CLUTTER CRAZY

The other night I was feeling mildly guilty about leaving dirty dishes in the sink, when I tuned into “Hoarding: Buried Alive” on The Learning Channel. Instant mood switch. The people on this show are such junk addicts that they make me look like the Queen of Clean.

How do people manage to gather so much clutter? We’re talking mountains of “stuff” that must be climbed over in order to get to the next room. One slip and the hoarder could never be seen again until the bloodhounds arrive. Thus the “Buried Alive” title.

One guy, a dapper dresser with a fine income, had a 3-bedroom townhouse that was jam-packed with stacks of crap heaped up over six feet high. When he finally got the nerve to take his lovely lady friend to see the mess, she gamely went along for the tour. He had told her he was a hoarder, but she had NEVER imagined he was this bad. The place practically exploded as he opened the door! After taking a few precarious steps into the place, the gal proclaimed him sick beyond repair and quickly tossed him out of her life.

After seeing this show, I have a whole new outlook on housekeeping. I’m no longer going to feel like a failure when a few articles of clothing linger on the bedroom floor or when kitty dust balls gather behind the furniture. As long as I can get to the bathroom without having to maneuver an obstacle course, I’m going to be happy. With “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” the Learning Channel is NOT really trying to educate us about mega slobs; it’s teaching the rest of world to chill out and not be so concerned about the supper dishes getting washed before the food has been digested. My self-esteem has never been better!

(P.S. The above picture was NOT taken on location at Casa de la Flaming Bore!!!)