Comments on: Before, During and After — A Failed Reality TV Premise

By: AJ in AZ

AJ in AZ — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:47:14 +0000

They do say that you sleep better in a bedroom that is only devoted to sleeping. No TV, no hobby supplies, no desk. But how many of us have so many rooms that we can keep all that stuff in other places? Not me, that’s for sure. I live in a one-bedroom house with a studio, and the studio is absolutely packed with stuff. This is in spite of decluttering for several years now. It is a great place though. The one bedroom is on 20 acres, and that makes up for a lot.

By: Sierra Black

Sierra Black — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:14:34 +0000

We just cleared out our pantry and laundry room this weekend, and it feels *so* good! I can’t get enough of standing there jsut admiring the swath of flat space under the window.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:48:09 +0000

I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in my organizational quest. Nor am I alone in my significant others disorganization. Sigh…. rather than continue tidying up after them, it might be easier to give them closed off storage space by curtaining off or installing doors on cabinets. Come to think of it, that might be an excellent idea for both of us. It would definitely be more stream lined.

By: Katy

Katy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:26:01 +0000

Glad you liked that. I wrote it as “carp” at first, but did an image search and saw some HUGE carp. Possibly lethal to be hit by one.

Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:15:38 +0000

I missed the “cold, wet trout” on the first read. What an image!

By: Marie-Josée

Marie-Josée — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:25:57 +0000

Moving. That’s what healed us of clutter and got us organised. And IKEA Ivar shelve units really help. After spending 17 years in the same house, raising two children there, we moved three times in the past four years. This gave us all ample opportunity to decide if the third grade math test, memento, lego box, you-name-it was so essential to our emotional or physical well-being. We moved into a housing coop in an neighbourhood I don’t really like so my fantasy is about moving into another coop in the neighbourhood of my dreams where we could settle in forever.

By: The Compact UK

The Compact UK — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:42:45 +0000

since we’ve started the compact challenge, my OH and I noticed a change in our decorating efforts. We still put the same time & effort into our house as before. However, before it was about getting this and that to make the place look nice. Now, it’s about what we can get rid of, re-organise so that the house is more streamlined and clutter free. Now we understand the irony of spending lots of money on containers to put away your clutter, when getting rid of your clutter would be free!

By: Brenda

Brenda — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:50:29 +0000

Love the post, laugh out loud funny. I guess I can relate. My fantasy came true this fall when I had my own pantry makeover.

By: shymom

shymom — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:22:01 +0000

The sewing should be fairly easy. Make a template from paper first and remember to give your self enough seem allowance.

I’m having a hard time imagining that I would have the patience to not only find the basket to fit the space but also to match in color. For the baskets themselves, you may need to spray paint them to get them to match.

By: Sharron

Sharron — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:38:22 +0000

Great post, Katy! Since life is a work in progress why should a remodeling, redecorating, revisioning process be any different? Besides, reality television cannot by the very nature of its “reality” be real. Once one points a camera at a person, the dynamics change–I don’t care how disciplined one is. An actor portrays a character–not him or herself. So what does that leave a “real” person to play when the camera rolls? Usually it’s a version of themselves, but never the person in private. The only reality shows, in my humble opinion, are those where the camera is truly hidden. So you go! Keep it real. Viva la process.