Let Go of Clutter by Harriet Schechter

Living Mind
Home Improvement

Household Hints Book

Let Go of Clutter by Harriet Schechter

Let Go of Clutter
by Harriet Schechter

Paperback: 193 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.51 x 8.87 x 5.89
Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books; 1st edition (December 4, 2000)
ISBN: 0071351221

Check price @ amazon.com , amazon.ca , amazon.co.uk

Book Description: Almost everyone struggles with clutter.

Overflowing desks at work…overstuffed closets and piles of mail at home…overwhelmed minds all the time.… No wonder so many people say they are drowning in clutter. In Let Go of Clutter, organizing expert Harriet Schechter presents a fresh approach to overcoming the natural urge to accumulate objects and information. Dispensing equal doses of help, hope, and humor, she provides effective and realistic options for anyone who juggles too much stuff, too many decisions, and too little time. Featuring the innovative insights and time-tested techniques that have already helped thousands of Schechter's clients and seminar attendees worldwide, Let Go of Clutter: - Shows how to shed sentimental stuff without fear of regret - Provides easy-to-use forms and checklists that help readers decide what to jettison and what to keep - Includes action plans with systems for conquering all types of clutter--past, present and future

Book Info: A guide from the author dubbed 'The Miracle Worker' to getting rid of piles of papers, clogged closets, and other pesky piles of clutter. Not only a guide to clearing away clutter in the physical sense, but also to banishing mental clutter. Helps readers remember appointments, retrieve files, and get rid of the packrat syndrome. Softcover.

From the Back Cover: Stop being a slave to stuff!

An internationally acclaimed expert provides a total program for conquering ALL the clutter in your life

Maximize your life by minimizing what's in it with "Miracle Worker" Harriet Schechter's tried-and-tested techniques for eliminating clutter. Let Go of Clutter answers the most frequently asked question, "Why do we keep all this stuff?" and shows you how to let go of clutternot just reorganize it.

Based on Schechter's two decades of helping thousands of people worldwide get uncluttered, Let Go of Clutter explains why "stuff" seems so hard to let go of and demonstrates how to shed objects and information without anxiety or regret. This fresh approach to clearing our cluttered lives provides a painless process for letting go and shows you how to overcome future clutter by managing the innate urge to acquire and accumulate.

Discover new ways to:
• Quickly plow through piles of paper
• "Speed Weed" your files
• Manage mementos and memories
• Clear out wall-to-wall clutter in the garage and other areas
• Get rid of excess clothes, supplies, and "To Do's"
• And much more!

Dispensing equal doses of help, hope, and humor, Harriet Schechter provides effective and realistic options for anyone juggling too much stuff, too many decisions, and too little time. Featuring easy-to-use forms and checklists to help you decide what to jettison and what to keep, Let Go of Clutter also includes action plans to lighten your load by conquering all types of clutter past, present, and future.

About the Author: Harriet Schechter, a.k.a. "The Miracle Worker," is a highly acclaimed pioneer in the field of professional organizing. She founded her San Diego-based company, The Miracle Worker Organizing Service, in 1986, and since 1988 has regularly taught the Learning Annex's popular "Letting Go of Clutter" workshop series. Her other books include CONQUERING CHAOS AT WORK: Strategies for Managing Disorganization and the People Who Cause It, and MORE TIME FOR SEX: The Organizing Guide for Busy Couples.

