Managing Modern Life Blog

…But Were Too Busy Getting Organized To Ask

Guest post by Julie Bestry, CPO®

Inevitably, someone asks, "How do you get to be a Certified Professional Organizer?" As a nine-year veteran of the profession, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and a CPO® myself, I hear this question often. Actually, I usually hear, "OK, I get that you’re certifiable, but how do you get to be certified?"

Thoughts and Values that Fuel Hoarding Behavior
Guest post written by Renae M. Reinardy, Psy.D., LP
www.lakesidecenter.org

In all areas of our life we hold concepts about the way that we think things should be, and how people should behave. These concepts are maintained by our day-to-day thoughts and general values. Unfortunately, few of us have a crystal clear view of the way that things actually are. Our misconceptions can produce behaviors that may not serve us well, despite our best intentions.

GET UP, GET STARTED, GET MOTIVATED!
Ten Not-so-Difficult Items to Discard

Recently when Kirstie Alley was on Oprah, she told everyone that she likes to decorate, and that she can decorate a home in no time. She and Oprah selected a couple willing to let Kirstie, the “Ding Dong Decorator,” show up — unplanned — to redo their master bedroom.

Compulsive Hoarding has 3 distinct characteristics according to Dr. Randy Frost:

1. Significant distress or impairment in functioning caused by hoarding.

2. Living spaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces are designed.

3. The acquisition of and failure to discard a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value.

Today’s post is a book review, written by Dr. Renae Reinardy of Lakeside Center for Behavioral Change. This book is a valuable tool for hoarders who have mild to moderate symptoms, without serious comorbid disorders, and who are ready to take action on their hoarding problem.

Today’s post is written by Dr. Scott Hannan, a psychologist, from the Anxiety Disorders Center. I’ve worked with Dr. Hannan twice while filming Hoarders (Gail and Kim episodes) and was hopeful that he would help me understand (and you too!) why so many mental health professionals are discussing the possibility of hoarding being it’s own, “official” diagnosis in the new Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders or DSM-V.

Below is his response.

I’m especially excited about this week’s post written by Dr. Marla Deibler of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC because it’s a topic confusing to many. At least a dozen times, well-meaning loved ones have asked me, “Why not remove the hoarder from her home, put her in a rehab unit, clean out the house while she gets counseling and then return her to a clean home like they do on Intervention?” I think it’s a common mistake to confuse a compulsive behavior with an addictive behavior and Dr. Deibler has graciously agreed to explain the differences below.

Recently I’ve invited several of the doctors, from A&E TV’s, “Hoarders,” to answer a question (or two) about hoarding, from their perspective.

This week my guest blogger is Dr. Renae Reinardy and my question to her is, “Viewers want to know why are many homes of hoarders so filthy? Are they lazy or are (some) hoarders truly unable to wash dishes and laundry, take out the trash and clean up after their pets?”

Dr. Reinardy told me she had co-written an article that addresses this topic and agreed to let me share it with you; so, here it is.

When asked if I “really do” work with teams of organizers (like I do on the TV show, “Hoarders”) the answer is, “YES, when working with a hoarding client, I really do bring in teams of people to help me; I can’t do it alone.” (Note: this “team approach” is my technique but there is no right or wrong way to do it. If another Professional Organizer does it differently, meaning she/he prefers to work quietly, without a team, it means it suits her/his style better. You should work with an organizer that is a good fit for YOU, personally.

Have you been watching “Hoarders” and wondering whether you, or someone you know, might be a hoarder?

This week, I bring you a handy chart that will allow you to see at a glance the main differences between hoarding, chronic disorganization, and collecting.