Sort your life out

I agree Nuttynanna. I was curious about this programme which I had never watched before. No wonder these two men have 5 jobs between them (they told us). Who owns 175 pairs of shoes and 72 black tee shirts? Profligate madness or mental health issues. Nothing to do with building a safe haven for that little girl. Serious hoarding tendency which I suspect will just build up again because whatever ‘issues’ he has haven’t been addressed. I found the programme disconcerting on many levels.

I do think it is staged to some extent. I would expect an enormous amount of clutter that has accumulated over years to not be as clean and shiny as it appears to be. I also think that if you can live in such chaos that it won't take too long for it to build again.

MayBee70

I watched it last night. I think they were the sweetest family I’ve ever seen on this sort of programme. I am worried about Big Craig’s weight though, he is unhealthily overweight. Such a big bear of a man and soft as a marshmallow. And what a dear little girl. I just loved them.

Agree totally, Maybe70, with everything you say. I cried …

I watched it last night. I think they were the sweetest family I’ve ever seen on this sort of programme. I am worried about Big Craig’s weight though, he is unhealthily overweight. Such a big bear of a man and soft as a marshmallow. And what a dear little girl. I just loved them.

Another brilliant episode last night, a couple who wanted to adopt another child - their first was a 5 yr old girl - but couldn't start the process until the house was sorted. The little girl was now having friends round to play with 'Come and see my bedroom' as soon as they walked in

I thought it was a very emotional show this week. The poor woman lost her husband about 2 months after his diagnosis and I think her mother had died a few months before. All their hopes and dreams of continuing to foster children and start an art therapy group just went out of the window. Also, her daughter had a chromosonal condition and was about to start senior school. No wonder she couldn't face tidying up and parting with sentimental items. It was so heartening to see her two friends supporting her throughout.

In the previous show, the family said they were having problems tidying up because the father got confused if they moved things, so they obviously needed outside help to get organised without him becoming distressed.

As keepcalmandcavachon says, it's much more than just clutter and is different to hoarding. It's so lovely to see how much the families appreciate the help they've been given.

Stacey and the team seem really kind. They have a perfect balance of 'get stuck in' and compassion with what must be very difficult circumstances.
Some of the situations/back stories are heart rending ,I love how Stacey gently helps the families move forward and find hope for their future.
It's about so very much more than just 'clutter'.

Id never judge anyone by the way their home is. I know of someone whose house looks like a hoarder lives there but come about through loneliness. His main contact with the outside world are delivery people which explains the excessive online shopping just so he can have brief doorstep chats. He won't accept any help so caught up s in a vicious circle with his house becoming ever fuller with things he admits he doesn't need. It's very sad.

Who needs four baby car seats. I couldn’t believe how the woman didn’t know she had tons of the same items over and over.

GrannyGravy posted above that she had been a foster carer?
Perhaps that is why. Also that The lady whose house it was had lost her husband, she and her daughter were grieving and life had just got too much.
There were a lot of toys as they had been foster carers. Holding on to their loved one’s possessions, holding on to his memory.

Your post lacks empathy and is very judgemental.

I watched this programme and of course I was shocked at the amount of stuff she had.
But it also made me angry.
She needed the space for a lodger in order to maintain the mortgage. But I just couldn’t justify the amount of stuff she had.
I mean. Who needs four baby car seats. I couldn’t believe how the woman didn’t know she had tons of the same items over and over. It’s obvious why she was skint. Bad money management and hoarding.
Lets hope she doesn’t eventually repeat the pattern.

Awful programme,never watch it

There are different kinds of hoarders, and this programme seems to deal with people you could describe as shopaholics, buying for comfort, rather than people who find it hard to throw away anything at all, even rubbish like old bus tickets and newspapers.
I find it rather uplifting and always hope the people can keep things that way

I hadn’t thought about it being staged and it’s good to read people’s first hand knowledge that it isn’t. It’s a good programme no judgement just pots of help and understanding

Desperate measures sadly 😥

I think some have legitimate reasons, but some it is sheer laziness, there was a Scottish family last week, yes the dad had a dementia diagnosis, the mum was run ragged and there were ADULT kids living there, who to be honest should be pulling their weight maintaining the home to help their mum, no excuses! It also makes me wonder when they say they are too embarrassed to have friends over YET go on national TV and display the state of their home? I have been in a wheelchair for 5 yrs, two knee replacements, fibromyalgia, CFS, and my home is always clean and tidy, and no I do not have a cleaner, I just do one chore, then rest for 30 mins, another chore, then rest, it can be done!

