I loved this show. I could collect "treasures" (read "useless crap") until I die, and I would still look like nothing compared to the people that end up on this show. I can point to these people and my husband can't complain about me. I didn't used to like it very much. I found Niecy and Michael way too stereotypical for their market segments, as we say in silicon valley. But they, and all the cast, grew on me.
I watched them pry away, sometimes with a verbal crowbar, the quadrillions of treasures from neurotic collectors. They're all expert wheedlers, negotiators, and compromisers. Now I like them. Don't want to live with them, but I like them. Sometimes I admire them. They're willing to go into almost any neighborhood in Los Angeles to do what they have to do - and they confront interesting sanitation issues without completely freaking out.
I like Mark Brunetz best when it comes to designs, and Alan when it comes to yard sales, and the familiar Linda. Every once in a while, I notice Linda got a little snippy at the client - but then, having dealt with the homes of difficult relatives and being an obsessive organizer myself, I'm right there with her and have personally thought of physical violence as a possible option. The show does follow the same format every time, but predictability makes me happy.
The closest competitor, Clean Sweep, offers designs that look pretty cheesy compared to what Mark Brunetz is able to do, probably because Clean Sweep is building them on site (ah, the luxury/downfall of having a carpenter). Mark must spend more time with the clients than we see on screen, because he somehow takes amazingly disparate tastes and puts together rooms that look good, often even to me, and make people happy. Mark's designs also look practical from a usage point of view.
I sometimes have a little trouble with watching people on Clean House give up their "treasures" (yes, "useless crap," but to the owners, each and every piece of useless crap seems precious) to raise money - except that if something didn't come out of the house, there would be no room to move. And having been through losses myself, Niecy's sensitive support of the widow who didn't want to let go of physical reminders of her husband was effective.
We get Clean House on the Style Network, which regrettably must show the same damn commercials throughout. It's enough to drive you insane, and if anything would make me stop watching, that would do it. But it's unlikely, because this show gives me solid points for being such a good housekeeper and non-obsessive collector.
I have relatives and friends, though. If only they lived in the Los Angeles area.
I have to add, though, that I dislike the 2006 season version. Too much (OK, endless) product placement, too much canned behavior by Niecy. I don't like the way Trish treats clients; she seems abrasive and direct to the point of being rude with vulnerable collectors and buyers. And I don't like the endless supply of donations that they seem to have to work with on the one hand, with no money for stressed Mark on the other hand. I do like the out takes, but I wouldn't invite this new cast to work with my relatives and friends.
