How do I help a hoarder? - /b/ (#936287619) [Archived: 708 hours ago]

Anonymous
6/26/2025, 7:42:05 PM No.936287619
hoard
hoard
md5: 7eeb4b02b9b7c4faeb80a5fa629a6b35🔍
My mother is a hoarder. The last time I helped her move it took 3 of U-Haul's largest trucks to transport everything. She actually keeps her home fairly clean but boxes slowly build up over time then she deposits them into a storage unit. By my calculations she's spent about $20K over the last 6 years just to pay for the storage unit. This is also in conjunction with a shopping addiction. She has no money saved up and frequently tells me she can't buy groceries despite constantly shopping online and paying the storage unit fee.
She is going to have to move again soon and I am not going to be the only one to have to transport all that crap, possibly to another state. So my plan is that I'm going to sell all of it.
So I have decided that I'm going to start selling her stuff. I have access to the storage unit and I have told her what I intend to do, she is reluctant but almost sound like she's be relieved if I do.
So my question is; how do you deal with someone that has a bad shopping/hoarding addiction and what method should I use to sell her hoard? Not sure if I should do it online or maybe have a yard sale.
Replies: >>936287787 >>936288453 >>936288531 >>936288640 >>936288717 >>936288847 >>936288995 >>936289611 >>936291433
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 7:46:34 PM No.936287787
>>936287619 (OP)
I know this will get 0 replies because it's not degenerate porn.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 7:47:08 PM No.936287808
hoarders
hoarders
md5: fe16dbb4ed46fff9a0544d1a5c9d9cef🔍
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 7:51:20 PM No.936288012
I'M GONNA HOOOOOOOARD
Replies: >>936290859
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:02:29 PM No.936288453
>>936287619 (OP)
You find a therapist that is affiliated with a cleaning service that are both especially trained to deal with hoarders in a way that actually helps them.
Replies: >>936288537
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:04:26 PM No.936288531
>>936287619 (OP)
Burn the house down
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:04:31 PM No.936288537
>>936288453
I'm not paying someone to tell me what I already know and to perform a task I can do myself.
Replies: >>936288629
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:06:42 PM No.936288629
>>936288537
>I'm not paying someone to tell me what I already know and to perform a task I can do myself.
Okay, so make due with the therapist and carry her shit yourself.
Because you do not have the training to help her solve those mental issues.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:06:54 PM No.936288640
>>936287619 (OP)
>perform a task I can do myself.
Then why are you asking for help here?
The fact remains that you haven't solved the problem despite being so fucking smart.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:08:30 PM No.936288717
>>936287619 (OP)
Just start throwing her shit away
Replies: >>936288828
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:10:48 PM No.936288828
>>936288717
I've done that. A lot of it can be thrown away, but there's also a lot of stuff that's in good shape and can be sold. It's not just a mountain of trash, there's nice furniture and home decorations in there. Of course trashing it all would still be a financial gain because she wouldn't be paying for the storage unit. But I know she'd just build up another hoard over time.
Replies: >>936290989
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:11:06 PM No.936288847
>>936287619 (OP)
You cannot legally sell her stuff without her okay. You can get away with it if you say it is your stuff. But it can be tracked and if she wants it back, cops can get it back for her. However, if she has no money to move her stuff and you refuse to do it, she will have to leave it behind. Also /adv/ is a better board for this.
Replies: >>936288893 >>936289018
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:12:09 PM No.936288893
>>936288847
I made a thread there too but it's slow and won't get replies because it's not "how do I get gf?"
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:14:12 PM No.936288995
>>936287619 (OP)
Can you get her to get rid of the debit/credit cards. Can't buy things online or over the phone with cash. This will help with the new hoarding.

Part of the problem with hoarders is that they use items as their psychological connection to the past. eg in that photo the trike is kept not because she needs a trike but it is a physical connection to a childhood memory involving a trike.

The problem with hoarders is that legitimate family heirlooms get mixed in with a lot of other crap that has no "meaning" Before you go to storage unit you might want to ask her to write down 10 things from memory that she wants to keep. If you physically go there it will end up she wants to keep everything as you literally watch her reminisce over every object

