Hoarder Reacts to Rachel Cruze Sneaky Hoarder Habits | No Spend 

I haven’t watched the other video, but it sounds like she was using the term “hoarder” in the same way that people who like to organize will say they are “OCD.” It’s not the same thing! I think part of destigmatizing any disorder is taking the stereotypes out of the vernacular and understanding that these are real mental disorders and not just some quirky or lazy habits that can be fixed with a couple of quick tips. I’m so glad you’re bringing your voice and experience into the conversation!

I just want you to know that your videos help people in all sorts of ways. I do not have hoarding disorder. I do have a number of other coping mechanisms that may not serve me well, but are my safety and my reaction to trauma. I no longer have that trauma in my life but habits are very old. You talking about reprogramming your brain, and for me to get to see you demonstrate it consistently over time, gives me so much belief that I can reprogram my own brain. Thank you so much for that hope and role modeling. I especially love how you gauge your progress by what is going on in your heart, and only go as far as your brain feel safe to go each time. You are an awesome human, my friend.

Having watched this channel for a while I remembered the No Spend challenge when my tumble drier broke. I am trying to clear my credit card debt and so I didn't want to use my card to pay for the replacement machine. I am very proud to say that with a little juggling and the fact that one of my larger bills is always paid over ten months instead of twelve, I have managed to completely pay for the new machine out of this month's budget. I think what helped me stay on target so easily was the fact that it was just one month, so I had a finish line to work towards. This idea would never have occurred to me in the past. I would simply have reached for that plastic card, but knowing I only had to rein it in for one month really helped. Thank you A Hoarder's Heart.

I am a recovering Hoarder also. I'm finally very open about it, in therapy, on medication, and finally making progress. I've never met or seen another Hoarder before that has recovered. I've only met many family members of someone who hoards and I try to help them understand their family member better. Thank you for sharing because I have had no one else going through the same thing until I found your videos!!! You go girl! I'm so so so proud of all your work, your ability to articulate your feelings, and to just keep trying and keep moving forward!!! Thank you for now being part of my recovery and support group! And really sincerely, thank you for making your videos! ❤

I found your channel by chance from watching other decluttering videos. It's so true what you say. I do like open space though. I'm not a true hoarder but I have hoarding tendencies, I have the scarcity mindset from growing up in poverty and then being in an abusive relationship where I was denied money for life's essentials. I'm an emotional spender which I only just figured out recently from your videos. Shopping to self soothe, now I understand that I can tackle it. Trouble is, I'm no longer in poverty (I always avoided debt) so my spending has spiralled out of control and I live in a small home, which now resembles a hoarder's home, albeit a very organized clean and tidy one. Watching all the decluttering videos and they're saying "oh I'll get rid of this I've not used it for a year" and I'm thinking if I did that I'll be throwing out brand new unused items, like throwing money down the drain! So I started looking into it deeper. Thank you so much for your insights and helping me to understand myself. Peace and blessings to you 🕊️🙏

Thank you for commenting on Rachel Cruze's video. Yes, the word "hoarder" gets thrown around a lot in declutter circles/ financial circles without a proper, clinical understanding of what it actually means, to the point of advice about it coming off as flippant. I appreciate your deeper understanding and explanation of it.

The lack of peace you felt after clearing out your space is exactly how I felt when I drove through the isolated part of Nebraska on vacation a few years ago. I live near a very crowed big city and for me this was truly terrifying. Very weird feeling and as you described the feeling, I would imagine this is that feeling you had and I get it! The thought of that desolate stretch of road with no trees no power lines and no green grass was scary because I am accustomed to where I live!

with regards to no-spend challenge(s): I've started in January 2021, two years in and I'm able to spend money 4-5times a month. I'll pay all my bills the same day or they have to wait till next spending slot ;) meal prep and grocery shopping once a week; if I want buy something 'fancy' online, most times the 72h is applied :) side note- I'm single so it might be way easier for me :)

Your videos are helping me understand my mom’s hoarding. I have been trying to encourage and help my mom declutter and clean her home, but have been unsuccessful-one step forward, three steps back. She says she wants to get rid of things, but always wants to do it “tomorrow”….but tomorrow never comes, as it has been going on for years/decades. I never imagined holding onto everything made her feel safe and calm. From my perspective, I see her home as unsafe, unhealthy and a source of anxiety. This video was very insightful! Thank you. 💕

Congratulations Ms. Heart, not only are you doing great in your journey but this is a wonderful help for your followers and your families and loved one thank you for everything 👍👍👍👍👍 and thank you for having Ms. Pepper as our mascot ❤

Thank you for explaining how it's working for hoarding person.

