When I was a kid, I had a little plaque on my bedroom wall that said "An organized room is the sign of a sick mind."
Yes, I was a messy child. And proud of it. Oh, I could organize when I wanted to, but I just didn’t like to put things away.
A messy room when you are 10 years-old (or a teen) is not too serious an issue—kids are quite quick and limber and they can jump, hop or scramble over that pile of laundry on the floor or use that stack of books as a nightstand. If they do fall and hurt themselves, well, heck, their bones are young and they heal fast. And mom gets to say, "I told you so!" about cleaning up your room.
The picture is a little more serious when you are an adult, especially an older adult, living in a cluttered space. (Interestingly, the word "clutter" is thought to come from the Middle English "clot" which is defined as "A thick, viscous, or coagulated mass or lump.")
Why, What Could Happen?
Clutter on the floor can easily trip a senior, and falling is a serious risk to the elderly for a variety of reasons. Reaction time is slower, balance might be worse or a medication may be making them light-headed.
And when seniors fall, injuries are much more likely to occur. Over a third of older adults age 65 or over will fall each year, and one third of those will suffer injuries serious enough to hinder mobility and independence. Falls account for one-half the deaths due to injury in this population.
What should I do?
Clear clutter (boxes, bags, clothing, extension cords) from the main pathways in the home. If the clutter is quite extensive, then at the very least, move boxes and stuff to one side. If towers of stuff are lining the path, try to reduce the size of the towers to around two to three feet. This reduces the risk of the towers falling on top of the senior if she trips and falls into or grabs onto a stack to try and steady herself.
Also try to clear a path that is at least two feet wide. If your Mom or Dad should ever need emergency medical assistance and need to be carried out by paramedics, they will need that width for the gurney.
Mold Issues and Other Health Issues of Clutter
I once had a client ask me "Does clutter cause mold?" This is a tricky question—mold spores and dark damp areas cause mold. Clutter doesn’t directly cause mold (if there’s no mold on it already), but by (my) definition, clutter is "too much stuff." Having too much stuff piled up reduces airflow, which provides habitat for mold—dark areas may become damp due to lack of air circulation, leaky pipes or pet accidents. A mold spore floats in and voila! You have mold.
You don’t even need to have a lot of clutter to harbor mold or other pests that love dark, undisturbed areas, like spiders and rodents. I put out my mail recently and found a lovely spider weaving an egg sac web in the red flag that signals we have mail to go out. We use that every day, so she must have created it overnight. Just being able to move furniture and boxes now and then to clean around and under will help prevent mold and insect infestations.
So what’s the problem with a little mold and a few bugs?
Well, serious problems can occur. Has your mom been complaining of a cough for weeks on end but never had a cold and doesn’t smoke? Does Dad have mysterious itchy bites, but they have no pets and no fleas? All these could be due to mold in the house or spider or other insect bites. If left untreated, mold-related illnesses can lead to severe respiratory problems, neurological damage and even death. Insect bites may carry disease or cause skin infections due to constant scratching…all possibly due to having piles of boxes, bags or papers around the house.
So how am I supposed to clear all this? Mom and Dad can’t do it alone.
If you aren’t able to help them clear clutter or organize around the house, consider hiring some outside help. A housekeeper or handyman may be able to help with some basic things, following directions from your parents. If the clutter is too overwhelming, consider hiring a professional organizer to come in once a week for a few hours at a time to help them put things away or sort and purge if the clutter is really out of hand and posing a serious hazard. Some organizers specialize in working with seniors or with clients who have severe amounts of clutter. (Sometimes this is a sign of Compulsive Hoarding.) Contact the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization for a referral to an organizer in your area with this special training.
If mold seems to be an issue in the home, you may need to have some professional remediation done. This can be expensive, but it’s the only way to safely ensure that the mold has been dealt with properly and is really gone.
Finally, don’t be too hard on your folks. If they’ve always had a bit of a problem being organized or clutter-free, aging doesn’t make it any easier. Cognitive abilities might be compromised, depression or other illnesses can be factors and stamina to do physical work is probably much lower than is used to be. Clutter is a viscous cycle. Once it takes hold, it’s hard to break without outside help.
Also, don’t be too hard on yourself! It’s very difficult to work with your own kin when it comes to sorting and purging things they own. Take it from me, I know from experience. When it comes to my own family, I have an organizer friend come over to help my mom. Sometimes there’s just too much history between the two of you (and all the stuff) for it to work well. That’s why hiring a kindly (and trained and experienced) stranger is easier on everyone, if it’s in the budget.
Resources
National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD)
http://www.nsgcd.org/
National Association of Professional Organizers
http://napo.net/
"A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home"
http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html
National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP)
http://www.moldpro.org/
Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CDÆ
Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CDÆ, is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and is based in Sonoma County, CA. Through her business Organize in Harmony she started in 2004, she helps her clients organize rooms and work spaces, clear clutter, manage time and increase their ability to focus. Margaret holds special certificates of study through the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) in helping elderly clients, those with Attention Deficit Disorder and with compulsive hoarding. Margaret works one-on-one with her clients in their homes or offices and also long-distance through phone coaching or "virtual organizing."
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