Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home, & Reclaim Your Life

It seems ironic that I grew up in a home where everything was "cleared out" and "redecorated" so often that I never got to keep trophies, my highschool yearbooks, or anything else that might be deemed "clutterworthy". (**cue violins**)While I still clean out cabinets and closets often as per my "upbringing", I am not clutter-free. To the contrary, many rooms--especially work areas like my office seem to never be free of clutter. Rather, they are full of it. The author immediately opens with full nuggets of inspiration on a subject I thought I'd have to push myself to want to read. (Afterall, I blame my clutterdom on lack of time to fix it anyway.) I love this paragraph for example, that sums up so much: "Clutter comes from our behavior. We shop. We keep gifts out of respect and affection for the giver. We cling to old organizing habits in spite of life changes that would be better served by new organizing techniques. We hang onto stuff because we "paid good money for it," or it still has some "life in it," or it "could" still be "useful" or just because we "should." We put weeding out and oraganizing low on our priority list. And after a while, we find ourselves buried in our clutter." Bullseye, baby. It's funny that I am clutter-free in many areas then in others like my work spaces and studio are surrounded with TOO much...so is my garage...cabinets... Yes, it was time to herd my shopping habits, change my mental outlook, and learn the phrase "minimalism". HA! That will never happen...but I can at least deal with the clutter. And, I'll be totally honest, whether this is a gift for someone who attaches sentimentality to objects rather than memories and clutters their life because of it, or for yourself to motivate change, I can't imagine anything more motivational. The author lists methods for creating change, making it stick, learning why it happened in the first place, and splices all of the above with wit, intelligence on the subject, and inspiration to make the change. There is NO doctrine of what you must do...instead, there are many suggestions and, as the author states, "readers are invited to pick and choose what works for them. There is no single right way to get rid of clutter!" It's kind of like telling someone how to lose weight...there may be many different methods, but you have to find the one that inspires you. This book, in my opinion, offers you all the tools--you pick and choose the one or many that change your life. So did it? Yeppers. You'd freak if you opened up my bathroom cabinets now (should you come to my home for a party and do the "peek" that you know your guests do when the door is locked in order to see what's behind the doors like I saw on Candid Camera)...labeled containers, no more scores of old lotions or samples I'll never use. Enter my work areas...shelving, no piles of anything like papers or bills, everything is filed. In fact, you could do a white glove test throughout my home and ma

This book is organised by season: winter; spring; summer and fall (autumn). Winter coincides with New Year in the northern hemisphere, so those of us in the southern hemisphere filled with resolve to attack clutter as part of a new year resolution will be doing so in the heat of summer. This may change the order in which you apply what you read in this book, but no matter which season you start in there are plenty of practical suggestions to follow. Before you start, it's worth considering what clutter is. In Ms Tako's definition, clutter is anything that is no longer helpful. Clutter can be feelings, relationships and stuff. `Clutter is basically an accumulation of unmade or postponed decisions. Keeping this definition in mind, and reading through the chapters to recognise and assess the clutter challenges of each season and assessing what is appropriate to you and your lifestyle is a great experience. Perhaps you, like me, have books and other items stored for `a rainy day'. I can confidently predict that unless I live for another 100 years fully of `rainy days' I am unlikely to read (or reread) all of the books I have stored and complete all of the craft projects I have acquired. Many of these items will be useful to others, though, and I can liberate them. This book is not a prescriptive list of steps to follow. By sharing her own clutter challenges with us, Ms Tako humanises the process of de-cluttering. I was already on the path of rationalising what I own and where (and how) I store it. Ms Tako's book provides both reinforcement and encouragement. I am inspired! Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I was contacted by Barbara Tako asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her book Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home & Reclaim Your Life. Being someone who is continually plagued by the clutter bug (both my own and my kids'), I was of course interested. I'll admit I was expecting some type of methodology on how to eliminate clutter, but that's not what this is. Instead, it is a realistic view on how clutter affects your life and how "fixing" it is not as easy or as quick as experts might lead you to believe. She also has a definition of clutter than went beyond what I normally think, and that single idea was worth the reading by itself for me. Tako's book reads more like a journal of one person's effort over the course of a year to declutter her life. She divides up the material into four "seasons": Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. As you might expect, certain seasons have different clutter challenges. Winter has New Year's resolutions which often involve cleaning up areas of your life. There's also cleaning up the air in your house (less stagnant), learning to live with less, and (if you have kids) cleaning up the massive numbers of toys that aren't played with on a regular basis. Spring gets into the traditional "spring cleaning", how to more easily maintain a clean home, and even decluttering your diet to eat more healthy. Summer moves to the outside realm, with yard clutter, kitchen organization, and family vacations. There's also the focus on decluttering your schedule (especially with kids) so you can focus on stuff that is important, rather than just being "busy." Finally, fall moves into organization for the upcoming holidays, as well as cleaning up paperwork and other areas that need to be in shape before the winter season keeps you locked up in the house. Because Tako writes in a very personal manner, you don't get the impression that she's an expert who has it all together. In fact, it's just the opposite... she admits where she struggles, and what areas seem to defy organization for her after repeated attempts. And because it's not a methodology she's pushing, it's not as if you have to wonder if this works in real life. Not all of her chapters seem to touch on clutter as you normally think of it. For instance, cooking simple meals and deciding what you're going to have for dinner by 8 am that day doesn't seem like a "clutter" issue. But doing this can reduce stress and guilt over food prep and choices, and less stress can lead to less clutter... One aspect of clutter that she *does* touch on which impacted me was life clutter. Decluttering your life might mean getting an exercise and diet program in place to remove the "clutter" of extra weight and lethargy. It might mean ending certain relationships that are sucking up too much time and energy for what you get back from them. Or it could mean addressing a certain mindset that places roadblocks in your way, stopping you fro

