People picture a skip in the driveway and strangers throwing their life into it. That is not how we work, and after 20 years we think it is the wrong way to work. Our hoarding and squalor clean ups are planned with the person, done room by room, and sorted item by item. This is what the first day actually looks like.
It starts before day one, with the quote visit
Nothing is cleared on the first visit. Chris comes out alone, in an unmarked vehicle if you ask, and walks through the home with you or your family member. We look at access, stairs, how full each room is, whether there are animals, mould or anything that needs special handling, and we ask what matters most to you. From that visit you get one fixed price in writing. No hourly rate, no surprises on the day.
Agreeing the plan and the no-go items
Before anyone lifts a box we agree three things with the person whose home it is:
- Which rooms we are doing, and in what order. Exits and the kitchen usually come first because they change daily life fastest.
- What is off limits. A particular cupboard, a collection, Dad's workshop. Off limits means we do not touch it.
- What we are looking for. Photos, documents, jewellery, cash, medication, anything the family has lost track of in the clutter.
That plan is the person's plan. If they change their mind halfway through the morning, the plan changes.
Room by room, five piles
We work one room at a time, usually two or three of us, with the person beside us or within earshot if they prefer. Everything that comes out goes into one of five groups:
- Keep. Stays in the home, in a place the person chooses.
- Family. Set aside for relatives: photos, letters, heirlooms, things with a name on them.
- Donate. Clean, usable goods go to charities that will take them.
- Recycle. Paper, cardboard, metal, e-waste and green waste are separated and taken to the right facilities.
- Dispose. Whatever is genuinely finished goes to landfill, as the last option, not the first.
Anything of obvious value is shown to the person before it moves. We have found wills, passports, war medals and a surprising amount of cash in homes where the family was sure there was nothing left to find.
How much one day actually gets through
Less than a television show suggests, and more than most families expect. A heavily hoarded bedroom can take a full day on its own, because sorting is slower than shovelling. A lightly cluttered unit might be mostly cleared by late afternoon. Most of our jobs run one to three days in total, and the first day is often the slowest while the person gets used to us and decisions get easier.
We would rather finish day one with two rooms done properly, and the person still talking to us, than six rooms stripped and someone in tears.
How we leave the home at the end of day one
Before we go we make sure the exits are clear, the kitchen and bathroom are usable, nothing is left blocking a doorway, and the keep pile is somewhere sensible rather than in the middle of the floor. Loads go on the truck the same day, so the person does not spend the night surrounded by bags. We walk them through what was done, what was found, and what is planned for next time. The home will not be spotless at the end of day one, and we will not pretend otherwise. It will be safer and lighter, and that is the point of the first day.
Staged jobs and what comes next
Some families book three days straight. Others do a day, breathe, and book the next one a fortnight later. Both are fine, and the fixed quote stays the same. Where the home is being emptied completely, for a sale or a move into care, the job becomes a full house clearance, and we handle the whole property including the garage and shed. If you are still working out whether the person is ready, our help and advice page is the place to start.
Common questions
Do I need to be there on the day?
Someone who can make keep or go decisions should be reachable. Many clients stay in the home. Some prefer to sit in the garden or go to a neighbour's and come back at the end of each room. Family members often act as the decision maker for an elderly parent, with the parent's agreement.
Will the neighbours know?
Only if you tell them. Unmarked vehicles are available on request, our crew does not wear branded clothing unless you want them to, and nothing about the job is shared with anyone.
What if we find something upsetting?
It happens: letters, a late partner's belongings, evidence of how hard things have been. We stop, put it aside and let the person decide what they want to do with it. There is no rush on anything that matters.