YaBoyHPLovecraft | Sup Nickas |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Anyone here have any tips for dealing with cleaning out a hoarder’s horde? |
aCompleteRandom | |
Mad_Amos | roll off dumpster |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | I’m almost there. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | My Dad and Brother have put their foot down, the damn thing is sitting curbside for another week and a half.Unfortunately, it seems I’m left holding the bag for the actual doing of the thing |
aCompleteRandom | Deceased family member, or living person? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Is there a way to compromise with the Hoarder? Or are they so deep in their narcissism that it’s impossible - I’ve gotten the platitudes, but whenever the actual act of throwing the stuff out comes close my Mom becomes a vicious, snarling psychopath. Literally like gollum |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Living, for now… |
Mad_Amos | Sometimes its depression or other mental illness |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Fuck, I’m gonna end up killing my Mom… |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | There’s definitely depression in there… I’ve got my theories on the whole mess, but knowing the why is pretty pointless |
aCompleteRandom | Ah, your mother. Do you live with her? If not, walk away. If so, move. Women hoarders are the worst. And even if you did use the typical, "Are you going to use this this month?" method of weeding shit out, they'll find a reason why used toilet paper is indispensable. And tie her down and throw it all out? It'll be back with reinforcements by next month. Get away is the best way to deal. |
Mad_Amos | have to treat it to get them to agree sometimes |
Darkomen42 | Ever watched hoarders? That's not an exaggeration |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | You are absolutely right. I should just wash my hands and disappear from the whole situation, I’ve just got to get this done for my dad. He’s only got a handful of years left, in his culture when someone passes there’s a week of extended family coming over everyday. He’d be in hell from the embarrassment of it all, people seeing the order of his house |
Mad_Amos | hire someone to help? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | He’s dealt with her shit for 40 something years now, worked his body into the ground, he deserves to enjoy the house he broke his body to buy |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That’s a great idea, if I can’t get anything done that’ll be the next step |
aCompleteRandom | But if, as you say, he's washed his hands of it and dumped it on you, is it possible that the week of witnesses will serve as vindication for his decades of having to deal with her hoarding? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | I’ll snap before and after pics for posterity |
Darkomen42 | It's really kind of up to you, take the compassion route or just say look, this is getting done whether you like it or not, you can help or I'll do it myself and that's that. |
Darkomen42 | Which in and of itself isn't even lacking compassion |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Honestly that’s how it should be… My pops is the black sheep of his family, the only one of his armo-clan to marry an American. Everyone told him it was a terrible fucking idea (not that Armenian relationships are much better) and he’s spent a lot of the last 40 years behind an eminence front |
aCompleteRandom | Both of those routes are compassionate. He's helping both his parents, whether his mother wants it or not. My route is the one that lacks compassion. On the flipside, hoarders don't see the filth, they only see the stuff. Stuff is everything to them, and it destroys relationships when people try to separate hoarders from their useless shit. I say go with lack of compassion and walk away. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | I think you’re right, maybe send my Mom off to a getaway for a few days? |
Mad_Amos | 72hr hold at a hospital psych ward |
Mad_Amos | but yeah |
aCompleteRandom | lol |
Darkomen42 | If you're ok with the aftermath, I guess? Or she can decide what she'd like to keep and help but it's going to happen regardless. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Eh, my relationship with my Mother disintegrated decades ago. #MommyIssuesGangI’ll give it a go over the next week, do what I can, and walk away if need be |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | HAHAH! That would echo poetic, for sure |
Darkomen42 | The hoarding isn't good for her either, so it's not like you're doing it to hurt her |
aCompleteRandom | Yeah, I mean, in that case, it sounds like your mother isn't the issue, it's compassion for your father. And yeah, con her into taking a 3 day trip to the Casino or something, then work your ass off to trash the shit and get rid of the dumpster. When she starts throwing a fit when she returns, pretend she's crazy and claim everything is exactly where it was when she left. She's not stupid, she'll know you're full of shit, but what can she do? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Fucking gaslighting, I love it |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Luckily I already got the attics cleaned out a while back, they had a rat infestation so everything up there was completely covered in rat shit and piss, chewed to hell |
aCompleteRandom | If you do choose to take that route, take pictures of everything, before and after, as well as all the useless shit you trash. Hoarders have been known to sue family for throwing away the trash. It can get ugly. I'm not a lawyer, but maybe get some CYA advise from other lawyers who can be found hereabouts. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Holy shit, I wonder would she do that… Thanks for the heads-up, I’ll look into it. Be prepared |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Pray for the best, prepare for the worst |
aCompleteRandom | Best assumption is that she would, especially if, as you say, your relationship with her is not the most positive. It's kind of shitty of your brother and father not to stand shoulder to shoulder with you to blunt the risk. But definitely protect yourself. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Hahahaha! Maybe I can use the fuckery of CA law to cut all that off at the head - hoarding in your yard is a misdemeanor here, get it on the books that the mess is causing a ‘public nuisance’ |
