I have to remind myself that instant gratification only happens on TV.  In this world full of America's Biggest Loser, America's Biggest Home Makeover, and even Pimp Your Ride it seems that major life changes should happen in a matter of days.  Reality check!  It can take months, sometimes years, and a lot of hard work before a person sees results. 

I'm a recovering clutter bug.  I have weight issues.  I have two young children with autism.  Every day I dream that Oprah will call with an offer to send her experts over to help me get it together.  In this vision Oprah shows up at my door and surprises me with Nate, the very cute designer.  Together they sigh in dismay at the condition of my house, my life.  Miss Winfrey hugs me, promises to fix everything with a wave of her wand, and sends me to Disney World with my family while everything is taken care of for me magically.  I imagine my cries of, "Thank you, Jesus!!!" upon my return to a renovated house, new wardrobe, and 2 new cars.  Would I cry?  Would I fall to the ground in disbelief?  Would I be at a loss for words?  Each scenario plays through my mind each night before I fall into a fitful sleep. 

Nearly three years ago, after our first autism diagnosis, I spent a whole day waiting in line to audition for a chance to be on the Deal or No Deal game show.  After 6 hours in line I had just 30 seconds to tell them why I should have a chance to play for a million dollar prize.  I told them I had medical bills I needed to pay and showed them I picture of my then three year old son who has autism.  The producer practically rolled her eyes with boredom and moved to the next person without even a word.  Who made call backs?  There was a twenty-something blond who wanted to buy a canoe with her winnings, and a man who desperately wanted to buy new carpet for his wife who made it through.  I felt like throwing up.  Later, I drove to an empty parking lot nearby and cried for over an hour.  My story wasn't "sexy enough".  I didn't have a dying child, or an overdue mortgage.  I also lacked a hot body with a great set of double D's.  It hit me that there was no magic million dollar solution for my problem.  I got angry, and I got busy.

People ask me all the time, "how do you do so much with two children who have autism?"  The answer is simple:  I have LOTS of support.  My insurance might not have paid for speech, behavioral, and physical therapy for my children, but it paid for therapy for me and I took advantage of that.  I started weekly talk therapy sessions less than a year after we found out Simon (our third child) had autism.  I also take anti-depressants.  When I found myself struggling with the school district I hired a lawyer and later an advocate.  I attended free training classes on advocacy and attended support groups.  And, when Oprah didn't show up at my door this spring, I took my therapist's advice and hired a certified organizer to help me dig my way out of the clutter that had built up over the past few years.

Hiring an organizer was easier than I thought it would be.  I Googled 'certified organizers' and names and contacts just popped up for my area.  I searched through websites and e-mailed a few before I settled on one that lived close-by that I thought I could work well with.  I hit the jack-pot!  She comes over for about 3 hours a couple times a week and we get to work.  After almost 25 hours of hard work, my garage is full and I no longer have large bins brimming with papers and stuff.  We still have a basement to go through and a few closets to organize, but the transformation has been incredible!  I've also hired painters and a cleaner to help me get this place back into shape.

I've learned that it is impossible to afford the team of experts an Oprah Show, or a Clean House could pull together, but it's not impossible to accomplish the same things on a different time frame and with a smaller budget.  Just like I lost 40 pounds with some coaching, hard work, and life style changes, I can get this household back in shape with some elbow grease and someone to help keep me on track - because I'm worth it.  Some people may splurge on a manicure and a massage; I choose to indulge in an organizer.

I'm still holding out hope that Oprah will appear with her experts, but I'm not waiting around on the couch.  If she turns up she'll find me picking out paint colors, shredding stacks of papers, and hauling stuff to the Good Will.