[music playing]
My name is Theresa, and I'm a retired state worker.
I've been married to my husband, Earl, for 53 years,
and we have six children together.
My name is Earl.
I'm Theresa's husband.
Earlier years, she was neat, and that was in California.
Of course, we didn't have a whole lot
then, but what we had was--
it was always kept up.
My name is Sharon, and I'm Theresa's daughter.
When we grew up, all of us kids would
have to clean on a periodic basis,
so our house was basically spotless growing up.
EARL: She decided, well, California is not for me.
I need to be with my family, and my mother,
and sisters, and brothers.
I said, OK.
SHARON: She lost her mother.
She lost her grandson, which was my nephew.
He was three, and she also lost her sister
in a short time frame.
Every time I got sad, I just go buy me a new dress,
and shoes, and purse.
You get everything you want.
[laughs] OK.
Thank you.
I got where I go to the thrift store twice a day.
I said I wasn't go buy nothing.
Man, my husband gonna kill me if I buy anything,
but I'm going to buy it.
It's real small.
He would never know I bought it.
I would call my husband and tell him I need somebody money,
and he would send me $5,000 here, $5,000 there.
And as soon as that money hit the bank, I'd go shopping.
OK, so we're up to 12.
EARL: I just had feelings that things wasn't great,
but, I just also had a feeling that, well,
it'll work themselves out.
But it didn't.
And it's really hard to believe
that I went through $112,000 in less than a year and a half.
EARL: Oh, I was angry.
Yeah, I was definitely angry.
But it was too late, and there's nothing I can do about that.
Some of the things that she's got is worth money, big money.
I knew anything financially I could get out of it
probably would be helpful.
But I don't think she would be more than willing to get
rid of anything anyway.
Oh my goodness, let me see where I can hide it.
I'll put it right under here, and he won't know
it until he cleans up the car.
My name is Rosalyn, and I'm Theresa's oldest daughter.
My dad has worked two jobs most of his life to take
care of six kids and Mom.
He may not show all the pain around us,
but there's pain, a lot of pain.
EARL: I kind of feel pretty hopeless because it's just
a no-win situation anymore.
He doesn't know what to do with me.
I don't know what to do with me.
[crying]
Good morning, everyone.
ALL: Good morning.
We're here today--
I'm Darnita L. Paydon.
I'm a life management specialist,
and I work with people with chronic disorganization
and clutter.
Today's a little different in that the items
that Theresa has, we're going to try
and save as many as possible that she
can sell at consignment.
So there may not be as much trash as we're used to having.
Having viewed the home, I could safely
say that Theresa has about 3,000 purses and shoes
to match almost each purse.
These are her things.
She gets the final say so on what stays and what goes.
OK.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: Theresa's hoard is more about her things
giving her a sense of belonging because for so long,
they've served the purpose of keeping her company when
her husband was away, and when the children had all left,
and it was just her and her things.
All right, is everyone ready to get started?
CROWD: Yeah! - Yes, ready.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: All right, [clapping]
Let's go.
Yes.
I don't want them, OK?
Like these, I don't want them.
I don't care.
Let it go.
OK, so I can honestly throw away everything that's in here?
Yeah, throw it away.
SHARON: OK.
Yeah, I got a skirt to this, but that's all right.
I don't need it.
I got enough of clothes last me forever.
SHARON: OK, we are making progress here.
THERESA: Yeah, We can make a lot of progress.
I'm Dr. Suzanne Chabaud, and I am a specialist
in OCD and hoarding.
How's things going for you?
- Oh, it's fine, fine, fine. - You OK?
Yeah.
[grunts]
Why would you throw a perfectly good roasting pan away?
OK.
That's all right.
[clattering]
What's going on, Theresa?
Some of the stuff that they threw away, they
should not have thrown away.
Uh-huh, that typically happens, but you wanted
to-- you wanted to see it.
So you want to take it out and take a look at it?
No, I think now that--
no, they're doing the best they can.
It's all right.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: Because normally,
we'd like people to look at things before they go away.
That's all right, because I told them that they
could do whatever they want to.
They're here for me--
SUZANNE CHABAUD: Uh-huh, yeah.
--and I'm not going to stand in their way.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: Can anybody give
me an update on what went on?
Who went through the dumpster?
I did.
OK.
THERESA: I was looking for my purse.
It's got all of my papers in it, everything.
So I kept thinking, where could it be?
ROSALYN: She was angry at everybody
because she felt that we didn't supervise it enough.
THERESA: I Got very angry, and I got very upset.
And I told them, well, if y'all don't like the way I'm doing
it, or whatever, just go home.
Go home.
I don't care.
Just get out of my house.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: How did you really feel?
How do you really feel about the years
of her getting upset like that?
You just kind of let it go because if you keep--
Saying something, it makes her mad.
--something about it, it's just going
to keep escalating, escalating.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: The family needs to continue to help you.
So if the family's going to continue to help you,
something has to change.
Theresa can no longer control people with fear.
