OM(a)G

6:00AM wake-up call.
7:00AM make-up.
8:00AM photographs.
9:00AM chaos.

No, it's not our wedding day itinerary -- it's the chaotic breakdown of the morning of 2E's O Magazine shoot.

2E's and I woke at the crack of dawn to dress up (but not too "up") and to clean (but not clean "up"). After all, in a few hours we would welcome renowned de-clutterer Peter Walsh into our home to gasp and gawk at the horrific disaster zone that was our desk.

No surprise that 2E's took to the camera like a moth to a flame ... a moth that had been primped and pinned and sleeked and styled, had its nails done, had its hair did, and then was positioned in a well-lit room. That moth never had it so good.

Like a good groom, I provided the following free of charge:

 (a) Starbucks refreshment
 (b) man duties (i.e. relocating office supplies; locating hammer and nails; etc.)
 (c) concierge services (i.e. showing our guests to the bathroom; pulling out take-out menus; etc.)
 (d) dustbuster services
 (e) unlimited moral support

10AM-4PM was a bit of a blur. People in and out ... things brought in, things taken out ... take-out. And again, I handled a great deal of the grunt work: some hardware locating, some office supplies re-locating, and so on.

The team was out the door around 4:30PM, and it was our first chance to breathe, look around and appreciate the complete re-envisioning of our space. Peter Walsh compartmentalized our entire lives, breaking our "office" into five distinct categories (two of those five being wedding-related); and after providing us with his own, fresh from overseas, Peter Walsh-brand furniture, he taught us how to keep things organized and in order -- even when there isn't a world class de-clutterer present.

When Peter spoke, we listened. We followed him around like over-anxious schoolchildren, wanting to pick his brain about this and that and pick up spare tips that he happened to spill. From him we learned amazing things like, Your space is limited to its space; when you get something new, you have to throw something away.

Peter even organized my bookshelf, which prior to his visit looked something like a mini-library that had been throw together in a disaster relief effort. This morning I sat on the couch and stared at his handiwork. I'm now able to admire them and pull one out without inciting a chain reaction.

The entire team worked tirelessly and without complaint, hauling furniture up and down two flights of stairs and never compromising, never settling for "OK." 2E's and I felt like we'd won the lottery, only we didn't have to leave home to collect the winnings.

Thanks, props and all other appreciative nouns to Beau Haralson from Office Max, who provided us with far more than peace of mind; O writer Amanda Robb, who documented the proceedings in her chic, vintage notepads; make-up artist Mary Klimek; Peter's right-hand man, Barry; photographer's assistant Hans; Christina Weber, photo director at O Mag, for connecting all the pieces; Kathy Nguyen, our woman on the inside; and our dear friend and blog enthusiast Teresa, without whom we would never be organized.

As for the article ... it will appear in the March issue of O, with crisp, otherworldly photographs by Dave Lauridsen, who made our home look like it was worth living in.

And now ... to sell our couch and purchase a new one. Hell no we're not living with this old thing.