Jasmine Harman Helps Britain’s Hoarders | Biggest Hoarders | Only Human

[Music] I'm Jasmine Harmon and I've lived with my mother's compulsive hoarding all my life I'm telling you I'm keeping those if that isn't with your agreement then we have to fall out with help my mom's made huge improvements and now I want to help other hoarders around the country who are living in terrible conditions I'm being desperate because I can't go yeah this isn't me this is we living like this hey I'm shocked it's literally a wall of stuff these are people who have lost their homes and lives to hoarding it's going to feel like you can't make it and that's totally normal do you want to spend the rest of your years with this hanging over you sorry I want hoarders up and down the country to realize they aren't alone get rid you can't say that's a good decision you've made I'm really proud of you oh and that with the right help their lives can improve - really good to have my space back look what I have found the things that I've found that I never actually knew that I had I've got something wrong with me which lots of other people have got and it can be cured [Music] according to the Institute of Psychiatry as many as 1 in 20 people in the UK are hoarders and many of them are suffering in secrecy Jeff lives in Plymouth if you saw him on the street you'd think he was a perfectly ordinary 79 year old but behind his front door it's a very different story [Music] the situation has certainly taken over my life to the extent that I have a sort of dual personality of the me inside the house under me outside the house where I behave as though the house is quite normal precisely like a secret life Jeff had maintained that secret life for 20 years until a few weeks ago [Music] a bus driver came by and saw a lot of flies in the window he then told the police and the police thought ooh how's the inmate of the house died and so they came along and banged on the door and there wasn't anybody there and obviously I wasn't dead so they then told the council the council told me about Jeff's story their environmental health officer has issued Jeff with a 42 day order to clear his hoard his secret is out and now he's been forced into a corner clear or be cleared I can totally understand why Jeff keeps his hoarding secret and you know I kept my mum's hoarding but the whole family kept it a secret for years because we were totally ashamed I really hope that maybe through me telling Jeff about my experiences that he might also find the courage to open up to some of his friends or family by keeping it a secret he's taking the whole burden all the weight of all that horde on his shoulders alone [Music] oh yeah people do you know they've been invented about nice to meet you Oh Jeff has made a start clearing but after five weeks he's barely scraped the surface so what kind of things do you collect Jeff the things I collect tend to be things with lots of shiny knobs they've got a variety of microscopes I've got a ultraviolet microscope tell me basically my interest our enhancement of human capabilities so do you think there are benefits to having all the stuff that you've got well it shades of grey it's shades of grey and how do you there's the prospect of other people knowing about this how does that make you feel it makes it me feel so unpleasant that I just don't think about it maybe I can reassure you a little bit because with my mum's hoarding we went to great lengths to hide it from the outside world because we were ashamed and people just didn't understand and eventually when we opened up with it we were incredibly heartened actually to find out how many other people were in similar situations we thought it was just us do you have any other family and friends they've got my sister your sister I think requires the pro praise for putting up with me has your sister been to the house so she'd been to visit you here she's one of the ones who I'm trying to conceal it from Jeff's hoard has spread across all three floors of his house three bedrooms a loft and two large rooms downstairs all rendered useless when's the last time you were able to sit down in here well I don't think over half sat down in here having lived in this house for 25 years you have never been able to sit down and relax in your front room that's right how far that goes no nice sort of glimpse all the way but you can't even see the size of the room don't you see the food museum if I'm doing well it's a 10 a day 10 a day keeps the council v what's that room that's the bathroom when we're able to use it last eight years Jeff you practice you have to do this plate to get through it well there you are you see people pay good money to go to health clubs you're getting this for nothing well I think we should do Jeff is trying to formulate some kind of plan as to how we tackle what you want to do in the house well my plan is to try to make it to the back wall of that room downstairs that will allow me to get out a variety of computer magazines which are must be ten years old they can be flung my worry about doing it in a very small space and doing it bit by bit is that it's very slow one thing that we did with mum was a