Alicia recorded an Oprah show about hoarding, and we watched it when I was in Raleigh. I wasn’t expecting it to be as interesting as it was. What was I thinking? If it’s on Oprah it’s interesting. This is the story of a couple; the woman is the hoarder, although her husband had a touch of hoarding in him, too. An organizational expert, Peter Walsh, went to the couple’s 3,000 square foot house with “a team of 6 professionals” to begin the process of removing the 75 tons of accumulated stuff. Peter said black mold was found “which can cause a variety of health problems.” Needless to say, watching the cleanup process was rather shocking, and the intereaction between the couple and Peter was interesting. I had no idea things could get so out of control in the life of a hoarder. www.oprah.com
Peter Walsh wrote a book, IT’S ALL TOO MUCH. He seems to be a compassionate, kind, and understanding person. And from the way he handled the 75 tons of stuff, it must be a good book. www.orgjunkie.com
Not long after the show I saw a book at a friend’s house titled LILLIAN TOO’S 168 WAYS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME. I copied a little part of it. Perhaps you’ll find it informative, especially if you’re a hoarder or know someone who is. I saw this on page 50-51: “Many people leave unpaid bills, unfiled letters, faxes, and other documents unattended to for weeks and even months. This sort of paper clutter languishing on desk tops, tables, and shelves, at home or at work, can be the source of much worry. The effect is subliminal, impinging on the subconscious mind and activating worry cells that may lead to migraines, stress, and tension. The physical body can be affected and so can the spirit.”
www.lillian-too.com
Whew! It was a good show.
Just a side note, Ophra is spelled Oprah… just incase you want to correct it in your blog 🙂 Happy blogging.