Organizing for Life: Declutter Your Mind to Declutter Your World

I have bought, and sometimes read, books about organizing and cleaning, and each one has given me a tip or two. This book is the one I needed to make the leap from being out of control to learning to change my lifestyle. Sandra Felton not only understands my psychological makeup as a person who could not accomplish simple housekeeping chores (yet I'm successful in all other areas of my life), but she also provided insights into my own thought processes that I have not come across before. You have to do the work yourself, but she provides the road map.

I picked this up hoping it would be different from the usual "How-to" books with anal retentive lists of tasks and 1000 ways to make household chores that much more complicated. And it was! It's been such an eye-opener, and has helped me break through emotional blocks, and so many of my lifelong bad habits and misconceptions about neatness, messiness, etc. I had no idea how much of a perfectionist I was, and how THAT'S what was holding me back from being the organized, reasonably efficient person I was meant to be. That realization alone has touched and changed every aspect of my life for the better. She's just very good at assessing the hows and whys of clutter, in a gentle, enlightening, and non-judgmental way. I can't recommend this book enough.

I thought I was getting a "how to" clean and organize your home. I WAS DEAD WRONG! I ordered this book, on CD, because my house and life were spinning out of control - and I didn't have time to read a book! I live surrounded by clutter in a home where finding the floor is like striking gold! I was working non-stop cleaning and trying to keep up - and achieving NOTHING! Sandra Felton is a "former messy", and from that vantage point she explores why "messies", that's me, are messy. How they think, how hard they work while accomplishing nothing, and what habits/thought patterns keep them in this constant state of disarray. I could identify with nearly every point in the book. This has been my inspiration to decluttering and cleaning my house room by room, which I have done many times in the past, but now I have the knowledge of how to keep it that way! I have also joined her online support group, "messies anonymous", and have ordered many of her "how to" books to help me in this process. I will recover from my "messy" lifestyle, and I will live in a peaceful, harmonious home, thanks to this wonderful author's past struggles, current success, and her willingness to share with anyone in need.

Organizing For Life Declutter your mind to declutter your world By Sandra Felton As I sit here and write, there is a pile of clean laundry stacked about ten feet away form me on the living room floor, waiting to be folded and put away. It has been sitting there for almost a week now, and so it is probably so wrinkled I may have to iron some shirts. There is also folded laundry in piles on the couch, and the hamper is overflowing with dirty clothes. There is a stack of shoes by my kitchen door, more than 2 pairs per kid, and toys scattered here and there. Life with kids is messy. Life in general can be messy. We just keep accumulating stuff, and have no where good to put it. We buy knick knacks only to dust them. Clothes we will never wear and trinkets for who knows what. I will come clean. CLUTTER BOTHERS ME! I was born a neat knick and so all this mess is difficult for me to take most days. It stresses me out. That's why I was intrigued to read Organizing Your Life by Sandra Felton. I want to declutter my life! I'd like to begin by decluttering my living room. "Even the best cleaning methods are useless if you can't keep up and soon slip back into old habits;" states Sandra, "Stop struggling. You can overcome that old, unsuccessful mind-set and discover a new way of thinking that makes messiness a thing of the past." Boy doesn't that sound fantastic! In Organizing Your Life, Sandra begins with the myths we all believe. Myths like "Working harder will keep your house clean." WRONG - You already work hard enough - You have to uncover the underlying causes. Organizing Your Life is an easy read for any busy mom. The chapters begin with "Accepting Yourself," and include organizing tips, advice, and practical ideas on how to get it together and keep it that way! Any mom (and by any mom I mean EVERY mom) needs this book. As soon as I am done writing this review, I am going to fold that laundry, and start by de-cluttering my living room! Start small. Keep it simple and practical. Sandra Felton will show you how in Organizing Your Life.

I am a Sandra Felton fan. I have been for years. What sets her books apart from the other organizing books is the education you receive. Sandra is a teacher, a researcher, a writer and a messie. She doesn't give you the proverbial fish so you can eat for the day, she instructs you and gives you insight into the heart and mind of a person who is struggling with clutter and disorganization. Her work is based on research from many areas of life so you can grow, change and live a full and healthy life! This title has 2 parts. The first part deals with why we are messy. We can look at possible social, emotional, spiritual and physical reasons for the clutter and disorganization. After each chapter Sandra has questions to help us further evaluate our lives and what might need to be changed. The 2nd part deals with ways we can over-come the problems we identified in the first half of the book. There are more questions to get us thinking and keep us motivated to change. This book is really more than a book, it is a workbook too. Sandra's goal is not to just sell a book but to help people grow and change, to be the best they can be,in my mind the book should be listed under self improvement! ;-) Another great feature of this book is that throughout the book and in the back she lists resources and support groups for getting further help or better understanding a problem. As with most of Sandra's books, this is not a how to book or a follow me exactly and do exactly as I say and you will have a neat home book;there are no tips and tricks on how to store ketchup or toilet paper neatly. These books are written to help you become you, to order you life your own way. And afterall who wants to do something just like everyone else? Especially if you are a creative messie like ME!