warehouse where we took a load of stuff and it gave a space to sort with what you've got to do the task is pretty monumental [Music] it makes me sad to think that he's been living like this for a long time and the fact that he's got no one I think God how tragic but he's got to this stage it's unimaginable really basically I wouldn't have believed it I'm in judgment knew where I was coming from it appears that I've got something wrong with me which lots of other people have got I'm no longer me unique me [Music] warding is a condition that takes control of people's lives Jeff's horde has forced him to live a life of shame and secrecy [Music] Jeanne's horde is preventing her from even living in her East London flat she moved out of her flat and in with a friend after a health scare now gene wants to move back in but she can barely get in the front door like Jeff jeans Hort has reached the attention of the local council for concern that it's a fire risk once this gets cleared here hopefully better to get through jeans daughter Jeanette made contact with me in the hope that I may be able to help her mum clear her hoard before the council do it for her Jean wants our first meeting to be away from the flat your flat is inaccessible at the moment or you can get into the hall I'm just getting that so and so does that upset you or what were you or how do you feel about it yes it does worried and upset this is like a bad dream you know my daughter lives in Scotland and I used to travel to Scotland on my own every year now it's a bit of a daunting thought so with its the flat being fill up with stuff mmm it's all a bit disorganized what do you want to do about that well I'm gonna sort it it's not rubbish it's not for the death bin jeans 69 she's had a tough life she brought up her daughter Jeanette as a single mum holding down up to four jobs at once to pay the way when's the last time you has anyone round here pardon it's the last time you had anyone come to your flat something that's breakable in here I don't really want to leave that here 25 feet from the door no fine this is the house that Jack built issues the house that gene match up I wonder if I move this stuff out of the corner and go into that corner and shut the door and I move those bags from behind the door so yeah I know good what do you think oh yeah are all the rooms filled up like this so you're not know quiet is bad but they're not good oh my god I'm absolutely shocked at the state I didn't think it was as bad as it is it is the situation is bad genes so consumed by her hoard that it's preventing her from visiting her daughter although they do talk everyday on the phone right have a word like that yeah I'd love to talk to her actually hi Jeanette the moment just talking to your mom this morning it feels to me like she hasn't really accepted that the the problem is serious as it actually is I totally know what you've been through with this and I'm rushing it can't be easy at all being away yeah it's a big one I can put that in there come it's good to speak to Janette I can relate to everything that she's been trying to do for her mom and how frustrating it is I don't think that Jean is ready to let go of anything but there's too much stuff in this flat she's in denial there's no other way of putting it [Music] [Music] with Jeff's 42 day deadline looming we need to start clearing but Jeff has become so used to living with his hoard but I'm not sure how ready to clear he really is this is more or less as comfortable as comfortable can be and I think well supposing I was an Edwardian millionaire in a stately home it wouldn't be any more comfy and certainly he wouldn't have anywhere near as good a bedside line Jeff has agreed to let me move the contents of the ground floor to a local warehouse Heather Matt watt saw a professional declutter ahooo works extensively with hoarders is going to help me clear on bro I'll step into here so you can come up where I can see so what you've got in here is the bathroom temporarily full of shoes what's full of shoes the bath I'm hoping by moving Jeff's possessions away from his home he'll feel more able to part with them that's an FM receiving aerial 3 element which I was interning to use for getting French radio stations to improve my French letting go is not going to be easy but Jeff understands that something's got to give I mean basically do I want to get my place sorted out or what where am I going to run a museum for 20 year old magazines with a request in my will that they be cremated with me which had presenter of real a real problem to the crematorium as well as giving Jeff the chance to really sort through his possessions clearing the hoard from his house should also buy him some time with the council [Music] I can see intellectually but it is a very good idea but then of course I think other other people are laying their germ-infested sacrilegious hands on all my precious belongings I mean at some point he would have to face up to and do it himself and do the letting go I think we slightly pushing him out of his comfort zone this stuff sorted here sir my sword is semi sorted Jeff's hoard is unique scientific machines antique music rolls and