The young man from Spash of Color is so creative and he suprises me with his ideas. Thanks for having him on your show. I really enjoy your show Oprah. You are so down to earth. I only have one complaint. I get home a few minutes after your show has started and I keep missing the word for the day. I have to ask on my computer for the word of the day. I feel so stupid because I know what the show was about but not the word for the day. Help those of us that miss the first few minutes of your show. Thanks a bunch Oprah and keep up the good work. Diana from Iowa

Watching a part of the show today and going on the website after, the sentence , imagine if your house was on fire what would you take with you...... this sentence reminded me of a few moths ago when our garage ( not attached to our house) started on fire. it happened very quickly , the windows blew out and explosions were heard, it was the middle of Winter, and our hoses were , where else, in the garage, there was piles of snow all around the outside taps, we are in the country , with a Volunteer Fire Dept. We started throwing snow and buckets of water through the window, tried the fire extinguisher, but it was too small to help much. then we remembered that our antique car that we had just restored was in the other side of the garage. we couldn't find the keys, ( keys were not labeled), husband was at work and as he often does, didn't have his cell phone on him. we tried to push the car out, but being an antique, it was very heavy. luckily somehow we managed to put the fire out by the time the fire tucks arrived.

This incident really made me realize how unorganized we are , and how all members of a household have to work as a team, not one person trying, and the others going, yea..yea..whatever...also how important it is to have a fire drill for a home, and I am now working slowly on removing the clutter around our house.

Different situations can lead people into messy disorganized situations. People have illnesses or other things that take top priority in their lives. If these things last very long, good habits can quickly disappear and be replaced with poor habits.

A couple of years ago I found out I had severe anemia. It came on so slowly over a long period of time and I did not realize what was happening, I just knew I didn't have enough energy to do what needed to be done. My house went downhill more and more the longer it went on and the worse it got. My children lost their good habits and developed very bad habits as I had less energy to follow through. By the time I went to the doctor and was diagnosed, I was incredibly overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. My family and I are still trying to restore our long lost good habits and bring our home back to its previous clean and organized state. I am still clearing out from under messy closets and basement. Habits are hard to change and they are even harder to change in teens and young children. They are better and our house is better, but it can be a two steps forward and one step back situation.

I wish people would not judge others. Everyone has their problems and no one is perfect. A messy disorganized house does not mean they are immature or unintelligent people. If this is not an area you struggle with be grateful and not judgemental. Not every issue or topic is going to have the same impact on every person. I am happy for those who don't need the organizing shows.

This isn't something that just happens over a short period of time. Piles and piles of clutter are a result of years of neglect. Sure, in some cases there might be a psychological or medical reason for this clutter, but in most cases I'm certain it's just laziness.

I can't get out of my head that woman that Oprah dedicated an entire show to. Her and her husband were living in a very nice home and she had just trashed it with all her clutter. This woman's only issue was the fact that she would not stop buying stuff, but she never cleaned her home so all the piles of "stuff" just collected. It took way over a decade for the house to get into this shape. She has no excuse other than sheer laziness and her husband was no better. She blamed it on the kids leaving the house. I have a feeling, truth be told, that her house was a mess before the kids left... it just got much worse.

I think it's great that Oprah helped these people, but at the same time I keep thinking of all the others that were more deserving. People that are busting their bums just to live. People that don't have all the money to buy lots and lots of "stuff" and then trash it. I just don't understand why they keep rewarding these people that show no respect for their possessions.

I am trying to print up the coupon for the container store but am unable to in this format. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Jean

+Re: "KEEPING HOME CLEAN AND
ORGANISED" is really a good topic but aren't we missing something. How
teach to ur spouse and kids(7 and above) would be really helpful. The
effort only one partner to keep the home clean make them tied. This is
what going on at my place+

My place is like that too. No matter how much I clean, organize, and make "homes" for things, my husband and son (7) leave dirty dishes and clothes around the house and toss their stuff whereever it lands. I told them a few months ago I wasn't going to pick up their clothes anymore. But then I get to tripping over them. And the dirty dishes start smelling bad. So, I pick up.

My husband always dumps stuff on the countertops in the utility room. After hearing Peter Walsh say that you must keep your flat surfaces clear, I attacked the worst countertop. I put away "communal' things that needed to be put away. The stuff that my husband was responsible for, I dumped in a banker's box. I was going to take it upstairs to his office but he got to it first. I don't know where he took it, but its gone. He didn't say much, but I could tell he was miffed. He said "Where are the buttons that were on the counter? I was going to sew them back onto my pants." I replied that they were in the banker's box somewhere. For a few minutes I felt guilty. Then I realized it wasn't my fault, and that if for some reason he couldn't find the buttons, he could buy more.

I think I might start putting dirty clothes and dishes in boxes and putting them out on the patio. My husband is a freak about wanting his patio clean (the only think he keeps clean).

It is crazy in Iowa Dhs puts children in nasty homes where there beat with boards and abused.I don't know where to turn no one will help these poor children.It's my cousin and I've called DHS and they called her to let her know she needed to pick up and they will be there on Monday.I posted it on youtube and showed DHS the video of her nasty home.They did nothing.youtube search niterider010574

Would someone please share what the "two money-saving offers" for the viewers were? I couldn't finish watching the show as I had to care for my 2 little ones. I would love to save $ on whatever I can to have my home a little more organized with a 2 yr old & a newborn. Thx you in advance,
A grateful mom