Customer Reviews
full of solid, practical tips, February 8, 2003
Reviewer: ccjello from Kansas City, MO
This is a workbook, complete with checklists, that will help you assess & conquer your clutter problems. I've read many books on this subject; this is one of the better ones. I found her sections on "purging papers" to be particularly useful -- as papers are often an overwhelming problem area. Schecter also discusses the value of being choosy, and give tips on how to maintain a clutter-controlled environment once you've established it. I found this to be a useful tool book, with solid, practical tips. For motivation to get started decluttering, for inspiration and funny (as in "yikes, that sounds like me") stories about people with serious clutter issues, read Don Aslett's "Packrat" and "Clutter" books -- they're very entertaining & you'll want to stop every chapter or so to clean out a drawer or closet. Follow up Aslett with this book, which has more practical tips

This Is for Real, December 3, 2002
Reviewer: hille2000 from USA
Clutter can really control and ultimately destroy your life. Some people hang on to little things, insignificant things. They can't let go. I may need it some day. I think I'll hang onto it. Soon you find that you have no place to sit. Soon you find that you have no place to stand. You have to let go of the clutter. You see it. You recognize it. You know it's destroying you. But you can't let go. This book is a rare find. It identifies this trait and examines it. But most important is just the fact that it lets you know that you are not alone. There is hope.

Good solid common sense, July 10, 2002
Reviewer: Anthony Louis from CT USA
This book gives good advice on how to get rid of clutter and organzie your life. It is an easy read with lots of useful ideas and information.

Simply the best!, April 7, 2002
Reviewer: fpkook from Florence, NJ
I've read many books on decluttering and organizing, but this one was by far the best. It was the first one that really helped me to get the clutter out of my life. It is well-organized and easy to read, with some excellent motivational tips as well as practical tips.

One of the ideas I liked best was to take "before" photos of all your cluttered areas. In my case, I photographed my entire house! The photos really open your eyes to how much clutter you really have, and serve as a wonderful comparison when you've finished with an area.

The book has helped me tackle one of my most difficult areas - my office. In a few days, I threw out several boxes of papers and other useless clutter. I never thought I would get this room in order again, and just seeing my progress has given me motivation to tackle other areas.

I recommend this book for anyone just embarking on de-cluttering, as well as people who have read other books on the subject without success. Whenever I feel myself backsliding and need inspiration, I just re-read parts of this book. It keeps me on track, and I can't wait till the rest of my house is finished.

Hardcore Packrats Need not Apply, February 13, 2002
Reviewer: dirtyh20sam from Incline Village, NV USA
I am very interested in the concept of ridding oneself of clutter, as well as the art of Feng Shui. My 2002 new years resolution is to free myself of one third of the "stuff" in my home. I am truly thankful I have found Ms Schechters book. She explains why we collect, from a sociological viewpoint. She also admits that this book is NOT for packrats (which I think is very big of her) unless of course they are really willing to change and their hoarding habits are causing real pain to them.

I didn't realize this was an obsessive compulsive disorder and may really require professional intervention.

I love all the helpful hints like..."Use large waste containers that stand up" instead of itty bitty ones or just a floppy large plastic bag. There is real joy in tossing "lotsa" dust collectors away in a sturdy container. All of these gems (and there are many) of info really do add up to a happy successful clutter purging. I also like the fact that she does not go into things like "how to organize your closet" etc. You come to realize that your precious time will be free of "organizing" when you are free of all the overabundance in your life. Since I do clean my own home "decluttering" makes this job much easier. Any surface that has no knicknacks takes just seconds to clean and dust. If Harriets book doesn't motivate you to happily want to "declutter" I dont think that another book out there would. I have read many others, and I feel this one is the best.

Marriage Saver!, February 6, 2002
Reviewer: H Falen from San Jose, CA
I believe this book may have saved my marriage. My wife's cluttering habits were driving me crazy. After reading it twice to absorb all the thought which went into it, I begged her to read it, and the results have been dramatic. She has been getting rid of so much stuff, I never would have believed it could happen. This is the first book I've found which actually seems to be geared for both the organized and the cluttered. As a bonus I was surprised how it was entertaining and fun to read. Step-by-step instructions, clear advice, nonjudgmental tone. I highly recommend this book, wish I could give it 10 stars!

