Beyond Hoarding

At the threshold of the 20th Century, a melting pot of adventurous immigrants, creative mavericks, and freedom-seeking African Americans shaped modern consumerism as we now know it. With intriguing insights and wistful nostalgia, The City That Sold Beyond Hoarding takes a fresh look at hoarding and the people who can't stop collecting stuff. The film guides the viewer to an understanding that hoarding is a psychiatric disorder that can be treated. It addresses key questions: When does clutter become hoarding? Are hoarded homes dangerous? Why can't people just clean out their houses? How can someone who hoards get the right kind of help to stop? Top mental health experts answer these questions about this surprisingly widespread problem that afflicts millions in the U.S. alone. Most moving are the five people in the film who suffer from hoarding disorder to different degrees—one eventually stops hoarding and reclaims her life; two people struggle to get rid of their overwhelming amount of clutter and keep it out; and two face deadly consequences. This film also captures the distressing impact hoarding has on the family and friends of a loved one caught in the grip of this compulsion.