Have you seen the show Hoarders on the A&E channel?  Each episode follows two people with hoarding issues. And the word “issues” here doesn’t come close to doing it justice.   Typically, it appears as if a giant scooped up their homes, inserted large quantities of dirt and old food, and then vigorously shook it upside-down before setting it back in its place.  Their hoarding is so out of control that a family intervention ensues often because they’re on the brink of having their children removed by CPS.  And yet these people typically remain in denial about their problem being a “serious” problem.  They frequently argue that it’s a lifestyle choice.  Episodes usually end with a cleaner house and a shrink that tries to resolve the root cause of the issue.

Obviously, these cases are extreme, but nonetheless, the homes are both fascinating and frightening to me.   As I watch the show, I find myself looking around my own home.   I notice stacks of “whatever” that we’ve ignored for weeks.   One of the biggest drawbacks of living in a city is lack of space in our home.  And after we had Emi, it quickly went downhill as we found ourselves drowning in baby goods.  Our current home can go from clean to cluttered, literally, in a matter of minutes.

The show has scared me into keeping a more tidy home.  It’s gotten to the point where I actually interfere with my daughter playing.  While she’s taking out the Lego’s, I’m right behind her putting them back in the box.  Same thing happens at reading time, I basically shadow her and while she takes a book out, I put the other one back in.  To me, I feel like I’m saving myself from cleaning up later.  To my husband, he feels as though I’m more worried about the cleaning process than enjoying the moment.

Lately, my husband has banned me from playing with Emi because he says it’s not playing.  Obviously he has no concept of multitasking.  Tyler comes from the school of make mess to the point of stepping over things and then clean it up all at one time.  I’m more of a pick up as you go along type of gal.  Tomato – tomahto, people.

Hoarders has changed us for the better.  If you find yourself needing motivation to clean, tune in to an episode of Hoarders and you’ll find yourself happily dusting the blinds (the most evil of all chores).