Helping on TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive

Fascinated by the hoarding shows on TV? I was, and that's why I volunteered last summer to help out when the TLC show, "Hoarding: Buried Alive" came to Boston. Tune in to TLC on March 13th at 9pm and you might get a glimpse of me as part of the supporting crew of local organizers working to clean out the home. It was quite an experience, and I can’t wait to see how the episode turns out.

Do I need this?

Every time something new comes into your home, ask yourself:

• Do I really need this?
• How will I use it?
• Where can I keep it?

Be sure you can answer these questions. If you can, it will help keep clutter at bay.

Help for Hoarders

Recently I attended a lecture by Dr. Gail Steketee, Dean of Boston University’s School of Social Work. Dr. Steketee’s work has focused on the psychopathology of compulsive hoarding and her talk discussed the symptoms of hoarding and possible interventions. The information Dr. Steketee and her team have started to piece together about hoarding was fascinating, but there is still much to learn.

If you or someone you know may have a problem with hoarding, here are some resources.

Books:

• Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding
• Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things
• Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding and Compulsive Acquiring

Websites:

• Institute for Challenging Disorganization – find a professional to help
• Compulsivehoarding.org
• International OCD Foundation Hoarding Center