Hoarders

A young man in Novato, California, who also suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoards garbage (snack wrappers, empty bottles, and rotting food) in a two-bedroom townhouse he shares with his alcoholic father. A blind woman's hoard in New Mexico is so bad that every room of her home is cluttered with over 75 living and dead cats, cat feces, and urine soaked carpets and furniture.

A Kansas woman's compulsive shopping habits have taken over the entire house. Her children were removed by authorities as a result of the living conditions. A Beverly, Massachusetts man's hoard of both home renovation supplies and outdated materials is so bad that his common-law wife broke her arm tripping over a pile of his things. After seeming unfazed over the accident, he is given an ultimatum to clean up or move out.

Paul was charged with criminal littering in 2008 and has failed to meet three court ordered deadlines to clean his yard. His 2 acre property is strewn with over 70 junk cars, thousands of pounds of scrap metal, and hundreds of old appliances. In January, a judge sentenced him to 5 days in jail and gave him a few months to clean his property, or face a fine and additional jail time. Just days before the deadline Paul must make a decision; allow the tow trucks and metal collectors to descend on his property and clear out his collection, or go to jail. Missy is a hoarder with a 7 year old son, Alex, who has begun to exhibit hoarding tendencies. On several occasions when she has tried to clean, her son has cried hysterically over things like a rusty chain and an old used cotton ball. Unless she can set an example, Alex will continue to follow her behavior and may never have a shot at a normal life. Now Missy must clean up her house in order to save her son.