Nov 13, 2008

The entire world is decluttering

Anyone see Oprah yesterday? Peter Walsh (formerly of Clean House and now of Peter Walsh fame) was on the show, randomly knocking on people's doors, asking to help them with their clutter. And now that he's embarrassed four women in the New York City area, he's headed YOUR way on a national decluttering campaign.
Picture this -- the family has left for work, school, wherever they go during the day and you're sitting in your sweats (the pants with the hole in the knee, the sweatshirt with paint drips), enjoying your first quiet cup of coffee/tea. Your hair looks like the cat slept wrapped around your head (and probably did), the breakfast dishes (and OK, last night's dinner dishes too, because your dishwasher needs to be emptied) are piled in the sink, the trash is close to overflowing, the neglected cat box is registering 9.3 on the smell-o-meter, and last night you got the quilting bug and pulled out every shade of red fabric that you own (which in turn messed up all the blues, greens and yellows that were jammed in the same totes), in an effort to finally get that Christmas sewing started. You hear... DING DONG....
You quickly use your hands to fluff up your hair because we all know what a difference THAT makes, hope it's the FedEx guy at the door because he's seen you this way so many times before that he never bats an eye at the fact you're not wearing a bra, use your feet to push aside the boxes of newly acquired fabric that arrived a week ago and still lay in the hallway in front of the front door because you haven't got one square inch left to stash fabric (and, after all, no one uses that front door except for the FedEx guy), and pry open the door the socially required 14 inches (just enough to let people know you're being welcoming, not enough to let them actually see inside your house) and you see...
The bright white lights of the TV camera hit you full in the face, like a zillion flash bulbs going off at once, and as you rapidly blink your eyes as if you've just come out of a year-long coma, there stands a man whose face looks familiar, but you don't know why, saying "Hello!!!! I'm Peter Walsh of the Oprah Show and we're here to help you with your clutter. CAN I COME IN?"
If that's not enough to make you jump right out of your computer chair and start decluttering, I don't know what is. I'm starting today with my office. THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR TODAY:
  1. Peter Walsh isn't at MY door this very second.
  2. My house is actually organized and decluttered -- except for my office.
  3. Last night's rain.
  4. The cat slept all night without waking me up
  5. My grandson is fully potty trained.

2 comments:

Karen said...

Joan,
Did you watch the whole show? I thought it was hilarious! But most importantly, did you see that you can get a free photo book on Snapfish?? I was planning on making one for Emily for Christmas anyway so now it'll be free for me!

Dixie said...

I didn't get a chance to see Oprah... one the many drawbacks to working "away" from home... But I do wish he'd come knock on my door... I'd put up with a little public humiliation in order to get my office decluttered!
I'm on vacation the week of Thanksgiving... maybe I'll do it myself then? Anything is possible... have a blessed day from your sister, separated at birth... in Texas ;)