Hoarders Matt Paxton Interview ~

Many of you know Matt Paxton from the hit A&E TV Show Hoarders. But what you may not know about Paxton is that he also runs a successful cleaning service called Clutter Cleaner. Over the past 9 years, Clutter Cleaner has tackled approximately 100 homes yearly. Matt Paxton was very cool to talk to {and very busy!} and he was very open and honest about all of the aspects of his job that many might find unbearable but that he finds extremely rewarding.

Q&A With Matt Paxton of Hoarders

*Many of you submitted questions for Matt Paxton and several of them are addressed below. Many of you asked that these questions be asked anonymously and some of you asked the same questions. Due to the nature of the questions, I have decided to leave all questions anonymous.

Can You Tell Us A Little About How You Got Into This Line Of Work?

Paxton: I was in a really bad situation. I had hit rock bottom. I had a gambling addiction that had gotten out of hand. I was beat up by a bookie who had broken my nose – and I had one week to come up with $40K to pay him. I admit that I could only think of illegal things to get out of the mess I was in. It was then that I had to make some serious decisions. In the end, I did not pick the illegal route. I got a job with a friend and lived on his couch. I was completely broke, my Dad had died and I was depressed.

So, I begged my grandmother to let me clean her attic for rent money. As I was cleaning out her attic I saw that she was grieving over her stuff in attic, and it hit me. It was an aha moment! I realized that this collecting and hoarding of things had nothing to do with the stuff but that it had to do with the emotions surrounding the stuff. By end of week I had cleaned a few houses and made more money doing that in one week than I had previously working an entire year. I even approached a competitor company and asked what houses they absolutely would not clean – the hoarded houses. So, I started cleaning the houses that competition wouldn’t do. I am still an addict, but now my addiction is  cleaning and helping people.

What Is The Worst You Have Ever Seen In Your Line Of Work?

Paxton: This season’s premiere was really difficult – the cat episode. I cleaned the house a couple of months ago and I have talked to her {the client} every week since the cleaning. I have become really close to her. But when the episode aired, I have had nightmares every night since. I think what makes it worth it is that for every episode we air, potentially thousands of people and pets are helped. That makes it worth it.

What Is The Best Way To Approach A Person About Their Hoarding?

Paxton: The key is to take the judgment out of it. This situation is not about you. It’s about the hoarder and the tragedy. Take all negativity out and get the hoarder out of house, if possible and away from hoard. This helps to keep the hoarder from feeling defensive. It is very important to stay calm and to show that you care. Don’t judge or blame, just let the hoarder know that you love them and are here to help.

Do not do an ambush cleaning. This happens when someone cleans a hoarder’s home when the hoarder is in the hospital or otherwise unable to participate in the process. This is done without the hoarder’s permission. Many people think the hoarder would be happy to come home to a clean home. Instead, this is very traumatic for the hoarder.

What Should Someone Do If They Realize They Have Hoarding Tendencies?

Paxton: You should definitely read my book, The Secret Lives of Hoarders. It goes into a lot of depth about this subject. However, if you concerned that you might have a problem then you are already ahead of the game. Find out what caused it, what was the trigger? There are lots of things that can precipitate hoarding. Are you looking for self worth? Was there a divorce? Did your spouse die? Focus on why you hoard, not what you hoard. Go to therapy and treat the trigger. There are 100 reasons that it could be but it’s never about the stuff. If you are bored and have fun buying and that has turned into a hoard, than you need a new hobby.

Here is a cleaning tip that I recommend. Every night, make a 10 minute sweep of your home. Pick a one foot by one foot area in a room and put stuff that is in that area where it actually belongs in your home. Put groceries in cabinets, etc. You are setting your goal and accomplishing your goal, so you should be proud and reward yourself. This process needs repetition and then it becomes a habit.

How Do I Make A Hoarded Home Safe Enough For My Elderly Father With As Little Intrusion As Possible?

Paxton: The main thing is that you need enough space to get out in case of fire. There need to be paths wide enough to fit a wheelchair through. The biggest issue is that many guys of that generation were in the war. They are a proud, hard working generation and now they are older and frustrated with no control over anything, including their bodies. So they are naturally upset. These people built America. The main thing is that you have to involve them and let them be in charge of every decision in the cleanup process. I recommend cleaning once a week for 1 hour and do not make choices for them. Let them be in charge.

Do You Know If Estranged Children Can Be Held Liable For Deceased Parents’ Hoards? 

Paxton: If you are the recipient of that estate you could be held liable. You can’t just say “I will take the money and leave the house.” You could pass on the entire estate and let the state take care of it. It would be a state by state basis.

Can You Tell Us A Little More About Your 5 Decisions Away Podcast?

Paxton: To stay sane in this line of work, you have to have a dark humor. In the 5 Decisions Away podcast, we tell funny stories from the road and form our lives. Some of those stories are graphic and disgusting. We see people at their lowest point and when people are at their lowest point is when they and we learn something.  {*WARNING* This is not a family friendly podcast, so please listen at your own discretion}

How Did You Come To Be On Hoarders?

Paxton: Originally I was approached because Hoarders was having a hard time finding actual hoarded houses. After they met me, they decided to put me on the show.  I had no idea that it would be so successful and last so long. Hoarders is currently in it’s 6th season and there have been 80+ episodes. {Editor’s Note: Matt Paxton has appeared in every season of Hoarders}

How Many People Generally Rehoard Their Homes After Cleanup?

Paxton: Cleanup is the start but the real help begins with therapy. We are finding that about 100% of people who refuse aftercare, including therapy, hoard their homes again. They have to actively improve their mental state to be successful. However, there is about a 60-70% success rate for those who accept and actively participate in therapy. We also see many angry family members. We are coming in and helping with a situation in a week that their families have been dealing with for years. The family members tend to be very angry with the hoarder. We welcome this discussion in therapy. The entire family has things to deal with, not just the hoarder. The key to long term success is that the hoarder gets mental help and the hoarder becomes an active part if their family.

Many People Refer To Hoarders As Lazy. What Do You Think?

Paxton: Any hoarders who have worked with us are not lazy, they are mentally ill. It takes a good hoarder years to build up the hoard. There is a trigger and depression and then the hoarding begins. It is a slow buildup. A lazy person would eventually get sick of the mess and clean it up.

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Win an Autographed Copy of The Secret Lives Of Hoarders

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*All photography courtesy of Matt Paxton, Hoarders on A&E and 5 Decisions Away