No comments about Built-In Furniture For The Home: Storage Projects To Enhance Your Living Space (Popular Woodworking).

5 comments about Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Organization: Unclutter Your Home, Unclutter Your Life.

1. Don't just unclutter the appearance of your home. Get to the root of the problem and truly cut the clutter.



2. If you're overwhelmed with "stuff" and need help purging, then this is the book for you. Lowell's exceptional design skills combined with his personal charm make the book an enjoyable, worthwhile read. Lowell presents a clutter "attack-plan" that's very easy to comprehend and initiate. He describes how to first eliminate the obvious junk and then follows with a step-by-step method for letting go of items people tend to be more attached to (i.e. things we spent good money on but don't use, or gifts we don't like but were given to us by friends and family). Lowell's book discusses ways to tackle colossal amounts junk, unused "good stuff", and ways to minimize the feelings of guilt associated with the purging process. The send half of the book illustrates Lowell's design genius. Before and After photos show how remarkable a room can be after a design face-lift, clutter is removed, and functional storage systems are incorporated. If you simply need help deciding which basket would work best for your 5 neatly folded sweaters, then don't buy this book. However, if your situation is a bit more dire - for example, getting to the closet door is an obstacle course, which reveals a sea of clothing on the floor scattered with items that belong in the kitchen, den, dumpster, or wherever - then this is the book for you!



3. Just like a good friend, CL is there to take you by the hand and lead you through your home. "And we're walking...we're walking...'



4. Written with humor and Christopher Lowell's usual spunk, this book contains some very fundamental key ideas to effectively change how you manage your clutter and once utilized, it can reduce or eliminate clutter (if you take it to heart and actually follow through on a consistant basis). Myself, a once "shop til you drop" and hoarder with cluttered rooms (not dirty), I experienced what it's like to relocate and move all that clutter, and it was a nightmare, so I resolved to clear out the clutter for once and for all. After watching the moving van get loaded, my neighbor's wife remarked, "How did she fit all that stuff in her house?", and her husband replied, "That's something you don't need to know!" Many of the decluttering ideas the author has outlined are things I found out by trial and error, reading lots of books on the subject and being motivated to unburden myself of things I really don't need. Still on the path to further declutter, I spied this book and picked it up. Christopher Lowell has organized some great ideas of how to initially attack the clutter into a good plan to systematically rid yourself of the clutter and change your bad habits through daily management of any further clutter once it's cleared. He also defines what clutter consists of....things we don't normally think of as "clutter", and it's amazing how eliminating all of that makes us feel....wonderful! It is not an easy journey, the emotional part will take some grit, but it gets easier and easier as you follow his lead and you may have to go back after the first round and the second round and eliminate even more.....but it does work! Buy this if you are overwhelmed with clutter and are seriously looking at where to start and how to manage it, and know that it does work when you take it to heart and work the program. It will open up new things for you!



5. Anther great book. Anything by Christopher Lowell is going to be worth the money and time to read it. Highly recommend.

5 comments about Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice.

1. athe information in the book is good and sound but it jump around a lot and is hard to find thing quickly.



2. I'm 27, picked up this book at B&N on a whim becuase I like old fashioned things and thought I'd just browse through it. But turns out I read it from cover to cover and enjoyed every bit! A few things are out of date but who cares! - it was so enjoyable to read! If you have those natural "wifely" instincts of wanting to make your house a home you will like this book!



3. Yes, you must get a copy of this book, it deserves to be classic.
   Yes, it is heartwarming and touching in places and it made me stop and really think about what home means to me. That fact alone makes it stand out against all of the "hints and tips" and "how to" books currently on the market.
   
   In fact, I've started my very own "receipt" book for my niece separately and am fashioning it along the lines of Mrs. Dunwoody's tome. Of course, when I present my niece with it (in a few years) a copy of "Mrs. Dunwoody" will accompany it.
   
   It is the best book to come along in along time. Thank you Ms. Lukken for such a quietly inspirational classic. In fact, I know I will have to order another copy soon as my copy is wearing out from constant reading.



4. I know this may sound dumb, but I thought Mrs. Dunwoody was a real person. But, she is a fictional compilation. The advice is real, however, and some of it is very useful. It is not AS useful as I was hoping, although I do like the book. The layout and look of the book is very nice, indeed.



