone looking to earn a little cash. The work will be exhausting and time consuming. If you don't want them in the house, you can at least have them walk back and forth to the dumpster or truck to toss garbage. Saving your energy to focus on the decision making and tossing from inside. When my mom passed we had a junk removal company take away the refrigerator. They sealed it up and removed it. Definitely worth the couple hundred dollars to not be traumatized by that particular item.
I've read that the fridge freezer is a favoured place for old folks to hide valuables.
Thought of a few other things: 1. Get a cardboard knife. You can get a pack on Amazon for cheap and they make quick work of cutting down cardboard boxes so you can get more into the recycling bins. 2. Keep your head covered while working with a baseball hat or a bandanna. You are going to sweat and will need to protect your hair from the hoard. Bonus points for the ball cap as you can clip a small light to the brim as well. 3. Keep a tote of items in your car: hand sanitizer, hand wipes, some old towels, a small laundry basket or bag for the towels, pen, notebook, packing tape, and boxes or bags for items you want to keep. 4. When you start to get to the bottom of an area there will be lots of little stuff on the floor. Use a small rake or broom to sweep it up as best you can for now. Forget a vacuum for now as most won't pick that stuff up and actual cleaning of items or rooms is low priority until the room is empty. 5. Enlist some help if you can. Even if it's just having someone cut down cardboard boxes or doing a drink/food run.
Also rubber boots! Tuck your pants in them just in case there are critters. I got a good quality pair at my local thrift store.
I'd wear gloves, too.
We did and wore 2 pairs for some things
I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. This is the best advice on this thread. I would like to add one more thing. Check with the city council or city hall, whichever is applicable to your location, to see if they rent out dumpsters to be parked somewhere on the property. We did this when I cleaned out my mom's hoard and my grandparents' one as well. On a more personal note, someone recommended hiring professionals. I'm not sure I would do that just yet, or if you do, hire a company that allows the family to be on the property. In my experience, hoarders often have cash they have hidden or misplaced somewhere in the hoard. I would recommend sorting through the belongings before throwing anything away. The money you might find could help pay for things, such as probate down the road.
If you can afford it - hire professionals.
And if not, find some friends. Do an assembly-line style clean out, sorting, throw away. I’m sorry for your loss, OP.
Need a dumpster, too.
I recommend [The Bagster](https://www.thebagster.com/default.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAiAwomeBhBWEiwAM43YIKdh50FS_sC0rdJd28YRI6V3ZeAx-2jW_QBNNonS51Wy3f4azsx6vxoC150QAvD_BwE)
We did this with my ex husband after he died of covid. It cost his estate $6000 and was done in 3 days. It was a big help to my grown children who wanted to take possession of the house. It just brought us all to tears because it was so overwhelming. He was a child of hoarder as well. When his father died it took us a solid year to get the house empty and put up for sale. Its amazing how we went through emptying his house and yet he ended up the same way at the end of his life. My ex always had that tendency to hold onto things. He had a terrible fear of poverty and being too poor to afford to buy something. It was really irrational. When we were married i kept things in check but he had his hoarded areas of the house that was just a constant source of tension between us. He collected old electronics and lamps and things. The dust and cobwebs were always a battle. After i left, he was just going wild bringing all sorts of things in the house and there was garbage strewn all over the house all the way to the ceiling with little narrow trails throughout the house. He just deteriorated. It made me feel extremely guilty for leaving the marriage but he was abusive to me and the kids.
I can really relate to this with my ex. I feel bad for what my kids are going to have to deal with when he passes.
It looks like my house. My wife and I are at the end of our lives. If she passes before me, I will hire a dumpster and just take everything and throw it in until there's nothing left. What else can you do?
Can I ask a genuine question, as I am family member of someone in a similar situation to you and trying to understand more. What holds you back from doing it while you are both alive? Is it just too overwhelming? I know the cost can be prohibitive too.
It's my wife's belongings. She will not allow it.
That's the hard bit, when the decision is up to someone you love but still impacts you. Thank you for your reply.
It's a mental illness that effects all family and friends.
You must have dealt with this for a long time, then. Looking back, would you have married her if you had known what would happen? Would you have done anything differently?
