Nadya Suleman's House Is Disorganized. But Is That Normal?

Would you offer to organize Nadya Suleman's home, schedule and life?

NBC Los Angeles is commenting on the disorganization inside so-called Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman's home in Whitter. Suleman appeared recently with host Ann Currie on the Today show, surrounded by formal dining chairs, warm walls, a clear coffee table and a clutter-free floor.  Putting her best foot forward initially, the comfortable suburban Los Angeles surroundings seen in the Today Show video couldn't be any further from reality.

As the pressure mounts around her life, mother-of-14 Suleman has given up a good share of her privacy and opened her doors to what's really happening inside her home. NBC Los Angeles reports that the clutter discovered throughout the house probably isn't unlike what is hiding inside most homes, especially the ones with children.

"RadarOnline's video shows floors cluttered with piles of clothing and toys. There are unscrubbed scribbles on a door and walls, and what appears to be the return air vent for the heating system has tape all around it, evidently to hold it to the wall."

"Does anyone really expect there to be no unpicked up clutter in a house with six kids? Three kids? One crayon-toting toddler?

"No, the glimpse inside the Suleman home shows about what you'd expect to see in the homes of any number of families not in the media's bullseye. But as the 33-year-old single mother herself has acknowledged to TV psychologist Phil McGraw and others in her growing list of media interviews, she realizes the house as is is not adequate to accommodate the octuplets who will soon be mature enough to be leaving the hospital."

Is her home fit for 14 children?  What would you do?  Is her home's lack of systems, no storage, and clutter any of our business? The hospital has told ordered Suleman to clean, organize and improve living conditions before she can take her babies home.  Perhaps she needs a visit from Niecy Nash and Clean House for some tough love. But is a professional organizer and interior designer enough? 

Check out the RadarOnline video and come back here and share your comments.

Readers-- If you had an opportunity to help organize Nadya Suleman's home and busy schedule, would you?

Today Show image courtesy Huffington Post.  Other images courtesy RadarOnline.

Read More:

Surprise, Surprise: Octo-Mom's House Is a Mess

Is the Octuplet's Home Safe?

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Comments

[Barbara G.]

I think the real issue with this situation is that this woman does not have enough space in her home. What is she living in, 1500-1600 sq. feet of space? You can't organize anything in a space that small. Add a whole bunch of kids, all their stuff, very little assistance and you're overwealmed with even the essentials of life.

[Twittering Twosome]

I have one child. By 9am on the weekends, my living room looks like a tornado came through. It's a losing battle. I work with my daughter to put things away by bedtime, but in the meantime, the house can be a disaster. I don't blame her, my house has looked just as bad. Give her a break!

[Naomi]

I disagree that you can't organize *anything* a 1500 square foot space. :) But I DO agree that it's not realistic to have 15+ people (14 of them children) living in a 1500 square foot space in a comfortable and organized fashion, unless you're going to live an extremely minimalistic life. (And it's obvious that Ms. Suleman is not inclined toward minimalism...)

With 14 kids, some amount of clutter is just inevitable. I don't think her place looks too bad at this point, considering her circumstances.

The kids can't even begin to be responsible for their own things until they're a few years old. With some professional help, a lot of organizing tools and systems, and ongoing full time support (like an assistant and/or nanny), a reasonably organized life for Ms. Suleman and her family should be possible.

I'm not sure it's a job I'd want to take on though!

[Wendy]

I'm sure clutter is inevitable in that situation. I'm just concerned that the house is clean and sanitary for 8 premie babies (and six other children) to live in. I don't think so.

[betsy@Clutterbusters!!]

As an organizer, I would offer her my services--its just a great pay it forward situation--

[long beach lark]

I read online today that she refused nannie assistance, in hopes of getting a reality tv show.

This will all blow over soon and we'll return to our regular lives.

[Michele Lessirard]

As a teenager I babysat a very active mother who had 8 kids 18 months to 12 years of age.

Although she had the money, keeping up with the house and the kids was more than she could handle. One day the baby toddled up to me munching on an old broken soda bottle that was imbedded in the shag carpet on the stairs. Thankfully the cut on her lip wasn't bad, and she didn't require stitches, but it scared me and does speak to having 14 kids with a messy house. It's not the clothes, it's what lurks underneath the stuff that can caused harm.

[Monica Ricci]

I am just disgusted by the behavior of this woman on every level. From her irresponsible approach to parenthood, to her greed and ploy for money and attention by the media, she is a shameful example of humanity. Frankly, I think all her children should be taken from her and placed in loving adoptive homes, and I can't wait until her fifteen minutes are up.

