Ok, so that isn’t entirely true. I guess I’m just glad that I don’t move in high society. This fact was really driven home this season by the Real Housewives of New York City. Even the countess seems to constantly be fighting with people because she thinks that their manners aren’t good enough. It just seems like once huge cat fight.

Some of the women have jobs, but their lives are just consumed with keeping up appearances & all of this petty gossip. Being in that inner circle doesn’t look like fun. I mean I’d like to try being wealthy & all don’t get me wrong, but I think I’m happier than they are.

It was true on the Real World last season & it’s even more true this season. In fact you will see this phenomenon on any reality show where strangers live in a house together. They fight about who does the dishes. Then the messy roommate says that they are really fighting about some emotional problem. Sometimes, it really is just about the dishes.

Last week Scott was upset that Katelynn wasn’t cleaning up so he locked up all off the dishes. He also moved all of the living room furniture into her room. Katelynn retaliated by hiding the pool balls & messing up all of the furniture in the main living spaces. All because it was too much hassle to wash one dish. It’s a lot more hassle to fight constantly. When it came down to it, Katelynn was going to have to go home because she didn’t have the money to pay her bills. She couldn’t afford her car payment or her storage locker back at home. I had never thought about the Real World experience as being financially draining. This is one of the few seasons when the cast members haven’t had a group job. It seems like they are being allowed to pursue their own dreams & desires, like becoming a TV host or a musician. However, this doesn’t pay well. If I was there I’d probably have to go on a admin job search to get by.

In the end Scott ended up giving Katelynn some of the money she would need for the next month so she could stay. They are really like a family, even though they do fight. However, there would be a lot less fighting if everyone did their fair share of housework.

I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from watching TV is the power of small changes. Sure, I would love the crew of Extreme Makeover Home Edition to come & do a complete remodel. That’s the only way my house will ever get finished. However, simple changes can really transform a room. I was recently trying to update the kitchen & was discouraged to learn that these remodels costs tens of thousands of dollars. So I painted the cabinets & am looking for decorative hardware to really spruce things up. Another project I want to get done is to add shutters to the outside of the house.

My point is that really anything is possible if you know what you want. I love looking in designer magazines & then trying to copy that look on a budget. I was just at the Inviting Home site, & it’s truly amazing. They even have expert interior designers that you can get in touch with for a phone consultation. Finally, you can get the products that you used to have to go through a contractor for. This can save you a lot of money & they have an amazing selection. I watch decorating shows all the time & I didn’t even know about decorative stair brackets. Now I think I need them.

I’m in love with the Inviting Home inspiration gallery. It’s broken down into categories like wall decor or kitchen & bathroom. Every picture that they’ve gathered has me saying “Wow, how did they do that?” They also have great design advice. They even tell you how to decorate those wall niches that are seen in so many custom homes that no one really knows what to do with. If Extreme Makeover Home Edition can’t make it to your house, don’t give up. Get inspired with design ideas & products that will make your house look like a million bucks.