# Hoarder Shows Producing Anti Hoarding Fanatics?



## WhatInThe (Feb 28, 2019)

Know people so anti hoarding they now question you like a hoarding specialists on one of those shows. Why do you want to keep it? What's in the box? Why are you storing it there? Why are you keeping it? Oh you want to remember this or that. Almost like a game. Everything single item in your residence must have precise clear cut purpose or be part of some grand design/Better Homes & Gardens scheme.

Keep in mind this person is well off, not 7 figures but they can buy tomorrow what they throw out today. They are also becoming a big delegator getting rid of many common household items/tools. Why do it yourself when you can hire a professional. But not everyone is financially well off and actually want to learn as to not get taken/scammed but become enlightend.Nor do they want to become reliant on others for their needs. 

Might not become a hoarder but could become addicted to someone else doing it for you. They also judge, you need to do more social things. Why are you wasting time doing that when you could be doing this. I was always told be prepared, part of that is buy what you need or might need(plan ahead)-oh can't worry about that. 

Or they just a fanatic about getting rid of stuff. Ironic they have 'green' political stance yet landsfills are an environmentalist worst nightmare. What do they think will happen to that stuff by curb or in dumpsters after it's leaves their dwelling?


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## Geezerette (Feb 28, 2019)

Loved your comment about the Green folks who want to clear stuff out not thinking about the landfill. Women's magazines are full of articles about how to clear out the clutter & get rid of perfectly good clothing, then 2 pages on, what the "must have" clothes are for the upcoming season & things to replace the other stuff they wanted you to throw out. Marketing.
Most of. the museums & archives would be pretty empty & meaningless if some forward thinking folks hadn't saved the good stuff or unearthed discarded treasures. ( that being said I can still wonder why on earth some folks have dozens of old paint cans & drywall buckets stacked up in their garage,", haha)


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 28, 2019)

When I was young and poor I started accumulating everything that came my way and furnished more than one home from street finds.

I thought that was being thrifty, prepared, etc... Now I realize that knowing myself and being realistic about my needs is more important so I can be selective about what things I keep and what things I let go. IMO when it comes to possessions less is definitely more.

Good luck!

_“When someone steals another's clothes, we call them a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the one who has no shoes; the money which you hoard up belongs to the poor.”_― Basil the Great

_“Economy is a distributive virtue and consists not in saving but selection. Parsimony requires no providence, no sagacity, no powers of combination, no comparison, no judgment." _— Edmund Burke


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## RadishRose (Feb 28, 2019)

We were probably never able to amass as much before in history; both necessities and junk..
Terrified to waste anything, but the stuff is already wasted sitting in the attic without use. 

Sometimes it's a real mental illness.

Whether kept or thrown away, it's going to the landfill anyway when we check out.


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## RadishRose (Feb 28, 2019)

> _“When someone steals another's clothes, we call them a thief. Should  we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does  not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat unused  in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in  your closet belong to the one who has no shoes; the money which you  hoard up belongs to the poor.”_― Basil the Great



Aunt Bea, this quote really made me think!

To answer the OP, I don't think so....


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## Nihil (Feb 28, 2019)

Here's a portion of my stockpile.


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## Linda (Feb 28, 2019)

If I get rid of something it goes to a thrift store or I give it away to someone I know who wants it.  In the past I've gotten rid of a lot of things in yard sales.  I never take usable items items to a landfill.

Whatinthe, are you saying someone is questioning you personally about why you have this or that?  If that is the case, tell them to mind their own business.  But no, I don't think these Hoarder shows are turning people into get rid of it fanatics.  When I watch a Hoarders show I do feel compelled to do a little housework or neaten up a dresser drawer.   Inspiration to clean or neaten is always a good thing when you are talking about a messy house.


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## WhatInThe (Feb 28, 2019)

My big thing with this person and a few others they are literally trying to profile you like the FBI on the TV show Criminal Minds. But if look at their lives in detail including family and their status in life it ain't picture perfect to say the least. They come off as very hypocritical if not elitist. They're telling me and other this is why things are they way they are like a teacher. Not only are they wrong but they come off as a pretentious person.


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## Ronni (Mar 1, 2019)

As an organizer I've seen it all when it comes to hoarding, semi-hoarding, junk stockpiling, "I-might-need-this-someday" garages and closets, and all the rest.  I AM sometimes one of those people who gets in there and asks the client "Why are you keeping this?"  What's its intended use?"  "Will your kids want it?"  "Are you ever going to use it again?"  And on and on.  I get PAID to do that!  To be that person, to be the junk Nazi, the person to whom they must answer, the one who keeps them accountable, and who also gives them the permission they seem to so desperately need to get rid of something.  

Full on hoarding is a mental illness.  No question.  Everything less than that can be solved with a specific plan, clear cut goal, some ruthlessness and a large helping of common sense. And of course a LOT of hard work!  A lot of why I'm hired is to provide the plan, ruthlessness and common sense.  Folks usually have a goal, they just have NO idea how to accomplish it.