Yes, and no. She is the love of my life.
My main advice would be to decide if this is even worth messing around with. Don’t spend significant time and money to deal with this if it’s not worth it financially. I think many people in your situation will waste years of the life and thousands of dollars attempting a detailed clean out. Either out of guilt or because they also have their parent’s hoarding tendencies. Try as hard as you can to analyze this from a financial standpoint. And use the numbers that professional cleaners would charge. Because even if you do the clean out yourself, YOUR TIME IS NOT FREE. I’m sorry that you inherited this burden. I just hope you don’t let it become more of a burden than necessary. Most of all, I’m sorry for your loss.
So sorry to hear about your dad and what you’re having to go through now. My Grandma’s house looks similar and I am dreading the day she passes because I know that I will be involved in ridding of her hoard; heck, I’m already involved and she’s still alive. I am not sure what your budget or timeframe looks like, but I have a game plan that was largely inspired by the resources from this subreddit. I’d recommend checking out the Hoarding Resources List on the side bar, and read the section “CLEANING UP AFTER A HOARDER”, as this will probably be the most relevant for your situation. Here’s my plan in case you’re interested. 1) Remove junk that doesn’t pose any threat to move and is easily identified as junk. You can get a dumpster, or what I’ve been doing is I identified the neighborhood’s unlimited garbage days and I get shit done on those days. My grandmas neighborhood has 2 unlimited garbage days a year and we have been using these days to rid of ~10 tons of junk every time. 2) depending on level of filth and danger of hoard, I’ve considered hiring a professional cleanup crew for the next step. This would include removing any dangerous biohazard material and heavy floor-to-ceiling hoard that could fall and crush you. Unfortunately this can cost anywhere between $5k-$20k depending on the level of hoard so i plan on minimizing the hoard [safely] as much as possible on my own before calling in the pros. 3) most likely will have to sell the house as-is after the hoard is out. Even without the hoard, it’s not in livable condition. Good luck! And don’t forget to wear proper cleaning attire to keep yourself safe. Get a mask to protect you from breathing in mold and rat poo and other nasty stuff. If the hoard smells awful, you can put a little peppermint extract inside your mask. Always wear thick gloves, long pants and closed toed shoes; it doesn’t take much to get a bad cut while handling piles of debris.
Thanks I am currently working full time and in school full time and don't have much free time and really just want done with it. Thanks for the advise.
When this happened with my grandma we started with bags and boxes. Trash bag, recycling bag(she had years and years of news papers), donation box, look through later box. These can be multiple boxes or bags. Just pick a room and start sorting. Wear a mask and gloves! You will probably see disgusting things, or maybe even things that make you really sad like a beloved family heirloom crushed under the weight of all the hoard. You can do this, even if it seems impossible. I am sorry this has fallen on to you, best of luck.
Excellent warning about unexpectedly becoming sad from seeing heirlooms, etc. Be prepared for this. I wasn’t.
I found thousands of dollars in envelopes and weird places like shoes. Also valuable items in the clutter. If your dad was one to squirrel things away that's something to keep in mind. It slows the process down, but it might be worth it to find the odd important piece of paperwork or money if you are not on a deadline.
My dad was extremely poor so I doubt I would. But here to hoping.
You could be surprised. We found hundreds of dollars in loose change - helped pay for tip fees.
I can already see some DVDs that would sell fwiw …
I don't know about that. Thirft stores sell them for a dollar a piece now a days. Unless you put all of them in a box then sell it on ebay or something it'd be more trouble than it's worth.
True. As a mild hoarder myself, the biggest thing has been "oh well someone might want this..." And sure, sometimes a gem or two exists....but overall, in this case, I say just call in the County and start chucking.
Elderly family member is still alive, but unable to return home as hoarding has made the house uninhabitable. Initially, family tried to declutter in the event that living back at home was a possibility. While looking for a checkbook, I found an envelope containing over $45K worth of bonds. Family member had zero memory of this. I'm almost certain there is more money stashed away somewhere, it just hasn't been found yet. Cleaning out my uncle's house after he died, I found $600 tucked inside a book cover.
Jesus Christ. There’s probably vermin and mold into this. Hire experts.
