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Forget baseball; hoarding is our real National Pastime. Matt Paxton lives on the frontlines of that obsession: When not serving as an expert on A&E's popular Hoarders, Matt presides over Clutter Cleaner, his own mess removal business. In The Secret Lives of Hoarders, he emerges from collapsing mounds of disorder to offer a fascinating commentary on this all-too-badly-hidden epidemic. With riveting precision, he describes extreme cases of people overwhelmed by their own acquisitions. Mercifully, he displays no mockery or condescension towards habitual hoarders; in fact, his approach is both understanding and compassionate. A gentle cleanup alarm.
With reverent curiosity, Paxton shares the stories of hoarders from a distinctive perspective.
While digging himself out of the mess he made of his own life, the author, in a state of desperation, picked up a few cleaning jobs that lead him to an unexpected calling as a celebrated hoarding expert often featured on A&E's hit showHoarders.After years of working with hoarders, the author writes, he finally "figured out how to make sense out of their world." He ushers readers into that world by sharing their stories. Take Margaret, who "had been hoarding so many years that her possessions had started to decompose at the bottom of her five foot piles," whose home and possessions were "chewed or peed on by her fifty or so dogs that had free run of the place."Paxton is quick to point out that he is not a therapist but works closely with social workers in an effort to assist individuals that are in some cases almost literally suffocating under their belongings and underlying tribulations. The author presents an easy-to-use scale that deviates from the National Study Group's standard measures of chronic disorganization, helping his crew, as well as the reader, understand the various stages of hoarding. He then gives examples via case studies ranging from low-level to advanced or life-threatening hoarders. No matter how disturbing the situation is, he treats each of his clients with total respect, emphasizing that compassion is key in helping someone dig their way out.
Delicately excavates the skeletons in the clutter.
Visit his website at ClutterCleaner.biz Follow Matt on Twitter @ClutterCleaner
Foreword Suzanne Chabaud ix
Introduction xiii
1 What Is Hoarding? 1
2 Why People Hoard 33
3 Where to Begin 65
4 The Plan: Laying The Groundwork 79
5 The Players: Recruiting The Team 101
6 The Cleanup 119
7 Staying Clean 157
Epilogue 187
Resources 211
Acknowledgments 223
Index 227
Anonymous
Posted July 22, 2011
I love Matt on the show "Hoarders" and couldn't wait to read his book. It didn't disappoint. A great book for anyone who knows a hoarder, or is just interested in the subject of hoarding. Matt looks at hoarding with a no-nonsense attitude, yet with compassion towards the hoarder and the issues which have lead them to hoard. Definitely interesting reading.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 23, 2012
I enjoyed Matt's compassionate stories and his insight. This would be a great book for any psychology student's library, too.
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Posted February 15, 2012
Very honest and down to earth. Looks at both causes and solutions.
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Posted March 29, 2012
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Posted May 11, 2011
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Posted August 4, 2011
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Overview
On the front lines with extreme hoardersThe Secret Lives of Hoarders is much more than harrowing tales of attacking the ugliest, dirtiest, and most shocking hoarding cases in the country. It is a behind-the-scenes look at this hidden epidemic- what it means, how to recognize it before it gets out of hand, and how to deal with it.
Through his work with hundreds of clients in the worst circumstances- from the giant "rat's nest" that hid more than $13,000 in cash to a vast cache of cartoon pornography to twenty-five years' worth of unopened mail-Matt Paxton has learned to understand ...