[gentle, poignant music plays]
[music fades]
[soft, dramatic music plays]
I'm Rosella.
I go by Roz.
I used to be a public health nurse.
I know I'm a very smart person.
I know I have way too much stuff.
I never use the word "hoarder." I don't like that word.
When I walk in, I had a place where I could sit
and put my shoes or boots on.
And now there's not much room at all.
I used to be able to play cards
in the living room or the dining room
and have Christmas dinner with my family.
Now I've got stuff everywhere.
In my kitchen, I can do normal things
like wash my dishes and I can bake.
But I'm not very good at my cleaning techniques.
[music darkens, turns ominous]
[music turns somber]
I did not always have the problem.
I had a nice home.
My name is Marla and I am Roz's youngest daughter.
How does anybody live in a kitchen like that?
How does anybody live in a house like that?
The tendencies definitely started
when I was young.
We spend so much time helping her to clean it
and then it just goes back to the same.
Because she has nowhere to put things
and she can't let it go.
My name is Monique, and I am Roz's middle daughter.
I'm fearful that the end of her life
will come sooner than later.
That she wouldn't even be able to get help if she needs help.
And be able to get out if there's a fire.
[music darkens, turns ominous]
[Roz]
It kind of makes me feel good
to cook and to bake for my family.
[Marla]
very accepting.
I remember my mom belly dancing for us all.
She'd be shaking it side to side and...
I was so proud to say that she was my mom.
I know my mom and dad had a lot of fun when they were young.
[laughs] These are old.
[Roz]
He said, "You're still the best dancer I've ever danced with."
[Monique]
He did like to drink.
[Roz]
ruined our marriage.
I couldn't change him.
He had to change himself. And he didn't.
[somber piano melody plays]
I always loved him.
[tearfully] Even though he was an alcoholic,
he was a great guy.
[Marla]
kept the house somewhat tidy
when they were together.
After my dad moved out,
she had no one to keep her in check, I think.
I think that's what it was.
He didn't like a lot of stuff around the house.
He was good for me.
[music fades]
[dramatic, but hopeful music plays]
[woman] All right, team. Let's do it.
I'm Kim Diamond.
I'm a certified professional organizer,
specializing in hoarding behaviors
and hoarding disorder.
Biggest challenge right now is to get the stuff out,
to get it sorted.
-What do you think? -My goodness.
-Look at this. -I got space.
[Kim] Any home preserves that are down here is a go.
Our goal is to start getting rid of,
you know, expired food, clear paths.
There we go. Got our garbage bin.
[Roz] Not my home preserves that are...
No. Anything way down on the ground that is really old...
My preserves that are recent I don't want gone.
Yep. I know, you've got dates on things.
Thank you.
[Kim]
I looked out the doorway
and I saw her putting something into a bin.
It was a bin designated for food that was cleared, was okay.
Roz, let's see what's... what's happening in here.
I looked in there and I saw things I didn't put in there.
-2015. -Uh-oh.
This one too? I don't think this one is.
Yep, that was also 2015.
Well, I know those are... are... are good.
Hang on.
And if I don't see an expiry date
and it was near things that are 2015,
-we assume they're 2015. -No, that one I-- That one's...
I haven't seen a label like that in a long time.
This is not a current label.
That's jam. It has a lot of sugar. It'll be okay.
It could still go bad.
I will just use it for baking, I promise.
That doesn't make it salvageable.
She's trying to retrieve and save things
that should not be saved.
Expired food, expired supplements,
medications.
This is dangerous stuff.
Know how expensive it is to rebuy all that stuff?
[Kim] Yep. I do.
[girl]
because my grandma is hesitant on letting go of a lot of items.
-How many are left? -Doesn't matter.
The date... the date... That was old. That was old.
[Erin]
I've a pretty large amount of doubt
that the whole house will get finished.
I would like to keep these cranberry ones.
There's not that many.
I've never had a problem.
That doesn't mean you won't.
-I know. -Just 'cause you never have
doesn't mean you won't.
[dramatic music plays]
[Kim] With any documents,
with any, uh, accounts or anything, bank statements...
[Marla]
We have at least three quarters of the basement out
which is big.
The kitchen fridges were emptied today
and the cupboards and all the spices.
But tomorrow is day four
and she's still got those bedrooms.
I'm Dr. Murray Anderson. I'm a psychologist.
And I specialize in treating hoarding disorder.
All of the bedrooms are packed to the gills.
It's important that we make that final push.
We need the final acceptance from Roz to say,
"You can go into the bedrooms."
I took a picture of this beautiful poem on the wall.
I have to find that 60 seconds, 90 seconds,
maybe five minutes
to help her with this right now.
[Roz] I still think that if they said,
"Start at the basement first,"
I wouldn't have all that mold going up.
I know that it was getting worse
and I didn't want it to get worse.
[Anderson]
It's not just about the stuff.
And until that clicks,
there's a significant piece of the puzzle that's missing.
Just took a photo of something in your house.
It's something I believe you wrote.
[Roz] Yeah, I did.
[laughs] Yeah.
How do you feel about it?
I'm crying.
I know. I'm sorry.
Would you read this passage?
Or want me to read it for you?
I'll read it.
"My hoarding is hurting me,
my family, my friends.