a vast collection of tins he calls his food museum I just want you to look at the food Museum I don't like a lot of it so Kerr you do you know how old it is have a guess have a guess I think probably about eight years more it doesn't matter I mean basically it was cheap because he was dented not cheap 15 years old yeah but you see my logical mind says there isn't anything wrong with them if there was any doubt about it first of all it would go thud thud thud when you shook it this doesn't it makes the right noise secondly that would be slightly convert conquer the comlinks it's not so there's no way I could persuade you to not really reduce your food museum either no oh [Music] his fridge freezer is even more disturbing [Music] it's been hidden in his hauled for years and years the whole time switched on well that's what was in that jerk I don't know but it's perfectly good jug [Music] my experienced orders have a very different relationship with their possessions where we might see junk Jeff sees treasure was that hard for you to let that stuff go out of the house that we've put in the car yes I think certainly it is a it is a somewhat somewhat traumatic thing to see the things going out of the door it was a bit like it's having a sort of important part of my genitals taken away sort of things that I feel yes you know I'm sorry that it feels painful but I think you're amazingly brave what will be interesting to see is that whether having that extra bit of space how that balance is out against losing that part of you in no way was this easy for Jeff even though he's outwardly joking about it he's got this inner turmoil that's going on but he's gonna let it go because he knows it's for the greater good [Music] the actual feelings are sort of being violated in a small way it's hard because it's my possessions but I think probably the real reason is much more deep in the subconscious from now jeff has done remarkably well so far but if he's going to get to the root of his problem he'll need other help [Music] I've asked professor Paul Sal coughs kiss one of Britain's leading hoarding experts to talk to Jeff Jeff is incredibly intelligent charming [Music] it would be easy to look at Jeff and go he's fine he's sorted he's not it's totally not there's a lot going on beneath the surface do you know what the you know the technical definition of hoarding is no it's it's actually when when your possessions when the things you put in in space prevent the space from being used for the purpose it would normally be useful and so the problem in a sense of part of the definition of the problem is that it stops you doing really important things and stops you living in your house important things to you yeah Jeff was born in 1933 in Nottinghamshire his mother was a secretary and his father ran a local printing Department you were only child or we'd have brothers and sisters I had a sister when I was seven mm-hmm when you were much younger so perhaps when your child was it was no sure money uh I had one up to 1939 I think I was bought a fair collection of expensive toys did you play with him a lot I think so yes but my mother used to chuck him out when the paint was a bit damaged so what were you left with not very many yeah just talking a childhood in general I was lonely so occasionally I used to go off to other kids houses I viewed these with amazement because they always looked as though a bomb had hit him you know the kids toys all over everywhere the houses were lived in but our house it's perfect that's right and it is logical to say well go with go with your heart rather than your hair - yeah I I'm a dog the logic isn't hearts walled off I think you are a very detached from your feelings you're the other boy who grew up in the perfect house yeah and here you are now and somewhere between the two very opposite yeah the very opposite this is almost an auntie Homer's no [Music] Jeff worked for many years as a chemical engineer in 1966 he got married he was 33 years old eighteen years later the marriage ended in divorce since then Jeff has lost contact with his two children around the age of 50 you lose your house you lose your wife so actually you lost everything so first of all summation yes there's a number of ways in which I think you've been damaged you probably don't have to be a rocket scientist or even a chemical engineer to work out that there might possibly be a link there a link with hoarding you mean or a link a link with this with this with what what's around you this is a horrible way for you to live and that's what what I said to you early on it's upsetting it's I'm setting to see how you have to live I wish Jeff would be able to open up a little bit to himself sort it out before it's too late I can't think of anything worse than him living out the rest of his days in a semi derelict house full up with stuff on his own jeff has gone to great lengths to keep his hoarding a secret from his friends and family but not all hoarders are able to conceal it from those close to them James daughter Jeanette is well aware of her mom's condition oh yes and she's becoming increasingly worried its obsession yeah um there's all sorts of emotions