Hoarder Clearance

Properties with a significant build-up of belongings need a different approach to a standard clearance — more time, more patience, and a crew that treats the situation with discretion rather than judgement. HouseClearances.ie carries out hoarder clearances across Dublin for families, property owners, and individuals themselves, handled confidentially and at a pace that works for the people involved.

Our Approach

Every hoarder clearance is different, and we don't work from a fixed script. Some jobs are led by a family member arranging the clearance on someone else's behalf; others are arranged directly by the person living there, ready to make a change. Either way, we listen to what's needed first, and we don't rush a job that needs to go carefully.

• Confidential. What happens in the property, and who arranged the clearance, stays between us.
• Non-judgemental. Our crews are experienced with this kind of clearance and treat it as a practical job, not a spectacle.
• Flexible pace. Some clearances happen in a single visit; others are better done in stages, especially if the person living there wants to be involved in decisions along the way.
• Family liaison. Where a family member is coordinating on someone else's behalf, we're happy to work directly with them on scheduling, access, and any items that need to be set aside.

The first conversation is usually the most important part. Whether it's by phone, WhatsApp, or email, we ask what the property is like, how it's accessed, and who needs to be involved in decisions — nothing more than that. There's no requirement to describe or justify the situation in detail; we just need enough to plan the job properly. From there, we agree a pace: a single visit suits many jobs, but where it makes more sense to spread the work over a few sessions, or to start with one room and see how it goes, that's equally straightforward to arrange.

Where a family member is arranging things on someone else's behalf — a parent, a sibling, a relative — we take direction from whoever is coordinating the job while staying mindful that the person living in the property may have their own views on what stays and what goes. If both are involved, we're happy to work with that: taking guidance from the family on logistics and access, and checking with the individual on specific items where it matters to them. Everything discussed stays between us and the people directly involved in arranging the clearance.

Who Arranges This

Hoarder clearances come to us through several different routes, and we're equally set up for all of them.

• The individual themselves, ready to make a change and wanting to arrange things directly, in their own time and on their own terms.
• A family member, often an adult child or sibling, coordinating a clearance for a parent or relative — sometimes with that person's full involvement, sometimes acting on their behalf where health or circumstances make that necessary.
• A landlord or letting agent, dealing with a property that needs to be returned to a lettable condition, whether the tenancy has ended or the property needs attention while still occupied.
• An executor or solicitor, managing a deceased estate where the property has a significant accumulation of belongings. This can overlap with a standard bereavement clearance, and where that's the case, we're happy to talk through which approach fits the property best.

What We Clear

Accumulated belongings of all kinds — furniture, papers, boxes, clothing, and general household items, often built up over a long period. We sort as we go: items of clear value or sentimental importance can be set aside for the family or individual to review, and the rest is handled through donation, recycling, or responsible disposal.

Practical and Safety Considerations

Properties with a heavy build-up of belongings sometimes have practical issues that need managing on the day, and we plan around these rather than treating them as an obstacle.

• Blocked access and egress. Hallways, stairs, doorways, and exits can be partially or fully blocked. Clearing a safe path in and out is usually one of the first things our crew does, both for our own access and so the property is safe to move around in as the job progresses.
• Weight and stability. A heavy accumulation of belongings can put real weight on flooring, shelving, or furniture that's being used to store things it wasn't designed for. Our crews are experienced at reading a room for this kind of risk before they start moving anything.
• Careful handling. Boxes, bags, and furniture are moved deliberately rather than rushed, particularly where items are unstable, fragile, or where something of value might be mixed in with general clutter.
• Working room by room. Rather than clearing a whole property in one undifferentiated sweep, we often work through it methodically — one room, or one area, at a time. This keeps the job manageable, makes it easier to set items aside for review, and suits situations where the person living there wants to stay involved as things progress.
• Pest and hygiene issues. Where a property has been difficult to clean or access for a period, there can be related hygiene concerns. We assess this on arrival and let you know if anything needs a different approach before we proceed.

Responsible Disposal

We're a fully insured waste carrier, and prioritise reuse and donation over disposal wherever items are in a suitable condition, aiming for an average recycling rate of up to 95% across what we clear. What can't be reused or recycled is disposed of through a licensed waste transfer station.

What to Expect on the Day

1. Get in touch confidentially — by phone, WhatsApp, or email, whichever you're more comfortable with. There's no need to go into detail at this stage; a general sense of the property and access is enough to start with.
2. We talk through the situation and agree an approach — single visit or staged, who needs to be involved in decisions, and whether anyone should be present on the day.
3. We provide a free, no-obligation quote, based on what's been discussed and, where useful, photos or a brief walkthrough.
4. On arrival, our crew takes a short look through the property before starting, to plan a safe route in and out and confirm the approach agreed in advance.
5. We carry out the clearance at the agreed pace — working methodically through rooms or areas, sorting as we go, and setting aside anything flagged for review.
6. Items are sorted for donation, recycling, or disposal as the clearance progresses, rather than left to deal with afterwards.
7. The property is left clear, swept through, and anything set aside is handed back to the family or individual as agreed.

What Affects the Quote

Every hoarder clearance quote is based on the specifics of the job rather than a flat rate. The main factors are the volume of belongings to be cleared, how the property is accessed (stairs, distance to a parking or loading area, lift access in apartments), and whether the work suits a single visit or needs to be staged over more than one session. A clearance that's spread across several visits to fit the pace that works for the household will naturally be scoped differently to one completed in a day. We're happy to talk through this openly as part of the initial conversation, and the quote we provide is free and no-obligation either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this be handled discreetly?

Yes — confidentiality is central to how we approach this work, from the initial enquiry through to the day of the clearance.

Can a family member arrange this on someone else's behalf?

Yes, this is common, and we're happy to coordinate directly with a family member on scheduling and access.

Does the clearance need to happen in one visit?

No — where it's more appropriate to work in stages, we can agree that as part of planning the job.

What if the person living there wants to keep certain items?

Just let us know in advance, or flag it on the day — we'll set those items aside rather than clearing everything automatically.

Can a landlord or executor arrange this?

Yes. Landlords and letting agents arrange hoarder clearances to return a property to a lettable condition, and executors or solicitors arrange them as part of settling a deceased estate, sometimes alongside a wider bereavement clearance. In either case, we can work from photos or a walkthrough and coordinate access without the arranging party needing to be present throughout.

How is the quote worked out for a hoarder clearance?

It's based on the volume of belongings, how the property is accessed, and whether the job is done in a single visit or staged over several sessions. We provide a free, no-obligation quote once we understand the scope, and we're upfront about what's driving the figure.

Do I need to be present for the whole clearance?

Not necessarily. Some people prefer to be there throughout, particularly if they're reviewing items as we go; others prefer to step away and have items they want to keep set aside for them to look through afterwards. We'll agree what works best for you as part of planning the job.

For a fuller walkthrough of what to expect on the day, including a short clip of the clearance team at work, see our complete guide to hoarder clearance in Dublin.

Get a Free, Confidential Quote

Get in touch by phone, WhatsApp, or email to talk through what's needed — in confidence, at your own pace.

Recent Work

A selection of genuine photos from recent clearances — not staged, not stock.