Even though Elizabeth Nelson was raised in an upper-middle class suburb, she felt a deep sense of shame about her living conditions growing up. The spacious basement where she rode her Big Wheel at age 3 was filled to the brim by the time she was 8. As years went by, the homeâ’s empty spaces disappeared, replaced with clutter. She was so used to piles, it took Nelson years to realize her momâ’s compulsion to collect and save was a psychiatric condition. She recounts a visit to her parentsâ’ home as an adult. â’My dad was using portable urinals...