5. I loved this book. It has a lot of info on old fashion home making and natural cleaning tips. If you long to hear information on the good old days you will love this book. My children love the part on what a lady should and should not be and what a gentleman should be and should not be.
   This book has a place to keep your family history and such. A treasure to be passed down to your daughters or daughters-in-law.

3 comments about Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable.

1. Bill Adler, Jr. is hilarious. If you don't get anything but a good laugh from this book, it's worth it. He has a great sense of humor and he knows how to make decluttering fun and lighthearted. He gives good tips and a different insight which you may or may not agree with(choose and use those which you think will work for you). I have read a lot of material on decluttering and organizing and this book was still helpful, enlightening, and just plain fun to read.



2. If you're anything like me,you've been fighting clutter all your adult life.Reading about how to control clutter to me is like reading recipes is to my wife.After all this reading we'll look at each other and say,"Let's go to the Mall,and then out to eat."Although newspapers and magazines are continually carrying articles about clutter,they're as common as those on energy conservation.The best book I've come across, several years ago, was "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett(see my review of December 29,2005).Despite my best intentions and efforts Clutter still stands.
   When I came across Adler's book,and already having been familar with his other book,"Outwitting Squirrels",I thought it would be well worth reading.Both of these books are to the point,totally all encompassing,full of humor and will describe both you and your cluttering instincts to a tee.Whether reading this book will help you turn your habits around or will become another addition to the 'pile' ,all depends on you.So what's new about raising Hell on Saturday nite and reading the Bible come Sunday morning?Anyway,you gotta keep trying,just think how it would be if you didn't try.I am reminded of Larry McMurtry's novel "Cadallic Jack" and the old fellow who had his house stuffed with bird nests he had collected over the years.
   I'll give you a little personal example.I came into a small collection of matchbooks and have no interest in them.Come to think of it I hardly see them anymore.I have offered them to several,but to date no takers.Now is the time to take advice from my title.Get rid of them!
   The one big thing that comes into play with clutter is that it definately involves those we live with.Somebody elses clutter is a lot more easier to get rid of than your oun.Now if you want to really declare war on it,exchange control over one anothers clutter.However;one should also discuss divorce expenses before embarking on a War on Clutter..If you think Bush bit off a big one with his War on Terror,you're in for a biiiig surprise!
   Don't loose heart completely.Just like his book shows how you can still continue to feed backyard birds and still live in peace with squirrels,he gives some of the same help in living with clutter.If all else fails,organized clutter beats disorganized clutter every time.My wife and I have declared two areas in our home off limits over clutter.I have half of the basement for my 7000 books,puzzle and other collections and she 3 closets and a bedroom,as a result of empty-nesting,for her treasures.The rest of the house is neat as a pin and off limits to clutter.
   I think the best laugh in this book is where Bill talks about the clutter of hair shampoo and and conditioners ..check out 151.
   while most advice on clutter deals with getting rid of clutter;Adler takes it a step further and gives some good suggestions on how to manage it,if you can't eliminate it all together.
   While Adler gives us a great war cry,"Don't bring it home";an old friend of mine gave me this piece of wisdom,"Every thing you get,takes looking after."



3. This author's advice is direct and simple and seems very good for getting the reader started immediately on organizing. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Living Organized: Proven Steps for a Clutter-Free and Be Home.

1. Yes this is the updated version of the Messies Superguide. And I'm so grateful. My Superguide was so well used, it was losing pages! Here and there, there is updated info.
   
   Basics:
   Each chapter ends with short questions for you to answer. These are questions to get you to the core of your problems as a messie. Once you know your weaknesses, you can fix them. In later chapters the questions get you to analyse, create strategies, and attack the problem....much like Morganstern's book, Organizing from the Inside Out.
   
   Only this book was written first and explains WHY we do what we do.
   
   This book is wonderful in explaining why some of us are messy, are packrats, are hoarders, are depressed, are afraid to have people over to our homes. And what makes this book so life changing is the fact that it isn't just Sandra's life(which it is) it is also Sandra's RESEARCH! She talks about research on how the brain works and why some of us are messy.
   