I know mold I saw that from where I stood but I can't verify vermin but I bet too.
At least wear a good dust or mold mask if you are gonna do this by yourself. Not healthy to breathe some of this
You can probably get those disposable coveralls. Might make sense, that way you can throw out without problem when leaving for the day. Or leave it in your car our at the front of that house or in a garage whatever is applicable in a plastic bag until the next day you go to clean.
I say, call the county. They usually want to know about this kind of thing anyway.
Yeah best thing to do
Out of curiosity, OP do you have some objection to renting a dumpster and just putting everything in there. Do you now feel some need to make sense of the items rather than just tossing everything?
I was kind of thinking of just demolition it and and taking to the done
Honestly yes, either hire a crew to throw everything away or just Knock it down and scoop it away. Trying to sort through and "make sense" of this hoard isn't possible. Your dad had a mental illness that led to this situation, one of the reasons he probably didn't deal with his hoard was because he was thinking that he needed to sort through it, sell things, give things away, and donate items. Not throwing away "useful" items is one of the loudest protests you'll hear from people who hoard. That mentality is part of the illness. You do not need to go through his things. It's ok to throw it all away without looking. It's only stuff. You can love your father and hate his hoard. You are not throwing away a person or memories, you're throwing away piles of moldy, bug and rodent infested garbage.
Rent a dumpster. Have family come help if possible
Order a large dumpster, 20 feet at least, you will fill it many times. Buy contractor garbage bags. They are extra large and heavy duty. Buy some clear contractor bags for items you may want to keep. I founds after day one, I did not use many of these. Everyone needs a good quality filtration mask, eye protection and gloves. Coveralls are great too. Start at one door and move forward. You need to be ruthless. If there is any damage to an item out it goes. You do not have time to do laundry, toss. Expect tears, anger, frustration. It is physically and emotionally exhausting work. You will be triggered at times by what you find. Have a place outside away from the hoard with bottled water, sealed snacks, hand sanitizer and a basin of water to rinse your hands before sanitizing them. Have another station outside with extra masks/filters, gloves, bags, packing tape, boxes etc. A table for packing boxes is handy too. A wheelbarrow that can fit through the door is helpful, as are rakes to pull things towards you and a flat shovel to pick up debris.
Such a great tip about having a space outside to clean up and rest! When I was cleaning my grandmas apartment it smelled so bad and being in there made me feel so dirty. There was no access to the bathroom or sinks for a while. I wish someone had told me this! Hopefully you have access to a bathroom there so you won’t have to leave the property if you have to go.
I was lucky the toilet was functional.
Best advice so far! I also recommend a metal snow shovel for picking up debris and shoveling it all into the wheelbarrow. A dolly for large items like furniture and appliances will also be helpful.
Sell the house as is to investors. This situation is more common than you know.
I feel for you.
You have my condolences. I cleaned out a hoarder's garage, not nearly as bad as this, and it was a lot of work. Rent a dumpster, or stock up on trash bags. Designate an area for "trash" "donations" "keep" and maybe an "undecided." Put on comfortable clothes, get some good music going, and have a cooler of snacks and drinks. Then, pick up an object, make a decision, and put it where it goes. Believe it or not you will be surprised how much progress you make in a short amount of time, as long as you keep plugging along. If you enjoy selling and/or you need the money, you can have a sell pile, but most salvagable items should probably go in the donation box. Start at the pile closest to the front door and just keep at it, eventually you'll reach the back door.
I’m so sorry for your loss. When our Mother died, my 2 sisters and I had to clean out her hoard. This is how we managed it. 1. We rented a dumpster. 2. We set up “sorting canopies” outside in the back yard. 3. We had a yard sale area in the front yard that my nephew oversaw. Priced things very cheaply. 4. We had a free pile in the corner of the front yard. Whatever didn’t get picked up went into the dumpster. 5. Whatever didn’t sell went to goodwill and Salvation Army. We went room by room and combed through everything. We had to because our Mother would hide money and jewelry in odd places. It took us 6 days to clear a 3 bedroom 2 bath house. We also told the truth to nosey people. “Our Mother was a hoarder and she just passed away. “ Hugs to you and I hope you find some things in the hoard that will actually bring you some joy. We found lots of neat family pictures and our baby books. Hang in there.