We can never get a word in.
I feel I never get a word in, and I'm always wrong.
And I felt like everybody was jumping on me.
(CRYING) Is this called "Bash Theresa?"
No.
Nobody is bashing you.
Bash her.
Make her feel worse than what she be.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: This is a definite knockoff.
It's a knockoff.
It's not real.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 2: A lot of these are a little too old.
It's torn.
Oh, the handle's torn.
Yeah.
We don't need those.
Most of these have numbers, and they're
usually inside the purse if they are real.
So this is a knockoff.
I have not found a great find yet, [chuckles]
but we are still searching.
[clattering]
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: Ooh.
Oh, my goodness.
THERESA: I can't argue with nobody because they
don't have to take my stuff.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: That's not real.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 2: No.
How can you--
yep.
A real one will not have this on it
because they're sold inside a glass case,
and they pull them out.
SHARON: Well, I mean, she does have a [inaudible] on it.
Yes, yes, it is.
Whoa, no.
Got it.
It's not a real--
show me the difference between the real Dooney & Bourke.
It doesn't say it inside.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: It has to have a serial number.
THERESA: I know. CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: Yeah.
THERESA: I know
Do you have any with serial numbers?
This is real.
This is a real one.
All right, this will bring you some cash here.
Yup, definitely.
No, that's not going to bring me no cash.
Because she ain't going to be selling it.
- You're not going to sell it? - I ain't going to sell.
This is authentic, right?
We're clear on that.
This is one of the authentic ones?
Mm-hmm.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: OK, I could probably
sell this in my shop for $200, $250,
and you could get half of that.
$125?
No.
No?
No.
I mean, I need the money.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: Yes.
I could use it.
Mm-hmm.
But I'm not going to just give it away because I
don't need the money that bad.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: When you combine someone who has control
issues, like Theresa, with the disorder
of compulsive hoarding, you get somebody who can't just
make a decision and let go.
Bottom line, you're going to lose money from what you spent.
You're going to lose money.
It's a sad situation.
I'm going to leave it up to you.
I'm going.
Well, that's a blow-up down the road.
It's not blow-up, no.
DAUGHTER: You have to understand that the value of these things
are going to mean nothing to you once you have cash in hand
and are able to do what it is that you want to do.
Theresa, this is a--
Theresa, come back.
THERESA: I don't care.
I'm not going to do it.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: This is the purse that caused the meltdown
last night, the one you thought that had
been discarded that had all of your important papers.
THERESA: My debit card, my medical card--
DARNITA L. PAYDON: Everything.
--it had everything in it.
Everything.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: OK.
Important papers need to be labeled "important papers"
and put away in a safe place, OK?
OK.
That's Why you're an organizer, and I'm not.
[laughter]
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 3: Oh, that's cute.
That is cute, although it's not a brand name.
No, I don't think we really have a market for that.
We didn't find as many high-end
end purses as we'd hoped for.
CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 3: This is Liz Claiborne,
but it won't open.
Maybe?
Keep.
We found a lot of thrift store finds.
This is cute.
It's Givenchy.
That's real cute.
That's real cute, isn't it?
Yeah, that's a good one.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: Theresa, based on what
we have sold in the past, and what we feel
like the purses might bring, our consignment
shop can offer you $350.
That's reasonable.
OK.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: You'll accept the $350?
Yeah. CONSIGNMENT EXPERT 1: OK.
THERESA: I'm satisfied.
I mean, I am.
I'm satisfied
SUZANNE CHABAUD: I wasn't surprised
when Theresa accepted the $350 and was comfortable with that.
And I wish you the best of luck.
OK, thank you.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: She had to put everybody through a lot
to get to that point because she panics, like a lot of hoarders,
when she's not in control.
EARL: She would get some kind of slip.
She said she donated x number of dollars.
And it may be enough that it would help on income tax
purposes, but either way, I couldn't
keep on living the way it was.
[vacuum humming]
I love it. It's great.
THERESA: Wow.
[laughter]
This is all I can say--
is this my house?
I don't believe it.
ROSALYN: I've never seen this house this empty.
I'm excited.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: You can see the floor
where you once couldn't.
You can see the tabletops and the couch.
DAUGHTER: I can't believe it.
I can't believe any of it.
It's amazing.
And the bedroom, where now, Earl, as your wife
wanted, you can roll around in your very own bed.
EARL: That's for sure.
THERESA: [laughs]
EARL: I'm feeling fantastic.
There's a lot to be done.
There's still a lot left to be done,
but at least I got a start.
Before, it would have been impossible almost
to even begin to start.
THERESA: I mean, it's truly a miracle.
But I'm going to have to keep it like this.
DARNITA L. PAYDON: Yes. - Hell, yeah.
No more.
It's beautiful.
SUZANNE CHABAUD: Theresa is at high risk
for continuing with hoarding.
She is going to need intensive outpatient follow-up.
She's also going to need someone to work with her in her home.
We offered this.
She has to take it and use it.
[music playing]