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Post by canna on Jan 2, 2011 9:53:06 GMT -5
Transforming: Oh so funny about your hoarding cat -Meoww don't touch my stuff. Ha.
I started watching these shows originally when the old "Life Laundry" was shown on PBS. I really liked that show - they were all filmed in England. That show got me thinking and decluttering. I was in crises clean mode then when I would invite somone to visit.
Then, I saw the hoarding episodes on Oprah. I think the first lady was in squalor (Carol?). I felt sorry for her she seemed so nervous and confused. Oprah I think has changed her own attitude about folks with hoarding/squallor issues since then, a little more understanding. Then she had the show with the nice lady who was a shopaholic supreme. That opened my eyes. I used to shop constantly at resale stores, garage sales, and estate sales. Books oh boy. And wayy too much chotchki wow. So that one show really pushed me to realize too much stuff.
I don't have cable so won't be watching OWN with Peter Walsh ( I do llike him even though he can be overbearing at times) But maybe some FULL episodes can be seen online somewhere.
I watch "Hoarders" all the time - try to catch every episode; since I don't have cable, I go to the local library and watch the complete episodes there. I have a hard time watching the ones about animal hoarders; but it does seem that the crews who help with the animals are humane and understanding and care for the animals welfare. I find myself wanting to jump in and help clear the hoarding mess and help. I find that I would, at times, be on the hoarders side though and would really want to see "every little thing" before it is tossed! Makes me upset to see things just tossed after being shoved in bags - and would want to sit with them and go through and talk about the stuff with them! It would take a lot more time of course - ha.
I have only seen a few episodes of "How Clean is your house" and liked that show. If its shown on cable, though, I dont see it.
These shows have helped soooo many people who get the Oprah "AH-HAA "moments just by watching them. So these shows, even the ones that go a little dramatic overboard, do help people realize the problem and get help or start to step out of squalor!!
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Post by dayeanu on Jan 2, 2011 11:04:24 GMT -5
Well, this thread has made me cry, and made me laugh. And stirred a little something in me to get up and clean!
I read Clutterbuggles' post and just wept. I know that feeling, I call it being "too ashamed to die," for dread of people having to clean out my place. Just the filth. . .
I loved Niecy Nash, the few times I saw her show. I remember how shocked I was to see a house just as deep in it as mine.
After reading Howardsgirlfriend say she has realized she likes to clean, I want to watch ALL those shows!
And Transforming's hoarding cat - OMG how FUNNY!!!
Maybe I need to try to find these shows and watch them. I have tried recently to get professional help, but can find no one in a 100 mile radius of me who deals with hoarding issues. (Also have limited funds for therapy.) I've been to other therapists in the past who just don't get it.
Maybe watching the shows would help.
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leathernun
New Member
Joined: December 2010
Posts: 5
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Post by leathernun on Jan 2, 2011 11:15:48 GMT -5
Hi All -- I'm, new at this... if it were NOT for a freind saying she likes the show "hoarding, buried alive" I wouldn't be here. For the past 2 or 3 years I've been KNOWING something was wrong, not ***, something else -- now I "get it" The thing for me is, I don't "do Television" being disabled it's outside of budget. So I googled for the show and read some of the transcripts and it was like Oh My God!! It wasn't just my house. It was my daddy's house. One reason I forgive Media for the greed and sensationalism, I'd have never known there might be a solution, or support, for this Since I don't have TV -- I see this show looks interesting -- does it have an online video? My favorites are How Clean Is Your House and Neat, though I like them all. Helen Buttigeg is so kind and gentle, that I could watch her even at my weakest. Some of the things I like about HCIYH are: I am trying to apply my (duH!!) excellent work habits (orderly tools, material, workspace) to the inside of the house, and I really don't know how -- I work outdoors ;-) THANKS Y'ALL leathernun
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leathernun
New Member
Joined: December 2010
Posts: 5
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Post by leathernun on Jan 2, 2011 11:45:20 GMT -5