That being said, as a Professional Organizer, I do realize that people with kids DO often have additional challenges staying organized at home more than those without kids. I wouldn't expect her home to be immaculate but it should be orderly enough to be functional.
~Monica

[Anonymous]

John,

I read your post and watched the video of Nadya Suleman.

Your question caused me to think... You asked if anyone had time, would they help her get organized. I wouldn't.

I have a few reasons. One is: does Nadia want to get organized just so it looks good to get her new babies home? That is not a good reason, because all organizers know that quick fixes are not a cure. Second is: I believe that a counsellor would have to be involved. If an organizer chooses it should be someone with lots of experience and training.

I have been keeping a close watch on this story and with all her good intentions, it will take a miracle to pull this off. 14 children, 8 newborns with possible problems, no job and no father figure. Even if she does work, who will babysit? I remember having an active toddler and a colicky newborn.

Ask me what the house and what I looked like at the end of a day. Stressed!

[Joetta Tucker]

If we were in the same neighborhood or even the same area of the country, I wouldn't hesitate to jump in and help oranize her home and her life.

However, they need more than organizing solutions - more than anything else, this family needs our prayers.

~ Joetta

[birdfeeder734]

Of course I would help her in a minute! It's difficult to keep a house neat and tidy with so many young ones in such limited space. My house certainly would not have won the Good Housekeeping Award early on. It's much easier now that I have a half-empty nest and grown children.

[janet]

I totally disagree.

We grew up in a smaller house and it was nothing like that. There was 5 of us kids and my mother babysat at least 2 other children on a regular bases. Mom kept us in our yard and watched us... we didn't torment neighbors or be caught dead drawing on walls. This mother is not fit to be a mother... Nadia Suleman needs lessons from real moms who know how to do it. To start with... way, way too many toys... are in the house and yard. Is she trying to raise kids or buy them off?

[Responisible girl who takes care of my business]

Can someone buy me a house? I have 4 children and a husband? The only difference between octomom and I is that I was a soldier for over 20 years, what did she do for her country? She is asking for handouts because she is a lazy bum and cannot get in touch with what is real...guess what? You do not need a degree, just motivation and determination to get a job anywhere to make your own living like the rest of us! Show your kids that you have responsibility and dedication to earn a living, not to go to school and not work, get out there and work. I would not ever ask for your advice, why would you want to be a counselor? You could not even make a responsible decision using critical thinking...oh, I forgot, you used your school loans to get plastic surgery...hmmm...the way I see it you lost your chance. I believe in justice, if you get help the rest of the people who need a roof and food need to get the same help you got. And I know that there are many families out there living in their cars with no food. They are kids too...I hope you feel guilty...actually I hope you pay your hospital bill-did you really have to live in CA? You should have moved to Barstow, that way it is still in CA and you can afford it...hmmm...what a concept? Think about the babies who cannot get medical help or kids living in foster homes, or kids living on the street homeless...why can't you reach out to them if you are so pro life? I hope you feel guilty, because greed is one of the seven sins which you possess and you will pay for it. Read about history...maybe you thought you were witty and that you can dupe people to give you handouts, because you did this on purpose from my perception, and no one can change my perception of what you have done. Your ethics and morals...oh...you do not have any...hmmm...so your pro life...so what...take care of people who need to be taken care of not yourself if you want to be so pro life.

[Responisible girl who takes care of my business]

She does not work, so why can't she get cleaning after the kids have gone to bed? Oh, I forgot, she is a princess and needs her beauty sleep so she can get her nails done the next day with people's donations who she has duped! She is a complete fallocy! For anyone to feel sorry for her, please redirect your thinking to the homeless and other children who need desperate help, to include the families who need their medical bills paid. If hers are paid for why not pay for everyone's bill? I seek justice, I like justice, I want justice to be the action equally amongst every human being. If I can pay my way, why is she so desperate to ask for handouts, because she cannot do it herself. She makes a bad choice not thinking about the consequences of her actions. She did this on purpose to be famous and get handouts for free to live comfortably for the rest of her adult life.

[Los Angeles office space]

I have had enough of this woman taking time on television. I hope we all begin to pay less attention to octo-mom and get back to newsworthy subjects.

[Los Angeles lofts]

Enough of octo mom already...let's move on.

[jennifer jane]

there are great companies like Closet Factory that should be contacted. They will send in their own designers to help the octomom get her house organized for 14 children! It's all custom work which would benefit them.