Monday, November 23, 2009

Hoarders

By Courtny Gerrish

When does collecting become a compulsion? Hoarding is a disease, not a habit. And it can destroy homes and ruin lives.

From the outside, hoarders look like anyone else you'd pass on the street. Inside, however, they are hurting.

Their homes are disasters.

"Geri" is a hoarder. The Milwaukee County woman agreed to talk to us, in the hope of helping others.

"It just started to heap up," she explained simply.

But when we went into Geri's house, it was unimaginable.

The floor was covered with bags of stuffed animals, books, paperwork, pots, pans and garbage..." More