HOARDING

What is HOARDING?

Hoarding Definition:

• “Hoarding” is the excessive collecting of items and intense difficulty discarding items until those items interfere with an individual’s day-to-day functioning”

Hoarding represents not only risk to the individual resident, but also may poses a health & safety risk to other

residents, visitors, and staff on the property.

Residents / Members

Ask yourself, why you keep all those things?

• You enjoy collectables

• “Waste not…want not”- fear of scarcity

• Items invoke sentimental memories

• Saving items-will be useful to self/someone in the near future

• Disability-mental or physical health concerns which affects mobility

Assisting Residents who Hoard

Individuals who hoard typically do not feel that their behavior is problematic and, therefore, may not be motivated to change their lifestyle.

They may express mixed feelings about the assistance being offered, or, refuse it outright. It’s important to know that it’s a long-term and on-going process which will require regular involvement.

While it may be necessary to remove the clutter on the resident’s behalf, the larger goal is to help the resident to learn to make decisions about what to keep and what to discard.

Ways of Getting Help • Contact your building office staff for

information/referral • Hire a Specialized Cleaning Service • Talk with family or friends, maybe they

would lend a hand • Read the Resources Sheet-attached to

Hoarding Fact Sheet • Contact your local Community Care

Access Centre • Follow 3 ½ Box Technique

3 ½ Box Technique

• Start by organizing categories of possessions (3 ½ box technique)

1.  Keep 2.  Discard/recycle 3.  Re-gift/donate/sell ½ Small box for urgent items

• Get your “de-cluttering” materials.• Remove all the things that you agree

are garbage and recycling.• Make an area for the re-gift/donate/sell

items• Sort away!

DE-CLUTTERING MATERIALS

• Boxes are available at the local Liquor Store

• Garbage bags in various sizes • Various cleaning supplies • Baskets, shelves, storage containers,

bookshelves, etc.

Designate a Space • Decide on an area that you don’t usually need to walk through daily for storage of donate/sell/re-gift items.

• Clear a path to kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and all doors.

SORT AWAY

BY SORTING ROOM BY ROOM: You put kitchen items in the kitchen

Bathroom items in the bathroom

Living room items in the living room

In each room pick the best method that works for you

• First-clear the floors

• Work top to bottom

• Go around the room clockwise

• Empty all closets

Throw out items immediately after

determining it’s not useful

BOX ITEMS TO DONATE, SELL, OR

RE-GIFT

THEN MOVE BOXES TO CLEARED

SPACE

NOW YOU HAVE A STACK OF BOXES WITH ITEMS YOU ARE

GOING TO SELL, DONATE OR RE-GIFT

AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP IN THE ROOM

WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP IT.

HAVE ITEMS TO BE DONATED PICKED UP.

YOU CAN SELL ITEMS AT A COURTYARD SALE.

SELL ITEMS ON CRAIG’S LIST OR KIJIJI WEBSITES

IF YOU CAN’T SELL IT-DONATE IT.

In each room – sort the kept items by classification: clothes, personal care products, hobbies, linens, art

supplies, certificates, etc.

Find a space, shelf, book case, or container for each group of items

REDUCE the size of mementos and souvenirs

TAKE PICTURES OF SENTIMENTAL ITEMS –

Bridal dress etc.

Write stories about each sentimental item-a book of

memories

CONSEQUENCES CREATED •  It may sometimes be necessary to take a tenant who is hoarding to the

Landlord & Tenant Board •  This is usually only necessary if repeated attempts have been unsuccessful in

providing assistance to the resident/to connect them with community services

•  Their accommodations should be in such a state as to be considered a threat to their health, safety or that of their neighbors

•  There are 2 notices which may apply in the context of hoarding; the Form N5 (Notice to Terminate a Tenancy Early) and the Form N7 (10-Day Notice to Terminate a Tenancy Early)

•  Form N5: The Landlord would identify the way in which the tenant is keeping their unit and how it’s infringing upon the “lawful right, privilege, or interest of the landlord or interfering with the enjoyment of another tenant”

•  The tenant is given 7 days to make a concerted effort to clean their unit/connect to community-based supports; potentially avoiding the need for further proceedings

•  Form N7: This form is used in situations where the tenant has refused to clean their unit or work with staff or community services and their unit is quite unsafe, either due to breaching the fire Code regulations or public health standards. This form implies that the situation is an “emergency”.

•  The Possibility of Mediation (negotiate an agreement) can follow and an adjudicator can be appointed if no agreement can be made

Summary •  Hoarding is often a difficult issue to address. •  It can be difficult to balance the competing interests of the

people involved: 1. The resident-to maintain their apartment and lifestyle as they

wish 2. The building-to ensure that it is able to exercise its lawful rights

& privileges 3. The other tenants whose enjoyment of their homes may be

impacted by the events experienced.

Successful Solutions

1.   Various cleaning companies can assist in de-cluttering or specialized cleaning

2.   Re:Reading-they will pick up books, DVD’s & CDs free of charge if donated

5.   Canadian Diabetes Association- they will pick up furniture (check with them for specific pick-up), used clothing, kitchenware & knick knacks, linens, jewelry, books, DVDs/videos, shoes etc. all free of charge

7.   The Good Shepherd Men’s Shelter (or equivalent in your area)-will pick up men’s clothing and accessories free of charge

8.   Aids Committee & St. Vincent De Paul-picks up furniture for free