The Real Reason Matt Paxton Left Hoarders

Hoarders has jumped from A&E to Lifetime to A&E, sharing the intimate details of the lives of people suffering from hoarding disorders for the past decade (via The Cinemaholic). While there have been many changes, one thing that has stayed the same through the majority of the show is the presence of expert hoard cleaner Matt Paxton, owner and cleaning specialist in charge of Clutter Cleaners. 

Often called "Mr. Hoard" himself, Paxton told Forbes in 2016 that this isn't the career path he had planned. "It is not a career path that anyone sets out to follow, but I am the guy who knows everything about cleaning up the big messes." Over the years, Paxton's compassion for those suffering from this debilitating disorder have, combined with his ability to get down and dirty (literally), have proven him to be one of the most watchable and in-demand cleaners around. His business growth has been explosive and, as of 2016 he reported, "I now I have 65 locations around the country, I am a very sought after speaker, but it really was not meant to be that way. What I was really trying to do was just help my Grandma and then make a few dollars."

So many locations and such high demand takes its toll — especially if you have a young family like Paxton, with his wife and three young boys at home. Paxton announced that he was leaving the reality clean-up show after the ninth season because, "I'm ready to come home, ready to be with my kids," he told Reality Blurred in 2017. A career choice that had started when he was a newlywed just wasn't as compatible with family life. But fans of Paxton need not despair — Paxton hasn't exited our television screens for good. Instead, he moved on to a different project (one that will allow you to eat dinner while watching). 

In 2020, Paxton shared his new show Legacy List with his Facebook followers, announcing a staggered release on PBS. He describes the premise: "The show is about downsizing and listening to the stories of our aging loved ones. We follow families as they leave their family home and transition to a new home." While this new show won't have the "trainwreck" appeal of Hoarders, it will still have Paxton's unique combination of compassion and practicality that we've all come to love — plus it will allow him to spend more time with his family, which we can all get behind.