Another book review and giveaway drawn next week. Sorry about the mishap last week. Anyway this time the book is not really about Finance. It’s about clutter. The book is called “It’s all too much” by Peter Walsh.
I picked to read this book because I was listening to my mom complain again about her house. So though it’s not a true financial book, it does have a lot of similarities to managing your finances. She never stops complaining. It’s horrible, awful, in disrepair, etc. I left home in 1995 for college and haven’t been back since.
Last year I made a special trip home because my mom was complaining about how the 4 kids were messing up her house. I packed and threw everything away that was mine and I packed up my sibling’s items. Their items filled one box each (there are 3 of them) and my own stuff I mailed back to my home. There is nothing left in a 5000 sq foot house of 4 children who once lived there.
My mom had to acknowledge that blaming me over the phone for occupying a room I hadn’t touched in a decade was not going to work. The truth was the closet, dresser, bed, room even, was overrun with her junk. Now a year later my old bedroom and that of my brother’s is still unwalkable but no longer is any of it “ours”, nor can she claim it is. But she hsan’t stopped complaining yet, and I was contemplating about Christmas presents. I am deciding whether to hire a professional declutterer, and decided to read Peter Walsh’s book first. So here it is.
Peter starts the book out by talking about clutter. That we’ve become a society of freespenders. Truth is that we are running ourselves into debt because we keep buying and buying and buying! We’re a society of overspenders and overaccumulators. Heck even I have too much stuff.
His second chapter focuses on excuses. 10 excueses we’ve all used when we look at our home. It runs the gamut these excuses. A big financial excuses is “It’s worth a lot of money.” Sure you spent the money Peter explains, but the money is gone. The question now is what will you do with an item you don’t use? A second excuse to follow is “My house is too small”. This is because we keep everything, but I’ve said it before a larger home cost more in upkeep, utilities, etc. So you are paying a lot to store STUFF! Imagine if you had a home 2500 sq ft instead of 5000 sq ft? Wowsa. I have to wonder where our financial lives would be.
In his 3rd chapter Peter asks us to imagine the life we want to lead. How do we picture ourselves living? And to imagine the possibilities. I imagine my house would be impeccable. But reality is if I could just get my mom to stop sending stuff. She sends her clutter to me, spending a ton of money because she feels bad throwing stuff away. I am about to tell readers something I have never mentioned to my mom, most of the boxes (yes boxes) of stuff she sends me, I turn right around and donate it. Unopened and brand new, I don’t need most of the stuff. My secret shame, I donate almost everything my mom gives me. My DH wanted me to read this book because he wants me to have “the talk” with my mom and tell her what I’m doing with the stuff she sends.
Chapter 4 is where Peter stars to get into the nitty gritty of decluttering. He comes up with an fun acronym F.A.S.T = Fix a time, Anything not used for 12 months is gone, Someone else’s stuff has to go, and Trash. He suggests abstaining from shopping until your purging is done. Earlier I mentioned my mom mailing my stuff, well it’s because she shops every week at Ross on Tuesday’s for her 10% senior discount. Yep she trolls stores because she can. Abstaining from shopping will cut the clutter I bet by 50% or more. Also set a date to get started. Do it this weekend, it’s Labor Day. I plan on doing it on Monday after we finish painting and sealing the house. I will be cleaning mostly because we’ll have to move the furniture back into the living and dining room and it seems an opportune time to declutter.
As for throwing stuff out, my DH loves to do this. Once a year he’ll start to go through our stuff and trash things that have little labels on them. He’ll place it on the item and if I haven’t removed it in a year of the date he tells me to donate or trash it. Try putting little stickies on things and see if you remove them in a year. If you don’t, then obviously you haven’t used it.
Someone else’s stuff. I know it’s hard to let go of your kids thing, but I wonder if you don’t hold onto their stuff because you want to have someone else to blame for the clutter? Maybe their stuff (like mine) isn’t very much but it’s easier to focus on how THEIR stuff is cluttering the house?
Finally trashing stuff. This part of the book Peter goes into great detail. He tells us how to imagine and plan different functions of each room of the house. He makes a list where we can organize what we want in each room and trash everything inappropriate. Peter talks about the Trash Bag Tango, such that if you do it everyday for a week, it’ll make a difference. A month and everyone else will notice. A year? Well get ready to have a party because your house is clean. The next 8 chapters are spent examining each room and talking about them.
