hoarders

Every Monday, millions of Hoarders fans watch the show and get motivated to dig around their own homes and discard debris. Today’s post is a practical list of things that might inspire you to ‘edit’ your closets and cabinets. Most of the things on this list are “no-brainers,” meaning you can toss them with no regret.

A question I’m often asked, in both hoarder’s and non-hoarder’s homes is, “Where do I start?” My answers vary but if you are totally overwhelmed and craving a done-in-a-day project, the pantry is the perfect place to begin because it’s not too large, the contents are easily put into categories and the keep-or-toss decisions are determined by an expiration date rather than sentimental reasons. The pantry is also one of the quickest ways to get your family organized, save money, time, and shelf space.

Since the A&E network's show "Hoarders" started airing, a lot of people who have been living "private" lives are contacting me (as are their families), asking for advice about getting help. They want to know, step by step, what the process involves and what they should consider before moving forward. Unfortunately, I can no longer answer everyone individually due to the volume of inquiries. Instead, I thought I would post some of the topics I talk about with potential clients and client families.

Over the past few weeks I've shared some insight from a client who struggles with chronic disorganization and Dr. April Benson, who works with compulsive shoppers. This week, I interview an expert who helps young children with hoarding -- Dr. Dia from Hoarders.

Many of you reading this blog have been calling and emailing asking me about the collaborative processes I’ve mentioned and how I get started working with a hoarder. I can only speak from my own perspective and tell you how this professional organizer begins. It is important to remember that each organizer does things her own way and there is no one-size-fits-all way to go about this.

Below, I’ve posted a few questions that I typically ask during an initial telephone screening and/or referral. After the telephone questions, I usually do an in-person, individual assessment and ask a lot more questions.

If organizing a hoarder’s home, you’ll find a lot of clutter of course. Mixed in with the clutter, you will probably find some of the following:

• Filth and debris
• Fecal matter – from humans, pets, mice, rats, etc.
• Bodily fluids
• Excessive trash
• Expired food
• Odors
• Mold
• Mildew
• Insects (bedbugs, maggots, weevils, spiders, ants, etc.)
• Pathogens carried in water, food, and air. A pathogen is “An agent that causes infection or disease, especially a microorganism, such as a bacterium or protozoan, or a virus.” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pathogen)

Professional Organizers know that compulsive hoarding takes a toll on not only the people who hoard, but, their families, friends, landlords and neighbors, as well as all the public and private health and safety departments and agencies that ultimately get involved.

FILMS ABOUT HOARDING

Hoard House
Compulsive Clutter in NYC
Multimedia project that explores the impact of hoarding on hoarders, psychologists, cleanup specialists, and social workers for whom hoarding is a defining phenomenon.hoardhouse.com/

My Mother’s Garden
An award-winning film that documents a 61-year-old woman’s daily life as a hoarder, filmed by her daughter, director Cynthia Lester. www.mymothersgardenmovie.com

If you’ve been watching the A&E TV series “Hoarders”, you may have noticed that there are numerous mental health professionals working with the individuals in the Season 1 documentaries. According to emails I’m receiving, the initials following the doctors’ names are confusing. Several viewers are wondering what the difference is between a Ph.D, M.D., or MSW. And, what exactly is CBT? Hopefully, this will help clarify some of the confusion, chaos or conundrum about credentials.

Since the “Hoarders” series started airing on A & E TV, many people have been wondering what kind of training you need to work with compulsive hoarders.

If you’ve been watching the shows, you’ve seen both professional organizers and different types of mental health professionals working with the individuals featured in the programs.