32: Letting Go
In today’s conversation we catch up after several months between recording sessions and hear that Mary no longer has an out-of-control need to keep things and we find out why.
May 24, 2018•34 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Clutter Chronicles
This podcast series is an ongoing conversation with Mary, who calls herself a recovering hoarder. She is willing to share her up-til-now very private life in an effort to be helpful to others, may they be packrats, someone who loves a hoarder or those who just want to understand something that's mystifying to them. We go step by step through the muck, the stuck places, the victories. We don't know when and if she will recover from her "unusual relationship with stuff." Come along with me and cheer Mary on as she does the very hard work of healing. Will she ever let me into her home? Stay tuned.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
31: Office Clear Out & Tackle Boxes
Mary tells us about how she could turn on a dime and ready office space at home for her husband and the strategies she is using with boxes to help calm the chaos.
May 17, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 31
30: Invisible Lifesaver
Mary talks about the healing conversations between she and her husband now that the shame, that dirty rotten scoundrel, is beginning to lift. And we discuss the invisible lifesaver that has been critical to her healing.
May 08, 2018•26 min•Season 1Ep. 30
29: Hooray for Hoarders!
Up until this point it's been just over four months since Mary and I began recording our conversations and she is making great progress. When we get together, we usually have a lot to talk about so record several sessions at once. Last time Mary recognized what her stuff has been doing to her and the floodgates opened. Today, we continue that conversation and learn that the stuff is beginning to lose power and the power is now shifting to Mary.
May 01, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 29
28: Floodgates Open
Last time we talked about how things were going with Mary’s space loving spouse and the tricky dynamics involved with her stuff. In this conversation Mary recognizes what her stuff has been doing to her and the floodgates open.
Apr 24, 2018•34 min•Season 1Ep. 28
27: Spouse Check-in
We check in on how things are going with her spouse. With him loving space and her needing to fill it up, it can get tricky.
Apr 17, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 27
26: Letting Go of Family Heirlooms
Mary describes what it was like to say goodbye to her mother’s things and the trust required to let them go. We also heard how the dog purse went over at the vintage store.
Apr 10, 2018•27 min•Season 1Ep. 26
25: Family Heirlooms: Treasure or Clutter?
In today’s conversation, we change things up and little. We’ve invited a woman named Barbara, who Mary met because she was wearing a blouse she had made out of a vintage tablecloth. Mary thought she might be the perfect person to sell some of her treasured family linens. But it was really hard for Mary to even put them in her car, let alone have someone take them.
Apr 03, 2018•28 min•Season 1Ep. 25
24: Turning Hoarding Inside Out
We discuss our admiration for Amanda Palmer’s "Art of Asking" TED talk, what it’s like to ask people for help and how our podcast project is like science fiction, turning hoarding inside out.
Mar 27, 2018•31 min•Season 1Ep. 24
23: Making Room
Last time we heard about Mary’s recent breakthroughs, in this episode Mary is now able to get glimpses about what she would do with her time instead of marshaling her stuff.
Mar 20, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 23
22: Breakthroughs
Today, we get to hear about Mary’s recent breakthrough experiences. It’s some good news today, friends.
Mar 13, 2018•17 min•Season 1Ep. 22
21: House Visit Aftermath Part 2
Last time we started processing through the aftermath of my visit to Mary’s house and we had more to explore, so here’s part two of that conversation.
Mar 06, 2018•46 min•Season 1Ep. 21
20: House Visit Aftermath
Last time we finished up my momentous visit to Mary’s house. We had set a goal at the beginning our our podcast to let me into her home. Today, we debrief how that visit went for each of us.
Feb 26, 2018•33 min•Season 1Ep. 20
19: House Visit Part 3
This was an overwhelming experience for both of us. Mary reveals what she really wants to be able to do with her time instead of worry about her stuff. And I awkwardly ask if she wants my help to get ready for her looming house inspection. How I wish I would have been more celebratory about what it meant for me to just BE in Mary’s house. Instead I jumped in to help. Because it was a victory - bringing shame into the light where it can't survive; that's what really matters.
Feb 15, 2018•27 min•Season 1Ep. 19
18: House Visit Part 2
This is the second episode of three we recorded during my visit to Mary’s house. In this conversation I see the worst, her most packed rooms and things got a little weird for us.
Feb 08, 2018•28 min•Season 1Ep. 18
17: Mary Lets Me In: House Visit Part 1
Mary lets me visit her house, and this is a very big deal.
Feb 01, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 17
16: Taming the Compulsive Shopping Dragon
We discuss how Mary stopped the inflow of stuff into her home by addressing her compulsive shopping habit. Also on deck: Will she or won’t she? Is Mary ready to let me into her home?
Jan 25, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 16
15: Hoarders on TV
We get Mary's perspective on the Hoarders TV show and we discuss the email that she wrote to God. Notes: The person I couldn't remember is Peter Walsh. He's been on two TV shows: Clean Sweep and Enough Already.
Jan 18, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 15
14: Procrastination Bandwagon
Mary gets rid of her precious vintage robe and lives to tell the tale!
Jan 11, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 14
13: More Resistance
Mary talks about trying to make a 2nd vintage clothing store appointment in the midst of heavy resistance. She particularly wants to bring a precious vintage formal robe that she has loved and displayed for many years, one of her most favorite pieces.
Jan 04, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 13
12: Resistance
Last time, we heard about Mary returning to her childhood home where it all began. In today’s conversation Mary experiences resistance after her recent success getting rid of some of her vintage clothing collection.
Dec 28, 2017•24 min•Season 1Ep. 12
11: Going Back to Where it all Began
Last time, we heard about the momentous clear out and what makes someone worthy of receiving Mary's precious stuff. In today’s conversation Mary returns to her childhood home where it all began.
Dec 21, 2017•24 min•Season 1Ep. 11
10: Stuff Out the Door Part 2
More about the momentous clear out of Mary's vintage clothing and accessory items and what makes someone worthy of receiving her precious stuff.
Dec 14, 2017•25 min•Season 1Ep. 10
9: Stuff Out the Door
Mary moves some stuff from her vintage clothing collection out the door.
Dec 07, 2017•25 min•Season 1Ep. 9
8: Fighting the Hoarding Dragon
Living in her house full of stuff requires armor. What's it like for Mary to keep putting on and taking off the armor to fight the hoarding dragon? Also, what's her husband's perspective on all of her stuff?
Nov 28, 2017•29 min•Season 1Ep. 8
7: Therapy + Getting Zapped
Mary tells us about going into therapy and getting zapped by a power greater than herself.
Nov 21, 2017•26 min•Season 1Ep. 7
6: Epiphany
Mary’s epiphany question: Does buying things prove that she exists? Does each item validate her worth and if she lets each item go is it a chip away at her? "As I’ve been healing I realize the ridiculousness. I don’t have the clamor anymore. This is how you react when you make a conscious decision about do I like this or don’t I. Before it was what does this mean about me? Something internally has changed."
Nov 16, 2017•28 min•Ep. 6
5: "I'm a hoarder."
Mary shares when she was ready to admit that she was a hoarder, begin the healing process and let people help her. What's the difference between a minimalist (her husband) and a hoarder: someone who is in charge of their stuff and someone who isn't.
Nov 09, 2017•31 min•Season 1Ep. 5
4: Rock Bottom
Mary shares her rock bottom low point and discovers that her stuff is getting in the way of living. She also discovers, miraculously, how to start taking better steps.
Nov 08, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 4
3: Crossroads
Mary came to a crossroad in her adult life when she realized she was out of control. That was 10 years ago.
Nov 07, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Hosted on Buzzsprout
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast