Anyone watch the show Hoarders?

[pam]

I was watching it during the middle of the night. I'm always shocked and amazed.

But for those that watch it, are you like me and find yourself getting up and sweeping the floor, or clearing off a counter, or loading the dishwasher out of reflex?

[hordak]

I was watching it during the middle of the night. I'm always shocked and amazed.

But for those that watch it, are you like me and find yourself getting up and sweeping the floor, or clearing off a counter, or loading the dishwasher out of reflex?

I lived it. My mother never tossed anything that could be used another way or be made into some sort of project. She came up with some interesting stuff but when my father moved out of the house the basement was full from him moving stuff out of his way to get what he wanted.

After 3 yard sales, 2 antique dealers coming to shop, and him filling a 10x15 ft storage the full size basement was literally full. I forgot a key when i went by it to say goodbye to the house and after squeezing through the basement window i had to crawl of mounds of junk, from beta tapes to milk jugs to my 1st grade homework. I even found Brigham Youngs JoD. There is a good chance it was actually his, the original^_^.

She was ahead of her time before the whole "green, reduce, reuse, recycle but took it too far.

I wanted to get them on Clean Sweep but there was no way she would have let me.

Growing up like that made me a neat freak, (which is very hard with kids) and a sock hanging over the edge of the hamper isn't in the hamper, a cd angled out from the rack must be pushed back in flush.

[pam]

I can't stand having anything on my kitchen counters. Even small appliances. They have to be put away into a cupboard. About the only thing on my kitchen counter is a holder for spatulas, etc for cooking. That's it.

[hordak]

I can't stand having anything on my kitchen counters. Even small appliances. They have to be put away into a cupboard. About the only thing on my kitchen counter is a holder for spatulas, etc for cooking. That's it.

That's awesome. I have had to learn to let allot go with the kids and all.

[Lbybug]

i watch it. i think before i moved i was a mild hoarder. i'm not sure. never been "diagnosed", but yeah. i had some issues before i moved.

now that i'm in my new place i vowed i would not be like that anymore. a new start i guess. i hate having clutter now. which stinks having a dog cause he just leaves his toys everywhere *argh!*

but yeah. i was never as bad as some of those people they show. the one with the lady that slept in a kitchen chair because she couldn't get anywhere else in the house. how horrible! and then she got sucked into the mess and almost died!!! i couldn't even imagine!!

[pam]

Oh I remember that one. Or how about the one where they found two dead cats in all the mess? I watched one last night where the little boy was trying to teach his mom how to sweep a floor. That was sad.

[Moksha]

"Hey Dad, we think we've found Aunt Tilly under that pile"

[talisyn]

My house is moderately messy. I tell people I'm not a hoarder, I'm just lazy But...I work 12 hr graveyard shifts, there are 2 other adults in the house, and I'm the one expected to clean everything? I don't think so.

I find that show tragic. Your home is suppose to be your sanctuary, not a millstone around your neck.

[pam]

What's sad are all the kids in the shows that have never been able to have their friends come to their house.

[BrotherBear]

I'm glad to see the theme here is understanding and empathy, especially from you pam. This is genuine, I'm not being sarcastic. I have been diagnosed with OCD and demostrated hoarding tendencies. The thing is, it defies logic. Logically I know keeping old newspapers is stupid but for some reason the emotional side of my mind conveys worth to the logical side and I'm conflicted. It's difficult and people say "Just throw it away" but it's difficult and I spend lots of time second guessing myself. It's difficult to talk about this but I actually lost a cat one time because he knocked a pile over and was suffocated. Medication doesn't help, if anything, it induces a dazed effect. It's genetic, I know, my mother had it and I think at some point it is a nurtured behavior as well with latent innate qualities.

I'm really glad to be a part of LDS and here on this site, the compassion and understanding here is quite warming. Again, not sarcasm. It's so difficult to read tone and connotation in text. The Internet has a vivid memory and the legacy you leave here speaks highly of yourself. I'm glad to be part of a community like this one.

[pam]

When I started reading your post..I was like uh oh BrotherBear. Because I seriously didn't mean this all in a way to be demeaning. I just think the show is interesting...but not in a way I can relate. But I felt such sorrow for the children and for the adults who are living with something they just don't know how to stop or correct on their own. But more for the children who unfortunately are really the ones suffering during this.

