Each week, Organizational Expert, Peter Walsh, brings care and understanding to OWN’s Extreme Clutter and helps people get control of their lives and their homes. Often showing us that the chaos has less to do about the clutter and more to do about what is going on in their lives. This week, Peter introduces us to just this kind of family. Peggy admits, “Our house is bad.” With her and her daughter both troubled with their clutter in their lives, both anger and stuff have created a big divide between them both. While her husband, Adam, traces the clutter back to when Peggy was laid off, we soon find out that Peggy has twin boys – and the age of seven they were both diagnosed with a rare genetic disease. One son is Andrew is confined to a wheelchair. Little Adam passed away at eleven years old. Suddenly, the chaos of the house doesn’t seem like chaos at all…it seems like pieces of the emotional life that her family has been living through. Beautiful lessons this week for this family. How brave they are to share and how wonderful Peter is through the whole process. Amazing.
Here are some lessons from Peter and Extreme Clutter this week…
- “Anyone who has suffered loss is susceptible to destructive behavior.” – Peter Walsh
- Parents – Don’t go with the “Do what I say, not as I do” parenting. It doesn’t work.
- Remember to talk with…not at.
- Does your room reflect who you are? Why not? Do something about it.
- Before you do anything, ALWAYS take the time to stop and see a vision for your room and for your life.
- Clutter can ruin relationships. Remember…people are always more important to anything in your home.
- Empty rooms and arrange like items together to make your process go faster and a little easier.
- Don’t forget to clean out under your bed.
- Kids learn from you. What are you teaching them? What do you want to teach them? Start today.
- Your “vision” pile reflects what you want your home to look like.
- The “out the door” pile needs to not make it back in your home.
- Give things that are important to you a place of honor in your home.
- Things are not worth fighting over. Never.
- Talk with each other about your vision.
- “When you take the things to you that are most important and treat them with honor and respect, as soon as you see them, your heart sings.” – Peter Walsh
- You can change your life at anytime…just believe that you can.