All of me and mine." [sniffles]
"It's crowding me out of my precious home.
What life is this?
To allow material goods
to be so powerful
and strong in my mind?"
At the bottom, I have, "Get all on deck."
So that's what I've got right now.
I got you all on deck.
I-I-I wrote that.
-I know you did. -And I really meant it.
Roz reads the poem
and... things change.
-This is not easy. [laughs] -I know.
I-I need to know how to let go.
[laughs] That's the big question.
I-I'm still not lettin' go of enough,
-I know that. -Right.
It takes years for these things to develop...
And it takes a while to get them back to normal.
Takes a while to get back down. It's about accepting the help
because you started the journey of letting go.
It's just a matter of ensuring that it continues.
Because you deserve to be in your house.
-Right? -I deserve a nice home.
-And I'm so proud of you. -[laughs]
Could I ask one last favor?
It was the first thing I saw and I'm circling back.
The master bedroom.
[laughs] Yeah?
Um, and it's...
I had trouble with that master bedroom.
I know you did 'cause I felt it.
I felt it when we were in there.
I loved my husband...
-I know you do. -...and I didn't want him...
I didn't want alcohol to take him.
-And he died at 60 years of age. -Yeah.
And he said he liked what he was doing.
[Anderson]
she started to open up.
I cannot do this when I'm almost 50.
[Anderson]
and shame and stigma fall to the wayside.
So as we're unpacking your house,
releasing it from all the clutter,
just like you're releasing the pain right now,
-let's lift the burden. -I've burdened myself.
Exactly.
I can't make the decision for you.
But I would love for you to give us permission
to do the final push
and get as much of your house done.
I just wanted to know if we're okay to do that.
Definitely. I want my home back.
For myself. For all of my family
-and my friends. -Let's get it done.
It took a little while for her to get there.
But it's a cathartic moment.
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
We finally have the okay from Roz to start clearing out
the upstairs bedrooms.
Roz says yes. Roz said yes!
But now I have a challenge.
I really hope we have enough time.
Essentials is what you're pulling out.
-Take a quick look. -That's all. Is that essential?
-Yeah, that one. -Yes?
This I don't need.
-I want that. -I know. I know.
-What about these? -I think I need only three.
-Is this a keep? -Leave them.
I-I just don't know what I want anymore.
I know. It's hard to decide. But you're doing really good.
Remember? Take a deep breath. Mwah.
[gentle, inspiring music plays]
[Kim]
Thirteen tons.
Or 29,100 pounds of stuff
that Roz doesn't have to worry about anymore.
That was the most whirlwind experience I've ever had.
Seeing the amazing work that everyone did,
I know it's going to be life-changing.
Here we are. The reveal. [sighs]
[gentle, hopeful piano melody plays]
Wow. Oh my gosh.
-I have goosebumps. -[Marla] Oh my God.
-Holy crap! -Oh!
This is how we grew up, Mom.
You could actually see the living room floor.
-[Roz] I know. I know. -[Monique] Holy!
[Marla] Oh, wow.
-[Roz] Wow. -[Marla] Oh my God. Look.
[woman]
awe I'm in.
It's...
incredible.
Didn't we have a Christmas tree there?
We always used to have our tree here.
And we'd sit down and sit around the tree.
When we first walked in
and I could walk down to the living room,
and we could sit where we used to
when we were kids at the Christmas tree...
Do you remember that?
[Marla]
It's everything.
[Monique] Cute things on the chandelier.
[laughs]
Oh my goodness.
Whoa! [laughs]
I get a bed again.
Oh!
[gentle piano melody continues]
It's gorgeous.
-Like... [sighs contentedly] -[laughter]
[man]
I've never seen...
inside the bedroom.
[Marla] Aw!
-[laughter] -That's good!
Adrian, you get a sleepover.
-Oh! -[laughter]
Now she has a house and she has a bedroom
and she has a guy that can stay and have fun.
-[giggles, sighs]
You're happy, aren't you?
I am happy. I am so happy.
It's the same room that I felt was the turning point.
I'm just so happy for all of you.
This is a significant mental health issue.
It's not just over.
But I really have an honest belief
that Roz is gonna continue to get better
and her family's gonna rally around her.
I've set up aftercare services for you here in Winnipeg.
That sounds tremendous.
I didn't know anything when I was growing up
about self-help and self-care.
-Mom, you're worth it. -Absolutely. You're worth it.
Thank you. You're all worth it.
-[Marla] Wow. -[Monique] Oh my God!
-Oh my God, I have... -[Roz] Wow.
[Kim]
[Roz]
So you doubted me?
[laughter]
-I know. We did it. -Here we are.
I'm so happy.
Could you imagine dancing down here?
[laughter]
Why don't we give it a go?
[laughter]
He's got one more trick up his sleeve here.
-[Roz] Oh my goodness. -[upbeat music plays]
I need my belly dance costume.
[Monique] Your belly dance music.
-I need a veil. -[Anderson] Here we go.
-[laughter] -[gentle music plays]
[cheering]
[Roz]
but I found so much else.
Woo!
-[cheering] -You're amazing!
[Roz]
I have a new life ahead of me.
And that feels so good.
[gentle, poignant music plays]
-[music fades] -[dramatic musical sting]