I so related to this post by clutterbuggles... WE ARE NOT UNIQUE! So I went and I got through about 2/3 of the boxes. And in every single one of them, I found something that I know for a fact my brother would have been mortified to know that his baby sister had seen or learned about him that he'd hidden from us. I still love and miss my brother, but I never told anyone about the stuff that I found because it felt like leaving my brother that little bit of respect by keeping his secrets was probably the most loving thing I ever did for him. Despite being absolutely at rock bottom and wanting to be dead, I couldn't do it simply because I knew that someone was going to have to do the same thing for me if I did. Gawd!! I can for truth, proclaim that my squalor is literally inheritted. My brother, sister-in-law, and self -- we cleared out my Dad's home when he went to care... Amongst about (literally) a dozen "rollbacks" of filth, my sis-n-law noted in my Dad's journals that he was a closet alcoholic -- talk about Denial!! d0h! that was the tip of the iceberg of other secrets that emerged in that haul... My mother's home, same story -- except I didn't have help. Her secrets were more the pitiful sort, not hideous or un-thinkable. So now I'm going to get off of here and take out the trash ;-) THANK YOU leathernun
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just4today
New Member
Joined: December 2010
Posts: 44
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Post by just4today on Jan 2, 2011 16:53:23 GMT -5
These shows helped me come here and understand my own issues around hoarding and clutter...i was amazed....we don't have cable just netflix, so hoarders and clean house were the two that really got us going. I feel they help more than they harm...clean house really got me and my husband thinking more about design and what our place could look like if we worked at it. Hoarders helped me connect the dots between all the "stuff" and my emotions, security...I learned how my brain works in regards to this stuff.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Jan 2, 2011 22:57:37 GMT -5
....
and I don't watch animal hoarding. .... (funny note on the above when I originally posted it I said ... I dont watch animals hoarding..rather than animal hoarding. My cat has tons of toys and if one goes missing he goes crazy kitty. he likes his stuff and he likes it all piled around him. When I picked it all up and gave him a few to play with (and will rotate them) he was not pleased. If he had his way we sould be knee deep in cat toys and cat items). , this is for transformingmylife's cat (click to see the image): icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/funny-pictures-your-cat-owns-everything.jpg-
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Post by penguinectomy on Jan 3, 2011 18:37:22 GMT -5
Something amazing occured last week. I was watching an episode of "Hoarders," and talking about it to my DH of 17 years, when he said, "Hey, I just realized you identify with these people, don't you?" I was dumbstruck--had no idea that he didn't know this before. He's been right here with me in the squalor the whole time, and he didn't know. I had a similar moment with my son last night. I was watching several episodes of Season 1 of Hoarders, and DS said "why are you watching that show? Because you're a hoarder?" and then laughed like that was ridiculous, and looked shocked when I said "yes, I am, and watching other people deal with their stuff is helpful." I mean, really - we lived in level 2 and 3 squalor when I was still married to his dad, I got evicted for hoarding when he was 8 or 9 (level 3/4), and we lived in level 2 and 3 squalor for several years after that in the roach-infested new place. How does he not remember that? What scares me is that it might mean that he is so acclimatized to the mess that it doesn't really faze him anymore. (Except that things are much neater now, and he is quite tidy all by himself.) Is a puzzlement.
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Post by TML on Jan 3, 2011 19:08:14 GMT -5
Lioness Thanks for the picture! That is definately like Kitty surrounded by all his stuff. He wants the house to be clean and spotless and he wants my stuff up and organized but his stuff is another story. He likes it everywhere. Sort of like Scrooge McDuck rolling in his money; Kitty likes to roll in his toys and stuff. I used to have a housecleaner come in while I was at work (before the move) and when I got home he would be telling me all about it and rolling and purring on the clean floors. He was really cute and vocal showing me how clean the house was and he was so proud (I am assuming from his supervising all day . I am hoping to get back to that clean house for all of us.
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Post by Chris on Jan 4, 2011 17:04:14 GMT -5
I really liked the show Enough Already with Peter Walsh on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). It was good -- they really had a good system for organizing and helping the people deal with the clutter. I felt that the person (young lady with husband and toddler) got the one on one kind of help early on in her clutter/disorganization that hers may not go into full hoarding. It's heart warming to see. And the fact that the rooms (living room and master bedroom) got finished and we got to see some of the organizational systems they used to reduce clutter -- well I just liked it a lot. I didn't think I had the channel but then realized I did. I don't know if this is a new show -- but it's supposed to show every Monday at 7 (central) on OWN and I will watch it as part of my recovery from clutter.
I've seen many of the other Hoarder shows and I got a lot from them at the time but I feel I'm ready for some organizing shows that deal with clutter and disorganization but not on the scale of full blown hoarding. I don't know if I've just gotten too sensitive but I can't handle the shows anymore where it's too depressing. Unless the show can show that the person got enough help and a better outcome I shy away. I guess it's easy to see that any extreme clutter/squalor problem could lead down the road to those most depressing hoarding and broken homes (meaning broken plumbing and non functioning plumbing) so that may be why.
Anyway, I liked the Peter Walsh show very much!
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Post by lookin4answers on Jan 5, 2011 3:54:42 GMT -5
Got to say - don't like him or his show. He lacks compassion.
I think Peter is a control freak, that enjoys stressing people out. There needs to be a program that deals with this issue with compassion. He does a disservice with the caddy judgments
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Post by def6 on Jan 5, 2011 9:42:18 GMT -5
My absolute favorite is How clean is your house. I was never offended by Kim. She was only giving those folks a good kick up the backside!! The episodes are on You tube. I love the cheap and cheerful cleaning supplies they suggest. I have made many of them myself and they work without harmfull fumes usually.The shows filmed in the UK were better because they showed everything getting cleaned -but not neccesarily renovated.
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lattiee
New Member
Joined: December 2010
Posts: 43
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Post by lattiee on Jan 5, 2011 18:45:39 GMT -5
Yesterday I was watch Clean House Special and boy I thought that lady who was the Host of Clean House was rude.
Many parents especially mom's are starting to co-sleep with their kids up to a certain amount of age and to tell that mother that her son needs to sleep in the crib is completely wrong .
Then she continues on saying you can't keep him as a baby forever then saying oh look there is the Angry Mommy Face.
Believe if that lady said that to me I would say your hear to help with the cleaning not with my parenting styles !
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Post by shopgirl on Jan 7, 2011 14:35:41 GMT -5
Watched Enough Already with Peter Walsh. A sweet little show. But I was more fascinated with the relationship of the wife, husband, and her boyfriend. Husband was in fewer scenes than boyfriend. And boyfriend was the one who decided where the bed should go in the master bedroom. A clutter soap opera! Whatever the situation was, they all sure got along great with each other!
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catt
New Member
Clean ALL the things?!?
Joined: January 2011
Posts: 44
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Post by catt on Jan 20, 2011 6:02:19 GMT -5
I do watch Hoarders regularly - I find it motivating. Sometimes I think, "Mine isn't that bad, but I better go wash the dishes before it gets that way!" Other times it's "Hmmm... that room looks a little too familiar. I'd better go clean something."
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Post by journeyhome on Jan 20, 2011 10:49:55 GMT -5
I first saw one or the other of the Hoarding shows back in April just after I'd gotten cable after being without it for 4.5 years. Then they ran a marathon one day in late May and that got me started on this place but I didn't get very far at all.
My heart ached for those households where there were animals who had no choice in whether to leave or not and those with young children who also had little to no choice but at least there was some chance of CPS stepping in if the situation warranted. To see parents wanting so desperately to change and yet experiencing such pain at the mere thought of letting someone else take away even one object.
I found myself wondering just how far away from those levels I might be. I know I experience "the high of the buy" but seem to be able to say enough when the quantity of something that I own - ie. flannel shirts reaches a point that is very abundant but not excessively insane; 20 but not 100 or 500. Yet I know that it's only a matter of degree and that "there but for the grace....."
Looking for help on line I found that the forums for those specific shows mostly seemed to be comments from people who felt only disgust and horror at those extreme cases being shown. Not much empathy or even sympathy.
Finally stumbled upon this forum last month and this was the group that I fit in with. People who hadn't completely given up all hope, people who acknowledged that they had a problem and were doing what they could to change. Those willing to ask for support and to accept it. Not an easy thing for most folks to do.
I'd spent the entire autumn doing almost nothing but moving from my bed to my recliner, subsisting on junk food, anti-depressants not seeming to be doing any good at all. Would I have been able to get going, to move from nearly hopeless and helpless to my current frame of mind and hopefulness had I not found this forum is impossible to know. I am sure that I could not have sustained change without all the help I've found here.
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