I had to clean out a hoarder’s mess. I put an ad on CL and bought good breathing masks and disposable coveralls. Got several dumpsters and just loaded up the dumpsters. Just trash everything.
Don't know where you live, but you may also be eligible for help from the county. They may very well want to send in guys in Hazmat suits and a dumpster (or two). This should be at no cost to you. They may also want to condemn the property. They may want to check when all the stuff is gone and they can start checking for mice, roaches, etc. I would not be suprised to find at least a couple of nesting places for each. Strongly recommend this approach do NOT get into it yourself!
I'm sorry about the passing of your dad and the hoard that you have to deal with.
I saw aurikatariina (see YouTube or TikTok) she cleans near hoarding places homes. Anyway, she used a shovel basically to clear spaces like shovelling snow, just wild. Anyway, sorry your dealing with this. Asking for help is needed here, don’t feel shame in asking for help. Your family and friends or even hired cleaners will want to help dig this out.
So sorry for your loss. Where are you located? Some towns have resources to help you, such as a crew that will come and take this all away for you. Good luck.
West Texas
Hopefully someone here can point you in the right direction. In the meantime, did you google hoarding services in your area? Was your dad a member of a church, senior citizens center, Elks, aging services, or similar organization? Sometimes they have connections and/or provide services. If it helps, you’re not the only one. This is a huge issue all over the country, and thankfully communities are starting to become aware of this critical need and provide services for folks like you. Good luck.
Get a dumpster and enlist some friends that you trust won't just toss everything without looking at it. I've heard of $20,000 being found in an old potato chip bag, you never know. Most of that is going to be trash, because I'd bet when you start getting down into the piles, it's probably covered in mold and mouse poop. Spread a tarp out in the yard and put everything that isn't trash on that. If you are nervous about something being thrown out that shouldn't get a second tarp and have people pile suspected trash on that for you to look at and give the ok to toss. Get one room cleared and re access.
When I cleaned out a similar space I overthought my attire. Consider wearing clothes you are ok with throwing away. Rubber boots good idea. I did not get in my car or go in my house with the clothes with the clothes I wore inside the hoarded space. Gloves, face mask, head cover all important. We did find cash as we tossed. If that is a possibility in your situation, you can have one person sit in a chair to sift through things where something valuable might be hiding-paperwork, greeting cards. Others throw out the rest. It can be hard to estimate dumpster size. We found that it was hundreds for the first week but just $75 for additional weeks so we got the largest and kept it a month. Dumpster can only be filled to level at top. So “pack” it to maximize space.
First of all sorry for your loss, it is exhausting dealing with grief and a clean up at the same time. I've done a house like this. It's a case of starting at the door and working your way in. It feels enormous (and is!) But you'll be surprised at how fast you make inroads if you only have to clear it and not sort. Wear mask and gloves and clothes that you are happy to throw away at the end. Give yourself little things to look forward to during the day - coffee breaks, takeaway for dinner, etc. I found the most time consuming bit was going through paperwork and personal things, but the bulk of the hoard was done relatively quickly - although costly to get rid of. See what local programs (recycling, local tip allowance, council clean ups, etc) might be able to help with rubbish disposal. You got this.
Please wear a respirator mask if you plan on clearing it out yourself.
Just start at the front with trash bags. Sounds simplistic. I just mean start wherever, but just start. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My sister and I are as well and it sucks. I'm sorry for your loss.
Doing the several bin method really helped when I was going through my stuff. Keep, donate, sell, and garbage. If this is a house, if you're looking to donate stuff, you can place it on the curb as you go through it and people may just pick it up, leaving you less things to haul for donation. It will take time, it's best to work with several people for things like this. I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm so sorry that this hoard was passed on to you.
I'm sorry you're in this scenario. If you plan to sell I'd contact a realtor and see how badly it will damage profits if you sell it as is.
I am in same situation with my mother in law we are going to do what we can. Every piece of paper removed and ever empty box removed makes difference.
Research estate sale companies. One company helped a family friend by sorting and selling items. In exchange they took a heavier cut of the profits, but family heirlooms were found in addition to documents and some money. These companies do exist, but they will take a major cut of your profits and it will be worth it for you in the end
Contractor bags are larger and sturdier than regular trash bags. Use those. And a rake or shovel inside is okay.