Perhaps once a year I get a book that when I sit down to read it, I cannot stop. This is what happened when I got this book at 10 am one morning. When I finally set the book down it was 3 am the next morning. Yes, I tried reading a few chapters and setting the book aside, but then as soon as I was finished with a job I grabbed the book, anxious to see what new wisdom the author had to share. Bear in mind I must have at least 32 books on the subject of cleaning, clutter, but in all honesty your books is brilliant for a variety of reasons. The New Year chapter that starts with First Resolve to Take Care of You is brilliant. Because it does begin with the individual.This book is brilliant because its laid out according to season. Sounds sensible but it seems to be something every other author has missed. And because of the authors approach clutter and cleaning should be less stressful. Less stressful because because one isn't made to feel guilty if they aren't some type of super man or super woman, and able to clean and declutter within a week. Instead the author wisely recommended making one change per week, work off a list (something I love and what works for me), don't sweat the small stuff, and if you mess up, pick yourself up and begin where you left off. She does a nice job when it comes to learning to cook simple and learn to start dinner in the morning, not when you get home tired in the evening. Page 32-33 have some of my favorite cook books, like once a month cooking, which I have done and recommend. After Ron was disabled by the drunk driver cooking once a month and freezing meals is what kept me sane, as I was his 24/7 caregiver for 14 years until he died. And take care of yourself as far as getting enough sleep, stopping to smell the flowers, and getting enough physical activity. Sit down and have a cup of tea or other beverage treat, Sit and look out the window and calm down. Take a hot bath, wear comfortable clothes when home. Chapter 14 deals with keeping ones home smelling fresh, especially in winter when most homes are closed up, lacking fresh air, although I open the house up even in the dead of winter. Just make sure the heat is off so you don't heat the cold air outside. Having a wood burning stove allows for a quick reheat once the place has aired out. Loved her suggestion that one put a fabric softener sheet in the vacuum bag. I place dried lavender since I have a cat and the occasion chicken who wanders into the house and lavender is great for taking care of any stray flea. Am glad she recommended doing wash once a week, like our elders did. Because I belong to the small house society I also highly recommend having fewer clothes. The late actress Audrey Hepburn believed in ten basic clothes items, which fit inside a traditional French armoire. Its why I use an armoire, since it makes me pay attention to what I do have, so I wear what I have, and take care of what I have. The author also reminds us to make su

Martha Stewart she is not. Ms. Tako wraps "gems" of simplicity in Maxine-like humor. She admits her weakness for saving and being sentimental over things, and yet she finds quick and easy ways to deal with clutter. She even admits to being lazy, but getting rid of clutter allows time to do the important and fun things in life. I avoid home-improvement shows because I feel like I should get off my butt and do whatever they are doing. It is overwhelming. Tako takes the guilt out of it. Nothing has to be done all at once; I can do it at my own pace and when I feel like it. The short chapter format helps me find what I want quickly. Her topics range the gamut from underwear, yard work, travel, and diet. This book is not about a chore to do; it is how to treat yourself to the time you deserve.