HOARDING SERVICES

In August 2010, I received a telephone message from a Discovery Studio Associate Producer, Iwonka Swensen. Iwonka asked me to call her back about participating in an upcoming episode  of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive.  Of course I returned the call promptly (an opportunity to be on national TV is kind of exciting!). Iwonka explained I had been sought out because of my membership with the National Association of Professional Organizers and because I am also a Certified Professional Organizer.

After Iwonka explained the situation and the logistics of what they were looking for in a professional organizer, she basically ran me through an extensive telephone interview. After the interview, she said she had other organizers she was going to be speaking with but would contact me in a few days and let me know if I would be selected.

About 4 days later, Iwonka called and said the position was mine if I wanted it! Duh…of course I wanted it!

In a phone conversation with yet another Producer, I was given the client’s name and phone number and was told I could call and speak with her before the filming; however, under no circumstances was I to meet with her or visit her home before the filming (they wanted to capture my initial reactions live on film).

Filming started a couple weeks later. I was told to remain in my car when I arrived until someone came to get me. While waiting in my car, Jason Nicolls the Producer introduced himself and gave me a bit of background information. He stated something that I found to be peculiar at the time. After learning more about other Hoarding: Buried Alive episodes and after experiencing this client’s situation, his comment now made sense. To find out more about Jason’s peculiar comment, what it all meant and other interesting behind the scenes information, attend one of my presentations on Behind the Scenes of Hoarding: Buried Alive.