there's you're upset obviously for your mum you feel guilty because you think you should have done more and yet at the same time you know you've actually tried quite hard so you know mug or a cup they're all clean but clean but where are they yes like me with my mum Jeanette's been trying for years to help her mother overcome her hoarder and sort everything I'm looking forward to meeting Jeanette because she has been in a similar situation to me now there's the coffee right where's the coffee gets around I mean I know from experience with my own mum that it feels like it's never ending at you feel like you're getting nowhere gene visits her flat almost every day to try to sort through her hoard so she can move back in hello but she's not making any headway and with the threat of a council clearance hanging over her it's causing great anxiety I mean we're right at the beginning of this now it's not going to be an instant fix as you know it it will take a long time and it will be an ongoing process what would you hope to achieve what for your long-term goal James peace of mind I'd like to I have more of the stuff put in right place because none of the food in the place it should be Jean dates the chaos back to when her belongings were moved by the council from one flat to another following a fire in the block [Music] but Jeannette told me her mother's hoarding was just as bad in her previous flat I think we need to clear some space in the living room today yeah we're done would that be a good step Heather has joined us to try to get things moving if we if we form a human chain up the corridor pass some of that stuff out what would that be I prefer the stuff to go just in the doorway of the kitchen rather than in the hallway but if spaceman isn't lonely don't know [Music] do you think vennen in all that stuff there we are going to find repeats of things that you have no I don't think you are unlisted you don't feel ready to let go of anything yet not yet no Jean is resistant to letting go a resistance Jeanette is all too familiar with do you feel happy with how it's going today or do you think we should be doing anything slightly differently to adapt to your mum I think you do really well she's very difficult should say so herself thank you kick him Jim have you ever like tried to help home clearing out with her being there in the pause oh yeah and the past I've had to but it's never been very successful it always felt like a battle and that was probably inevitable because because there was just me I had a limited amount of time I had a huge wall of stuff to deal with and the moment that didn't work to get rid of does it make you feel resentful in a way that this stuff has sort of taken over or is it yes well it's not me blaming no man that's just about wishing it had not happened just doing a lot of weight on your shoulders having oh yeah actually it really makes me sad that one and that one could they go I don't know yet but you can take that one okay that's it okay okay I'm gonna take no ten no no count why because I want to hang on to it for a while do you feel happy with those bits that you've selected going to the charity shop that's fine let me just put a few more things in here just pad it out something bulging in it oh that's fine if it is after six hours work we've managed to clear some space in the living room but gene has only left five items leaves the flat those bits yeah right to the antique shop okay well done Jenna and so I know there's not more for the mat lower next time exactly I think today was really really hard gene it may only seem like a small step but for Jean I think it may be quite monumental [Music] because Jeanette's an only child the whole weight of it has been on her shoulders it was just her and her mom but when it's your mom you can't ever turn your back on her thank you well that's amazing there's an action so you have to sit like this yeah yeah I said a lot of sorcery yeah I do so what am I going to do take up bowls I could have a rifle range or I could do experiments to measure the velocity of the speed of light it's taken a week to clear the downstairs of Jeff's house into a local warehouse everything bar his food museum which he's refused to budge in the process of clearing he's come across some old treasures there is my father's top out so he's also found some unwanted guests oh dear I can't afford a vet to do a proper autopsy but I think it's food poisoning the council's 42 day notice has expired but as there's been visible progress he's been granted a stay of execution basically the council gobsmacked I think I'm now in the situation I can say look do you really want to carry on with this clearance notice threat despite Jeff's optimism they won't let him off the hook that easily right now his hoard is being held in a local warehouse what he can't let go we'll end up back home oh my gosh there's so much stuff this is actually only from two rooms in Jeff's house and it's filling this entire space maybe seeing it all laid out like this will make him realize that actually there's too much stuff even if it was all organized you know just the pianola rolls would fill it at more than entire room [Music] today