Thank you for your videos. Thank you for reacting and doing it in such a way that we can understand hoarding better. My father has hoarding disorder and my mother-in-law. I used to think why cant they just get rid of the stuff...even like out of date food! But since I started watching your channel I understand it better. I never connected the trauma that they both had to the need to hold onto things. Watching you is like doing a course and you are helping me to be more understanding and patient with them.

My brother is a level 5 hoarder and also dumpster dives. I have been trying so hard to understand him and the big why. Thank you for this information!

Decluttering daily for five minutes helps a lot. Spaces start getting opened up. Every little bit helps improve the house, shed or garage. Thanks Melanie! Good video as always!

Great video on explaining hoarding from a budget standpoint. Also, your bedroom still looks awesome after your freshening up.

I haven’t watched the video yet but just those 3 points and how you explained your mindset/experience/reality are two very different things. You are humanising hoarding from your personal experience. You know the emotions of each stage, the why, the feelings, the struggles and how you can recover from baby steps to giant steps that you are now at. You give me and so many others hope, motivation, encouragement and kindness. Thanks again. Miss Pepper by your side is wonderful too. Congratulations on step 6 too. Have a great week. Mary, Joes wife 🙇‍♀️👏👍💪🙏💐🐈🦄💵

It's so interesting when you explain how hoarding works and how to overcome it. ❤❤❤

Thank you for explaining how hoarding can be difficult for some people who want to declutter there home.

Hello dear Melanie and thank you for unique and knowledgeable voice ❤ I have seen other videos of Rachel about "hoarding" and she really does not understand the true disorder; she's focused on saving money and not buying stuff rather than the deep emotional and mental need to KEEP all the stuff. I really appreciate your reaction video and all the things you share with us! ❤❤

Well said!!! I get frustrated with all these influencers tossing around concepts they clearly don’t understand. I wish we could clone you to educate the world! 👍👍👍

No spending for you Pepper!

Awesome!!! Congrats you're on step 6!!!

Thank you for your reaction video - it gives another slant, a uniquely personal point of view. Can I just say that your channel helps me to have compassion for myself. X

You are good at humanizing hoarding disorder

Applause to you for the video content and style you have adapted to your own personal style, which has grown as you keep on keeping on!!! Jersey Girl, you shine✨ 💖

HH, So thankful to you for including us on your journey! Appreciative of the view from the emotional/psychological aspect. Your perspective is very unique and welcomed. Keep it up! I'm really looking forward to seeing all of your videos.

You’re wonderful!💞

Great clarifications on resourcefulness vs hoarding. Spot on!

I am much more comfortable in empty spaces but i definitely am predisposed to fill them/ nit seeing them creep up on me. I have clutter blindness. But i also am not somone who can manage a lot of stuff and am quite messy. But if a space is simple i can function better.

Wonderful thoughts on why we want to hold on tightly to things. I have had items thrown out of my high school room at home. To come home from a day at school only to find things gone was absolutely terrifying for me. I only had a few items. I did not hoard anything. Today I hold onto a lot of items but not hoard. An empty room with only a bed is terrifying . I understand you trauma as a young adult.

You realy helped a lot of people. I don't have hoarding disorder but I have medical problems. From you I learned that small steps do count,I don't need to do a lot in one road. I can clean little,declutter little,exercise little....and it counts! I can see that I'm going forward!!

I love that you're having fun with this!! 💖

I really loved this video... it really helped me to understand hoarding disorder better.

I love your no spend charts! They’re always so cute 🐰🌈

I watched that video so I like that you are addressing this! I don’t have hoarding disorder but I have a family member that is trying to overcome. Seeing them deal with has helped me not to follow in the same path even though I was raised that way. Buying food up is still a hard habit for them to break. Two fridges, two huge deep freezers and food goes there to “die.” By the time they pass it on its usually passed it’s prime.

Hi sweetie. With my hoarding disorder I find the empty spaces just as overwhelming. It’s the same as my high level agoraphobia. It is very hard for me because it creates another anxiety to deal with. I am getting through it but besides you and a few others I do think they are out to make money on poor advice xx

Thank you for a great video! You rock!

