History YMMV / Hoarders

* PointAndLaughShow: As it says on the main page, some people who work with hoarders complain that the show presents a stereotypical view of hoarders as "trailer trash", i.e. working class folks. There is a certain amount of class/income privilege assumptions at work here; a sense that middle- to upper-class people with a lot of stuff are collectors, working/lower-class people (who maybe can't afford to organize their collections) are hoarders.

** That happens with a sad frequency in many of the animal hoarders' homes. One of the worst examples was Hanna, who kept dozens of animals stuffed into small cages and barely cared for them at all. At one point, the cleanup crew found a dead chicken that had been squashed completely flat by the weight of the cages and junk piled on top of it.

* NightmareFuel: One old lady had cat skeletons in her house.

* ParanoiaFuel: ''At least I'm not that messy,'' one may think as they make a way through the corridor of boxes between the kitchen and the living room. ''I will '''''definitely''''' get this Christmas stuff put away by Cinco de Mayo!''

* TearJerker: Laura, a wife and mom fighting cancer whose aim was to get her house cleaned up and her hoarding under control before she died. [[spoiler:She didn't live to see the episode air, but she was at peace having achieved her goal.]]

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The season 6 episode featured Manuel, an older gentleman whose hoarding caused a chain reaction that resulted in his son and daughter-in-law to lose custody of their four children (social workers discovered the horrid condition of Manuel's house ''and'' his son's house, neither of which was deemed fit for children to live in.) Although you can understand the pain and anger felt by all family members (and the son [[FridgeBrilliance possibly getting his own habits from his father]]), the fact that the son refused [[NeverMyFault to accept ANY responsibility]] for his own actions resulting in him losing custody his own children (leaving them in his father's care in spite of the conditions of the home, making him the primary and sole caretaker, not being bothered to clean up/repair his own home, etc.) made him this trope. Even the cleaning crew members were quick to call him out on this.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The season 6 episode featured Manuel, an older gentleman whose hoarding caused a chain reaction that resulted in his son and daughter-in-law to lose custody of their four children (social workers discovered the horrid condition of Manuel's house ''and'' his son's house, neither of which was deemed fit for children to live in.) Although you can understand the pain and anger felt by all family members (and the son [[FridgeBrilliance possibly getting his own habits from his father]]), the fact that he refused [[NeverMyFault to accept ANY responsibility]] for his own actions resulting in him losing custody his own children (leaving them in his father's care in spite of the conditions of the home, making him the primary and sole caretaker, not being bothered to clean up/repair his own home, etc.) made him this trope. Even the cleaning crew members were quick to call him out on this.

* {{Narm}}: The melodramatic reactions the hoarders have to the prospect of parting with things, as well as the family arguments that result from their hoarding.[[note]]Keep in mind that many of the people on this show are mentally ill -- not just the hoarders themselves, but family members. However, according to some people on the crew, these situations are sometimes played up for the camera.[[/note]]

* ParanoiaFuel: ''At least I'm not that messy,'' one may think as they make a way through the corridor of boxes between the kitchen and the living room. ''I will ''definitely'' get this Christmas stuff put away by Cinco de Mayo!''

** If you are a book person, watch the book episode, Claire and Vance.

* {{Narm}}: The melodramatic reactions the hoarders have to the prospect of parting with things, as well as the family arguments that result from their hoarding.[[note]]Keeping in mind that many of the people on this show are mentally ill -- not just the hoarders themselves, but family members.[[/note]][[note]]Also keeping in mind that according to some people on the crew, these situations are sometimes played up for the camera.[[/note]]

** If you are a book person, watch the book episode, Claire and Vance. This troper had a moment of, "I have seen how I die."

** That happens with a sad frequency in many of the animal hoarders' homes.

** Shannon, a woman who suffered from paranoid delusions who thought her house was possessed by demons. She tried to keep them away by wrting 'JEHOVA' and 'YASHUA' on her door in red paint that looked like blood and praying to a cat's skull she named 'Friend'.

* PointAndLaughShow: As it says on the main page, some people who work with hoarders complain that the show presents a stereotypical view of hoarders as "trailer trash", i.e. working class folks. There is a certain amount of class/income privilege assumptions at work here; a sense that middle- to upper-class people with a lot of stuff are collectors, working/lower-class people (who maybe can't afford to organize their collections) are hoarders.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Rumor has it that the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDT3zm45YaA Chandler family]], of Webcomic/{{Sonichu}} infamy were approached to film an episode, but declined out of [[{{Pride}} pride]].
** That said, close examination of the emails exchanged between the troll and the "A&E producer" indicates that it was very likely fake, and the Chandlers were never approached, nor was A&E truly contacted about them.

* PointAndLaughShow: As it says on the main page, some people who work with hoarders complain that the show presents a stereotypical view of hoarders as "trailer trash", i.e. working class folks. There is a certain amount of class/income privilege assumptions at work here; a sense that middle- to upper-class people with a lot of stuff are collectors, working/lower-class people (who maybe can't afford to organize their collections) are hoarders.

* {{Narm}}: The melodramatic reactions the hoarders have to the prospect of parting with things, as well as the family arguments that result from their hoarding.[[note]]Keeping in mind that many of the people on this show are mentally ill.[[/note]]

* DocumentaryOfLies: [[http://survivorsucks.yuku.com/topic/55139/Hoarders-on-AE Some people suspect this show is partly staged]]. A couple of people on the crew have revealed that while the hoarders and their stories are real, some of the houses are made to look worse than they really were. One suggested watching for the same items turning up in home after home. Some of the family situations seem escalated to create additional drama. Some professional organizers [[http://unclutterer.com/2010/06/03/hoarding-why-forced-cleanouts-are-unsuccessful/ criticize the show's tactics]], especially the rushed, forced cleanouts that leave people feeling that even their cherished possessions are deemed worthless: "We know of several cases in which hoarders have committed suicide following a forced cleanout."
** Matt Paxton has given [[http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2015/05/28/exclusive-matt-paxton-answers-your-hoarders-frequently-asked-questions/ an interview disputing some of the criticism]], and frankly, some of the stuff could just be that hoarders hoard similar things.

* ParanoiaFuel: ''At least I'm not that messy,'' I thought as I eased my way through the corridor of boxes between the kitchen and the living room. ''I will ''definitely'' get this Christmas stuff put away by Cinco de Mayo!''

*** These people are labeled as Type 5 hoarders; on a recent episode of Series/TheView a representative from the show claimed we might all be Type 1.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Rumor has it that the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDT3zm45YaA Chandler family]], of {{Sonichu}} infamy were approached to film an episode, but declined out of [[{{Pride}} pride]].

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Matt Paxton. Corey Chalmers is liked for also being a bit hard hitting when his temper flares and being a deadpan snarker.