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Summary: Conquering Chronic Disorganization
Review: This was an interesting and informative book. It was easy to read, and gave lots of visual examples of how different people organize differently.
Rating:
Summary: When you've tried all the rest, get this book!
Review: Today, my living room is clear of ALL clutter and papers. And the rest of the house isn't far behind (kitchen 3/4 uncluttered, baths 1/2 decorated, etc). I've been living a packrat/piler lifestyle for over 20 years. I've read MANY books (yep, still have them), tried MANY systems(yep, still have those, too), joined online self-help discussions, but never once managed to get even ONE room totally cleared. This book helps you see that you can be "organized" even if it means something different than others (the born organizers) expect. If filing is your thing, you can file everything, if it isn't, you'll discover lots of acceptable alternatives in this book. This book deals with papers, time management, and all the other physical or mental "stuff" which can overwhelm you if not organized for soundness of mind. I love the summaries at the ends of chapters which list methods and tools for various organizing styles and systems. That is what opened my eyes to what I needed to physically and mentally do. I now use conventional organizing for those areas that I already have a penchant for doing that. But I am also using "body doubles"; asking for assistance (hubby, and best friend) to get in all in control to start. I am also using other more unconventional methods, since I read about the "wide visual field" and that learning styles and organizing styles are similar concepts, but may be different than each other (visual learner, kinesthetic organizer). I know I'm not crazy when I won't put things away, because "out of sight, out of mind" really does apply to me (I've been saying that for years). And now I know how to WORK WITH that instead of combat it. I am re-reading chapters as the house gets cleared (I bought the book just a few months ago) and this helps me remember to not use the conventional methods, when I know they won't stay that way later. That's how the living room finally got cleared. This is the best book to read to help open your eyes to what you PERSONALLY can customize to organize yourself. You can use it along with some other books, tapes, and methods, but this is the one that will get you thinking, then keep you on track. Judith, if you're reading this...I thank you with all my heart! P.S. I bought FIVE more books to give out to friends and family. Yes, I really know this book can help.
Rating:
Summary: This one's a keeper!
Review: Who would have thought it? This is a book about getting on top of your piles of papers and stacks of stuff, at home and at work - and I had a hard time putting it down unfinished! But I had to find my stuff and get out the door to go to work...so I finished reading it the first chance I got. And then I started over again at page 1. It's that good!
Lately I've read several books about getting organized, clearing clutter and filing documents. Many of them are probably just fine - for someone else, or maybe for everyone else in the world except me. But my eyes get glazed when I start reading somebody's "aha!" mandate of the Seven Steps To Ultimate Life Organization, or Fifteen and a Half Essential Things to Do Before Breakfast, or some other very specific number of very specific tasks that are supposed to lead you to the promised land of uncluttered serene organization for life.
And I still shudder to think of that awful complicated [big name brand] planning system I got handed when a former boss ordered me to attend a "time management" workshop - which turned out to be a product of the company that sells these things. It was just another dang thing I had to waste time and effort maintaining addition to getting my WORK done. Until I just quit using it.
Judith Kolberg's approach to "being organized" cuts to the heart of the matter, which is how an individual human being operates in his/her immediate world. Wow. Her solutions to organizing problems are as fun and creative as the people she writes about. These are folks who found themselves in messy muddles at home or the office and needed help in sorting out their environment and making it work for them, not against them.
There are some great ideas here, and I can see how a few of them will help me out! And no matter how much stuff I get rid of as I clear out my own clutter, I can't see giving up my copy of this book anytime in the foreseeable future.
Rating:
Summary: Worth reading!
Review: With low expectations, I checked this book out from my library. I have read extensively on organization. This book is very worthwhile. I ended up buying it.
It had suggestions for organization that no other book has ever touched on.
The most useful suggestion was to decide how much of "one thing" it is reasonable to keep. For example, is half the garage full of empty boxes--- too many? For most people, yes. Then you go to what is the best amount to keep--- for you. Also if you assess your space, you might revise how much is reasonable and so on. Smart.
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