S’pore hoarder slept on newspapers for over 10 years, West Coast flat filled to ceiling

Social workers help to clean West Coast flat of S’pore hoarder uncle

The rescue began with an email from a National University Hospital (NUH) social worker.

A 76-year-old man was ready to be discharged — medically stable, but unable to return home due to the clutter in his rental flat in the West Coast area.

West Coast flat needed urgent cleaning as it was unsafe

Ms Fion Phua, founder of local initiative Keeping Hope Alive (KHA), told MS News that the social worker had already tried multiple agencies.

Some had months-long waiting lists; others quoted hundreds of dollars.

The Malay uncle had no money, and his family couldn’t help — but the need was urgent as his flat was unsafe.

Thus, KHA agreed to step in.

But the day before the cleanup, the uncle’s daughter called to say he didn’t want volunteers entering.

This was because he was independent to the core and disliked troubling others.

Still, the team pressed on for his safety.

‘Like fear factor’: Volunteers stand on layers of newspapers

On 9 Nov 2025, about 30 KHA volunteers arrived at the ninth-floor unit at about 8am.

Before that, Ms Phua had seen photos, but they “didn’t show the smell, the heavy air, the countless bugs”, she said.

Once the door opened, the true extent of their task was revealed — there was no bed, nor furniture. Just years of newspaper stacking that had swallowed almost the entire flat.

The newspapers were stacked from the floor to chest level — in some corners, almost touching the ceiling.

There was no space to stand properly. No solid ground. The piles were soft, like tofu; stepping on them caused volunteers to lose their balance.

“It felt like entering a real-life Fear Factor scene,” Ms Phua added.

Volunteers battle bedbugs & cockroaches

Worse still, the moment they touched anything, bedbugs and cockroaches burst out. Lizards dropped from above.

In the kitchen, a flask of rotting liquid toppled over, releasing a stench so strong that the entire team rushed out for fresh air.

Water-soaked newspapers near the toilet had fused into thick, slimy bricks that volunteers had to break apart with sticks and gloved hands.

Hoarder slept on newspapers

It also emerged that the uncle had not slept on a bed for more than 10 years.

When the newspapers got dirty, he simply laid fresh sheets on top.

Year after year, the layers rose higher — until they swallowed his living space entirely.

“I really cannot imagine how he survived in these conditions for so long,” Ms Phua said. “My heart aches seeing this.”

Volunteers search for folded cash hidden amid clutter

One of the most unexpected challenges came from folded banknotes hidden throughout the piles of clutter.

The uncle had folded his money into tiny origami-like packets and tucked them inside tissues, wrappers, and between sheets.

If the volunteers had simply thrown everything away, the clean-up would have taken two hours.

Instead, they spent seven hours carefully combing every layer of clutter, retrieving the money within.

At the end, they filled a large bag with recovered notes and coins.

“I began to wonder if uncle even knew he had this money,” Ms Phua shared. “How could he use it like this?”

40 bins filled, flat cleaned & painted

By 5pm, the team had cleared nearly 40 bins of waste and hundreds of bags.

They then cleaned the floors, fumigated the unit, repainted the walls, and even installed a water heater.

It wasn’t a makeover — just a safe, clean home for the uncle to return to after being discharged from the hospital.

His daughter and brother have since come on board to pledge their support to ensure the clutter will not return.

“Let the family rebuild their bonding,” Ms Phua said. “Love will keep hope alive.”

Keeping Hope Alive working for 25 years

Keeping Hope Alive has been knocking on doors for nearly 25 years, searching for residents who fall through the cracks.

Those who wish to help can join their Sunday morning rounds — a quiet, steady mission to keep hope alive, one home at a time.

When asked what keeps her team motivated to continue doing such tough and exhausting work, Ms Phua simply replied:

We want to keep their hope alive.

Also read: Elderly hoarder lives alone in heavily cluttered Bedok Reservoir flat, showers at coffee shop