[pam]

One of the numerous I watched during the night had a little girl who upon walking into her bedroom after the cleanup starting screaming and crying. She was so excited to be able to sleep in her bed as she could not remember ever having slept in it. Also the little boy who was teaching his mother how to sweep, was overcome with depression knowing the cleanup crew was going to be leaving as he felt they were his only hold onto something good.

[yenni]

It's like a window into my life. The only reason it's not as bad as it is on the show, is because my mom is an obsessive cleaner and throw awayer.

[pam]

So your mom keeps you balanced. That is good.

[yenni]

I'm glad to see the theme here is understanding and empathy, especially from you pam. This is genuine, I'm not being sarcastic. I have been diagnosed with OCD and demostrated hoarding tendencies. The thing is, it defies logic. Logically I know keeping old newspapers is stupid but for some reason the emotional side of my mind conveys worth to the logical side and I'm conflicted. It's difficult and people say "Just throw it away" but it's difficult and I spend lots of time second guessing myself. It's difficult to talk about this but I actually lost a cat one time because he knocked a pile over and was suffocated. Medication doesn't help, if anything, it induces a dazed effect. It's genetic, I know, my mother had it and I think at some point it is a nurtured behavior as well with latent innate qualities.

I completely understand where you're coming from. I have the hardest time throwing away little scraps of paper I know I'll never use or whatever. Sometimes there may be a memory attached to it, but not always. Maybe I feel bad for throwing it away? Maybe. I remember one time I was helping to clean out the Young Women's closet at church, it had all this stuff from the 80's. That stuff wasn't even mine and I didn't want to throw it away. I guess I felt it was part of the history of the ward or something (there were like pictures, and programs and stuff), but was told to toss it anyways. Even when it comes to my online life I can be. Gah I dunno, it's so weird. But I can't not do it.

[yenni]

So your mom keeps you balanced. That is good.

Sort of. It drive me nuts, as I'm sure I drive her nuts! The cleaning part I can deal with. The throwing away part! Arg! Nooo mom! Not my boots! Hahah yeah she tossed a perfectly fine pair of Doc Martins once

[annamaureen]

That show is like a trainwreck; you just can't look away. I can't imagine living in such filth. But at the same time, I can understand that it's difficult to throw away sentimental items.

The episodes that stand out in my mind is one with the dead cats all over the house (so sad,) the one where the goats were eating the walls, and the one where the lady strapped herself onto the toilet every day.

[pam]

Yeh that's the one I was talking about when I mentioned the dead cats. It really was sad. She strapped herself to the toilet in the kitchen to sleep so she wouldn't fall down, as that was the only place she had.

[yenni]

That show is like a trainwreck; you just can't look away.

A&E is good for shows like that. Intervention is also a trainwreck. I have to make myself pull away from that one.

[pam]

I watch intervention as well.

[BrotherBear]

When I started reading your post..I was like uh oh BrotherBear. Because I seriously didn't mean this all in a way to be demeaning. I just think the show is interesting...but not in a way I can relate. But I felt such sorrow for the children and for the adults who are living with something they just don't know how to stop or correct on their own. But more for the children who unfortunately are really the ones suffering during this.

pam we're fine, honestly, I know where you heart is, I'm so sorry if you felt I was angry at you, not at all. It's a hard thing to understand. I so hope you don't think I was annoyed at this thread or anything that anyone has posted. It's one of those things that you really don't know until you've been there. We're all logical and OCD and hoarding defies logic. Triple checking light-switches that should, and are already off, is a big deal for me. I sometimes also check to make sure my door is locked. Sometimes leaving my apartment takes 15 minutes. Repeating it over and over. It's a constant situation of self doubt and perhaps questioning if you checked it good enough of if it was a hallucination when you thought it was locked.

I'm so sorry if you thought my post was accusatory in nature, it wasn't it honestly was of understanding. I look back at the things my mom did with OCD and say "Thats nuts!" and I find myself doing the same thing with no control over it.

[pam]

No when I first starting reading it..i thought I was in trouble..lol But you made yourself very clear. I was just so worried that I might have offended you. I'm glad to see I have not.

I think all of us have some kind of OCD tendency.

[BrotherBear]

Thanks so much pam, I don't want you to feel you need to tip-toe around me. Please continue with the thread, I'm a little ashamed I chimed in and turned it sour

[pam]

Ohhhhhh no you didn't. haha YOu are just fine.

[pam]

It's actually nice to hear from someone that can relate to the show and help us understand from their perspective.