Yard sale you get jack for and its something she could end up at and cause problems. Sort through the stuff and sell online what might have value. Donate still useful stuff to local St Vincints. They will come pick up big stuff that isn't garbage
Replies: >>936289258
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:14:53 PM No.936289018
>>936288847
We have a good relationship and I have already told her what I want to do. I wouldn't be doing it in secret. Hopefully she will be open to me selling more when she sees that I'm making money from it.
My only real question is what is the best place to sell shit online? And do you need a license to do it? I don't want to have to deal with retards demanding refunds for whatever reason and I don't want trailer trash crawling around in my yard if I had a yard sale.
Replies: >>936289133 >>936289245
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:17:41 PM No.936289133
>>936289018
Selling her shit is just kicking the can down the road, the mental shit that causes her to act like that will still be there.
Replies: >>936289258 >>936289329
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:20:37 PM No.936289245
>>936289018
If in US you don't need a license to sell stuff online. Have written with advert that all sales are "as is" and "final" that undercuts the people wanting refunds. Although its not unreasonable for someone to ask you to plug in an electronic item to see that its working before purchase. Check online. Many communities have community market places similar to facebook market place that don't involve charges. Also many police stations have a room set aside where people can meet to exchange items in a secure location
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:20:52 PM No.936289258
>>936289133
NMP
She's old and will never change. I'm just trying to save a few shekels.
>>936288995
>Can you get her to get rid of the debit/credit cards.
No, this is a deep psychological issue that she's had for probably her whole life. It's the whole reason she and dad divorced. She treated him like an ATM and racked up tons of credit card debt and still expected him to buy her a mansion.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:22:11 PM No.936289329
>>936289133
By the sound of it, much of her hoarding comes from impulse buying which indicates depression issues
Replies: >>936289355 >>936289380
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:22:51 PM No.936289355
>>936289329
Yup.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:23:33 PM No.936289380
>>936289329
Yeah she likes to feel sorry for herself and sigh loudly when people are around. Very little self awareness or understanding that she is the reason she's in this mess. Typical female mentality.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:28:59 PM No.936289611
>>936287619 (OP)
Sell the expensive or good stuff for half price, marketplace or online or w/e. Sell the cheaper stuff in bulk. "For $500 you can take anything you want here, and as much as you like", or $200 or $2000 or whatever. Do that once or twice then the rest throw in a dumpster without regret, even if it's new in boxes. Don't be emotional about it and don't let your mom influence your pricing.
In a situation like this it's easier to apologize once for selling everything too cheap than it is to ask her permission 100 times or per item, or have to run everything by her, that would be a nightmare
Replies: >>936290996 >>936291316
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:29:04 PM No.936289615
I fell asleep at her house and woke up to her using my foot to rub her crusty old snatch.
I'm really starting to hate her and wonder why I should even bother helping. I should probably just leave.
Replies: >>936289754 >>936291078
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:32:29 PM No.936289754
>>936289615
She wants you to fuck her
Replies: >>936290178
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:36:41 PM No.936289929
sunlight and cardio,
she might have naphthylamine poisoning from termites, it is incased by the body in fat cells and can cause feelings of fatigue when the fat cells are opened for fuel. my mother is showing signs of hoarding, breaking down cardboard boxes has become a control issue so i am purposefully acting stupid so she can get a control high, like convincing her to make a bunch of sandwiches and refusing to touch them without direct permission. avoiding positions or phrases that undermine the father son relation type; recreating childhood cliches like getting a band aid put on a scrape or cut, things that she can look at and say she did that, making her feel useful. i used to do coin counting with my grandma then spend some money not the actual coins so she could count them again.
ohh and everyone needs an enemy you can decide this for her, i recommend it be the mailman or someone close, do not forget to tip and feed the mailman if you decide to do this, someone she can take action against your mom is not a criminal, but she has worked for things and retirement they stop working towards goals.
Replies: >>936289999
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:38:29 PM No.936289999
>>936289929
ai gibberish
Replies: >>936290130
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:41:16 PM No.936290130
>>936289999
nice quads
simultaneously hating and feeding the mailman does sound like fun though
Replies: >>936291403 >>936291523
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:42:27 PM No.936290178
>>936289754
I already wasted too much of my adult life living in her basement.
I gave her a nasty look and cut the visit short after she did that. Then she had the audacity to get bitchy with me.
Replies: >>936290781
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 8:58:35 PM No.936290781
>>936290178
Bitch just needs a good dicking. She'll calm the fuck down after that
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:01:30 PM No.936290859
1697686137530367
1697686137530367
md5: 4eead65ff5edd101a51171ec80459330🔍
>>936288012
underrated
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:05:15 PM No.936290989
>>936288828
>But I know she'd just build up another hoard over time.
she is such a busy bee
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:05:23 PM No.936290996
>>936289611
>>throw in a dumpster without regret, even if it's new in boxes.

Why not donate? Give some poor fuck an opportunity to get something they can afford rather than be a dog in the manger
Replies: >>936291579
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:07:31 PM No.936291078
1704804191973934
1704804191973934
md5: c940e5d8854c990bd52f8ee2e2793f17🔍
>>936289615
what did I just read
Replies: >>936291120
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:08:58 PM No.936291120
>>936291078
Something that I wish wasn't true.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:11:37 PM No.936291229
Is she hot?
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:13:38 PM No.936291316
>>936289611
>or have to run everything by her
I know that's a bad idea. While we were moving I had a dumpster and was throwing shit out. She would come over and pull out literal garbage and start berating me. You know, the only person that was helping her move.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:15:55 PM No.936291403
>>936290130
Christmas cookies, holiday brownies they love that shit meanwhile behind close doors you and mother gossip because that is what women like to do.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:16:43 PM No.936291433
>>936287619 (OP)
don't throw away anything, you might need that stuff some day, you never know. have it taken to your house
Replies: >>936291675
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:18:52 PM No.936291523
>>936290130
i forgot to mention because of the amount of time the mailman is in proximity and the unpredictability of each delivery it forces more sunlight time wait for him, and allows for goal setting with 24 hour reward time soo nothing outside expected health memory limits.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:20:36 PM No.936291579
>>936290996
Any kind of clothing is going to be donated.
Replies: >>936291785
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:22:45 PM No.936291675
>>936291433
I know you're joking but she dug a leg from a broken lawn chair out of the trash as I was cleaning and basically what you just said.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:25:34 PM No.936291785
>>936291579
there is a possibility that by donating that stuff to other people you will make hoarders out of them, think about it
Replies: >>936291882
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:28:06 PM No.936291882
>>936291785
No it'll just go to local bums. And on garbage day I'll see them going through my cans wearing my old faded graphic tees.
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:31:57 PM No.936292066
05m5FY5rU8Gc
05m5FY5rU8Gc
md5: 68aaae974a7e60e360e4be43cd4f9296🔍
Looking for someone who knows how to spoil me. emaquiie
Replies: >>936292199
Anonymous
6/26/2025, 9:35:21 PM No.936292199
>>936292066
OP has a lot of valuable stuff to throw away, you might wanna use some of it, check the photo he posted