MovieChat Forums > Clean House (2003) Discussion > Messiest Home 2...two months later (7/3/...

Messiest Home 2...two months later (7/3/08)

posted 17 years ago by gunivera
24 replies | jump to latest

I posted this on the Style Network's message board, but wanted to let you all here know as well...

It's gorgeous! As I stated in an earlier post, I met Phil & Mindy the day of the yard sale. I had the opportunity to chat with them two other times when I ran into them out in the community. We exchanged emails, and I received an invitation to come back and see the house.

I called yesterday while I was out and took them up on it, I was 2 blocks away. Phil was waiting outside for me and one of my daughters when we got there. We got the grand tour. As much as an optimist as I am, I wasn't sure exactly what I'd be walking into when I visited. It's beautiful! And...despite what folks here were thinking, they've been keeping up with it.

They have emptied the crawl space and are preparing for another yard sale. They have a decent stack of empty bins that they've already sorted thru, putting away the things they needed/wanted, refilled some of the bins and relabeled them "Sell". You could very easily walk thru the WHOLE HOUSE. Oh, and the kitchen was amazing, and yes, clean!

The CH crew did an incredible job with the cleaning and the decorating. The Wheelers have been doing one hell of a job keeping up with it themselves.

Oh, and Phil had another back surgery last month...I am amazed at how quick people are to say that he's faking it because he was able to bend over and pick up his cane. Don't you know that some days are better than others, folks? Are you telling me that not one of you out there with a back injury is able to bend over and pick something up once in a while, on a good day?

I know I sound like I'm defending them because we're friends. The truth is, I have met them a total of 4 times, we've never socialized, and I'm a total optimist. At this point I'd call them acquaintances. I just think they deserve little of our prayers and good wishes. That they deserve a little compassion, faith, and encouragement.

)O( Blessed Be

[–] miesk5 17 years ago

G,
Thanks for the information! We hope the family the best and good fortune.

Bless All Who Serve

[–] sugarbunny2003 17 years ago

Wow! That's wonderful!! Thanks for the update. I just watched this episode (I had it on my dvr for awhile, lol). After watching I came online to see if there were any updates, because I was a little skeptical that they would keep it up. I am so happy to hear they have. I hope they are doing well and are able to enjoy their home. It seemed like they had some personal issues (we all do people), but it seems they are working on it and I wish them the best of luck for their future!!

[–] bess654 17 years ago

When I saw their reaction to the makeover,it was pretty obvious that they had both learned a real lesson about holding on to clutter when they reralized how much stuff they still had left.I'm glad to hear they're on top of getting rid of the rest of it.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] chicknlynn 17 years ago

Geez, I just posted something about this before I read this post. I'm glad to hear that they're doing well...and the house is still clutter free! I think they should do that for many of the families...it would be fun to see.

A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.

[–] KittMc 17 years ago

They probably realize that if they hope to adopt, they'll have to to through a home study and be approved. That wouldn't have happened with their original house.

[–] Chaplin_fan 17 years ago

I'm just amazed that nobody else has brought up the obvious with these people: Phil is so obviously gay, and totally in the closet. Whenever people have clutter and filth to the extent that these people do, there are definitely far bigger issues; the clutter is merely a symptom.
Phil has so many "hobbies," because he doesn't want to have to be intimate with his wife. It's so sad that he can't be true to himself and honest with her, and deal with the issues that caused all the clutter and filth in the first place.
I know gay when I see it, and I know denial when I see it, and this house is full of both, on many levels. I hope they get the healing they need so that they can both be happy.

[–] tpaul411 16 years ago

I just saw this show last night. I did not get the gay vibe from Phil, but I think the two of them had a lot of issues to work through. That home was completely unsanitary before the Clean House team showed up. How could they not notice the stench ? And how could Phil have so many "hobbies" when he had to lie down every 10 minutes. I think he was using the back injury to get out of doing anything around the house except what he wanted to. And how many phones did this guy have ?? Was he trying to be a telemarketer as a hobby too ?

