Is anyone watching the Oprah series on Uncluttering Your Home? She has put together a squad of people who travel all over in Volkswagen Bugs knocking on the doors of unsuspecting slobs, barge in and shame them in front of the entire world about how cluttered and messy their homes are. It is either your worst nightmare or your salvation. The point is that clutter costs you money, distracts your mind and is often unhygienic.
Like watching a train wreck, I am unable to turn my eyes away from this program. Yesterday the Squad turned up at a fraternity house at a university in Georgia, barged into the three room mates dorm room at 6:00 AM *with the boys MOTHERS*. Talk about embarrassing. Luckily they were caught just sleeping, not doing anything illegal or immoral. The squalor those three boys lived in was pretty unbelievable. With the help of the Clutter Squad and some items from the Container Store these fellows were sorted out quite nicely in a day or so. At the end they even had desk space to do their studies. Their mothers approved, and the guys vowed they were going to keep things neat and tidy from now on.
Then unbeknownst to a woman in her audience, Oprah had the woman's van towed all the way to Chicago so everyone could see right on the stage what a pig sty the woman drove around in. Now this really was pretty impressive. In the entire van, there was only room for two of her three kids because of all the crap packed into the vehicle. The back storage area was like an archaeological dig, with items packed as tight as possible from the floor up to the ceiling. She could not possibly been able to see out of that car. Oprah gave her an hour to go work with the Clutter Bugs and clean up that messy van. You would not believe what they found in there. Gifts she had planned to give to her children or her nephews from over three years back. Clothing that no longer fit the intended recipients. Shoes, lots of trash, sports equipment, old food (really old food), baby bottles from her children who were now 3, 5 and 6. The pile of debris was incredible. How anyone could live like that is beyond me.
The show did make me look around my own house though. Things have gotten a bit out of hand around here. I wanted to give you an example of the mess things are in my house, but could not bear to shame myself to that degree. I chose a not so bad spot to begin with. That is my cluttered bedside stand you see above. Well, you can guess I am an avid reader with a sinus problem.
The premise of the Chief Clutter Bug is that you must start by uncluttering your surfaces. Make piles of like objects to put away. Makes piles of things to keep, to throw away or to donate. Get rid of stuff. Every time you get something new, get rid of something old. Get containers to hold like things together. Keep ever vigilant or the clutter will come right back. There were testimonials from people who claimed that de-cluttering changed their lives for the better. One woman was uncluttering her office and discovered a refund check for $1400 that was due to expire in a week.
I don't know about you, but I am up for a bit of de-cluttering! Let's see what changes I can make around here.
I can't imagine it. I'm a middle-of-the-road clutter bug and, well, until I get that maid I need I just don't see how I can turn over a new leaf like this. But, I promise to think about it...
Posted by: *karendianne | March 20, 2009 at 04:37 AM
I know the show you're talking about.I have two teenage boys, a Great Dane, and an adult male tornado. I wouldn't answer the door.
Posted by: Dawn Heese | March 20, 2009 at 05:18 AM
Nicki, you are so funny. That is not clutter! You can still see the floor, am I right? I've seen your house. Architectural Digest could show up with a camera crew without touching a thing and it would still make the cover. Even your quilt projects are arranged in alphabetical colors.
Posted by: Mary Seals | March 22, 2009 at 08:28 AM