This is quite a clever ad that A&E developed to promote their highest rated show “Hoarders”. I have to believe it was inexpensive too. 

For so long friends and family have been asking me to post before and after photos of my work. For years now I have been on the fence about it. I mean, I understand why others want to see these pictures. It’s fascinating to see the work accomplished. However, for the client, photos carry a whole different meaning. Which makes it difficult for my clients to give me their approval to post the pictures publicly. In addition, I have my own moral struggles with before and after shots.

Photos only show what the photographer wants you to see. Anyone can clean out an area by moving clutter to one side of the room and only getting a shot of the clean space. Photos don’t show the time it took to get the space organized. Nor do they show the process involved. So for me, photos don’t express my capabilities or give anyone a true sense of how I work. However, I am sharing these before and after photos because they’re not typical shots.

They’re different for a couple reasons. 1. You can watch “Hoarders” and see the reality of the work involved. You can see me working with the client, the amount of clutter there was and get a better sense for the process. The photos work in tandem with the show. 2. In the photos you can see small unfinished areas. Which, believe it or not, is the real deal. As much as I would love to say that every job I do ends with a beautiful, sparkling, clean and organized environment, I can’t. Because it isn’t true. I can tell you that in most cases when I am done with a job the space is more functional and as minimal as I can possibly get it. 

So with that, I share these photos from my work on “Hoarders" on A&E.

More to come.

Geralin Thomas, a fellow “Hoarders” expert, posted a link on twitter about Insurance companies and hoarding. Apparently, insurance companies are changing how they write up their policies. Presently when an insurance company writes up a homeowners insurance policy they don’t come into the home. However, since hoarding has become such a hot topic these days, insurance companies are starting to see the potential for unsafe conditions. These unsafe conditions can increase insurance rates.

It’s common for a home stuffed with clutter to be unsafe and even unfit to live in. It’s a fire hazard, health risk and puts many at risk of serious injuries and even death. So not only will hoarding cost emotional and physical suffering. It will also hurt you financially. Read the article to learn more. 

I recently learned about the concept “opposite of hoarding” while reading posts from fellow NSGCD members on our Yahoo group. Professional Organizers are finding that some clients are the opposite of hoarders. Instead, they are extreme minimalists and have a VERY low tolerance for clutter. In some cases these individuals are related to hoarders in some way and fear too much stuff will overwhelm their lives. Their anxiety seems to provoke an opposite response to clutter.

Deb Stanley, a well know Professional Organizer, mentioned in one of her posts, asceticism. I looked it up. Here is what I found:

”Asceticism… describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures. This is to be understood not as an eschewal of the enjoyment of life but a recognition that spiritual and religious goals are impeded by such indulgence… anyone who practices a renunciation of worldly pursuits to achieve higher intellectual and spiritual goals.” (these quotes come from Wikipedia but explain Asceticism well)

This is exactly what most Professional Organizers represent, in my opinion. My goal is to always do what I can to get my clients to see things in a different way and find peace in themselves. It’s amazing when a client’s mind opens up and they begin to grow just a little bit more. I say “always listen, be patient and support your clients because you never know when they may have a moment of clarity. When that moment of clarity occurs, change happens.”

The irony is everyone I have ever worked with wants to achieve higher intellectual and spiritual goals. They may not be able to verbalize this or achieve it on their own. That’s where Life Coaches, Professional Organizers, and therapists come in.

This article presents quite a statement. Darren Garnick admits his defeat and apologizes for his inappropriate comments about Barry Iszak (Past President of the National Association of Professional Organizers). He states, “I profusely apologize for my past insensitivity to the National Association of Professional Organizers. There is no such thing as a “Perfect Mess.”

Roughly three years ago David Freedman’s book “A Perfect Mess” was released. David mocked the Professional Organizing industry and the value of being organized. It appears Darren was a fan of David Freedman. It seems recently Darren needed to pack up his office because they were relocating. He was left to his own devices, sorting through trash, paper and stuff. Apparently having to relocate really triggered something for him. He felt the overwhelming, debilitating feeling our clients feel all the time. He claims he refuses to hire a professional organizer but admits being organized has it’s benefits.

Check it out. 

Since my appearance on “Hoarders" on A&E, I have been getting emails from viewers. They are hoarders who are desperate, overwhelmed and lost. I have to admit, some of these emails are heart wrenching and can be difficult to read. It leaves me feeling helpless. How can I possibly help someone who lives across the country that I have never met. Do I ignore these emails to avoid getting in too deep? Do I communicate with these individuals in the hopes I can help in some small way?

It sort of hit me today… I don’t think I am getting these emails because the writer wants me to perform miracles. I think I am getting these emails because the simple act of writing is cathartic. And not only that, once they are done writing they can actually send it to a real person who gets it. Writing and sending these emails may validate them in some way. Most importantly it may give them relief knowing they have been heard.

If I am right, I have a message for all hoarders… . I may not be able to respond to your emails right away or at all. But I am reading your emails and I get it. I understand your need to be understood.

My second episode on Hoarders has aired. I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind words and support. It’s been such a learning experience being on the show and I hope to do many more. Check out this latest episode.

If you enjoy the show as much as I do there are many ways you can stay up-to-date. If you are a part of the Twitterverse you can follow the show via @hoarderstv. You can always check out the website at www.aetv.com/hoarders. You can also read Geralin Thomas’ blog. She is another expert on the show. She has some great information to share. Oh and let’s not forget Facebook. Become a fan of Hoarders. 

and you get a show called “Hoarders.” This NY Times article states the premier episode of “Mad Men” only got 2.8 million viewers. Now that’s impressive.

