The Horror of Hoarding

Three episodes have been aired by A&E of a seven-episode series called "Hoarders" (Mondays at 10pm ET/PT).  I have my dvr set to record every episode and have watched the first two so far.  As a human, my initial reaction is to recoil in shock when I see the environments in which the subjects of this series are living.  I can't imagine not being able to walk through my home without stepping on rotting food or trash, but that was exactly the challenge of one of the subjects profiled.

On the flip side, as a Professional Organizer, my initial response is to get my tools and organizing solutions packed in my car and head to the location of each person shown.  I have told my clients, and I honestly do feel, that the most satisfying part of my job is the end...when the client looks at the results of a project and says, "WOW!  This is AWESOME!" (or as one client put it, "YOU ROCK!").  Knowing that a client's life situations are easier to handle after organization efforts are complete, coupled with the fact that organization helps my clients save money, is intoxicating.  In a nutshell, empowering my clients through organization is my true goal.

During my attendance at the 2008 conference for NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), I heard the term NSGCD, and learned it stands for National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization.  However, I was new to the profession of organizing in general and didn't feel that I was quite ready to venture into specialist groups just yet.  "Hoarders" has blown the lid off of my sheltered mind to allow me to really see what the need is for the NSGCD.  What I am discovering about myself after watching only two episodes of "Hoarders" is that I am anxious to learn more about how to work with this very specialized group of people.  And while it is a specialized group, the statistics are mind-boggling regarding just how widespread chronic disorganization is.

So, I have downloaded every available piece of information that I could from the NSGCD's website, and am going to be learning as much as I can about the skills needed to help those suffering from chronic disorganization.  And hopefully soon, I'll be able to empower the victims to overcome this debilitating mental illness so that they are no longer victims, and instead they are survivors.

You can click here to view more information about the show.  If you're able, I strongly encourage you to watch the next episode of "Hoarders."  After all, awareness is what the show is all about.

Until next time...