Heeding those Red Flags

Linda Goldfarb, CPO®, Organize Anything, Ltd.

Very early in my organizing career, I received a call from someone inquiring about my services. Being brand new to the field, I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to meet the prospective client. Having limited experience organizing other people, I did not realize that what I was walking into was a hoarding situation. Though clean and seemingly well-cared for, the house contained mountains of clothing, paper, magazines and catalogs, books, office supplies, china, records — and the list goes on. There were items that were of no apparent use; narrowed pathways and semi-blocked doorways. There were rooms that could no longer be used for their intended purpose. Today, we know that these are some of the characteristics of compulsive hoarding.

The red flags were there; I was just too inexperienced and untrained to recognize them. I truly did not realize the challenges I would be up against. I did not understand the emotional issues that would emerge as we began our work together. I was not prepared for the intensity with which my client would cling to her possessions or the resistance that would surface every time we discussed releasing an object. I simply was not equipped to deal with this complex and mystifying condition. I soon realized that I could not do this alone and that there would have to be many layers of support to make the organizing process viable.

Today I know that support may come in many different forms: therapy, medication, support groups such as Clutterers Anonymous and ClutterLess, helpful websites such as Helping Hoarders, Squalor Survivors, and Children of Hoarders, family involvement and supportive friends. Outside resources such as cleaning companies, pest control firms, and repair services may be required. In extreme hoarding cases, social workers, the health department, protective services, and animal control may need to get involved.

The most important thing I learned from this early experience was that I needed to educate myself. That same year I was lucky enough to attend the NAPO Conference and heard Judith Kolberg, founder of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD), speak. As I listened to her, I heard her describe many of the characteristics that my client displayed and the same situations I was facing. I decided to join the NSGCD and have since taken most of the teleclasses they offer dealing with the subject of hoarding. This group also offers a Certificate of Study in Basic Hoarding Issues for those who may find this field of particular interest.

I am seven years into my professional organizing career. I now know how important it is to pay attention to those red flags and ask myself the right questions before deciding if I can effectively work with a client with hoarding tendencies. I feel that being part of a team and working collaboratively offers the best chance for success. Because so much more media attention is being focused on hoarders today, organizers currently entering the field are probably much more aware of the difficulties and complexities of working with this population. If this is something you are thinking of doing, it’s essential to obtain the necessary knowledge, education, and training before entering a hoarding situation. As organizers, we are truly on the frontlines and can do more harm than good if we do not have a proper respect for the challenges and pitfalls of this serious condition.

To help you decide if you should accept this type of client, the NSGCD has devised a Clutter Hoarding Scale, which is an assessment tool that gives parameters to professional organizers and other related professionals that relate to health and safety issues in a household. The scale consists of five levels. It is recommended that if working in a Level III or higher household, the professional should have significant training in Chronic Disorganization and have a network of resources, especially mental health providers, available to refer to the client.

The second most important thing I learned from this early challenge is to know my limitations and what level I personally feel comfortable working in. I now know when to refer out to an organizer who has the proper level of expertise to bring about the very best outcome for the client.