aCompleteRandom | That'd be one to run by a lawyer. It's been my observation that once a local government gets eyes on a property, and has a reason to possibly take it away, they never remove their baleful gaze. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | True… |
aCompleteRandom | Now a random thought would be to invite something like the hoarders show folks in, or something like that. End up with free help to clean shit up, and everything's documented, and there's a crew to keep her from knifing you.  |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | I think it’s NPD as the cause, because she’s a stage 4 hoarder EXCEPT for personal hygiene and the bathrooms. The bathrooms are fucking spotless. There’s food and trash and plates and shit everywhere but the bathrooms |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Could try that again, actually applied to that show about a decade ago. I don’t think she’s bad enough for them to bite |
aCompleteRandom | She use drugs or sober? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | She’s been on head-meds for years, so never-sober |
Mad_Amos | I'm coming around to burn it down |
aCompleteRandom | First impressions always the best.  |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | The ‘what’ of it is madness to boot… I’m not exaggerating, there’s about $200,000 of worthless paper dolls and broken barbies |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Just boxes and boxes and boxes of broken barbie dolls and doll parts… |
aCompleteRandom | Has your brother given a reason why he doesn't want to help clear out the trash? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | He’s the youngest, and he’s always been a little shit when it comes to helping. Like I said I went through the hazardous waste clean up back in January, and my baby bro basically drags his feet -> freaks out -> starts a massive fight -> vindictively fucks off.My middle bro’ll help, he’s just working 10 hour days in construction so it’s a coin-flip whether he’s dead or not at the end of the day. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | And on therapy, my Mother’s been in therapy for decades now. I’d be surprised if her therapists have ever even known about the hoarding. Therapy here in Cali is all dick-riding and prescriptions |
aCompleteRandom | The primary reason I ask is that hoarders can be extremely vindictive. You could clear it all out, remodel the house, and insure she lives in virtual paradise for the rest of her life. YET, what she will remember is that you threw away her STUFF. It's a good way to get disinherited. Assuming of course, that she outlives your father. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Luckily, my Father realized how batshit she was years ago. All his assets are trusted up and divvied accordingly |
aCompleteRandom | Not to just go and list literally everything that can go wrong. Just... "What could go wrong" is the first question to the engineering personality/mindset. |
Darkomen42 | Aaaaand I'm off until next Wednesday morning unless my phone rings in the morning |
aCompleteRandom | Nice! Enjoy your mini-vacation. |
Darkomen42 | Why is she hoarding doll parts? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | You’re absolutely right, and thanks for the deppressive realism - I didn’t even think about being sued but possibility is not zero |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Noooice, enjoy it |
Darkomen42 | There was a road here |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Like I said, I have my theories. To put it succinctly: unresolved trauma from my grandma’s death + midlife crisis to become the ‘world renowned fashion designer’ that 2nd wave feminism promised her she would be? |
Darkomen42 | Right, but it's not like an investment or she's trying to assemble multiple broken dolls into good ones or something like that? |
aCompleteRandom | Is she a garage sale junkie, flea market / second hand store junkie, dumpster diver, all of the above? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Her ‘plan’ was to create a museum to showcase all of her costume designs on the dolls, and she decided to just buy lots of barbie parts to make her own dolls? She’s insane, so it doesn’t have to make sense. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Yes |
Darkomen42 | Yeah but at least that idea sort of makes sense |
Darkomen42 | It's not like the lady that hoarded her own poop or something |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Exactly! There’s a method to the madness, somewhere in there |
Darkomen42 | Has she ever actually created any of these costumes? |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | And honestly, the part of me that still sees the dying light of God can glimpse a way out of this.I would want nothing more than to drag her into the 21st century - it would make me giddy if she had, instead, a youtube channel where she could post her work for the world to see |
aCompleteRandom | Maybe try tricking Gordan Ramsay into thinking her house is a "Kitchen Nightmare" and see what happens?  |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That is the other issue… She used to be in fashion, and she used to be pretty good. The problem is she hasn’t made a damn thing in at least 15 years. She’s been buying all the supplies, piling up the projects, but she has no idea how severely skill can atrophy |
Darkomen42 | Like there's an actual idea behind creating miniature versions of her costume ideas and putting them on dolls. That's not a completely terrible idea all by itself, but if she's not doing any of the execution beyond just collecting shit tons of dolls, that's a different issue |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That might be part of it too? If she had a functional workspace and an organized inventory SHE’D ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THE FUCKING THING. I wonder if she subconsciously knows that she’s back to beginner levels, and would rather live in the fantasy with an excuse for why she’s stuck |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Yeah! There’s something there, some lotus that could sprout from the muck |