   This was really helpful to me. It is one thing to hear, I'm a messy, your a messy we are ok. Lets try to figure out how to help ourselves. It is quite another to hear, research says this is why you are a messy. With this knowledge you can get to the core of your problem.
   
   Another point that sets this book apart from others is Sandra is not a cleanie (This is a person who is naturally able to clean and organize). The benefit to her being "one of us" is that we are much less likely to feel put off or insulted. Then we are able to make progress.
   
   While a previous reviewer is correct in stating there are no direct tips and hints on organizing your home, I believe that is one of it's strongest points. Many a cleanie has written books telling you how to arrange your house. How many of each item you should possess.
   
   The problem, you don't fix yourself! You don't deal with the core problem so the house falls apart again and you go purchase the next book by a cleanie.
   
   They make money and you add another book to your clutter. sigh.
   With this book I have made great strides in decluttering and organizing and I have not slid back into the clutter of things everywhere.
   
   If you are a messy, you gotta have this book!



2. This book does help with you discover the root of the problem. Following an 'blue print' from a non-messie does not change the way I think & process information about my world. I find Sandra Felton's books come from the point of view of a former messie & I can relate to her better than someone who has always been organized. If you are a messie, this is a good book to read.



3. I picked up this book at Publix on a whim while food shopping. I'm really glad that I got it. Sandra has an easy writing style that I appreciate and is easy to understand. I haven't finished the book, but I feel by incorporating her methods and psychology of Messies Anonymous, my bedroom and other common areas can be clean and organized easier and sooner. Thank you Sandra! ~Lil' Black Panther~



4. Eh, so, so. It didn't show me anything I hadn't seen before, and I still have a lot of disorganization. Not inspiring or original or problem solving.



5. I was waiting for a manual on how to clean and organize your house. I got a little surprise. While the book does touch on this subject, the majority of the book is like a self-help book. I normally do not like self-help books, however, this one was very funny.
   
   I have already started Mount Vernonizing my house!

5 comments about Home Organizing Workbook: Clearing Your Clutter, Step by Step.

1. The book is easy to read and make use of in everyday life for relieving clutter and learning how to remove it from your life. It is divided into sections that coordinate with the home. I found the book very enlightening and gave me some great "new" ideas for cleaning up the clutter in my life. Overall: A very good book for both unorganized and the organized alike.



2. I bought this book at the recommendation of my favorite magazine...Good thing I used a gift certificate and didn't waste my own money. I gave it 2 stars, but maybe it's worth 2.5 stars-just for the effort. It does have some good ideas, but for the people like me, who love to organize but just don't have the space, it's not that useful. I was expecting more ideas about how to use the space I have. Unfortunately, I usually have better and more creative ideas than the author. Another major "-" is that the book talks a lot about throwing stuff away; well, what I have to say to that is that I periodically do that anyway, and I still am space challenged. That's not the solution to every problem!



3. Finally an organizing book that focuses on the real 'how to' of getting your home organized. I have other books on this subject but, this is my favorite. It makes it do-able room by room.



4. I admit that I was attracted to this book because of the beautiful presentation. However, as I glanced through it, I began to see how well-organized the book itself is, and I immediately bought it. This book is presented simply, without a lot of psychobabble about underlying issues that cause people to be disorganized. The book has great ideas and I recommend it to those who want to jump right in and begin working on home organization projects. I am an organized person, but the wonderful man to whom I am married appears to be able to live happily amidst piles of plastic crates. I am hoping to get him to read this book!



5. I got this awhile back and have been using it ever since. It is well written. There's no fluff, just good step by step advice. If you are serious about organizing your home this is the book to get!

5 comments about Homeowner's Record Keeper: The Perfect Place to Keep Track of Home Repairs, Maintenance, Plans, and Dreams.

1. I bought this book as we are building our first house this year and I wanted somewhere to record all the information regarding contractors, colours, fixtures, fittings, etc as we went along with the building process. I have to say that this book is perfect for that!
   
   There's plenty of spaces to go through room by room recording all the information so you can really keep track of what's going in to your home. I also like the fact that after the build is over, I have places to record maintenance work done, information about the utility companies in the area, etc so I can use it as an ongoing tool and not just an organiser while the house is being built. There is also a great section for future planning towards the back.
   
   I think what I like most about this book though is the design. It's great to look at inside, using modern designs and colours, with a useful pocket inside for bits and pieces (can't remember if there is more than one but there might be). I looked at a lot of 'homeowner' type journals (I spent a really LONG time looking) and found that this one looked the best as well as being the most practical tool for my purposes.
   
   All in all, I think this is a great buy either for those who are building or those already in established homes.



2. This is a nice product but it wasn't what I was hoping for in the end. I wanted/need something more like a 3-ring binder to hold samples, manuals, contracts, etc. This spiral bound book will hold small amounts of tiny paint chip samples and the like but there is not enough room in the pockets for much else. If you're looking for somewhere to record the ins and outs of your interior decorating escapades, this book is for you.



3. It's a great product. I found it once in Hallmark and was hooked ever since. I love to give it to friends who have purchased new homes...along with "The Green Book", a fun pre printed grocery list you just check off and some green products in a cutsy pale! Makes a great gift. I would definately recommend it!



4. I bought this book because it is attractive, but it has one flaw so annoying that I am currently shopping for something to replace it. The flaw is that the area designated for paint chips is both bigger than the size of an average paint chip and a vivid aqua. I like aqua, but the aqua border that shows around whatever paint chip you add changes your perception of the color (and, depending upon the color, can be incredibly ugly). This problem is a deal breaker for me, as I buy these things to keep track of interior design decisions, and you can't hold the book against fabric, etc. to gauge color matches. The rest of the book is nice looking, but I'd trade the design features for utility.



5. This book was given to me at my previous address by my mortgage company and it was so great that I had to buy it when I recently moved. A great way to keep track of paint colors and when you do any home improvements.

1 comments about Garage Solutions (Do It Yourself).

1. A very dissapointing title from Taunton. Basically a series of near-advertisements for systems you can buy and simply install. The few do-it-yourself projects look like summer-camp woodshop material.

5 comments about Lighten Up!: Free Yourself from Clutter.

1. I love Michelle's attitude. She's very forgiving and compassionate at the same time she turns a clear eye on the reasons we acquire clutter (mostly unfinished business and fear).

   Her filing section is fab. My papers have never been so orderly and, when I slip back into the 'piling up' phase, I reread her words of wisdom to get back on track.

   She is realistic about different lifestyles (some of us are more cyclical with our cleaning up and she takes that into account) and very specific which helps when I'm feeling inadequate to the task. Her step by step approach makes it seem less overwhelming.




2. This is the best clutter book I have ever seen for those of us who have intelligent, creative personalities that attract clutter. The author deals with some psychological reasons for clutter, and how to overcome clutter both practically and emotionally. This book is inspirational! Her "a path for everything and everything on its path" advice alone is worth the price of the book. This book will give you power over clutter! If your spouse is the clutter hound in the family, this is a good book to read and then give to your spouse, because it deals with clutter problems sympathetically, helps you understand clutter, and gives you techniques to deal with clutter.



3. This book is amazing. It walks you through every obstacle to clearing your clutter. I wouldn't part with it because you can pick it up again and jump back in when you are starting to slide back into your cluttering ways!



4. I recently bought three books on getting rid of clutter. This is by far the best of the three for me. Michelle Passoff is patient, caring and concerned for the readers wellbeing. The other books seemed to order me to do things and I just do not respond to the 'tough-love' method.
   
   I have started already with clearing away the clutter, and with my first minor success, feel her advice is bang on!
   
   A caring, loving, author sharing her skills with us to help us with life. I wish I had found this book years ago!
   
   Anthony Newman, Netherlands



5. The most invaluable thing I learned from Passoff's brilliant clutter-free plan is that women are so unhappy because their goals are so vague. She teaches you how to have specific goals and to work on them one thing at a time-not concentrating on the entire picture-because you can't ignition if you think about China!
   
   Not since the equally brilliant book, "Taming the Office Tiger," has an "organization" book doubled as a life-changing plan!

No comments about Country Living Storage Style: Pretty and Practical Ways to Organize Your Home.