This is an excellent how-to book for de-cluttering, November 26, 2001
Reviewer: A reader from Boulder, CO United States
I bought both this book and the one by Don Aslett and I have to say this one is head and shoulders above his. He occasionally had some good suggestions about things not covered in detail in this book (photos, especially, which are a particular weakness of mine), but in general, his book was silly and repetitive. By contrast, this is a clean, concise, well-written and humorous book with step-by-step instructions for just about every clutter area of your home. It gives you specific processes to follow and offers some structured guidance on how to organize things (particularly your files). Using the worksheets helps you honestly evaluate your own clutter situation and then she leaves it to you to make smart choices about what to keep and what to toss. She explains the psychology behind the impulse to collect and the fear of letting go and offers workable strategies for getting rid of the stuff that's weighing you down and preventing future clutter acquisition.

I know I'm practically raving about this book but I got rid of a closet full of unworn clothing, plus some icky furniture and shelves full of dusty old knick knacks and I've still got lots of momentum. The process is liberating and as far as I can tell, this is the best guide out there.

Right On The Money!, April 9, 2001
Reviewer: sunny schlenger from New Jersey, United States
As a professional organizer for over 20 years, I tend to be tough on the new organizing books that come out. It's easy to call yourself an expert and dispense advice, but for me what counts is the "understanding" behind the advice. And Harriet's approach, along with excellent pointers that are well-organized themselves, manages to combine a real compassion for the reader/client that is missing in so many "how-to-do-it" books that are on the market today. Harriet obviously understands the people she works with and teaches, and presents this understanding in a way that is not at all condescending. By combining her humor-filled observations with very practical step-by-step directions, she demonstrates that people learn best when they're treated with informed intelligence and respect.If your problem is clutter (and that includes most of us!), this is the book you should read.

Another gem from Miracle Worker Harriet Schechter, April 1, 2001
Reviewer: James Lor from Montreal, CANADA
This book about clutter is written in a humourous style which will inspire you to clean up the clutter in your life. I like her use of Latin to describe various disorganizational illnesses. She explains the past, present and future of clutter: how you got there (past), what to do about it (present), and how to avoid it (future). There are overviews at the beginning of each chapter, summaries at the end, and checklists all over to make it easy for you to understand her points.

Household Hints Related Book:
1001 Do-It-Yourself Hints & Tips : Tricks, Shortcuts, How-Tos, and Other Great Ideas for Inside, Outside, and All Around Your House
by Readers Digest
Hardcover: 352 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.13 x 10.30 x 8.10
Publisher: Reader's Digest Adult; (April 1998)
ISBN: 0762100494

A Well-Kept Home : Household Traditions and Simple Secrets from a French Grandmother
by Laura Fronty, Yves Duronsoy (Photographer)
Hardcover: 160 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.72 x 11.34 x 8.76
Publisher: Universe Books; (April 2001)
ISBN: 0789305283

Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun and Frugal Uses You'Ve Probably Never Thought of
by Vicki Lansky, Martha Campbell (Illustrator)
Paperback: 120 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.37 x 7.39 x 6.12
Publisher: Book Peddlers; (April 1995)
ISBN: 0916773426

Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living
by Annie Berthold-Bond
Paperback: 400 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.02 x 9.14 x 7.43
Publisher: Three Rivers Press; (June 1999)
ISBN: 0609803255

Clutter Control: Putting Your Home on a Diet
by Jeff Campbell, Clean Team, The Clean Team Staff
Paperback: 159 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.46 x 5.31 x 8.01
Publisher: DTP; (May 1992)
ISBN: 0440503396

Field Guide to Stains: How to Identify and Remove Virtually Every Stain Known to Man
by Virginia M. Friedman, Melissa Wagner, Nancy Armstrong
Paperback: 352 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.98 x 6.00 x 4.50
Publisher: Quirk Books; (September 2002)
ISBN: 1931686076

File Don't Pile a Proven Filing System for Personal and Professional Use
by Pat Dorff
Paperback: 193 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.60 x 8.24 x 5.44
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; (July 1986)
ISBN: 0312289316