Just went through my important long term fireproof papers box. Three years of taxes, Birth , death, Retirement, Social security, Insurance. Can be grabbed quickly. Weeded out about 20 papers. I keep a sep household current management notebook in my planning corner. Last week I redid my passwords and address info.

I loved this video Ms Heart, but to be fair I think you should do another video about the negative impact hoarding can have on the non-hoarders who share a home or work space with those who hoard and how to deal with this. This would create a balance, because I feel hoarders often only talk about how their hoarding affects them and they avoid talking about how their hoarding impacts others. I would love to hear your thoughts on that and your ideas for solutions to the conflicts hoarding creates within families.

I appreciate your videos so much. I’ve been tackling my house along with you since your first videos when you only had 300 followers. I am known in my work for my huge hoard of materials. I need to start baby steps with that, too. All of the toys and games spark joy and purpose. The struggle is real

You've come such a long way!! You're doing amazing. ❤️

I definitely have to be careful with free items. I am much more intentional about what we bring in. Free isn't free. But that said.... I was looking around my play room and furniture wise the only thing I paid for there was a second hand kids table and a kids table that I got in clearance that has moved around the house. ( That's why there are two in one room right now)

Anne in Aussie thanks you for her very first no spend challenge sheet. Huge thanks fingers crossed for me 🙏💜 Your channel is changing lives for people with this and similar issues 🙏🌹

Thank you for explaining the emotion behind the hoarding disorder. Question about your no-spendig chart: do you just record your spendings or of your husband as well?

Wow! This idea about hoarding as a safety mechanism is new to me, but I think I definitely know someone that does this- 2 people, actually! Thank you! So helpful!

I freaking love you!!! Thank you so much!!! You have helped me beyond words, and I am thankful to you beyond words.

Love this sit down video. Always interesting to learn more!

Your nospend tracker is GORGEOUS! So inspiring video, as usual. Thanks for sharing 💖

Rachel's video really upset me too. Your video was incredible; what a great response.

Ok...HOW CLEAN HAVE YOU KEPT YOUR SIDE OF THE ROOM???? WELL DONE!

I stopped at a thrift shop today, 1/2 price senior day. I spent 98 cents. The lady ahead of me spent $132.00. I`m not a hoarder and never was. But I love craft items. Tina, Al's wife

I appreciate you comparing and contrasting the comments in the video to the disorder. I think there is a difference between hoarding and hoarding disorder. My children hoard, but they don't have a hoarding disorder. they are not inclined to give things away and they want to collect things in competition with peers and siblings. People hoarded toilet paper during the shut down, but they didn't all have hoarding disorder. So there are differences there too. I've heard of scarcity mindset, and for awhile felt pressured to not give in to it, but I live in a rural part of the country and there IS scarcity, so we do buy things ahead. We do hoard in that sense. We stock up. But that's because it's the culture and it's wise where we live. I hoard clothing for my children to grow into--I front give it away when the biggest grows out of it, I hold on to it. I hoard school supplies for homeschooling. I have 12 spelling curricula and at least that many maths, not knowing which one will work best for youngest. But I will happily pass it on or sell it on once youngest is past its use. We have lived in a more metropolitan area before and being a minimalist was easier there-the grocery store was just across the road and there were several others in the area. But when you have to drive half an hour, or even an hour to the grocery store and there is no close convenience store it makes sense to stock up and hoard supplies. I do have family members in my extended family with hoarding disorder however. And I struggle with ADHD and prioritizing and placing varied value on things. Im detail oriented and will pick up every single lego where I know parents who would just toss anything forgotten.

Melanie- You are such an inspiration! I have learned so much from you. I just listened to Cas talk with Matt Paxton from the show Hoarders. She interviewed him on the Clutterbug podcast. You might be interested in watching it. Pepper is very sweet! -Jamie

Hello from Germany and hi miss heart. So true, you say it right. Be safe

You are so inspirational! 😊

Fantastic insight thanks for sharing with us💜🦄

I was married to a hoarder for years. He collected mostly books, records, sheet music, old record players, and associated items. He lost his job, our home and had two bankruptcies. After a while love went out the window. We stayed married but the only happiness was my daughter. My husband passed away 5 years ago. I never want to live like that again. It was a nightmare marriage. Of course I miss him, but I sometimes wish I had let him many years before.