will be the first time Jeff has seen his possessions since they left his house I think this is going to be quite difficult for Jeff I think he's been putting off and putting off and putting off and I think he is going to go through the same emotions that my mum went through it's like ripping off an arm or a leg that's what it feels like i J on comment watch oh how are you thank you considering you know come and have a look [Music] there is a lot doesn't know jeff has got some difficult decisions to make about what he keeps and what he lets go including the one thousand music roles they play on an antique self playing piano called a pianola a device Jeff doesn't even own this is gonna be the easy place to start isn't it hmm might even hang on to that I'm not sure that's a super thing if it works that guy oh no I need I need I definitely need that because at the present moment I'm short at them that's okay for tools you see it's actually though it looks a bit flyblown it's actually perfectly good really I remember the sewing machine I got it for two pounds does it work think so if it doesn't work on Monday lots of cushion I think it's probably worth keeping odd now just a moment don't those television Ariel solidly mm-hmm oh I need one of them oh right there is always going to be a sort of compulsion to go back to the way that you have lived it's a habit is that more pianola roles oh yes I sort of I appear to have lost control on PHP and other roles you've got a lot and no pianola well at 14 when was that oh well late late stages of my marriage so how long ago was that 30 years so what got you started blitzing these Jeff my ex-wife also like peon owners it all came unstuck because of the divorce there are always gonna be certain things that push a button that he'll find it much much more difficult to decide to let go what what we'll do we will stop because basically up there getting the stage and I'm not quite sure whether I'm coming or going it's been a tough day for Jeff so far he's barely let go of anything I don't want to pile any more pressure on him so I'm taking him back to his house on play I've never actually even seeing this room I just had no idea what it was like I hope that seeing his home clear might remind him what we're trying to achieve in the warehouse how would you feel now if the stuff that's gone just stayed gone and never came back well it would feel rather sudden that I don't have to start buying pianola rolls all over again do you feel them instinctively that once the stuff that's coming back from the warehouse arrives you will go through it or do you think it will just lead to more hoarding basically if I get myself back into the hole deduct state in some ways it's a fate worse than death [Music] [Applause] [Music] unlike many hoarders I've worked with Jeff can see the hole he's dug himself into question is does he have the strength to dig himself out [Music] I don't want him to take all that stuff back he's gonna take it all back then it just makes the whole exercise completely pointless today is is a big day it's crunch time really this is the first item of many to go in the to-go box probably charity shop okay this is your to-go box now that's right people get rid get rid what do you want to do with this Jeff did you did you yeah almost immediately it seems jeff has had a dramatic change of heart what you want to do with it get rid I keep that one on the other ones boo hoo that's really good Jeff mm-hmm actually you're right booth you can't say that's a good decision you've made I'm really proud of you [Music] bye-bye black bits of wood your understanding that this wood as lovely as you perceive it to be is not helping you I think the ladder stabilizer can go to auction I think charity right hola he's just brilliant he understands what's going on so deeply that is a big big part way towards recovery jeff has turned a corner [Music] most of his scientific machines are going to auction there's a pile to go to the charity shop and some of the hoard has even made it to the skip the last problem area is the 1000 pianola rolls and Jeff has had a radical rethink about them as well so this is no good no well no it's pianola rolls come in two formats 65 and 88 jeff has decided to sacrifice the 65 in favor of the superior 88 Scott is that 65 65 700 of Jeff's pianola rolls can now go somewhat weird myself he's gonna say well you know there's still a long way to go um but so much is going and he's just gets it and it's like such a relief [Music] do you think any of that can go no I know it come why because that's right here but it's here for you okay I last saw Jean three weeks ago there's been no breakthrough since then so can that go with this music please despite Heather's best efforts when everything's put in the right place do you think the will be space I answer that with one word and that would be hopefully it wouldn't be here otherwise so you think it's here because it's got just got to find its place it's here because I've gotten into such a muddle [Music] what about this can this go No something's gone out of sync and an exaggerated attachment has been given to something and an inability to let go Jeanne has an