Can reading a book change your life? Yes. If you take the actions that the author suggests in the book. Simply reading and absorbing the information in an organizing book (or any other self-improvement book for that matter) will only change your outlook and knowledge on the topic. Without getting up out of your chair and taking action on what you just read…your home won’t be any more organized.
In the next couple of posts I plan to share some of my favorite organizing books. If you’re looking to get more organized and you love to do-it-yourself, books are an excellent tool in your organizers tool bag, especially if you’re self motivated. In other words, books work really well if you can get yourself up off that chair and start taking action!
Today I’ll share one of my very favorite organizing books, It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff by Peter Walsh.
The reason this book ranks at the top of my list is because it is so inspiring. You literally want to jump up out of your seat and start eliminating the clutter now! And you want to really dig deep into the depths of that clutter and just let it all go. Peter also provides excellent advice for navigating through the organizing process with a loved-one. If you share your home with someone who has a different tolerance level for clutter than you do, Peter offers excellent advice on how to broach this subject with your loved-one and make progress together.
If you’re looking for a book to kick-start your organizing efforts and motivate you to really declutter your home, give It’s All Too Much a try. It’s an enjoyable read in and of itself, but even more so if you can imagine Peter is speaking to you in his oh-so wonderful Australian accent. 😉
What’s your favorite organizing book? How did it change your life or your approach to organizing? I’d love to hear.
I was just thinking about looking for some good organizing books… can’t wait to see what you recommend. I am going to see what our library has, hoping for a good selection!!
I just recommended that book yesterday, along with Making Peace with the Things in Your Life, by Cindy Glovinsky. I’m looking forward to reading your other book recommendations!
I like both of Julie Morgenstern’s books that I have – Time Management from the Inside Out and Organizing from the Inside Out. My classic favorite has to be Confessions of an Organized Homemaker. I think I have purchased most of the books out there.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this book! It is the only organizing book I’ve ever read from cover to cover. The rest of them lose me at some point. I’ve put so many of his ideas to use in my home … along with Aby’s, of course! 😉
Thanks for the recommendation. I was just looking for a new book to read for February and this looks like it will fit the bill.
hi aby,
happy new year!
Great suggestion for a book. I am going to check it out, for sure.
If you like audio books, you can actually listen to Peter read the book!!! No imagining of his voice necessary. http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_SANS_000841&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
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I’m a huge believer in Less is More, and making the most of what you already have. I currently live in a small apartment/condo with my hubby and two boys. We don’t have a large mortgage, yard work or those expenses, less to clean, and overall less stress.
My husband and I bought the Peter Walsh book recently and believe it has changed our entire way of thinking. We love it.
Let Go of Clutter http://www.letgoclutter.com/ really “spoke” to me while I read it. At the time, my decluttering journey was in its early stages and her book helped me along {as did your workshop, Aby!}. I plan to read Peter’s book with the Simple Mom Book Club. I’ve been on the queue for Peter’s book at the library for months and there are still a lot of folks ahead of me.
I do love Peter Walsh’s book- I actually bought that one in hardcover, I think. My newest favorite is It’s Hard to Make a Difference if You Can’t Find Your Keys. This book really speaks to me, which I think is what makes any organizing book work. Some simple things like making cleaning up part of finishing are really helping me. Also, she speaks specifically to creative types a lot.
I love your blog and your classes. I have a couple of favorite organizing/time management books: Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern and Getting Things Done by David Allen. Of course, I think it is funny that the first thing I do when I want to let go of stuff is to go buy another book!
I Love, Love, Love Peter Walsh! His book is great!! I met him in April at the NAPO conference in Reno and now I love the book even more since he signed it. 🙂 He was a very inspiring speaker.
Okay on to another book… A favorite book that I gave to everyone last Christmas: ADD Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg. Even though most people swear they have ADD after reading it, it is a great read and full of ideas to help everyone become more organized! Buy it and grab a highlighter.
I’ve been looking to get this book
I was able to get does this clutter make me look fat .. but haven’t started to read it yet.
I haven’t really read a lot of organising books – but used lots of places on the net to read stuff (including the 101 workshops !!)
My two very favorite organizing books are that one by Peter Walsh and “It’s All Here Somewhere” by Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch. That one is from the mid 80s (check your library!), but the advice is timeless. Both of these books represented a huge paradigm shift for me.
I like Julie’s Morgenstern’s and Donna Smallin’s books, but my favorite are Marcia Ramsland’s Simplify series: Simplify your Life, Simplify your Time, Simplify your Space, and Simplify your Holidays. Her books are so easy to read and anyone can apply them to their life. I like to read them once a year or so to stay on track.
I read that book last Fall and LOVED it… Devoured it!!! Peter Walsh books are written in a way that makes sense, isn’t over my head, and it isn’t like he is “talking down” to the reader.
I’m an organizing book reader from way back and the one that really changed my perspective and my house is “It’s All Here Somewhere” by Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch. Best book ever- mainly because they get so specific about organizing everything. I still use their system.
I absolutely LOVE “It’s All Too Much.” Walsh totally looks into the psychology of clutter, and helps people just “let go.” I think it’s a book packed full of psych, time management, and even math skills of organization (like, you have x feet of shelving, which on average will fit y amount of CDs, z amount of DVDs, etc).
I need to add this book to my next request list through my library! Thanks for the recommendation!
Aby, do you happen to have an extra copy of your’s and Wendy’s book that I can buy from you?