MatureModelMM wrote:
Contact people in your area who set up and run estate sales, because they have arrangements with people who come in after their sales and buy everything that's left and haul it away. I have no idea how to reach those people directly. They don't pay very much, but they do take everything that isn't total junk.

What she said - a "Living Estate" - but again - as stated  if they have to pick through it and set it up for sale in another venue - the yield to the owner is not going to be much.

He might be bartering his stuff - for a cleanup crew in essence.

My mother is an antique dealer and has done such sales - and the task is ENORMOUS when dealing with a hoarder.  almost 15 years later - she is still opening boxes and pallets of items that were routed to the "save" pile and away from the dumpster.  The total from that house was about 20 pickup loads of saved items and about a 40 yard dumpster load of nasty hoarder debris.

Lauren E Poole wrote:
Yeah, so a friend of mine basically looks like a hoarder.

His house is jam packed with paintings, collectibles, nick knacks, and basically shit.

He wants to see it all go.  Who can I contact to come buy pretty much everything for a low, low price?

Sites?  Companies to contact?  Anything???

It's unsanitary, unhealthy, and inhumane to live the way he is currently living, and he agrees.

What he can do depends on a few factors as to his "stuff" and his wishes.  It's good that he has a friend like you who cares, as hoarding can be dangerous.  I cleaned out the my mothers garage as it had reached the point where it was a fire hazard filled nearly wall to wall blocking the side door and leaving only a narrow path to the large car door.  Most of the stuff was worth little or no money.  It all needed to go!

How I did it within a few days was to run some ads on Craigslist.  "FREE STUFF"   "Come pick it up and it's yours!"  I had to get rid of some big, heavy stuff like an old broken down clothes washing machine, gym equipment, so I took pictures of a lot of it.  I also mentioned the purpose was to clean the garage and that they need a large truck and to be willing to help lift the big stuff.  People came out the woodwork to help!  There were items that needed to be hauled off to the dump, but what I did was ask those that wanted items that were worth something to please take other items I knew that were junk.  In other words, "if you want this item, you can have it, but can you please take this stuff over here too?  You've got room in your truck for it.  I've found Craigslist very helpful for this sort of thing!

The F-Stop wrote:
garage sales! at least you'll make a few bucks.

but be warned... somewhere in all that crap may be hiding a rare coin, a valuable manuscript, valuable antique.

Shortly after the death of my Mom (like the next day), my sisters rummaged through the house looking for valuables.  They made a huge mess and didn't really find whatever it was they were looking for.

Months later, my daughters and I were cleaning out the house and found several thousand dollars worth of silver coins, stashed in a number of places.  We also found over five hundred in cash, filed away in envelopes with grocery coupons.

It pays to go thorough everything.

ernst tischler wrote:

Shortly after the death of my Mom (like the next day), my sisters rummaged through the house looking for valuables.  They made a huge mess and didn't really find whatever it was they were looking for.

Months later, my daughters and I were cleaning out the house and found several thousand dollars worth of silver coins, stashed in a number of places.  We also found over five hundred in cash, filed away in envelopes with grocery coupons.

It pays to go thorough everything.

Yup - the massive hoard I referenced above - had a basement that had flooded and ruined - EVERYTHING 

Yet, in the toe of a twisted and ruined 1940's shoe - were her moms family heirloom diamond rings.- There was also a silver coin hoard - which is not unusual for hoards that date back to the 60's

ernst tischler wrote:
Months later, my daughters and I were cleaning out the house and found several thousand dollars worth of silver coins, stashed in a number of places.  We also found over five hundred in cash, filed away in envelopes with grocery coupons.

Vintagevista wrote:
Yet, in the toe of a twisted and ruined 1940's shoe - were her moms family heirloom diamond rings.- There was also a silver coin hoard - which is not unusual for hoards that date back to the 60's

I would consider these fair compensation to the persons cleaning out the debris.

ernst tischler wrote:
Months later, my daughters and I were cleaning out the house and found several thousand dollars worth of silver coins, stashed in a number of places.  We also found over five hundred in cash, filed away in envelopes with grocery coupons.

Mark Salo wrote:
I would consider these fair compensation to the persons cleaning out the debris.

*chortles*  Not even close in our case - we are talking about multiple months of work to clear that - (taking into account that the lady was still in the house and of an age where you can't work 24/7)

A coffee can of melt value coins and heirloom rings??  (I didn't say valuable rings - we gave them back to the lady)  Not even close.

Yes, my mother has done well - but, that is after selling pallet loads of salable items from the hoard.

ernst tischler wrote:
Shortly after the death of my Mom (like the next day), my sisters rummaged through the house looking for valuables.  They made a huge mess and didn't really find whatever it was they were looking for.

Months later, my daughters and I were cleaning out the house and found several thousand dollars worth of silver coins, stashed in a number of places.  We also found over five hundred in cash, filed away in envelopes with grocery coupons.

It pays to go thorough everything.

Reminds me of the hoarder house I helped clean up.  After the death of my friend's mom, we literally had to go through everything as the woman had been hiding valuables inside books and magazines tossed at random into the accumulation.  We found hundreds of dollars in bills and change as well as valuable papers and family photos scattered throughout the house.  Some rooms were filled almost to the ceiling - it took the two of us a full day to clear one bedroom!  Adding to the fun was the knowledge that there were several loaded guns buried somewhere in all the debris.

Lauren E Poole wrote:
His house is jam packed with paintings, collectibles, nick knacks, and basically shit.

He wants to see it all go. 

....

It's unsanitary, unhealthy, and inhumane to live the way he is currently living, and he agrees.

Find someone to remove it all immediately, for free. Then forget about it.

Trying to sell it or give it to someone who can use it, or make it into something is how hoarders get into that situation in the first place.

Out of sight, out of mind. that's the easiest way to start over.

Once the house is empty, then scrub it down, paint the walls, get a new carpets and your friend will be "normal" again.

---

I still have book shelves full of books that have accumulated since the 70's. They are all good books. I NEVER look at them. When I want to read something I order an audio book or look it up on Internet.

Why is my house full of things I don't use? WTF?

I like the post above me. A radical purge is a fresh start. Don't worry about finding homes for everything.


Good luck. Let us know what happens.

ernst tischler wrote:
So these people were cleaning out their grandparents' house and had loads of excess items to dispose of.

They checked into getting a roll off dumpster and found the cost was $2400 because it would require four dumpsters to carry it all away.

So they piled it all in the field behind the house and set it on fire.

The fine for open burning was $500 and it only took one dumpster for $600 to haul what was left away.

They saved $1300.  LOL

Love it.