Finally Peter talks about step 4 or maintenance of your decluttered house. He suggests doing a 5 minute maintenance where you clean 5 minutes a day on one area of the house, 5 days a week. Peter also talks about implementing the 1 in and 1 out rule, such that you can’t buy stuff without throwing something out. I may have to start that myself.
He wraps up the book with chapter on starting new rituals. Getting organized for the year. Also how to divide and organize chores for the family to keep the house neater. He makes a cute organization chart which families can use.
In his afterword Peter Walsh tells us he does what he does because people are often drowning in stuff. They need someone outside their families who can help them sort out their memories and feelings towards the stuff. He says it’s the emotions entangled with the stuff, not the stuff itself. I agree 100%. And he says these people he helps have “lost” their way and are struggling because they are possessed by their stuff rather than possessing some “stuff”.
One line in the book really stood out, “Getting organized for the sake of getting organized is a waste of time. Getting organized to live a happier, richer, less stressful life is a goal worth pursing.” 
I don’t know if any of my readers will even need this book, but I think it was a fantastic read. I know that growing up I was often very conscious about our house and the clutter and picking my way through the house. I never had friends over because it was such a mess and I was ashamed and I know my mom struggled with the same feelings and still does. I have never eaten dinner on our dining table (in 20 years) it’s overrun with stuff, we mostly ate in the kitchen on a counter. I had no idea people didn’t live like this until I left for college. And now with my DH though those tendencies are present, I am getting better. So off to declutter this weekend I go.
So leave a comment and have a chance to win the paperback copy of this book. I’ve already mailed my mom a copy. I hope someone else in need will win and be inspired. Hope you check it out and leaving you with a picture of Peter Walsh, professional declutterer.
39 responses so far ↓
2 Dulcinea // Aug 28, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Oh boy, could my mom & I use this book!
3 dabbilisious // Aug 28, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Sounds really interesting!!!
4 Jill // Aug 28, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Yes! I could sure use this for myself, as well as loaning it out to some family members.
5 stephanie willis // Aug 28, 2008 at 1:31 pm
love to win this one
6 Kristy // Aug 28, 2008 at 1:45 pm
LOL! I also give/donate the stuff that my mom sends our way, including Christmas gifts. She gives us stuff that sits in our garage until DH decides to get rid of it! I would love to win this book, we could use a decluttering with a toddler and one on the way!
7 Stacia // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Sounds like a great book, can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the review!
8 Kelli // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I’d love to win this! I try to de-clutter as much as possible, but I can always use more tips!
9 Jane // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Sounds like an awesome book.
10 Mike // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I’m holding my breath ;).
11 neimanmarxist // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:43 pm
i would love to win this one ! great review!
12 Laura // Aug 28, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I’d like to read this! I could certainly use it.
13 brooke // Aug 28, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Man oh man, I need this. My sons are acquiring my bad habit of keeping meaningless stuff. All the extra junk just causes more stress in my life and I would love to learn how to just let it go.
14 moom // Aug 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I’d be interested if someone would write sometime about what all this “stuff” is? I guess I don’t have it, because I move a lot internationally. Or maybe I do and don’t realize I have a problem. Books and papers is most of my stuff that I could get rid of to some extent and do on each move. What is the “stuff” other people have?
15 Mrs. Micah // Aug 28, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Sounds like an exciting book. On the other hand, will it just be clutter?
Actually it sounds really cool and I’d like to see what he has to say. I’ve been reading a great book called Making Peace with the Things in Your Life http://tinyurl.com/5fgntm
16 LivingAlmostLarge // Aug 28, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Stuff is books, papers, gifts, dust catchers, pretty much anything. Even stockpiles.
Mrs. Micah if the book is clutter, do what I do and give it away! Hand it off to someone else who needs it.
17 T.B. // Aug 28, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Wow, you couldn’t have mentioned this book at a better time.
I’ve been helping my sick, elderly parents, both lifelong packrats, declutter their place this past month, and it’s a losing battle.
It’s like trying to get a little kid to part with their favorite toy whenever I suggest we get rid of something or throw it away…they can’t imagine parting with something their hard-earned money” bought, even though they’re drowning in “stuff”, the stress is killing them and taking me down at the same time.
I’ve seen Peter Walsh on talkshows before, and am glad to see he has a book I can refer to for decluttering tips, tips for extreme hoarders like my parents, and for myself, as I’m embarassed to admit the packrat gene was passed down to me, thankfully my mess isn’t even comparable to that of my parents’, but I don’t want to tempt fate, it’s time to get my act together a.s.a.p. before it grows out of control like theirs has.
