It’s All Too Much

I have a wonderful colleague and friend who just puts books on hold for me if she thinks I’ll like them. I do the same for her, of course. This isn’t one I would have picked for myself. She didn’t like it so much, but I guess it’s changing my life. More on that later.

It’s All Too Much by Peter Walsh
This is an inspirational book on organization from the host of TV’s Clean Sweep, which I have never seen. His actual organization tips are fairly standard – get rid of things you don’t use, keep only what will fit in your space, make a place for everything you own and put it back every day. If you haven’t read organization books before, it’s worth reading; otherwise you can skip these sections. Where the book really shines is in motivating you to start in the first place, and in helping you determine what to keep and what to get rid of. First for your life and then for each space, Walsh asks you to close your eyes and imagine your ideal life. If your vision includes family meals in the dining room, clear it out. If your dream home is furnished with modern items, find another way to remember your grandparents than their antiques. For each room, everyone should write down and agree on its functions. Create zones for each of the functions, and take out anything that doesn’t contribute to any of these. There’s also a nice month-by-month plan for keeping up after your major reorganization. There are a lot of books like this out there, but if you need help with the motivating and the keeping it up, this one could be right for you.

( What I’m doing about the book )