disappointed with book

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Started 2 years ago by paulawylma
Latest reply from JuliaJayne
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paulawylma
Member

I brought the book on Amazon and started reading it last night, in hopes of getting started tomorrow. No such luck. This book is NOT helpful at all. What ticks me off the most is that I read the sample of this book on my Kindle. I brought the physical book because of a review. The point is, the sample was great, it gave me the idea that Unclutter your Life in One Week would give me clear ideas and guidelines on what to make room for stuff I need and finish getting rid of the stuff I don't. It doesn't. The author must have already been organized to begin with or live in a really big place with lots of empty space.

Take Monday for instance. Clearing out the closet on a monday morning before work didn't phase me because a four or five months ago I decluttered half of the closet while looking for my boots. So, I was looking forward to some guidence on finishing the job. But all the chapter talks about is clothes!!! Clothes? Clothes have never been important to me. I've been wearing a capsule wardrole for over 30 years. Clearing out old clothing is not an issue. My issue is all the other crap in the bedroom closet. What about the spare suitcases, the books on the top shelf and all the stuff that's taking up space that I don't even know what they are? And then I'm supposed to have room for 3 bags or boxes inside the closet for permanent donate, mend or special care? Are you serious? How big is this woman's closet? I can't get rid of any more clothes util I buy some to replace them!

Even bigger problem: Since I'm Kinesthetic, there's supposed to be a clear path to my closet. OKay, so I'm thinking there's my problem, I should start with Wednesday. . .the day for uncluttering the bedroom. . . So I read Wednesday, but wait. . there's no uncluttering advice except for linens!!!LINENS!!! Are you serious??? I only have one set of linens that fit my current bed, when I do laundry I have to remake the bed before I can go to sleep. So, Linens is not a problem, the problem is all the boxes of stuff left over from previous uncluttering attempts. I won't be able to access my closet without blocking it unless I rearrange my furniture again--which I can't do until I do someting with the boxes--AND even then I still won't have complete clear access because I live in a small apartment and both major rooms (bedroom and living room) are rectangular with the door at one end and a closet at the other. The bed either has to go against the wall (like it is now) with the foot of the bed about 1 foot from the closet door, so with the head agains the wall extending into the room--leaving about 2 1/2 feet of walking space around the bed. Wednesday doesn't address either of these issues--or how to deal with them. The rest of Wednesday is OK, I guess, since I do own bedside table with a drawer in them--they are currently in the living room storing my electronic cables and dvds, but the plan has always been to move them into the bedroom AFTER i declutter the bedroom.

So far, I've only read Monday and Wednesday, but I'm scanned the rest of the book. Dealing with books is on Thurday morning and it's no news flash, any book lover has either figured out they need to limit there books to a certain number of book shelves or find a unused space to store them. Actually that's why I brought a Kindle for books that translate well to the ebook format. Lots of books with only a little space requred. but she has books listed in the living room not the bedroom where most of mine are. Ok, I can see that if you have a large enough living room--which I don't.

Reception Station: I was really excited about this section, I 've been trying to figure out a way to created such an area for years. My front door opens directly into the living room/front room. On one side of the door is a wall; on the other side of the door is the room. There are no alcoves or entry spaces--just a rectangular room. So, naturally I couldn't wait to read this section--until I did. "Start this process by laying a blanket on the floor of another room and piling onto it all the stuff from your entryway." Huh, how do I do that? The floor of the bedroom is already full and if I use the Kitchen, I won't be able to follow the cleaning directions because the blanket will block my pathway (not to mention the cat's path to her food dish--not that the cat is going to hang around while this insanity is going on). And the living room is the place I'm supposed to be clearing and cleaning, so I don't suppose I can use it. And how am I supposed to install storage benches, etc. IN MY LIVING ROOM?

Does anyone else in this forum live in a small apartment? Is any of the advice in this book actually doable? Right now, I feel like a complete idiot for judging this book on the basis of the sample.

Posted 2 years ago #
terriok
Member

Since an author cannot read all of his/her readers' minds, perhaps a little adaptation is in order. Nor can she see into your apartment!

Pass the book on to someone who will appreciate it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Aunt Cloud
Member

Vertical storage is the way to go for small apartments. As terriok said, the book is just a guideline and no how-to book, be it about cooking, child-rearing, poker-playing or organizing, is the be-all-end-all.

My $0.02 - don't try to do it all in a week, personally I get stressed out when I have a deadline to deal with stuff. Start with chucking one item a day, inspired by 365lessthings, for one month. About the reception station - I found a shelf with hooks that was amazingly useful. The front door doesn't have to open all the way, the shelf is pretty narrow but has enough holding power to organize a small entryway used by 4 people at my house (bonus: we have cold winters and lots of winter gear).

Also: a shelf above the bedroom and bathroom doors is handy to stash anything not required on a daily basis.

