apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I just don't have words for this. Okay, maybe a few. I loved that it made me love my own home more than I ever thought possible.
I actually thought it was kind of fun. My favorite thing was the curio cabinet full of Lion King brick-a-brack. The top couple of shelves are pretty organized then the bottom is just a heap of Simbas, Pumbaas, Nalas and Timons. I also enjoyed the dusty Cabbage Patch Kid doll with the clown mask.
I believe that the person captioning the pictures was a teenager or young adult. That person seemed to have a good sense of humor about the fact that his/her mother is a packrat. I applaud humor in the face of diversity (and mild insanity) - that's how you end up with writers like David Sedaris.

Lordy, lordy, call those boys from Queer Eye.

I think you need more than the cure. First a garage sale.

I think that mother needs more than a visit from the Queer Eye guys; more like a visit from a shrink. Compulsive hoarder or some sort of OCD shopping disorder. Even the poor kid's room is full of her stuff, that's some therapy time in the future right there.

But it makes my messy and full of books room look positively minimalist.

wow

Doodle, Thanks for sharing!
Bet you can't wait to go to college!
:)

Oh wait, thats not Doodle's house, is it?

OMG I couldn't make it past the kitchen pictures I think I'm breaking out in hives as I type.

Once that kid gets his own place, he's going to be a minimalist for sure ...

Poor thing.

The house is dreadful. The fact that the hapless teen who lives there posted it is one of the more appropriate acts of rebellion I have ever seen. I hope this young person grows up and lives in a cool, spacious, minimalist place.

It's certainly inspiration to review my own stuff again...

quick, somebody call neicy at clean house !!!
she'll put an end to all this foolishness !!!

Someone in this family has some serious mental illness. No wonder they can't afford to move to a better house.

This is mental illness, not simply a compulsive, cluttered mess and I find it very disturbing. I am sad for the 17 year old who is showing us the nightmare he's living with. I hope he can find a way to get out of there as soon as he possible for his own well-being.

Seems like child abuse to me.
I'm so sad.

Wait. In 950 square feet, three 'adults' a dog and how many freaking cats... is enough! There's no room to move much less cook or sit down to eat.
Pityful. Haul those parents off to the looney bin.

I'm sad and disturbed.

Doodle,
First off you are hilarious. Start writing so you can save yourself. I was similarly traumatized as a child and I still have nightmares about living with my parents and I'm in my forties. Coupla suggestions. You could pay for a medical degree and a bigger house if you have a yard sale and sell everything. Everything.

If you are like me, your own place will be clutter-free and simple and you will enjoy it very much. Remember when you get your own place, to plan your purchases. Call me if you need help.

As much STUFF as there is in this house, and I know I would have headaches after 3 minutes in here, it is pretty neat - as in orderly. Things are packed neatly. They don't need Clean House, they need neat - http://www.neattv.com/home.html!

Ha! I love how the dog in the kitchen looks all freaked out. And the cat on the sofa just hisses at the camerea like "leave me the **** alone!"

Doodle, you rule. Your sense of humor about the situation made my day.

Wait - Doodle's the guy with the weiner on his wall!! I knew I loved you for a reason. :)

Wow, that is OCD if I've ever seen it (and I have within my own family). I suggest that this kid start selling off items one by one on eBay. Seriously, I saw eighties memorabilia that would go for a ton. Plus I doubt Mom would even notice, as long as he starts from ab area she doesn't look at often. Maybe it would help him save up for his own space. I moved out at 16. It's possible. Don't give up hope.

This is a fake.

That is, it is a real house and real junk, but the complainer doesn't live there.

He claimed to keep a tidy corner for himself, but we don't see it.
He has no qualms about showing identifiable family photos. Would you like to be known at school as the kid with the crazy Mom?

Most of the stuff is not recent.

My bet is he's a real estate agent or estate clearer (is this the 'before' ad?), and this was granny's house.

However it does illustrate what happens if you spend too much time on ebay & craigslist. And I agree with Amye - you could sell a lot of it -- (irony) on ebay & craigslist.

this is a total gilbert grape situation. burn the mutha down.

I didn't even get through the kitchen before I had to take a step back, WOW is all I can say.

I thought about showing this to my husband, but I think it might give him flashbacks to his childhood. While I don't think his mom had "collections" like this kid's mom, she definitely has/had a compulsive disorder as well. Now he practically gets paralyzed with any sort of clutter and doesn't know where to begin. (I completely understand.)

Doodle... you are right on the button: unbelievable!

That was one helluva good laugh. Unreal! Yet reality television (and Oprah) have showed us that this kind of thing is pretty pervasive in America. There was an article posted on AT about a company that will come in, catalog, and remove your crap. They'll even sell anything valuable for you.

They're tidy, but look at the mountains of dust on things. The tv in the master bedroom, the blanket of cat hair/dust on the stuff under the stairs...

oh.my.word.

i want to see their car. bet it's full of stuffed 'things' too.

Hahahahaha!!! *cough* hahahahaha Oh, poor baby.

This is really interesting to me as someone living with OCD. Its funny because while I have OCD I am part of the group who must have everything spotless, in straight lines, etc...then there's *this* group of people with OCD...the hoarders and the shopping addicts.

I had never seen it up close like this before, and I hope this woman gets some help for her problems, b/c it CAN get better...and she can afford to get her kid a good education and a larger place if she can get a hold on her excessive shopping and hoarding :(

The kid is hillarious though, a great writer.

Holy Mother of God