Friday, April 8, 2011

Hoarders

I'm usually a couple years behind when it comes to television entertainment. I don't have any TV reception, so I watch certain TV shows on Netflix a season late. Over the years I've watched shows like 24, The Office, Lost, and recently I decided to give Hoarders a shot.


Hoarders is a show on the A and E channel. It highlights the lives of people who are obsessed with collecting obscene amounts of "stuff" at the expense of their health, sanity, and well being. At first glance when I saw these people I wanted to simply label them as slobs who can't tell the difference between useful belongings and total crap. At one point I found myself screaming at the TV as I watched these people trying to justify keeping mounds of rotting garbage in their home or choosing eviction or losing the custody of their kids as opposed to getting rid of their junk.


The people they feature are pack rats on steroids. It doesn't take long to realize that hoarding is not just a matter of poor judgement, but rather a mental disorder. If you haven't seen an episode, you should check one out. It's pretty depressing, but it will help you put things in perspective and realize that what you call a "pig pen" at your house is probably not as big of a deal as you think it is.

I love the feeling I get when I de-junk, give stuff away and clean. There is something so refreshing and liberating about getting rid of clutter. I just wish these people could experience that too. Now what I'd really like to see would be a show called "Chuckers" about people who are obsessed with getting rid of all their stuff who secretly throw away all of their belongings.

17 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Yeah, Hoarders are seriously mentally ill.

Deborah said...

I'm sure there are 'chuckers' too, it really is a funny old world out there! :o)

Auto Transport said...

I thinking it too.

triles said...

Hoarders is like a car wreck, once you start watching, you can't turn away.

Kelly said...

It would be a pretty boring show though with just a person in an empty room going "what the heck did I just do?!"

Episode over....

PS I love hoarders. It makes me feel good about myself

Jerri said...

I come from a family of hoarders, hardly to that extent though. I tend to hoard books. I love giving stuff away. Yes, it feels great to de-clutter.

Tom said...

Kelly- I feel the same way. I also like COPS because it makes me feel so good about myself.

mCat said...

I got sucked into an entire evening of Hoarders and literally found myself throwing up in my mouth a couple of times, but couldn't turn away.
I like your idea of the "Chuckers" show. I could do that one VERY easy! I cannot stand clutter and would rather DI something or toss in the garbage than have to find a spot for it.

And cops is always exciting just to see if any of my sons former friends are on there. Or my SIL's relatives.
No.lie.

B's Mom said...

I had an experience with a hoarder, and I can tell you they have a mental attachment to those things. This poor woman was in tears that we had to move her mail. She had been stacking it up on her dining room table since the 70's! Putting it in boxes was like pulling off her flesh. It was very painful for her.

On a good note after watching this show my husband cleaned out our garage and threw almost all his useless "treasures" away. Bonus!

Gregg Metcalf said...

That would be one show that I don't think I want to watch.


Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29

Gospel-driven Disciples

Trisha said...

All I needed was those pictures and I felt like throwing up. LOL. And to think I am something of a hoarder myself - but nothing like these guys. My house is actually clean. After my cleaner has come by anyway :D

Joanne said...

Whenever I watch that show I have to get up and clean, so I never really watch an entire episode! It is sad. Interesting H post. Blessings, Joanne

Raine said...

haha id totally watch Chuckers

Cheeseboy said...

My wife's parents are hoarders and we tried to watch this show with them to help them have a little self awareness. It failed miserably.

Eric said...

Even Scrooge McDuck has it all wrong then? Thinking on it, it would be pretty gross to go swimming through coins and old crumpled up bills in a large 'money bin'.

Susan Oloier said...

Stopping by on the A to Z Challenge.
We have no TV reception either, so we do the whole Netflix thing. I am going to have to check this out. My husband is a total chucker, so it might drive him insane to watch this show.

baygirl32 said...

this show stumps me, I can't imagine living like that, but I can't turn it off