“Hoarders” Revisited
On Monday night, a group of professional organizers on Twitter (along with others) tuned in to the A&E program, Hoarders. As I mentioned in the previous post, hoarding is a mental illness, a disorder that stops people from discarding things that you or I may dispose of easily. I have to be honest, even as a professional who has worked with hoarders, it was a difficult program to watch, in part, because of the extreme condition of the homes that were profiled. Another realization: I have a new found admiration for organizers that work with this population…and I have confirmed for myself that I cannot do the same. I would have had an especially difficult time working with Jill, the food hoarder.
It was interesting to see the comments that were generated in reaction to the show. A few people expressed horror, outrage, and harshness towards Jennifer/Ron and Jill and their struggle to part with their belongings.
Here’s one organizer’s response to those comments…
OrganizeAtlanta Why do people feel they can be meaner than hell . #hoarders have issues and you do too
…a few intriguing questions came up…
ocdgirl2000 Is there a connection between #hoarders and antique dealers?when does one cross the line?how does one start to scale down from the business?
joygreenmcgann @siditty @chloebeetle Do these ppl have family? Friends? Anyone? If so, how could they watch this happen?
JaniceSimon #hoarders Do you think the food hoarding woman ever gets food poisoning?
LisaMontanaro @LivingOrderSA Interesting question about #hoarders often having cats? Any studies on that?
It turns out that there is a study that links cats to mental illness (though not to hoarding)…click on the tiny url below to read more about the study.
LivingOrderSA Study on cats linked to mental illness http://tinyurl.com/79c8n but not the study on connection to #hoarders
**Note: Hoarding is a disorder, not a choice. If you struggle with hoarding or know someone who does, visit the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) to get more information. Also, take a look at Hoarders: a new show at Unclutterer.com for more resources.
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Comments
Carole – Thanks for sharing your story and kudos to you for “lightening your load.” I’m sure it’s not always an easy process so it’s great that you’re motivated. Please check back and let us know how you’re progressing. I think I may need a little extra motivation to re-org my office today. =)
Oh my goodness!I come from a long line of hoarders, but nothing of this magnatude.
Funny that someone mentioned antiques. My father is an antique and collectible hoarder. You would not believe their house. But it’s still no where near the people on that show.
My grandfather was like the husband – always keeping things he might find a use for someday.
My grandmother hoarded pieces of paper. Articles and recipes she would cut out, pictures… there were boxes and boxes.
I do all of those things to a lesser extent. I’m also a clean freak, so I can’t deal with all the clutter that hoarding brings – so I selectively hoard. Oddly enough, lately I’ve been feeling like I’m moving into a new phase of life and I’ve been getting rid of a lot of stuff. I think watching that show has motivated me to get rid of even more!