We have a spare bedroom that we are presently using as a computer room. I suppose in about nine months, it will be converted into the baby’s room. But, oh, the daunting task ahead. The room serves as a workout area/study/storage. The stuff has to go somewhere. But where?

I have the TLC show Clean Sweep on my DVR and I watch it from time to time. After viewing an episode, I find myself peering at my surroundings with a critical eye and I get an overwhelming desire to make “sell”, “toss,” and “keep” piles. The only problem is that I don’t have the luxury of a personal organizer and carpenter at my disposal to design space-efficient storage units for me. Also, since I live in a townhouse, I am lacking a vital component to a good garage sale: a garage. So, instead of a “sell” pile, I have a “donate” pile. We still have a long way to go, but I’m whittling away at it.

Aside from the entertainment value, I realize that we watch reality shows to make us feel better about ourselves in some way. Shows like Clean Sweep puffs me up by allowing me to say, “heck, at least my house isn’t that bad!” We relate to reality shows and compare our state of affairs to the folks on the show, who sacrifice their privacy and pride in exchange for free stuff, money, or an improved lifestyle. I sometimes wonder if I could be convinced to make such a trade.

In addition to improving our self esteem, certain reality shows can spur us to action and inspire us to make improvements in our lives. Whether it’s de-cluttering your living room, staging your house for sale, or simply learning how to dress more professionally, reality shows tell us that even average Joes like us can do it.

I’m not sure how this entry ended up making me an advocate for reality shows, but perhaps it’s because I spent the entire day watching TLC and the Discovery Channel in my pajamas. Unfortunately, nearly an entire weekend of downtime still didn’t banish this cold, but at least it’s not getting worse.