Hoarders

I have been watching the show hoarders. I feel great stress watching it. I know that this is a problem. Frances was our family's hoarder. However unless you understand OCD, you do not understand the emotions that are involved. I wish there was an easier way to help these people, but I know there's not. So many of the times you find out that they had some kind of trauma in their life. Sometimes it is death, some times it is childhood molestation, sometimes it is being bullied and other times it is an emotional need not being met. The emotional ties are so great. I listen to them and my heart aches for them.
The shows clean house and clean sweep are the same. The emotional ties to things is so great. You can see the ache, the pain, the emotions when they are trying to talk them into giving things up.
I have a tendency to throw or give away things. Sometimes I wish I hadn't. Don't get me wrong, I have some OCD tendencies, I believe everyone does. I for example hold on to shirts that I have gotten for participation in something.
On one of the shows they showed the following in someones home...

10 Commandments of Clutter by Stephanie Culp

1. Stop procrastinating. Decide what you are going to do with the next piece of clutter you pick up.

2. Quit making excuses. You are only fooling yourself.

3. Use it or lose it. If you're not going to use it, get rid of it. Period.

4. Learn to let go. For every square foot of space filled with clutter, there is one square foot of living space in your home that is lost.

5. Be a giver. Poor, needy, friends, relatives--everyone benefits more from a giving person than a pack rat.

6. Set limits on the amount of space allocated to any kind of clutter. Limit closets, bookcases, and filing cabinets. When one space fills up it doesn't mean you should buy more space ( another house).

7. Use the In and Out inventory rule. When something comes in, something goes out.

8. Less is more. Less = more time, money and energy. Also = less stress.

9. Keep everything in its place. For example, the blender doesn't belong in the bedroom or the mail in the bathroom.

10. Compromise. Stop letting perfectionism keep you from doing what needs to be done, or from letting someone help you dispense with your clutter.
Functioning efficiently is better than functioning perfectly.

So if you know a hoarder, show sympathy and try to help them. It may be a slow process, but let it be!