irrational attachment to her possessions that we've so far failed to break I need to try something else so I've asked dr. Victoria bream Oldfield a clinical psychologist to talk to Jean I want Victoria to try to convince her that she needs to let go Jazmin now quite a few times and you know that she has your best interests at heart because of your own experience is that even today maybe being out of practice making making a little bit of progress and maybe kind of taking that deep breath and letting some things go with a goal that's actually being a lovely place to live where you can be free and be happy and do what you want to do rather than it being about this stuff on your mind overtime that is the real waste of time and a waste of your life because you're thinking about it all the time you can't do anything you enjoy you can't even go and visit your daughter because you're thinking about this stuff it has had an impact on your life and what you're able to do and there's an awful lot of things you still can do and you're extremely capable but then you're gonna need some help with things I don't know what I want that's that's a sad situation I found myself in I don't know if I ever imagined that I would feel like this that I don't know what I want hmm so what do you think of Victoria's suggestion about letting one item go and having a bit of a leap of faith and saying okay take I don't know Jerry Halliwell's yoga left no what about that can I take that for safekeeping and just to experiment to see how you feel letting something go no it's not that won't come into it I don't think and I'm not you and you're not me over the last week how many times have you I watched your DVD because things get in the way right right that I think it says it all that you haven't done the things you want to do things are physically in the way and also they're like emotionally mentally in the way for you because you wake up every day with all this hanging over you [Music] up until now jean has only let a few items go that she didn't care about this time she's let me leave the flat with something she wants to keep the point of the exercise of taking something away is hopefully for Jean to realize that it's not important and in fact she doesn't want it back because it's not helping her and hopefully if she can decide that about one thing she might be able to decide the same about others then we might start making some real progress it's been a week since Jeff and I began sorting in the warehouse and he's been busy working through the remainder of his hoard we've got I would think at least 75% of it either ditched or charity shop or auction letting go of 3/4 of his hoard is a massive achievement for Jeff now I want to turn our attention to another aspect of his hoarding the emotional side he said he's built a wall around his heart and I think he just doesn't experience feelings of pain and I think he's still punishing himself everyone has lots of emotion but different people deal with them in different ways now I haven't told my sister yet about what's been happening and I am slightly dreading telling her I still have a little bit of a difficulty in coming out with something that I'm a bit ashamed of if Jeff is going to come clean about his hoarding and share his problems with his family there's more work to be done he's having another session with Professor Paul Sal coughs kiss okay so I just like like an update I think I'm doing very very well considering really the only thing that's relevant I think is the feeling of being violated and the feeling of loss so it is obvious is it a match is there a matching positive feeling with this lot I don't know if it's happiness or is it I don't think there's any such thing as happiness I think it's just the absence of misery [Music] bleak is no such thing as happiness there's no nice rich life isn't leak we're bored we age and we die to bits in between [Music] sometimes people say happiness doesn't exist when they fear not having it and would it be all right for me to look at not that the photo certain filter this is your family home that's that's right that's another that's my mother yes there's a lot of photographs of you some of these are all have been taken bone with all these yeah Wow what's this so that's my father that's my mother yeah and here's a magnificent toy yes and I how'd the toyed remove from it because I made holes in it - later yeah this is these are really good only man I mean what do you feel looking at this Lord well this is the first time I've looked at them for about 20 years actually twice out who whiter weld it basically and not on the top of the heat the point of those photographs I was watching you as you came through them the point of those photographs was the memories now I don't think they're entirely happy memories and and I don't think it's disconnected from this idea of of happiness doesn't exist but let me put it in a simpler way okay let's suppose that you have a six year old grandchild hmm okay and your six year old grandchild comes to you and says I don't think happiness exists do you think that you would turn to him and say well done that's just exactly what you should be thinking