Love it

Good rules with sales are: Things are on sale because nobody wanted it in the first place, so it wasn't that good anyway. It's only a bargain if it's something you use regularly or alot of. In seasonal sales, they increase the prices in the weeks before it, then decrease them so they can say it's a sale when it really isn't. Stuff loses 90% of it's value once brought, so sales are 90% crap, 10% worth it.

👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

Hoarder's Heart, I love your videos...a lot. I think I MIGHT on some level be a hoarder. I will email you soon so I can do the baby step too. Thank you for all you do.

August 2024. I enjoy shopping at craft stores. I like to see the new colors and styles. We're in a 2BR condo. When I see the fall oranges, reds, and browns, I think of what I have at home. I pick up one small item that I know I'll use, like today's purchase of a skein of embroidery floss. I embroider when I just need to think. Tina, Al's wife

You are a blessing to so many Mel xoxo Thank you🌺🌺🌺

great video

Love the opening sentence. It's true.

Fantastic video! You are an inspiration!❤

Wow - excellent "class" - Thank You. Helped me understand why the garage is my hoard nest.

It makes me nervous when people like Rachel Cruze (in this case) who have a platform but who lack a background in psychology talk about hoarding. It would have been a lot more meaningful and helpful if she’d consulted with a professional who works with hoarders and has a deep understanding of the subject. Using The Minimalists-who also don’t have a psychology background-as references doesn’t quite cut it. It’s a lot of pat answers to what can be a very complex and traumatic issue for many people. She also used a lot of pejorative, potentially hurtful language like “crap” and “junk.” As you said in your reaction, what others might see as crap is valuable to the hoarder, and when others label it as some kind of garbage it’s not only mean but it shows a lack of empathy. I like watching your videos because I watched my own mother struggle with Level 3 hoarding for most of my life. And though she’s been gone for many years now, hearing you talk about your experiences with hoarding and overcoming it helps me understand her a bit better 🙂

Clutter makes me panicky. No room to be creative! No room to move. Financially bad in that I cannot find things and end up rebuying items that I know I have.

Hi Pepper😂

No Spend Challenge is the way I can keep mindful of what I need and this helps save so much money and keep my space peaceful :)

January 2024. My mom kept shoes and clothes that didn't fit. She had piles of papers and trash. One bathroom didn't work. She wasted money on get rich quick schemes. If I find something on sale, I'll buy 2. We live in a 2BR apartment. I want just enough, not piles of junk. Tina, Al's wife

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This was a godd idea - giving a hoarder POV was good for people to hear!

Look how long you’ve come. Your night table looks amazing but hubbys side could use some decluttering… 😉🌈

Yes, people who don’t have a hoarding disorder don’t get it. They come from a logical point of view, but it’s not a logical matter, it’s an emotional matter which has its own logic. I am a hoarder myself and not by buying stuff, objects come to me. And at the same time, I love decluttering. Go figure… 🥴

I like how things look alot,as in cutest nick nacks and that’s how I have and don’t want to let go.😢too many

Great job! 💪

Not a hoarder. I always shop seasonal clearance deals to save for next year. I have organization in place to know what I have. It allows me to not stress -rush around from store to store, and stress about finances when the holiday (Christmas, Easter, birthdays) comes up.

Your right because it’s not easy at all to get rid of these nick nacks

Have you thought about creating an app or website for the “no spend” challenges? I think there would be a lot of interest. Appreciate all of your videos and explanations of hoarding disorder

Is there a type of hoarding disorder where you collect sets of things? Like, I used to do stamping... Michael's had stamp sets for $1. I literally tried to get every set. Even when I was young, I would make lists of book series to make sure I read every one... and that's not easy with those small Harlequin books where there's 50 bazillion of them.

❤️👍🏻

My question for you, does the mindset of “what deserves to stay” scare you more or make it easier to get rid of things that dont reach a 10/10 feeling?

Thank you! I want you to know how much you help me live a simpler life! The holding on of an item that we think hasn't depreciated. It does doesn't it if its sitting there. Right?

what about making an area for u which u can be creative and self confident ? lets make a konmari on craft supplies

I have a question, maybe you can shine a light on that: on the one hand as a hoarder, things give you the feeling of safety. on the other hand, there is the feeling of shame or guilt you also have talked about. Is there a kind of "dissonance" of mind? I hope it comes across what I want to ask. It seems like there are two very opposing emotional sides to the hoarding and I'm interested in the interference that might come with it. Thanks!

We shouldn’t need to explain. RU-vid is full of Armchair experts 😩