By the way, I can relate to not having friends over when I was growing up… I actually thought that was just normal. Our dining room table was only half piled with junk, there was room for three place settings still, but the love seat and sofa in the living room, wow, they were only cleaned up and decluttered for the holidays when my aunt and uncle would come over.. So in my 17 years of growing up with my parents, I can probably count all the times I sat in living room on one hand..
Sad? Incredibly so.. but I’m glad to hear someone else can relate!
18 Brandy // Aug 28, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I could really use this book & someone to help impliment it!
19 Cheryl Maguire // Aug 28, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I would love one!
20 frugal zeitgeist // Aug 28, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Me me me me me!
I have just about no clutter myself, but I have a friend who could use this book.
21 sohappy2beme // Aug 28, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Sounds like an awesome read! I moved in January and severely downsized my possessions at that time, but with the impending arrival of a new baby, baby stuff has sprouted all over the house.
22 tanyetta // Aug 28, 2008 at 11:58 pm
thanks! i would LOVE to win this
23 Ruth Ann // Aug 29, 2008 at 7:30 am
Sounds like an interesting book with some different ideas. I’d love to win it and see if it can help with my decluttering projects.
24 Debbie N // Aug 29, 2008 at 10:11 am
This book sounds like a good one! I would like to win it!!!!
25 Miss Thrifty // Aug 29, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Wow - your mum and mine would hit it off! My mum’s a terrible clutterbug - but I can’t really complain. All her old clothes from the 60s and 70s are still in the attic; they look great, and do wonders for my non-existent clothes shopping budget!
26 Kam A // Aug 29, 2008 at 8:23 pm
This book sounds excellent! I would love to read it!
27 Michele // Aug 30, 2008 at 1:29 am
WOW I saw this guy on Oprah, he cleaned out this woman’s 3000 sq ft home & filled a TEN THOUSAND sq ft warehouse with her stuff to sell it all. Very sad, but very easy to do…I come from a long line of hoarders but thankfully not to this extent (Yet!) I’d love this book. Hits very VERY close to home.
28 LBL // Aug 30, 2008 at 2:15 am
This wouldn’t hurt me at all!
And Peter is such fun!
29 katie // Aug 30, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I definitely need to read this and loan to my parents who are living in clutter. I have picked up their habits and I’m slowly starting to get rid of the “excess” stuff in my house.
30 Penny Vlach // Aug 31, 2008 at 9:48 am
I would love to take on a personal challenge with your book and declutter my life! Thanks for all the great advice!
31 Kerry // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:22 pm
This book sounds really good. I think I’ll request it from the library. It will certainly help me in my quest to simplify, and I know someone for whom it could be live saving. Please enter me to win!
32 Helen // Aug 31, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I need this book desperately.
33 Kate // Sep 2, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I’ve heard so many good things about this guy! I agree with Kerry, I’m going to get this book from the library! (And make my kids read it
Thank you for the review!
34 CH // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:53 am
I could really use this book. The clutter is depressing me. It’s all I’ve thought about this entire weekend. Really.
35 LivingAlmostLarge // Sep 8, 2008 at 12:17 pm
So sorry the giveaway was last friday, look tomorrow for another giveaway.
36 Sarah Small // Sep 13, 2008 at 2:01 pm
This book sounds wonderful and perfect for me. If I had to write a book it would be called It’s Not Enough! I am probably the Princess of Clutter and I try soooo hard to not hold onto things but seems like I can somehow tie everything into being significant in my life. My husband is a very organized soldier so we bumps heads a lot when it comes to getting rod of stuff. I attempt to donate items. I box them up, take them downstairs to take the next morning to the thrift store and when I wake up I remember that sweater I planned to wear was packed in the donation box. I go to retrieve it and in the process everything ends hung back up in my closet. See, I could really use this book! This is a desparate plead for help!…smile. Your review is great and just has me waiting to find a copy but hopefully I’ll win your copy. Thanks for the review!
37 Livingalmostlarge // Sep 13, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Sorry the book has already been given away to Helen.
Please feel free to try for the 4 pillars of investing. Another book I am raffling off on Wednesday!
http://www.livingalmostlarge.com/2008/09/09/book-review-4-pillars-of-investing/
38 Monica S // Sep 17, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Sounds like I need this book.
39 Shannon Goodman // Sep 18, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Thank you for your wonderful book!
Free Book Giveaway - Personal Finance Forums - Aug 28, 2008
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