Get Your Act Together!: A 7-Day Get-Organized Program for the Overworked, Overbooked, and Overwhelmed
by Pam Young, Peggy Jones (Contributor)
Paperback: 224 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.54 x 8.01 x 5.31
Publisher: Perennial; (September 1993)
ISBN: 0060969911

Haley's Cleaning Hints
by Graham Haley, Rosemary Haley
Hardcover: 256 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.86 x 9.26 x 6.34
Publisher: 3H Productions, Inc.; (February 2001)
ISBN: 0969287348

Haley's Hints: A Compilation
by Graham Haley, Rosemary Haley, David McNiven (Illustrator)
Hardcover: 400 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.30 x 9.36 x 6.12
Publisher: 3H Productions, Inc.; Revised edition (May 1999)
ISBN: 0969287313

Heloise from A to Z
by Heloise
Paperback: 430 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.19 x 9.01 x 6.00
Publisher: Perigee; (May 1992)
ISBN: 0399517502

Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House
by Cheryl Mendelson, Harry Bates (Illustrator)
Hardcover: 884 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.83 x 9.52 x 6.84
Publisher: Scribner; (November 1999)
ISBN: 068481465X

Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful Household Products in the Home
by Debra Dadd-Redalia, Debra Lynn Dadd
Paperback: 384 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.17 x 9.18 x 6.09
Publisher: J. P. Tarcher; (June 1997)
ISBN: 087477859X

Joey Green's Amazing Kitchen Cures: 1,150 Ways to Prevent and Cure Common Ailments With Brand-Name Products
by Joey Green
Paperback: 368 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.82 x 9.10 x 6.54
Publisher: Rodale Press; (November 2002)
ISBN: 1579546447

Let Go of Clutter
by Harriet Schechter
Paperback: 193 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.51 x 8.87 x 5.89
Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books; 1st edition (December 4, 2000)
ISBN: 0071351221

Organizing For Dummies®
by Eileen Roth (Author), Elizabeth Miles (Author)
Paperback: 384 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.99 x 9.22 x 7.42
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; (November 2000)
ISBN: 0764553003

Organizing from the Inside Out
by Julie Morgenstern
Paperback: 262 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.79 x 9.22 x 6.13
Publisher: Owl Books; 1st edition (September 15, 1998)
ISBN: 0805056491

Shoes in the Freezer, Beer in the Flower Bed: And Other Down-Home Tips (For House and Garden)
by Joan Wilen, Lydia Wilen (Contributor)
Paperback: 212 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.57 x 8.37 x 5.45
Publisher: Fireside; (April 1997)
ISBN: 0684804565

Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise
by Pam Young, Peggy Jones, Sydney Craft Rozen (Editor)
Paperback: 165 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.55 x 8.03 x 5.25
Publisher: Warner Books; (February 2001)
ISBN: 0446677671

Speed Cleaning
by Jeff Campbell, the Clean Team, The Clean Team Staff
Paperback: 194 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.58 x 5.55 x 8.01
Publisher: DTP; 3rd edition (May 1, 1991)
ISBN: 0440503744

Talking Dirty Laundry With the Queen of Clean
by Linda C. Cobb
Paperback: 176 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.49 x 8.30 x 5.34
Publisher: Pocket Books; (March 2001)
ISBN: 0743418328

Taming the Paper Tiger at Home
by Barbara Hemphill
Paperback: 196 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.64 x 9.34 x 7.36
Publisher: Kiplinger Books; 6th edition (October 2002)
ISBN: 0938721976

The Cleaning Encyclopedia
by Don Aslett
Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.10 x 6.89 x 4.18
Publisher: Dell Pub Co; Reprint edition (April 13, 1999)
ISBN: 0440235014

Totally Organized the Bonnie McCullough Way
by Bonnie Runyan McCullough
Paperback: 299 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.85 x 8.21 x 5.46
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st Edition edition (April 1986)
ISBN: 0312807473