"Hoarders" as a motivational tool for housekeeping?

[InstinctiveMom]

I'm not sure if this goes in this forum, or the TV forum - but since I don;t want to discuss the show per se, I thought I would start here.

I've been watching A&E's Hoarders and been extremely motivated to declutter by what I've seen. I am not a hoarder, but I AM a packrat (mostly paper and crafting supplies). My mom's sister and daughter are actual hoarders - like, they could be featured on the show, and my mom is leaning in that direction, so for me, even though I am not, the tendency does run in my family and I don't want to wake up one day and find myself "there"...

So, some of the things I wanted to talk about are:
-combating hoarding/packratting tendneces
-creative decluttering
-staying motivated
-organization and fitting what you have into where you live

I started going through my craft room (which will eventually be mine and dh's bedroom) and getting rid of things. I've been taking at least a day of the week while my kids are at school and decluttering/organizing and taking a bag of stuff to Goodwill on the way to pick up the kids. It's a good feeling! Since my stuff is more in order, it's also easier to get a craft out and work on something creative.

Anyone else motivated?

[Gray's Mommy]

I use it as a motivational tool. I also am 8 months pg & cry during the show too. It is so sad that this disorder has taken over their lives.

My goal is to have my family live simply & frugally, but there are times when I just have to get rid of stuff to feel less overwhelmed with what we currently have.

I remember moving into our house & telling my DH that we would never be able to fill the house up We are officially stuffed.

[sinsaratea]

Its funny that you post this. I was at my mom's today [total hoarder] and I was watching it. Mom was sitting there and grabbed a garbage bag and started cleaning up crap around her chair. It inspired me to make part of her christmas present be monthly appointments to help clean out her house.

[scrapadoozer]

I can't get through an episode of that show without pausing it and tidying up.

[sapphire_chan]

One thing that stood out for me was there was an episode with a guy who was using a rental property as a storage shed for a ton of tools and paint and such. And the show said (paraphrased) "you should define yourself as a handyman because of what you do, repairing, building, and so forth, he's defining himself by what he owns."

[ChristyMarie]

I am somewhat of a packrat but a very organized one! LOL.

That show...it is addictive. And it truly makes me want to organize what I have. We purged during our last 2 moves so that is pretty much done. But we still have a few areas that need more organization and that show definitely helps.

In fact, I spent last week organizing the most seen portions of the house for an inlaw visit - I watched 2 episodes to keep me going.

[mommaof3boz]

And its Monday so a new episode will be on tonight.

That show is so sad and infuriating at the same time. I totally understand it is a disease, a uncontrollable one. But the ones who have lost their children over it and still hang on to all that stuff. The lady last week acted like she was entitled to everyone coming and cleaning up for her.

However, it never fails to inspire me to clean something or find something to go to Goodwill.

[noobmom]

Have you ever seen the show "How Clean is Your House?" I think it's on BBCA. That sounds always makes me want to get up and clean. Most of the people on that show having hoarding tendencies also, although the main focus of the show is cleaning. I like it because they help the person clean and organize their house. Once it's done the people look so much happier I find it motivational. It's much less depressing than "Hoarders".

[lynsage]

I think it's important to keep in mind that the people on Hoarders have mental disorders that need treatment, but if it motivates us to pick up clutter even though we don't have those disorders, great.

My former stepmom was a hoarder when I was growing up, so that show makes me really sad and angry about the environment I was living in at that time in my life, which doesn't really motivate me to clean, and the way the hoarders often react to the people who are trying to help them makes me furious!

I like "How Clean Is your House?" on BBCA better too. It's a much happier and more cheerful show and they include cleaning tips, a lot of which are environmentally friendly

[justamama]

I currently work with a hoarder in my job (a residential worker). Its very sad to see her with a bra stuffed full of used tissues, old shopping lists, other people's appointment cards, etc. because someday someone might need one of those items and she feels like she needs to hide them until she can stuff them in her room somewhere. Other staff just helped her clean two 33 gallon trashbags of stuff from her dresser drawers. None of it clothes. And we'd just done this 2-4 weeks before. At least this time she did so with little resistance.