Darkomen42 | There's an abundance of shit in my mom's house largely because she doesn't like throwing things away that are still in good shape, so she winds up collecting things that are in fine shape but has no use so they're just sitting around piled up |
aCompleteRandom | Tangentially related: https://youtu.be/MvgN5gCuLac |
Darkomen42 | And every so often she'll go through stuff and just throw away at crap ton of stuff, but she's raising my sister's four kids and between work and taking care of them, she doesn't have a lot of time in clean stuff out like she otherwise would |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | All I know is my parents have a $2 million 3,600 sq ft home with 1 live-able bedroom, two bathrooms, a small tv room and a kitchen. 2,000 sq.ft. is stuff piled 8 ft deep |
Darkomen42 | Yeah my mom's house is around 1500 square feet so |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That dude was a gem, Napalm and Sillyputty was a great read |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That’s crazy man, my Mom has your Mom’s house full of stuff |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | THIS HOUSE IS JUST A PILE OF STUFF |
Darkomen42 | That's all right. My mom has her own house full of her own stuff, and too many people |
aCompleteRandom | I was broken of caring much about stuff beyond tools, furniture, clothes I actually wear, and kitchen shit for cooking. And computer stuff. Everything else is too easily replaceable to hoard. "Haven't used it for a year? Trash. Haven't used it for 6 months? Trash. Probably won't use it this week? That trash can is looking mighty empty..." |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | True! Nowadays it’s all mass-produced MiC planned-obsolescence landfill fodder anyway |
aCompleteRandom | When my father died, turns out he had a huge folder of some of my old school work, sports medals and ribbons, and other shit. Naturally, it was returned to me. First thing I did? Trashed the lot. All I kept was some old medical records. Family was horrified. My response? "It's just stuff." |
SirVieVal | . |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Same man, found all that sort of thing half eaten by rats in the attic. Such a boomer thing. Probably because, for them the blue ribbon actually meant something. Everyone under 44 has been ‘First Place’ a dozen times through k-12. Just a joke |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Looks like someones got a hoarding problem |
aCompleteRandom | My ultimate goal is that when I die, if my wife is still alive, there's just enough to give her a warm fuzzy feeling of the time we had together to remember me by. If she dies first? There's nothing left but some dishes and tools. If I know it's coming, I'll even trash the tech shit first. "Cleanup" will literally mean distributing tools, vehicles, and dishes and finding a home for whatever cat(s) are still around. I fucking hate stuff. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Swedish death cleaning! |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Thanks for the support Bros, helps a lot. I’ll post updates when I’ve got ‘em.Gonna go hit the gym, get some of this frustration out |
aCompleteRandom | I'm also big on cremation. And I want my ashes spread in the nearest lake, that way my ashes are consumed by the fishes, and everyone who fishes at that lake for the next several years are forced to ingest bits of me. Because fucking why not?  |
SirVieVal | That's 1.5 beer reps |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Thought you were going the circle of life route, how wrong I was… |
SirVieVal | I've been at work for 5 hours and spent 3 of it drinking and bullshitting |
aCompleteRandom | Best of luck. Just remember, roofies don't mean sex crimes always. They can be used to pacify hoarders when cleanup time rolls around.  |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | That’s crazy man, my Mom has your Mom’s house full of stuff |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | THIS HOUSE IS JUST A PILE OF STUFF |
Darkomen42 | That's all right. My mom has her own house full of her own stuff, and too many people |
aCompleteRandom | I was broken of caring much about stuff beyond tools, furniture, clothes I actually wear, and kitchen shit for cooking. And computer stuff. Everything else is too easily replaceable to hoard. "Haven't used it for a year? Trash. Haven't used it for 6 months? Trash. Probably won't use it this week? That trash can is looking mighty empty..." |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | True! Nowadays it’s all mass-produced MiC planned-obsolescence landfill fodder anyway |
aCompleteRandom | When my father died, turns out he had a huge folder of some of my old school work, sports medals and ribbons, and other shit. Naturally, it was returned to me. First thing I did? Trashed the lot. All I kept was some old medical records. Family was horrified. My response? "It's just stuff." |
SirVieVal | . |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Same man, found all that sort of thing half eaten by rats in the attic. Such a boomer thing. Probably because, for them the blue ribbon actually meant something. Everyone under 44 has been ‘First Place’ a dozen times through k-12. Just a joke |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Looks like someones got a hoarding problem |
aCompleteRandom | My ultimate goal is that when I die, if my wife is still alive, there's just enough to give her a warm fuzzy feeling of the time we had together to remember me by. If she dies first? There's nothing left but some dishes and tools. If I know it's coming, I'll even trash the tech shit first. "Cleanup" will literally mean distributing tools, vehicles, and dishes and finding a home for whatever cat(s) are still around. I fucking hate stuff. |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Swedish death cleaning! |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Thanks for the support Bros, helps a lot. I’ll post updates when I’ve got ‘em.Gonna go hit the gym, get some of this frustration out |
aCompleteRandom | I'm also big on cremation. And I want my ashes spread in the nearest lake, that way my ashes are consumed by the fishes, and everyone who fishes at that lake for the next several years are forced to ingest bits of me. Because fucking why not?  |
SirVieVal | That's 1.5 beer reps |
YaBoyHPLovecraft | Thought you were going the circle of life route, how wrong I was… |