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## retiredtraveler (Mar 1, 2019)

Ronni said:


> As an organizer I've seen it all when it comes to hoarding, semi-hoarding, junk stockpiling, "I-might-need-this-someday" garages and closets, and all the rest.  I AM sometimes one of those people who gets in there and asks the client "Why are you keeping this?"  What's its intended use?"  "Will your kids want it?"  "Are you ever going to use it again?" .....Full on hoarding is a mental illness.  No question.  Everything less than that can be solved with a specific plan, clear cut goal, some ruthlessness and a large helping of common sense.....Folks usually have a goal, they just have NO idea how to accomplish it.



Myself and some other family members have been recently working with another family member who has been hoarding for years. With a little coaxing, we have been able to have her allow us to clean the place up. She was not as adamant as some of the hoarders on TV who 'freak out' as stuff is getting hauled away. 
     As a long-time environmental activist, I try to recycle everything we can. We recycled all the metal objects, newspaper (have a ton of this, literally, accumulated in a garage), and fabrics are also recycled or given to second hand shop. In her case, it's like the last sentence in your posting. She had a goal, just couldn't accomplish it. She was overwhelmed. 
       We walked into her house and garage and just stared at everything awhile, also overwhelmed --- we didn't know how to start either. Finally got into it. We're halfway through it now. I now have a first hand understanding of walking through a house and garage with garbage everywhere and thinking we'll never get rid of this stuff.


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## WhatInThe (Mar 1, 2019)

The one actual hoarder I know was overwhelmed because of their health. Which contributed to the formation of piles over the years. They downsized their last move but it took them too long to get rid of stuff that was intended for a much larger home. They got cited for fire code violations. Their strategy to rid themselves of stuff and make aisles passable took too long with a 30 day deadline. They finally relented accepting help at the last minute putting stuff into storage. They want stuff returned. We told them even though you intend to sell or donate it if it goes back in it must be formally stored in a cabinet, closet or on a shelf-no more piles.

My thing with the anti hoarder is that they are literally triggered if you say you bought or obtained something to people that never had an issue with hoarding. What, why, how come etc. It's they are the ones with the compulsion.


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## Geezerette (Mar 1, 2019)

In light of some of your posts recently, WhatInThe, I think it might be time to consider extricating yourself from a rather dysfunctional set of associates. Between those folks you wrote about who have to have everything their way & the intrusive anti- hoarders, if it were me, I'd be limiting contact with such people & moving on.


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## WhatInThe (Mar 1, 2019)

Geezerette said:


> In light of some of your posts recently, WhatInThe, I think it might be time to consider extricating yourself from a rather dysfunctional set of associates. Between those folks you wrote about who have to have everything their way & the intrusive anti- hoarders, if it were me, I'd be limiting contact with such people & moving on.



True. Working on it. There's alot going on here. I thought I never see the day where the golden years would turn into a spaghetti pile of hardline family politics, personal and social dysfunction and were issues that always seemed to affect others let alone the young. Most things were just a confirmation of old opinions/suspicions but at least I get to finish out life seeing and knowing other's true colors.


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## Nihil (Mar 1, 2019)

Just in case anyone needs this...


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## WhatInThe (Mar 1, 2019)

Psychopaths and cults. Harsh. But accurate in more ways than one. The anti hoarder fanatic has very set views on life in general. Not just politics but they are very procedure oriented. By the book. By the book legally and by the book 'ideally'. If you don't have 2.4 kids, white picket fence your are already in the dog house. I notice with people considered narcissists including this person frequently all you have to do is stand up to them ie tell the truth, don't agree with them to appease them and hold your ground. I've seen this person get flustered because they couldn't get their point across/you to accept it.


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 1, 2019)

WhatInThe said:


> True. Working on it. There's alot going on here. I thought I never see the day where the golden years would turn into a spaghetti pile of hardline family politics, personal and social dysfunction and were issues that always seemed to affect others let alone the young. Most things were just a confirmation of old opinions/suspicions but at least I get to finish out life seeing and knowing other's true colors.



It seems to me that you are spending as much time and energy analyzing/profiling them as they spend analyzing/profiling you.

IMO you won't find peace until you just let it go and get on with your life.

Good luck!


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## Nihil (Mar 1, 2019)

WhatInThe said:


> I notice with people considered narcissists including this person frequently all you have to do is stand up to them ie tell the truth, don't agree with them to appease them and hold your ground. I've seen this person get flustered because they couldn't get their point across/you to accept it.



If you really want to see them fly off the handle, let them know you're on to them.


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## WhatInThe (Mar 1, 2019)

Nihil said:


> If you really want to see them fly off the handle, let them know you're on to them.



I've already set them off by saying no/refusing their suggestion. Ironically myself and others said no them trying to dump some of their items on us. It got to the point where they were actually trying to sell you the item minus the exchange of money-several times. It was a very condescending pitch. You could hear the 'but' under their breath along with the 'how can this be' reaction. Exactly like a bully you stand up to them and say something they don't want to hear.


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## WhatInThe (Mar 1, 2019)

Aunt Bea said:


> It seems to me that you are spending as much time and energy analyzing/profiling them as they spend analyzing/profiling you.
> 
> IMO you won't find peace until you just let it go and get on with your life.
> 
> Good luck!



But my profiling doesn't include parroting words and phrases like one would hear on a hoarding show or Criminal Minds. I don't pose as an expert when talking to them. They are in your face with it pretending to be helpful. And sometimes their opinion just comes flying out of their mouth, they are at a point where they can't control/help themselves.


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