Personally, I get overwhelmed when *everything* is in piles in front of me. My own decluttering journey is slow and steady, with one step of decluttering and one step of organizing at a time. Find your way and just smile and nod when you read or hear ideas that don't suit you and your lifestyle.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mrs.Mack
Member

terriok is right. The book is a guide, not an exact plan. You need to adapt it to your lifestyle, needs, and priorities. For example, those whose closets are stuffed so full their doors don't close wouldn't be able to do it all before work. They'd need to set aside a whole day, or perhaps a weekend. But there will be other days (like the "linens" day for you) that they won't need to spend much time on, if at all. The "unclutter your life in one week" claim is a general guarantee, not an exact one.

That said, I wasn't exactly happy with the book either, though for different reasons. It has great information, and is very logical and practical. But it's very dry. There weren't enough relevant/applicable or emotional "breaks" (i.e., stories) from the practical information. By the time I reached the Thursday chapter I was so exhausted I had to put it down. Normally reading this kind of book all in one sitting is no problem for me.

I've decided to treat the book like a manual to teach techniques, rather than like a friend who is helping me. It's much easier to swallow that way.

Posted 2 years ago #
fileboxx
Member

Perhaps when reading this book you can think about the the broader key ideas that the book presents and apply them to your home. For example, the book breaks down tasks into different days, the key idea being that you take the large task of decluttering and break it down into smaller tasks whether they be by day or by room or by hobby/interest, go with what works for you. Then when you have an idea of what the smaller tasks are, like cleaning out the items in your bedroom, you can break down the tasks into actions (or decisions) as to whether you are going to keep, fix, move to a different room, give away or garbage the item that you are trying to decide what to do with, like the suitcases in your bedroom. It will take time but the idea is to go through each item that you own and decide whether you use it in your life and whether you should keep it in your life. You also get the opportunity at that time to think about whether or not your use of the item is an efficient way to use your time or are there better ways or better solutions that you could apply to your life. Some people can do this all in a week, some people can't, it has taken me more than a week to do the deep decluttering in my life and it is still an ongoing process for me.

Posted 2 years ago #
klutzgrrl
Member

You know that aphorism, 'you can't please all the people, all the time'? It's true. If you tried to cover every possible situation, the book would be unwieldy and nobody would gain anything from it. It's aimed at a fairly 'typical' home, from the sounds of it, and your home and your cluttering habits might not be the usual ones. Having a tiny apartment sounds especially problematic, and it sounds to me like you would benefit from a professional.

It also sounds like you are overwhelmed and doing the classic 'it's too hard!' Don't take it literally. Adapt the process - if you've got loungeroom stuff in your bedroom, do the lounge process on your bedroom. Not that hard. Use your bed instead of a spare floor space.

I think we sometimes expect too much of books. But I find if I can learn just a few techniques or tips that allow me to make some progress with an issue or skill in a particular area, then it's been worth the cover price.

Posted 2 years ago #
Laetitia in Australia
Member

I haven't viewed Erin's book so I can't comment on it. However, I already had another book "Cut the Clutter" so I don't need another one.

CTC has lots of 'how-to' type hints on things including cleaning, meal menus, laundry... Not all of it works for me (e.g. we don't set the table as our dining table is used for playing board games, cutting out material... not just dining ) but it has enough that does. (Mrs Mack - you may like the humour in the CTC book.)

On my blog I have a couple of posts about my experience with the "Cut the Clutter" book that you may like to read.
http://laetitiabm.blogspot.com/2008/10/cutting-clutter.html
http://laetitiabm.blogspot.com/2008/10/woohoo-i-can-vacuum.html

Despite my initial intention to pass the book on, I have decided that it's a keeper - at least for now.

Since you have already bought one book, I'd suggest looking in a library for the other so you don't add to your clutter problem with a surfeit of books. :-)

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

Erin's book is a good textbook style book. It is as much about organizing what you keep as it is about uncluttering. I have found it very helpful. The time management ideas are great, too. However, if you are badly cluttered, it's going to take you a lot longer than a week, especially if you are working, too. I do not have an outside job currently, unfortunately, but I know when I did, I was exhausted when I came home.

I guess my very favorite book about getting rid of stuff is Don Aslett's book Clutter's Last Stand. It is so funny, I found myself laughing out loud. It is full of a lot of stories that illustrate his points. My copy is in really bad shape, because I have read it so much. I even highlighted, and I almost never do that with a book.

Posted 2 years ago #
chacha1
Member

paulawylma, I wish you well and we try to be supportive here. That said:

If you have so much Stuff that you can't easily get from one part of the room to another, you need to start with accepting that, and not go blaming the book for your lack of success. I am willing to bet the book presupposes being able to traverse your rooms - however many and however big they may be.

There's only one tip you need as to how to get rid of stuff and that is: Get Rid of It. Get it out of your house. How is immaterial. You may think that, as some here do, you can make a little money if you hang onto this stuff until you're organized enough to sell it (by whatever means). But I guarantee, for someone in the situation you describe, just getting it out of the house (that's what alleys, curbs, and Dumpsters are for) is the essential first step. Forget that nickel on the dollar you might earn by selling it on eBay or Craigslist. Just get rid of it.