that is a good rule to run your life on all right I think you've met you you've made a point that I give I I'm just kind of I supposed to be some saying it's because you all that say throw but you were that suitable yeah yeah [Music] it is hard to talk about that sort of thing but I am opening up a little bit [Music] [Music] it's been five months since I started working with gene and so far it's been a real struggle to get her to let go of anything the reality is if we can't help gene clear her hoard the local council will clear it for her put your blindfold same why and we're gonna be stunned by loads of space frustratingly though it's not space we find the front room is more hoarded than ever it's not been anything else but feel full one day there'll be a miracle happen of perhaps what would it look like if there was a miracle happen it would be clearer much clearer there's nothing here that's rubbish or for touching out no it's just that it's got to be sorted gene yes remember you gave me something to take away the other day you were going to imagine that it was gone forever and see how you felt so how do you feel about that item now what if I knew what it was I might be able to give you an answer I think that is your honor that's your answer it's immaterial what's important in life are the people your daughter is worried about you because you were paralyzed by this stuff unfed um about it it's I go to sleep when I wake up it's the first thing on my mind this might be radical but what have you said guys I know you've got my best interests at heart and you want to help me to avoid incurring costs and stress by the council taking my stuff and putting it into storage I will trust you to do the right thing with my stuff I trust you but I just don't want anyone the horrible stark unpleasant truth is it's either us or them I think that the present time we've got to put Stefan how really your whole gene you're not able to travel you are stuck here because you can't leave until it's sorted out it's not going to get sorted out when it's smooth do you want to spend the rest of your years with this hanging over you with every morning you wake up and it's the first thing that you think about the thing is it's about six or seven words I believe go for it I've got to do it myself why because that's me [Music] it's really hard I'm naturally struggling to try and keep a lid on everything because I feel like I've let Jeannette down stupid really but they haven't been in the same situation as her for so many years with my mom I feel like we were last hope it's just so tragic I feel like we've reached a stalemate [Music] [Music] implement it's a very different story [Music] look isn't it shiny it's practically new I can't the kitties so as I am at the present moment hey where am I gonna put it beat I need it considerably less than I need a hole in the head I think very much that Armour recovering water in some ways it has been as though I was in some sort of space surreal dream I'm slowly sort of servicing a lot has changed in Jeff's life since we first met I reckon there are only about 250 years behind the modern kitchen I got a tea towel now as well I got two of them back to me [Music] Jeff is acclimatizing to a life less hoarded but I want to know if he's finally had the courage to tell his family not looking too bad it's all is this the stuff that came back from the warehouse stuffily came back from the warehouse Jeff is still a hoarder but he's come a long way even his food museum has been thinned out I was thrown out eight two tins now he's throwing out some tins well yeah most of them have gone down there but Sir I know you know me I'm still quite healthy have you been feeling emotionally yeah yeah yes I mean there's no well I mean I've got all sorts of options that I can do now and have you told other people about what's going on with very great difficulty I told my sister happy hmm somewhat to my surprise they did not take a judgmental attitude they haven't said you're worse than waste of space you know and what have you done this tour all the rest of it that is absolutely wonderful that is almost the best thing to have come out of this whole process I think it's enormous for Jeff the fact that he started telling people about him it's amazing that he told his sister what's going on and I think he was pleasantly surprised they were supportive and I think that when you've been hiding something for such a long time for fear of being judged to actually come out of the closet and to be able to talk openly it's liberating you feel like a massive weight has gone from your shoulders and you know I think that's that's where Jeff's getting to now [Music]

Channel: Only Human

Views: 1,688,685

Keywords: only human biggest hoarders, Britain's biggest hoarders, biggest hoarders full episodes, obsessive compulsive cleaners, only human full documentaries, only human obsessive compulsive cleaners, my hoarder mum and me watch online, my hoarder mum and me jasmine harman, britain's biggest hoarders, britain's biggest hoarders s01e02, channel 4 documentary

Id: FDPMwEXexUc

Length: 58min 0sec (3480 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 28 2018