It's really a sad disease, but one that I cannot understand at all. Of course, according to my DH, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum and just want to throw everything out. We have a plaque on our wall that says "Simplify: Throw everything out!" and it is my motto! Even if "throw it out" turns into "sell, donate, recycle, OR throw it out" LOL

[Pepper44]

I am not a hoarder, but my house is simply disorganized right now. Mainly due to lack of storage space. It got all disorganized while I was pregnant sick, and I'm having trouble finding the energy to re-organize.

I watched that show once and it made me so depressed! I don't know if it was pregnancy hormones or what, but I couldn't stop crying. I'm never watching it again.

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by lynsage

I think it's important to keep in mind that the people on Hoarders have mental disorders that need treatment, but if it motivates us to pick up clutter even though we don't have those disorders, great.

My former stepmom was a hoarder when I was growing up, so that show makes me really sad and angry about the environment I was living in at that time in my life, which doesn't really motivate me to clean, and the way the hoarders often react to the people who are trying to help them makes me furious!

I like "How Clean Is your House?" on BBCA better too. It's a much happier and more cheerful show and they include cleaning tips, a lot of which are environmentally friendly

This. Also I have ethical concerns that maybe some of the people who are mentally ill enough to be on that show, are also too mentally ill to consent fully to being on TV. I expect some are and some aren't; but I don't feel too confident about the show's due diligence. Or the due diligence of any show that "showcases" a medical or medical-ish problem. Sort of like how I feel about "A Baby Story" and all those.

[Ola_]

I find the show hugely motivating. I tend towards being a packrat (though a well-organized one!) and watching the episodes is a good reminder to pay attention to my habits because they could get worse one day. Plus when they talk about why the people won't throw things out, some of them ring true for me - but it sounds much different when they say it out loud than it does in my head, so it makes me re-examine my reasons for keeping things. Overall I think it's helpful and motivating for me.

[UptownZoo]

Originally Posted by lolar2

This. Also I have ethical concerns that maybe some of the people who are mentally ill enough to be on that show, are also too mentally ill to consent fully to being on TV.

Yeah. I was very curious when the show first started, but I find it incredibly painful to watch (I feel the same way about Intervention.).

For inspiration, I like to watch design shows instead, but I'm neither a hoarder nor a packrat, just a slob. We actually have far more storage space than we even need; actually getting things off the floor/bed/counter/table/wherever and put away is our challenge.

[Gray's Mommy]

Originally Posted by lynsage

I like "How Clean Is your House?" on BBCA better too. It's a much happier and more cheerful show and they include cleaning tips, a lot of which are environmentally friendly

This show grosses me out too. It is the kitchen/bathroom areas that gag me (enter my big pregnant hormones here). When they come back & say, "look you had this XYZ growing on your sink"--my gag reflex kicks in

[adorabelle]

oh my gosh! I was watching this on Sunday and it is totally crazy. If it doesn't make you want to get rid of things, I don't know what else will!!

[Masel]

This show has inspired me to clean but mostly it has engendered compassion for my father. He has hoarding tendencies and we were helping him organize his garage. My sister kept yelling at him to toss stuff. It is plain from this show that people who have family members fussing at them do not succeed.

[wendyland]

I set up a couple of episodes to record while we were on vacation, but didn't mention it to dh. When we got home, my husband watched a couple episodes and has been cleaning since. He has a really hard time letting things go. He thinks that he can use something in the future or has a lot of sentimental attachment. I'm glad that it motivated him.

[Sol_y_Paz]

Don't really think so.
I am the opposite of a hoarder, I like tossing things to a fault. I don't really like clutter. I can't stand trinkets. I have only a few possessions that I really treasure, not including photos of course. I get very attached to my pets and love my family, things not so much.
I watched this show and it made me about cry, the mental illness component to it all is very obvious, and the fact it is destroying lives and families, making it painful to watch on many levels

[Jackies Ladybug]

i have never seen this show, but i have seen others similar to what you guys are describing and it is motivation to clean. although, i find it strange that someone is capitalizing on these peoples struggles and heartache. my grandmother is a compulsive hoarder, to the point that the fire department has come a few times to clear out her house and got rid of two of those huge dumpsters that have the door on the side worth of stuff. i would be absolutely mortified if she ended up on some "reality tv show" for others entertainment. she is very sick and it is really physically painful for her to get rid of anything. its her security blanket you know?

sorry to get all weird and preachy.