Moving help?

As many of you know, I have been house shopping.  A few weeks ago, I found what I thought was the perfect house, but came to discover that either the seller’s agent or the sellers themselves (or, more likely, both) were shady and, so, that deal feel through.

Last weekend, I was out and found a house that was much much better than the first.  Yesterday, I put in an offer on that house and am waiting for a response or counteroffer from the seller.  The House of Fab, v.2.0, is also located in the South Bay, about 2 miles from where I currently live... and should, hopefully live up to it’s fabulous name.

As an aside, for those of you that have visited my current place, I’ve only been able to give you the downstairs tour of the house, telling you that the upstairs wasn’t quite ready to be seen by the world yet.  Well, I have a confession... it’s not just that the upstairs isn’t quite ready to be seen by the world, but it’s actually worse.... way worse.  

For years, I’ve been keeping an embarrassing secret to myself and it’s not until recently that I’ve started to try to confront my demons.  I’ve been in therapy for the last six months for a condition known as compulsive hoarding... what you see on Hoarders.  I love pretty, shiny things and shopping, which is a deadly combination.  At this point in time, I’m able to say, with great difficulty, that my upstairs is a horrible mess and I need to conquer both my hoarding problem and my fear before I can rebuild my life and home anew at a different location.  As a result, I will need to have to get things sorted and cleaned in time to vacate my current home, so that it can be professionally cleaned and fumigated for pests.  I’ve posted a few pictures of my place and, if you’re courageous enough, let me know if you’re interested in helping.  

There’s actually a chance at fame and fortune (ok, not fortune) involved for you since I will be featured on an upcoming episode of Hoarders (my part of the episode is entitled Tiana: a professional girl with an embarrassing secret... I’m too ashamed to use my real name, so I’m using Tiana, which is part of Christiana, my middle name)... and they’ll be filming the clean up, so you might be on TV.

This is actually the first time that I’ve been able to open up to people and admit that I have a problem... and, since it’s so daunting of a task, that’s why I’m asking you, my local Facebook friends, for help. By the way, if you’re interested, please let me know so I can put you in touch with the producers and you can get paperwork, etc squared away.

The producers from Hoarders wanted me to pass on a couple of the ground rules:

• First, be open to direction.  The producer and site directors like to give a bit of “direction” to the people on camera to make for better television (yeah, I know I’m shocked too!).  I’m working on being able to cry on cue and scream at people all day without losing my voice.

• They will be providing rubber gloves, surgical masks, shovels, brooms, trash bags, cleaning supplies and anything you’re going to need for the cleanup (and 1-800-Got-Junk will be there with their removal trucks)... just wear some grungy clothes, but not anything that you’d be embarrassed to be seen wearing on TV.

• If your health is questionable, you may not want to participate since there is lots of stuff piled up, uneven surfaces and possible carcinogenic airborne dust particles.

• Along those lines, there shouldn’t be anything toxic or too unsanitary in the upstairs area... I used to have a few pet snakes a few years ago.  While they (as well as the mice that we were feeding them) escaped, I doubt they could’ve lived this long, so you’re not likely to see them slithering or crawling around upstairs, but be careful for their rotting droppings.

• Please come in with an open mind and without judgment.  Compulsive hoarding is a form of addiction and, thus, is a disease.  Yeah, I know you won’t see me in the same light again, but, quite honestly, it’s rather dark up there, so you may not see me in any light... period.

If you’re interested in helping in the cleanup, please let me know ASAP by the end of today... April 1st, 2011.. you know, April Fool’s Day? :)


Anyways, thanks for taking part in this year's installment of my annual April Fool's joke... lol, feel free to post comments, but post them on this blog page only and not on the FB or Twitter link that brought you here, so we won't give it away... Thanks!

  <3  

Karine/ Tiana