At AAA House Clearance, we deal with all aspects of property clearance. We deal with antiques, with high end value; as well as general household contents, that we facilitate the re-use, and re-cycling of; and then we deal with hoarded properties; and rubbish and waste clearance too.
We provide a range of related house clearance services, to assist you in preparing a house for sale, or for a loved one to move back into – perhaps because it’s become dangerous for them to live there, or has become an untidy, cluttered environment to live in.
Today our Haywards Heath Office was carrying out the clearance of a hoarded property in Hassocks. We were contacted by a relative of the home owner, who asked us to clear the hoarded house contents, leaving all furniture in place.
This was so that the gentleman’s loved one could return to a tidy and safe living space, upon their release from a local nursing home, that they were currently residing in.
This is far, from being the worst hoarded property, we’ve ever cleared. There are more than you would think, in Brighton, Hassocks, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill areas.
People often feel ashamed when they call us to clear a property like this – they somehow feel to blame for things getting to this state.
We don’t see it that way. Hoarded properties are often a sign of disability and therefore, the owner being unable to deal with even small items, no longer wanted – which over time, can mount up….. sometimes it’s a sign of loneliness, depression, or addiction – whatever the reason, it usually can’t be helped, and if the owner/s of the hoarded property are present, whilst we clear, they should, and will. be treated with empathy and understanding, as parting with hoarded items, can be a big emotional struggle, for them.
The process of clearing is hard for them to witness, and deal with. Sometimes where the home owner is present, we’re unable to clear to the full extent, because they just don’t feel able to part with the amount required, to really restore their home, to a tranquil state. We employ a psychologist, to assist us, in understanding how difficult it can be for a hoarder to deal with the house clearance process, and how to carry the work out, with kindness, and without distress caused to them.
Where the hoarder is not present though, and doesn’t have to see the contents being cleared, we are yet to meet someone, who hasn’t been delighted with the end result. A tidy home, is a happy home. Sometimes it’s just really hard for a hoarer to envisage that.
Due to the disorganised nature of this hoarded property, the contents had to be viewed as rubbish or waste, and therefore were only fit for disposal. All of the hoarded contents, were bagged, and taken to a commercial waste disposal site, at Burgess Hill.
Normally however, if the property wasn’t hoarded, we would organise house contents, that could be re-used, and give them away to people in need.
We carry out our work respectfully and discreetly. We fill 1 tonne sacks with rubbish or waste from the house, and then load those onto the vans, for transport to the commercial disposal site. Our vans are not sign-written, so our reason for works at the property is between you and us, only. We can put screening up on request, also.
We will be going back to this house, at a later date, as the 2nd part of a two-stage house clearance, to remove the furniture. This would happen if/when our customer’s relative, were to move into the nursing home on a more permanent basis.
As you can see, the house and garage were looking quite full and hoarded before we started. It’s is our every hope that our customer’s relative will feel relief, and lightness in her heart, when she returns home, to the space we created for her. The picture below, is the same room as the first picture you saw, above. You may not have realised there was a bed in the room, from the first picture, due to the volume of hoarded contents, on, and around it.
Above and below, are pictures of the same rooms and areas, once all rubbish was removed. The sad irony of this house clearance, was that the home owner had been storing all the contents she had in the house, garage, and shed, because she wanted to recycle them, but never did get around to actually doing it.
When we return to the property however to carry out clearance of the furniture, we would certainly make sure, that this was distributed to struggling families, in the local community.
There was also a shed clearance to do, at this property. We were to clear the contents, and then dismantle and remove the actual shed. Although the shed base and roof were rotten, we were able to deliver the shed to a family in need, who were able to repair the damaged parts, and still make use of what we could salvage. We offer such items and free furniture from the house clearance we carry out, to our many followers on Facebook – so many of whom, are not daunted by the need to mend, repair and upcycle.