[–] lilypad183 15 years ago

" I think he was using the back injury to get out of doing anything around the house except what he wanted to. "

tpaul,
i agree with you. he didn't want to clean the kitchen sink so he had to lay down. how could anyone feel better laying on a bed with a huge dip in it and all the filth?
he can sit for hours on his hobbies but can't do anything else because of the pain? no one builds a plane like it in 20 minutes or sits online for hours on end but he can't do housework?

[–] jml7403 17 years ago

The people on this show (not just this episode) are extremely depressed. Are there therapists on the set to help? I think the issues are more severe than just the actors on the show to try to help. I have just started watching this show this week. It sure makes me want to clean!

[–] ComicDiva 17 years ago

But often times simply cleaning up a severely cluttered place can alleviate a bit of the depression.

Don't get me started, don't EVEN get me started!

[–] straykitten 17 years ago

Yes, often times simply cleaning up a severely cluttered place can alleviate depression. The problem is that you are too depressed to get off the couch to do even a little bit of the work.

[–] sonomagirl2120 17 years ago

Thanks for posting this! It is really good to hear that they are appreciating and tending to their cleaned up home.

[–] ReasonlsOutToLunch 15 years ago

This episode was on again today. I just discovered this show. Now, I am hooked. But, I was wondering what happens after the crew leaves. I am happy to know that at least one family kept their house beautiful and clutter free.

If you love Cheezits and are proud copy this and make it your signature.

[–] lilypad183 15 years ago

"I am happy to know that at least one family kept their house beautiful and clutter free."

reasons,
it's good they're keeping it picked up but i don't think 2 months is much of a test. right now they're showing off the house to family and friends so they have to keep it up. what happens when the novelty wears off?

they're lazy and irresponsible, how can all that change in a couple of days?
they both obviously have major issues and those need to be addressed in therapy.

[–] no_gluten_no_wheat 15 years ago

What people may not recall is that Phil had a habit of trolling neighborhoods and pickup things he thought had some value from other peoples' trash bins and garbage pickups.

That is why he had all of the phones, old computers and even the plane. They had no more room but Phil would bring in more crap damn near daily.
LOL!

[–] lilypad183 15 years ago

"They had no more room but Phil would bring in more crap damn near daily."

no gluten,
now that they have more room since the clean up, is he back to picking up more stuff daily?

how can he curb crawl but not clean the house?

[–] HeisenbergBitch 15 years ago

I watched this episode earlier today with my girlfriend. Something was off about the husband, Phil. I mean, he was annoying as hell whining about his back the entire show, seemingly looking for some sympathy, but something else about him was weird. I've read other people saying he might be gay and that crossed my mind too but I think there's something else going on with him too. Just very odd.

[–] gunivera 14 years ago

How about two years. Is two years a good enough test? Was just at their house over the weekend and it looks great. Well, let's say that the stuff that CH didn't ruin looks great. CH used the wrong kind of paint (with no primer) on the doors and windows and now it's peeling. They didn't remove the stumps when they cut down the shrubs, just covered them with mulch. Phil & Mindy have tended to them properly. They've also been trying to get CH to fix some things they broke/didn't install right since the show.

I was channel surfing and saw their episode was on. I called them and told them how much I love them and how proud I am. I first met them at their yard sale. A few months later we ran into each other again and have since become very close. My kids love "Uncle Phil" and "Aunt Mindy".

They've even been able to take in an ailing family member, which is one reason they didn't do a followup episode.

Oh, and...despite what has been alluded to on here...Phil's not gay.

)O( Blessed Be

[–] gunivera 14 years ago

[–] tpaul411 14 years ago

Have Phil and Mindy posted photos of their home 2 years later ? I am curious to see how clean it still is. That toilet alone was so vile !!

[–] lilypad183 14 years ago

"Have Phil and Mindy posted photos of their home 2 years later ? I am curious to see how clean it still is."

tpaul,
it would be interesting to see how that house looks now, wouldn't it?

it's interesting they wouldn't clean up after themselves but expected the show to come back and redo things.

[–] 17 years ago

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