This complaint is like blaming the gym for your own failure to show up and work out.

Posted 2 years ago #
misskittin
Member

I was watching Hoarders: Buried alive and they did this thing where they covered the clutter they were not working on with a blanket, so they could just work on one box without all the visual distraction. I thought that was a cool idea. Alternatively, box it all up and stack the boxes against the wall and then just go through one box at a time. You need to be able to focus, you sound really scattered.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sky
Member

paulawylma....You sound really overwhelmed. It took a while to get cluttered and it takes a while to get uncluttered. I suggest for you to start small. One drawer in your kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Take everything out, clean the drawer, put things in 3 piles, keep, toss and donate. Put your keep back in the drawer neatly and in containers if necessary and get the toss and donate stuff out of your apartment, immediately. It is a small step but keep at it even if for only 10 minutes a day. Like Aunt Cloud said "slow and steady".

We are all here on this forum to help each other. And we are all here because we have clutter issues.

The best book ever is Peter Walsh's book: It's All Too Much. He has a way of making decluttering simple and fun.

Let us know how you are doing.

Posted 2 years ago #
belladonna
Member

paulawylma -- 2 things-- I have 427 clutter books (not really, but I have alot). None helped until I realized they were written for a different type of person. I am right-brained and the only books that helped were written for people with ADD. I needed a plan that works for me. At first I had the same problem, I couldn't see the organization over the mess. So I bought bankers boxes. Everything went into those so I had room to maneuver. Those went against walls, etc. You cannot organize clutter.

I also found I was keeping things far from where they would do me the most good. Think of each room as having several small areas. Pay bills while watching TV? Keep all the stuff you use in a small basket by your couch. I found that wire shelves (the standing kind you put in cabinets) and vertical storage worked for me. I put those 3M hooks on the back of cabinet doors, linen closet doors, interior closet walls, etc. However I did, and still do, have to get rid of a lot of stuff!

Don't run to buy storage until you know what and how much and where you need it - I found having a lot of storage actually allowed me to have more clutter. The bankers boxes are temporary. As trite as it sounds, I do find I'm most at peace when I have an exact place to put something. But that is something you need to determine for yourself. This isn't a marathon. Took us a long time to get here; not gonna be done in 1 day. First things first- look around and make some plans in your head.

BTW - you mentioned suitcases??? Use them for storage.

Hope I made alittle sense; good luck.

Donna

Posted 2 years ago #
JuliaJayne
Member

Just last week I went through the book. I have been uncluttering on and off for about 6 years now. I was hoping the book would help me clear out the last of the clutter. I did get enough cleared out that the house felt changed, (love that feeling) but there are areas I always skip no matter how good my intentions are. One aspect that I really liked about the book is I think it will be great for maintenance. Twice a year go through the book to make sure every nook and cranny stays clutter free. The book did help me get all the cosmetic and other drug store type clutter, out and clothes and jewelry. It was very healing to let it go. I didn't realize how much stuff I was still keeping that I was never going to use or wear again.

Every clutter book sounds good at first, but unless the author magically pops out of the book when we open it, nothing is going to change unless we really want it to change. The author writes from their experiences, so not everything in the book will apply to us. I just skip over what doesn't apply or adapt it to my place. Sometimes an area requires a lot of though and creativity. Solving these problems means the bulk of the clutter has to be out. It's almost impossible to problem solve and be creative with clutter weighing you down.

Right after I read Unclutter Your Life In One Week, I read "It's hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys", which delves deeper into the reasons we have clutter. I understand now why I keep skipping certain spots. I got so much out of the book, which I got from the library, btw. (No more book clutter in my house:-). I will read it again, but I have 2 other declutter books on hold for me, so I wait to read those.

Question for you: last time you decluttered did you immediately remove the stuff from your apartment? If you didn't, you must start there. I did my initial decluttering by opening a drawer, a cupboard, or closet and pulling things out to take to charity or throw away. When I got through every area, I went through it again. It got easier each time I decluttered, and the amazing thing was that some things didn't look like clutter until the second or third pass, sometime more. Even just last week I saw clutter I hadn't seen before. I think that is because I have changed., my standards have changed, how I want my life to be has changed.

Posted 2 years ago #
JuliaJayne
Member

I forgot to mention, Apartment Therapy is a great website for apartment dwellers.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

Posted 2 years ago #
JuliaJayne
Member

The reception area or on apartment therapy is called the landing strip.

Check this one out. Some variation of this could be done in any space.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-home-cure/the-spring-cure-the-landing-strip-week-3-intro-110433

Posted 2 years ago #
Claycat
Member

JuliaJayne, I enjoyed reading your post!

Posted 2 years ago #
badkitti
Member

belladonna - I'm keeping this phrase of yours to add to my mantras:

"You cannot organize clutter."

Posted 2 years ago #
JuliaJayne
Member

Thanks, Claycat! :)

Posted 2 years ago #

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