"clutter's
last stand" book review
by Ramona Creel of OnlineOrganizing.com
We are a cluttered society -- and cleaning out is never very high
on
anyone's list (who wants to spend a Saturday knee-deep in old
newspapers and clothes from the 1960's?) But Don Aslett's "Clutter's
Last Stand" makes the de-cluttering process much easier to swallow.
Mr. Aslett is recognized as America's #1 CLEANING EXPERT -- and
does
his dirty work with humor and style. Follow along on this adventure
through the forgotten wilderness -- as he educates you about the
three biggest beasts you will face while cleaning out.
THE HISTORY OF YOUR CLUTTER
The only way to truly eliminate clutter is to understand where it
comes
from -- and Don Aslett is merciless in pointing out the habits and
behaviors that lead to "clutteritis!" He discusses the many lesson
that we learn throughout each stage of life that REINFORCE JUNK
-- the culture of materialism and our unwillingness to let go of
anything that we "might
need again someday."
Along these same lines, Mr. Aslett offers 101 feeble EXCUSES for
hanging
onto clutter -- and points out the flaws in each line of reasoning.
He also
points out the "9 Warning Signs Of Junkitis" and ways to recognize
if you
are a JUNKEE. And if you still aren't convinced that you need to
do some
cleaning out, you can take the "junkee entrance exam." Your score
will
let you know how cluttered your life really is!
DE-CLUTTERING YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE
Get ready to dig in, because we're going deep! Mr. Aslett leads
his readers on a junk-removal tour through every possible area of
their lives. He starts with easy areas -- like basements and closets
-- and discusses the many ways to eliminate PHYSICAL CLUTTER. He
then moves on to bigger challenges -- such as your car and what
you take with you on vacation -- and applies the same principles.
Along the way, Mr. Aslett offers a plethora of suggestions for reducing,
relocating, and organizing your stuff.
He also offers some helpful guidelines to follow when deciding whether
or
not a particular item should go. His suggestions of viewing your
belongings as ACTIVE or INACTIVE can be especially useful when you
get stuck on a hard decision. Throughout, he suggests that using
common sense and asking yourself the hard questions will help you
make the right choices -- even when emotion threatens to get in
the way. He also points out some of the junk DANGER ZONES -- such
as flea markets, garage sales, and antique stores -- so you can
be aware of (and avoid) the urge to collect more junk that you don't
need.
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR CLUTTER
The final step in de-cluttering is to decide what to do with all
of the stuff you really don't need. Mr. Aslett simplifies the process
by breaking all clutter down into 4 basic categories. JUNK is anything
that is broken, useless, or moldy. This pile immediately goes into
the trash -- period. CHARITY items are still repairable and could
be of some use to another person. These may be donated (or sold,
if you think it's worth it). SORT objects serve a purpose and you
definitely want to keep them -- you just need to come up with a
good place to store them.
Finally, the EMOTIONAL WITHDRAWAL pile contains sentimental, nostalgic,
unused, outdated stuff. Mr. Aslett suggests that you let these items
linger (stored out of the way) for no more than 6 months before
you make a decision to let them go. If you simply can't bear to
get rid of these treasures, at least put them in INACTIVE storage
(an attic or basement) with the rest of your memorabilia.
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
-- offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
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