My “Hoarders” debut was this past Monday. It was so emotional and intense. I was in Cleveland on my third shoot when I watched it. I was lucky to be with a few crew members from my debut episode. We ordered takeout but I could barely eat I was so anxious to watch. It was great to see all my friends comments on Facebook and to get text messages from my husband. He had a small premier party at my house.

The only complaint I received was I didn’t get enough airtime. Well, tune in on January 11th for my second episode. Maybe you’ll see a bit more of me. 

I am now one of the Professional Organizing experts on the new hit series “Hoarders" on A&E! Yes, it’s very exciting to be a part of something so big. The series is getting rave reviews and had 3.2 million viewers for the season premier.

For those of you that may not know about the show it’s about individuals who hoard so much they are on the verge of a personal crisis. Their homes are so full of stuff they can’t possibly live a normal life and, as a result, their relationships, self worth, health etc. are all compromised. A professional organizer and therapist team up to help the hoarder clean their home and make an attempt at living a quality life. The clean up is completed in 2 days!

Reading the millions of tweets during the show has been quite a shock. It helped me realize… so many people just don’t understand this mental disorder. Which makes this show that much more powerful. It highlights a mysterious disorder that has remained under the radar for so long.

So stay tuned for updates as I work on the show. Oh and If you watch the show, feel free to send me your feedback, comments or insights. Wish me luck!

I recently learned of a new way to get rid of those precious books. BookCrossing.com. It’s simple. Take a book, you have already read or might never read, with you the next time you head out the door. Leave your book on a park bench, on the subway or bus, or leave it at a restaurant. That way someone else can enjoy it. They can do the same once they are done with it. Who knows… your book just might travel the world and see amazing things. It ain’t gonna see much sittin on your floor, shelf or stuffed in a box. Let it go… if it’s true love it’ll come back to you. 

How effective can a professional organizer be if they work with someone over the phone? Apparently, pretty helpful. I learned first hand this weekend.

A client of mine called to tell me she was feeling extremely anxious about me coming for our scheduled session. She asked that I not come over. I easily could have rescheduled our session and hung up. However, I could tell it was a pivotal point and I had to at least attempt to help her break her anxiety cycle. For years her anxiety has taken over her and it shows in the condition of her home. She has a strong desire to organize but once she begins a project an overwhelming feeling takes over and paralyzes her. So she quits. The guilt, feelings of inadequacy, and stress stick with her and increase each time this cycle occurs. 

So I asked if she would be willing to chat for a moment to collect her thoughts. She agreed. We discussed her past anxiety attacks and found she has had worse. So we both knew she would survive this one. We discussed her last project (organizing the bathroom) and she was able to get to a point where she felt she made progress. Since that space was small and manageable I asked her to choose another small project. She did. She admitted she was concerned that she would have a difficult time staying focused. Once she sees all the other areas that need her attention she starts to get that overwhelming feeling. 

I suggested that she set a timer for 10 minute intervals. Work until the timer goes off. Once it does go off ask yourself if you’re working toward the goal you set to achieve that day. If you have stayed on track you can decide to keep working or stop working. If you got distracted you can stop what you’re doing and get back to the original task. She also mentioned she was concerned that once she completed the small project, all the other projects seem so big. So I suggested, rather than use the timer, choose ten items that can be tossed. Once you have done that you can decide to do 10 more or stop working.

We discovered her magic number was 10. Which made it easier to remember and became a new little motto. 10 minutes, 10 things! She worked for as long as she could and called me back when she was done. She accomplished her goal by discussing her concerns with me over the phone. Our conversation was no longer than 15 minutes and it was very effective. 

Today I learned about a hoarding fatality in Detroit. The article states that the hoarders had collected so many items that the home only had one accessible exit. The 80 year old couple died in the bathroom where they took cover from a fire in their home. This article couldn’t be more timely. September is National Preparedness Month.

Are You Ready? Is this years slogan for the NPM Coalition. Their website is full of information on how to prepare for any natural disaster or emergency. As I reviewed it, I was a bit overwhelmed with all the things you should do to prepare. I can only imagine how other readers perceive it. After reading the article about the 80 year old couple in Detroit it’s safe to say number one on the list should be to clear all exits of clutter. If you do nothing else, make that the highest priority. You don’t even have to sort or purge. Just move items away from all exits and windows. It can truly be what saves your life if an emergency occurs. 

Richmond has a new magazine that brings consumer content and social media together. Sara Bereika of NEAT LLC has the honor of being included in their debut magazine that is coming out July 31, 2009. From what we can gather the magazine is FREE and can be found in many local restaurants and retail stores. You’ll also get the writers and/or subjects social media accounts so you can connect with them. NEAT has two social media accounts. One on Twitter called NEATOrganizer and one on Facebook. Feel free to follow Sara on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more about this new resource by going to RichmondGrid.com.

So many of my clients have depression and anxiety. I found this article on anxiety and depression and how it effects your heart. This is definitely a concern to me since my clients may be at risk. Learn more.

Join me and register for my webinar coming up on June 16th at 8pm EST. If you’re a Professional Organizer or in a related profession you don’t want to miss it.

By attending this workshop you’ll learn to:
1. Define addiction and identify if a client is an addict
2. Understand the severity of the clients addiction
3. Determine how addiction can effect you and others
4. Establish clear boundaries that are so important with these types of clients.
5. Protect yourself from the potential emotional and psychological trauma.
6. Identify codependency and it’s effects on relationships
7. Communicate effectively with these types of clients
8. Avoid becoming an enabler and making your clients situation worse
9. Find and utilize resources that can assist you
10. And share your personal stories and have the ability to learn from your own personal experiences.