It can happen to the best of us. We tell ourselves we’ll finally get around to spring cleaning. But before you know it, spring has turned to summer. Then fall. Then winter. It’s not that we intend to procrastinate. It’s that the best laid plans frequently do go to waste.

But accumulating clutter and junk in our homes isn’t just unsightly. It can be downright hazardous to both our physical and mental health. Studies have shown that possessing too much clutter has a significant negative impact on our emotional well being. Even the very sight of too much junk in our house can have a generally demoralizing effect on us.

It may take some time to organize, but you don’t have to live with a house full of junk you’ve accumulated over the years. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Set Realistic Goals

You may not be able to tackle every room in your home in just one day. In fact, you may not be able to tackle an entire room. But by setting attainable and realistic guidelines to work by, you’ll find that the process can move along much more effectively and seamlessly than if you simply had an ad hoc plan.

2. Remove the Real Garbage First

It’s very common when removing junk from your house to be unable to identify what’s simply clutter and what is garbage. But there’s no need to have empty food wrappers, napkins and other perishables laying out in the open. Not only is it unsightly, it’s a breeding ground for everything from mold to pest infestations.

3. How Valuable Is Your Clutter to You?

We all have a habit of holding on to objects for purely sentimental reasons. And while this can actually be sometimes healthy, there comes a time in which they’re simply no longer useful or memorable to us. This doesn’t mean throwing away a container of precious family heirlooms. But it does mean learning to distinguish between what has real value for you and what is taking up valuable space.

4. Set a Routine Schedule for Clean Up

Whether it’s by the day, by the hour or even by the box, set goals for yourself and stick to them. You might be amazed by how much you can accomplish by a simple routine schedule!

When Is It Something More Than Just a House Full of Junk?

Statistics from the American Psychiatric Association indicate that up to 19 million Americans suffer from a compulsive hoarding disorder. And it’s not uncommon for family members to inherit a property only to discover it’s now become uninhabitable due to hoarding behavior.

It’s important to understand that hoarding is a legitimate medical and emotional disorder, and not mere slovenliness that deserves ostracism. And while you may be sympathetic to a loved one’s plight as a homeowner, you’re still faced with the very real option of cleaning up what is a physical health hazard.

In many cases, a professional cleaning service can help ease the burden; so long as you take the time to distinguish what are treasured mementoes and what is simply junk. But there may be times when the damage to a property is simply too far gone. Years of compulsive hoarding can result in structural damage, pipe clogs and electrical issues that no amount of deep cleaning can remove. Nor will it present an attractive purchasing option for a buyer, no matter how much of a bargain they’re getting.

Some home investors and professional house buying companies specialize in purchasing houses that appear too far damaged to repair quickly. They can sometimes provide you with an immediate solution that can tackle even the most debilitated properties, quickly, fairly and without judgement.

There’s numerous resources that are available to you and your loved one who may be suffering from a hoarding disorder and we encourage you to take advantage of them. There’s no use throwing memories away when solutions to emotional disorders are closer than you think.

If the clutter is becoming too much for you, give us a call today at 925-483-7327. We can take the house off your hands, and you don’t even have to worry about cleaning it out!