I have had several mobility problems due to progressive neck and spinal arthritis for years and my.movement has been really restricted. Cannot bend or kneel down.

Plus a recent knee replacement and broken wrist.

l also have breathing difficulties and live by myself.

Mentioning all these things not for sympathy but because l can just about manage the basics in everyday life.

My.flat is very untidy and sometimes looks as though it has been ransacked.

So as already mentioned in this post. Nobody should judge a person's living environment or life until you have walked in their shoes

I had a friend who was on a similar cash in the attic programme.He said the only problem was that they had to have an angle on him, in his case it was a health problem.I do find the back stories in Sort Your Life out terribly sad and I’m glad that Stacey et al can help them. The poor man with early onset Altzheimers last week was so lovely.

No its not staged. My friend is due to appear and the episode will be screened next month. She could not say enough good things about Stacey and Co, and the respectful and kind way they treated the whole family, the experience was great for them all.

It's not staged. I know a family whose house featured on the programme and I know that their clutter was real. I admired them for letting it be seen on TV.

Maybee

I hope you feel better soon

Your clutter has accumulated over many years you say MayBee so it’s not going to cull in a couple of days, dog free or not.

However if you just throw one thing out (bin, charity bag) that’s 365 items by this time next year! You’ll notice spaces and have freedom of movement incrementally.

Start tomorrow? Good luck! ✔️

MayBee70, my cleaner is a complete star in that way. she loves to tidy and sort out and helps with decisions sometimes too. she does know me fairly well of course.
I just recommend something like that really strongly.

No shame in getting help, none of us are getting any younger.

You could ask an agency like Home Instead. Its not cheap, but then, more peace of mind and feeling freer to enjoy your house is worth a heck of a lot

Not really. It’s been getting worse for years.It’s actually clean and the clutter is categorised to a certain extent. My partner has got our shared dog for a couple of days so I can crack on with stuff but now I’ve got the blocked drain problem. I’m going away for a few weeks and when I get back I’m going to see if my daughter can help ( although she’ll be devoting herself to her son’s GCSE revision by then). I must admit to not understanding how people can just have piles of clothes everywhere or have dirty cookers etc. Having said that my kitchen looks as if a bomb has hit it even though my cooking usually amounts to making a salad sandwich. How anyone can create so much mess cooking is beyond me. Strange thing is, if my house was someone else’s house and I was asked to clean and sort it I would be able to do it. And when I was working I kept on top of everything. I need to pretend I’m someone else don’t I…

Oh dear.
I do try from time to time.

Allira

petra

Chardy

I don't think it's staged. There are 20 people listed at the end of the show as Location Runners. You see them laying all the stuff out in the warehouse. I'm sure they do plenty of other things!

I reckon we could all do with a Stacey asking us 'Do you really need this?'

Not me. I’m the queen of the chuckerouter, often to my own detriment. Particularly my sewing and gardening bits and pieces.

My Mum was like you.

Perhaps that is why I am a reluctant declutterer. However, you wouldn't realise that there is a load of junk in this house because it is all in cupboards, drawers or stored apart from the things I like around me.

I always think something might come in useful, someone might want it, someone gave it to me so it has sentimental value even if I don't like it, or I might lose weight and fit into it again etc etc etc.

Perhaps I should try this programme, it might inspire me.

I know exactly what you mean. I recently helped a neighbour to pack up ready for moving. Not a cluttered home, very tidy and no clutter.
It blew my mind when all the cupboards and wardrobes were opened. The amount of stuff all beautifully stored, not just thrown in but immaculate.