I’m Karina Barboza (Kari), and I offer hoarding support in London from West Ealing. It’s gentle, practical help at home, at your pace, and the line I never cross is simple: nothing leaves your home without your say-so. Not one thing.
Hoarding isn’t laziness, and it isn’t a mess to be cleared out. It’s often a way of coping that made sense at some point, for very good reasons. My job is to work beside you, not to take over.
You don’t need to tidy first. There is genuinely nothing you could show me that I haven’t seen, or lived through myself.
Free initial consultation. Fully insured (£1m). DBS checked. Former NHS Lived Experience Professional. Trauma-informed.
How the work runs
We talk before we touch anything. We agree out loud what we’re working on and what is completely off-limits, and you can stop or change your mind at any moment. Then, only if you want to, we start with the smallest possible area: one shelf, one corner, one drawer.
A session is at least two hours, and within that we go at your pace. Breaks whenever you need them. Most people choose regular sessions, weekly or fortnightly, because a one-off clear-out almost never lasts. If the first few sessions are only about making one corner feel safer, that is a real start.
This is not house clearance, and it isn’t a deep clean. A clearance company empties a property. I help you do it yourself, item by item, in the order that feels safe. There’s more on that difference in hoarder cleaning or house clearance: which do you need?
Where I work in London, and how travel works
I live and work in West Ealing, W13, so West London is my home patch. If you’re in Ealing or nearby, see hoarding support in Ealing and hoarding help across West London.
- Anywhere within 40 minutes of W13 by public transport is included in my rates, each way.
- Further across London is usually possible too. I come by minicab, door to door, and the fare is passed on at cost, with nothing added. It’s one fixed amount for your postcode, agreed when you book, and refunded in full if the session doesn’t go ahead.
So if you’re in north, south or east London, don’t assume it’s a no. Send me your postcode and I’ll tell you straight.
For a worried family member or friend
Many people who get in touch aren’t the person who hoards. They’re a daughter, a son, a partner or a friend, worried about someone they love. Pressure and surprise clear-outs tend to backfire. What helps is patience, consent, and someone calm. There’s a guide on how to help a family member who hoards, and a free first chat is open to them whenever they feel ready.
For council hoarding teams, social workers and housing officers
Many London boroughs have a hoarding or self-neglect panel. I work alongside social workers, NHS teams and housing officers, always with the person’s consent and at their pace. Referrer information is on the page for professionals.
What it costs
The first conversation is free and commits you to nothing. Sessions are paid by the hour, with a two-hour minimum, and I keep a small number of discounted slots each month for people for whom the full rate is out of reach. The figures, and how the minicab fare works for postcodes further out, are on the pricing page.
FAQ
Do you offer hoarding support across all of London? Most of it, yes. West London is where I’m based, and I travel further by minicab at a fixed, at-cost fare agreed when you book. Send me your postcode and I’ll tell you straight.
Will you throw my things away? Never without your say-so. We agree out loud what we’re touching and what’s off-limits before we start, and you can stop or change your mind at any moment.
What if I’m not ready to let things go? Then we don’t. Sometimes the first sessions are just about making one corner feel calmer, with nothing leaving at all, and that’s a real start.
Can a council team or social worker refer someone? Yes, with the person’s consent. I work alongside social workers, NHS teams and housing officers, and I never take an action a person hasn’t agreed to. More on the page for professionals.
Do I need to tidy up before you come? No, and please don’t. The state of the home is the starting point we work from, together, with no judgement.
Ready when you are.
Send me a message with your postcode and a line about what’s going on, or message me on WhatsApp. Nothing has to be decided on the day.