If I had the luxury of having help, the best thing someone could do for me is sort like items together. Then I could quickly go through keep only the best of the like items, if I kept any at all, and then bless a charity with well organized donations for them to use straight-away (instead of them being overwhelmed with a box full of mish-mash). I have been donating quite a bit to a church lately and they LOVE that I sort out and label office supplies, church kitchenware, etc.

KB,
That is a good sign that she asked you to help. You know, being in this industry for 16 years now, I have seen plenty of people that I wouldn't truly classify as hoarders but rather people that just got overwhelmed with life and couldn't keep up. They are rare, but they are so much easier to help because they don't have the attachment that hoarders have. You will find out which one she is when you really get into throwing stuff out. If it is easy...she is not a true hoarder. If she struggles with decisions on most of the items...well you know 🙂

Oh...and, yes. My friend specifically asked for my help doing this. It's why I'm here. She and her husband are too overwhelmed, for whatever reasons (his depression, her consuming career?) to do it. After being here for a few days I can tell it's been going on for quite some time.

Thank you. This helps a bit. Especially the "least personal" part. Yes, I am doing this by myself. I might have bitten off more than I can chew but it beats being homeless. I had no idea it was going to be this big of a situation. There is no money for professional services. They do have a washer/dryer and probably a good 20 loads piled everywhere. I'll start with your suggestions.

I think the best avenue in this case is just to offer to help her. Tell her you will start with a small area and see how that goes first. Start in an area that is the least personal, so it will be the least difficult as far as any kind of emtional attachment goes. You can also gather up all of the dirty clothes and offer to take it to a laundry mat. You can quickly wash all of the clothes, and make a big dent in the amount of clutter. Another option is just to start with the obvious trash and see how she handles that. Eventually, you will need to get one room completely cleaned so you can use that room as a storage for keep items as well as a sorting room. If she ever agrees to get professional help, there are a lot of resources under most states on this site. Hope that helps a little!

It's a bit difficult to respond. Are you planning on doing it yourself? Were you looking for recommendations of professional resources? Are your friends agreeable to a clean up?

Anyone?