Oooooo, steve, I have been there in person. Not that house but too many just like it. Actually that one was pretty good in that so much was boxed up. A truck, a couple hours, a storage unit and the OP could help Mom get the place liveable. BUT there is still the hoarding problem to contain. Sometimes the person somehow manages to fill it right back up again in no time.

Couldn't help but notice the date was December 2003. Wonder how it turned out? Too often, not so good.

I saw this whole thing about a year or so ago, but at that time there was another photo that actually showed the mom outside the front of the house. How embarrassing for that poor woman, to be "outed" by her son like that, and photos spread around the world.

I got the impression that the guy who posted those photos didn't want to help his mom, just get a laugh at her expense.

To me, he sounded more like he was very frustrated rather than wanting to "get a laugh." Maybe he was partly hoping it would help to publicize it.

Dealing with someone who's mentally ill can do that to a person. I once knew someone whose mother was bipolar and who apparently wouldn't do much about it, and the daughter talked about her with the same tone of loathing.

I hope he has moved out of there.

Thats a really sad, scary situation. Just want to weep over the lost lives of that mother and son. And get angry that the son could take the pictures -- but admits he is too lazy to do anything!

it wouldn't matter if he's lazy, at least not in terms of the mother's clutter. He could set some boundaries for himself, I suppose, were he not so lazy.

And he could get himself out of the house so he's not so permanently angry at his mother, were he not so lazy.

But he couldn't do anything about his mom's mess except perhaps now and then scrape a little bit off the top layer (which would only be replaced later).

His poor mom--think how burdened she is in so many ways--hiding her house behind the cardboard over the windows, and hiding her kitchen light behind a wall of boxes, hiding, hiding.

Interesting window on the world of psychoses. If the poster was looking for anything other than showcasing "his world" he would have posted on a site where the responders could articulate beyond explatives.

Is that an object lesson, or what! I have a friend who hasn't reached that stage yet, but getting close. It's almost as if they define themselves by their junk. There's only so much help one can give - those who tend toward hoarding have to reach the crossroads by themselves (or with professional help) and learn to let go. Or be carted away eventually and the house gets cleaned out with the aid of industrial dumpsters, a high pressure hose and a shovel. I can't even imagine going through all that stuff - it would go out sight unseen, part and parcel.

I have a clutter problem - but I think I'll take care of it this evening!

But isn't that what society does -- define us by our "junk"? You are judged "wealthy" -- not by the emotional stabilty of your life -- not by being a kind person -- not by the happiness of your marriage --- but by the size of our homes, the status of our jobs and the ornament on the hood of our cars. We put value on "things" -- not on people.

I think a perfect example is Donald Trump --- The Apprentice has been a huge hit in the past because people want to achieve what he "has". Who would really like to be like him? He seems fairly cold and aloof -- has been married 3 times --- and doesn't seem to be a happy person.

So "hoarding" seems natural to many people as a way of saying to themselves -- "look what I have".

Yes, we may all be defined by our junk whether it be a suburban starter castle with a BMW and Escalade parked in the drive, the biggest plazma TV money can buy, a yacht in the local marina, and clothes shopping trips to Paris twice a year; or more modest digs, a more economical car, a row boat, and a trip to Macy's every now and again.

I can't see too much connection with this poor soul and Donald Trump. He's out in the open and in your face with his often over the top and tacky extravagance; while she, on the other hand, is amassing her world on eBay behind cardboard covered windows.

We all surround ourselves with things we like or hold dear, but most of us are not pathological about our collecting/hoarding to the extent that our lives are consumed by it. This woman is consumed, needs help and, unfortunately, will probably never get it.

That is so sad, my husband and I lived in a rather large condominium building. We met a man who was in his ninties,his wife had died the year before, which left him with absolutely no one. His condo looked a lot like this, except he had no pc or E Bay. But he had a dumster on each end of the building, there was space and shelves for the things that did not go into the dumster. In his condo was every window, and door, that had been replaced.He had lots of toasters, elec can openers,etc He had a path to his sink,table,bed,organ,and balcony. There were no dirty dishes, it was neat and clean. but full and this stuff, that was very valuable to him. He also had alziemers, we found out later. I wonder if this might be one of the signs to look for? They are very good at hiding it.Even though they only recognize people they are in touch with every day. No one that speaks to them would ever guess, they have no idea who they are. It is one of the sadest deseases.

There's another woman with a similar hoarding problem. Her children made a movie about her called "My Mother'S Garden". It was very sad. Her adult children convinced her go to another state to live with one daughter while the others descended on her home and threw out everything, cleaned and fixed up her house. When she returned, she was bereft , had a breakdown, and had to be placed in a mental hospital.Very pathetic.

wow....

That was amazing. But it wasn't the son's fault or responsibility. I don't think there is a thing he could do and as far as showing it to the world, that's his cry for help.

You can't clean up another person's junk. The person has to do their own stuff. I am very messy but only *I* know what's necessary and valuable.

Sad. I do feel sympathy for the son. Yes, he must have known that posting it on that forum would invite ridicule, but I feel it is probably a bit therapeutic for him to put it all out there like that. I don't begrudge him that. A cry for help? At least a means of coping to some extent.

His mother's illness (which obviously involves paranoia as well as hoarding) is probably something he's been dealing with all his life, and sometimes humor is a way to cope.

And, yes, it does make me feel better about my house.