We understand your confusion and in some cases the anger you have for your friend or family member who is a hoarder. We hear it all the time:

“Why don’t they just clean it up?”

“It’s garbage–just throw it away!”

“I could never live that way!”

But that is the important part to remember, this is their home and life. For people with this mindset, this is not easy. Hoarding is a symptom of a larger issue. Hoarding has nothing to do with cleanliness or laziness. It is a disease that needs to be addressed by a team of professionals. Here are the steps to take to help your hoarder: