Stop hoarding and Start Living!
The really pleasant thing is that Peter Walsh makes you laugh at yourself for the ridiculous clutter you have clung to. And he has some great little nuggets to remember: "If the family heirloom is gathering dust in the basement, don't tell me it is something important or has personal value."

And concerning that over run basement: "It's not like you come downstairs one day and make a decision that you'd rather fill the basement with old lawn furniture and off-season clothes than have a place where the family can gather for movie night."

He lists every excuse you can make:
1-I might need it one day
2-It's too important to let go
3-I can't get rid of it, it's worth a lot of money
4-My house is too small (You should either move to a larger house now (and I mean NOW) or get rid of some of your stuff.
5-I don't have the time
6-I don't know how it got like this.
7-It isn't mine.
8-It's too overwhelming.
9-It's not a problem my husband/wife etc. just thinks it is.

Walsh takes you through each room in the house and then helps you determine the purpose of that room and if the current things in that room fulfill that purpose with specifics like, don't save catalogs, reduce books to shelf capacity.

He encourages you to let go of things that you don't love anymore. Don't keep them hoping that they will appreciate in value.

The kitchen clean up covers cleaning out and organizing work zones. "And NO. Junk. Drawer. Do I make myself clear?"

The book is packed full of a monthly maintenance calendar once you've cleared the clutter, room by room help, daily chore list, etc.

I really recommend this book if you need to stop hoarding and start living.

A life-changing book!
Peter Walsh, the professional organizer from TLC's reality show "Clean Sweep" holds forth on how and why we are overwhelmed with "junk" and what we can do about it. Instead of offering simple "how to clean" advice he tackles the psychology of why people have trouble letting go of things.

Basically, there are two reasons people have trouble thinning down.
1) They have an irrational sentimental attachment to an item. This explains why people keep broken, unusable goods, or family heirlooms which are more of a burden than a blessing.
2) They feel they might need the item "one day". This usually boils down to a fear of scarcity. In our decadent Western society, how likely is it that we won't be able to run to any number of big box stores down the street and pick up whatever we need, at the time that we need it? Do yourself a favor, he argues, and get rid of the stuff that's weighing you down.

I did find a few of his edicts a tad draconian. For example, no bronzed baby shoe mementos, and never ever more than 3 magazines in the home at a time? Really?
However! You must keep in mind, that this is coming from a man who has personally witnessed a lot of the worst cases in the country. I think I can speak for the majority of Americans when I say that my house certainly doesn't look as bad as some of the "before's" on his show. Unfortunately, my home doesn't look as beautiful as the "after's" either. For most of us, whose homes are somewhere in-between, this book is the perfect kick in the pants to get a bit of clearing, organizing and beautifying accomplished.

Walsh patiently, reasonably and logically lays out some of the common thoughts and fears that prevent us from getting rid the clutter and living in the best space possible. I felt inspired to clean up my act and while my home still isn't "perfect" it's now looking a darn sight better than it has in years. It's a difference that you can see! For this reason alone, I give this book 5 stars. Highly, highly, highly recommend.

Walsh's clueless, toxic help
I watched a few episodes of that TV show Walsh is on, and he is clearly not a professional in any sense. He gives the impression of someone who somehow fell into an opening in front of a TV studio on his way to his job installing drywall.

One of his organizational strategies is shame, one of the most damaging emotions to mental and emotional health. In one episode, he drove a Korean woman not just to tears, but to actual sobbing, over the state of her guest room. He pummeled her with questions like: "Would you want your mother to stay in this room? Is that what you think of her? Is that how much she means to you?" Given the reverence bestowed upon elders in the Asian culture, it was especially mean.

Furthermore, disorganization is major feature of several neurological disorders, particularly ADD, and many of the afflicted are undiagnosed and untreated. Given their serious, lifelong struggles to get organized, it would not be surprising if a disproportionate number showed up on these TV shows seeking help. Shame would be particularly destructive to these individuals. As a form of toxic help, shame is a major player.

Walsh just doesn't get it: organization or lack thereof is not a moral issue.

Buying this book will only add to your clutter
If you feel a need to read this book, please check it out of the local library.

There's little here in the way of new ideas and the book is very repetitive. Perhaps the author had a page quota to meet.

Two questions were helpful in thinking about clutter removal: What is the purpose of the room? How do you want to feel when you are in the room?

While the premise is that things must be culled and removed from the home, there is more stress on simply tossing things in the trash than suggestions of ways to properly dispose of items or recycle, or pass along to appropriate charities or non-profits.

I'll be giving my copy of this book to a charity's upcoming book sale.

Simplify
Simple and profoundly true. I sat down to rest, to write this. Must go back to THROWING THINGS AWAY, that are neither useful or important. Excellent book.