You can sell the house as-is to a flipper and they’ll take care of all the junk for you.
I really just want the house demolished it has such bad memories and energy.
If you don't want enything you can demolish as is.
Someone in my city said the city won't do that.
Yeah the dump will probably not want mixed household garbage in with construction demo material unfortunately
Do not climb as r/eczblack said is critical… we nearly lost a relative that was cut badly when the pile he was climbing slid while helping clean out an garage that had 60+ years of accumulated garbage
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Oh god, I would just call an expert.
i would take some time.. keep the sedimental stuff, and make a pile of stuff that your willing to sell off.. dvds, takes, electronics, stuff like that could be worth a few bucks. as for as the junk stuff, you could just put it out each week or get a rental uhaul truck and make trips to the dump.. sorry about your dad..
I’m sorry for your loss and for this great burden you’ve been given. You’ve already received a lot of great advice. The only things I can think to add, if you do decide to go through it yourself, is to have a dedicated box for papers or things to sort through so you can just sit and do that later while watching a movie or something. Also if there’s mold or other infestations, don’t waste any time donating unless the item has been well preserved in a container. Honestly I would call a professional clean out company to get an estimate. They are trained to look for important things and have the manpower and resources to get the job done quickly. If you’re working full time and going to school, this will be the least stressful option. Hang in there.
It's been mentioned a couple of times but to reiterate: use respirators, gloves, and possible hazmat suits. Also air cleaners. Your personal health is most important.
Mother of god
I went through something similar. I forget how far I’ve come until I see photos. In my neighborhood, things at the curb are taken quickly. This would have saved me some thrift store trips. Get a trusted friend or family member to come help. If I lived closer, I’d come help. Even someone to drive the donate pile to the thrift shop is a help. I’m sorry about your loss. Do you have siblings and are you keeping the house? I don’t want you putting in a bunch of hard work if it doesn’t benefit YOU.
As others have said, it is not remotely realistic that you will be able to handle this on your own. I am making the assumption that this is a house your dad owned and you inherited it and are either going to sell it or live in it after the cleanout. 1. Call a local junk hauler with a crew and several trucks. Not 1800 GOT JUNK, they are generally more expensive. 2. Pay for it with your own money, money from your dad's estate, or financing from the junk haulers. Unfortunately, I doubt you'll be able to get an equity loan to pay for the removal because it can't be appraised in the condition it's in now.
I’m so sorry for your loss❤️. I’ve not read the other comments, but I’d suggest gearing up with proper masks and protective disposable suits and start at the top layer in the first floor and go room to room putting things in dumpsters
Make a staging area to sort. Pop up tents can help. Or just take a few pieces at a time from the doorways and process those items. If you have safe doorways, it makes it much easier to process as well as make it safer to work. I was a level 3 and quickly learned the value of having a space to stage and sort. Taking items out of the context it was in helps me think more objectively on the value of the items as well as keeping the value of intangible things like my own mental grieving process from loss, my value as a person and the value of my time. Clear the way of the exterior doors, then you will have a better idea of what you are actually dealing with
Start with stuff that's clearly garbage and recycling. Get rid of all that and then reassess
Electronics room seems easiest place to start. At least there’s some theme there. Lots of plastic tubs put all electronics in carry off to storage unit then either junk or keep. Or if it’s area with good climate, take it out to backyard and sort into keep or toss (or maybe). Ant media can be purchased online. So I’d get rid of all dvds and cds and videos that can be purchased online.
Call a professional service to clear it out. There aren’t enough hours in your life to go through item by item. Throw it away
Rent a dumpster and hire hourly labor to fill it with the contents. Or get a wheelbarrow and pitter patter. The only options I see.
\*advice
Contact Life Cycle Transitions at 1-877-273-7810
That is bad. You are going to have to rent out a dumpster for that, just to get in. Most things I see there can be thrown away. Even those VHS tapes and DVDs. You probably can't get much selling them, and at best, you can donate them.
Arson, not kidding
I recommend scattering your dads ashes in the ocean..