Community Chat

[gazelle77]

I can understand collecting "stuff" and it gets out of control.....but, to throw food and garbage on the floor and walking on that, then getting rats and roaches everywhere....I do not understand THAT. Why not just dump the garbage?

[Shorty2U]

It is disgusting. I watched the show a few times but couldn't keep watching.

I tried to understand, as I watched people cry when having to get rid of their junk. I understand it can be some sort of mental illness. But I couldn't take the filth.

PS) My husband is not a hoarder, but he collects lots of stuff. BUT it is stored in closets or in the unfinished 1/3 of the basement in boxes. (thankfully!). I just wish he would get rid of more. I get rid of my clothing and stuff a few times a year. (except for pictures and sentimental things).

[151949]

I always say my DH is a latent hoarder but at least he is not dirty. He has a lot of junky stuff that drives me nuts but it is nothing like they show on these hoarder shows. I think that because his Mom always seemed to have a lot of clutter around her house that he gets a feeling of security from having his clutter around him.We have agreed to disagree about his piles of papers and "" stuff"" - he keeps it in the garage and his den and I can keep the rest of the house clean and tidy. Now that we have a cleaning lady every 2 weeks he does tidy up and put away a lot in the den the day before she comes to clean. She and I are slowly bringing him over to our way of thinking.

[sophiamarie]

Leaving food and garbage lying around, IMO, is not hoarding. Those are filthy slobs.

It's one thing to keep things and never want to throw them away - and another thing when you just don't clean up. There are hoarders and there are people who live in pig stys.

I am the complete opposite of a hoarder. My husband calls me a "minimalist"..... It's so much easier to dust that way.

[Mistic]

Most all of those shows are REALLY bad. Some worse than others. Like you said....Food & Garbage all over the place. Mice, rats, roaches, the black mold.....I've seen workers that have to go outside and lose their lunch. The smell must be beyond bad!

[151949]

I believe with all my heart that those poor people on those TV shows need to be committed to mental health facilities and treated for this condition with intense therapy BEFORE the houses are cleaned up. This puts some of them on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It seems cruel to me to make them do this before treating the illness that has made it this way in the first place.

[gazelle77]

The good side effect of watching these shows is that it makes me start cleaning and getting rid of stuff!

[DowntonAbbey]

My thoughts. Many people buy and stock up even Joan Rivers said one time she stocks up on things and does not want to run out and look at the Spellings how they buy buy buy ........but when they leave trash and food out and have mice and bugs and filth then they must have a bad mental problem that goes way deep. To be somewhat unorganized is ok but to wade in filth waist high is really bad.........how can they stand the smell of the rotten food? Why not toss out the trash? I wonder what the mental illness would be called? What caused it? Fear of loosing?

[DowntonAbbey]

On 11/3/2014 gazelle77 said: The good side effect of watching these shows is that it makes me start cleaning and getting rid of stuff!

So true the first time I saw a show I started cleaning my walls washing them.......

[Catitude]

On 11/3/2014 sophiamarie said:

Leaving food and garbage lying around, IMO, is not hoarding. Those are filthy slobs.

It's one thing to keep things and never want to throw them away - and another thing when you just don't clean up. There are hoarders and there are people who live in pig stys.

I am the complete opposite of a hoarder. My husband calls me a "minimalist"..... It's so much easier to dust that way.

I agree.

Some of the hoarders are enabled by their family members who allow themselves to live in squalor.