Thank goodness MOST of us are not psycho hoarders. Or cat collectors--you know who you are. Those folks would not get as much out of It's all too much-- as more middle of the road collector/stuff keepers. Walsh deals on the emotional level and those folks who need a gentle push start. Semi-clutterbugs and not those who have kept everything and I mean EVERYTHING they ever received and more they've found. Major psychological help for those dudes and dudettes. He's telling us in a calm and coherent way to get rid of the crap and you will lead a better and happier life. Like emotional eating this is emotional keeping! So if clutter drives you BATS or is FINALLY driving you BATTY-get this book--Read it do the work than reread and than give it to a cluttery pal, DONATE it, or SELL IT ON EBAY when you've learned the basics of decluttering. It's nice to see SOME empty space in your abode--and hey kitty kollectors--one kitty two kittys--tops--but you probably won't listen-sigh! Good luck on your quest for the clean! midne's booksRead full review
We are drowning in a sea of possessions. We keep mementos from our infancy up until the time of our death. We buy things that we think will enhance our life only to find out they just end up cluttering our homes. We buy clothes we never wear, take pictures we never put into an album, buy things on sale we end up mothballing in a closet or a rented storage unit, and buy multiple items we think we got a bargain on only to find out that by the time we have a use for them, they are damaged by mice or moths or are out of style. We inherit our relatives belongings and keep them, useful or not and often so homely we would not give a second thought to putting them in the trash except for their sentimentality. We buy bigger and bigger homes to adequately store our "stuff", paying higher utility bills and taking a toll on the environment with increased energy demands. We are drowning in our possessions. This book puts that in perspective. It addresses our need to consume and hang on to what we so often spend our time and energy obtaining and storing and maintaining. It gives us an option to our materialistic lifestyles. Sell it, give it away, or throw it away because it is broken or obsolete or useless. Keep only what adds value to our lives and serves a direct purpose. Clean out your home, clean out your mind, take a burden off your shoulders you might not have realized you were carrying, remove a financial burden if you are spending money for storage units or to buy things you don't really need, or sell excess belongings and pay off debt, removing another burden. Enhance a relationship with a loved one who has been irritated but tolerant of our aquisitive nature. Free up space in a cluttered home and have friends over for dinner without being embarassed about what they might see. Teach the next generation by example that it is good to have an uncluttered home and maybe break a cycle of hoarding that has continued for generations. This book was so eloquent and so to the point and written by a gentleman that has been through this experience hundreds of times in his professional life helping clients clean up their lives. It helped me realize that it was OK to keep my sewing machines because I have a need to use them frequently, but it was time to let go of craft projects half completed and taking up space in a modest home for several years. It helped me to realize that photos are OK appropriately albumed or stored on external computer hard drive, but not hanging around for decades in a box from several generations of my family, many that I did not even know. I truly got a perspective on what is valuable while selling my "treasures" at my own garage sale and seeing things I thought were irreplaceable go for $.25 during the last hour of the sale after being passed over numerous times by people I thought would be ecstatic to have a chance at owning what I had for sale. I gained new insight into the word collectible after seeing items I had collected with a passion end up being sold for dog toys. I now shop with an eye for what I truly need and what I will get true use from as I shop with the thought in mind of what that item will bring in a few years at my next garage sale. I don't buy something just because it is on sale, but I try and buy things I truly have a desire and need for as cheaply as possible. If you use the principles of this book as they are presented, you can achieve a tidy, clutter-free, peaceful home.Read full review
If you've watched the TLC show, "Clean Sweep," you already know what you are going to get in Peter Walsh's book: "It's All Too Much." Yeah, you'll get a kick in the seat of your pants! And hey, we NEED it! In today's materialistic world, I dare say MOST of us are holding on to stuff that isn't enhancing our lives, but is in actuality, making us busier. The books, magazines, clothes, cookware, baseball cards, Star Trek ornaments, all the STUFF -- burdens us and keeps us from living fuller lives. Several times, the author points out that people with overly cluttered houses won't even have friends over because there is an element of shame involved. How sad is that? Peter Walsh logically and gently points out how to begin downsizing the clutter. I found myself inspired by his book, and will regularly grab an item on my way out of a room: "There you are, you naughty tchotchke, you're going into the donate-bag!"Read full review
I really like Peter Walsh's style in this book. It is simple and straight forward advice on how to live a better life with less stuff. Although I am not a hoarder, this book has great advice for everyday living with those things that matter most. He describes the reason some people hang on to things and gives practical tips on how you can honor them in your home, or get rid of them. After just moving into a new home, I am happy to say that I am living with LESS! I hope to stay organized and use even more of his tips in the book!
From an extremely experienced packrat, I found assistance from this book in analyzing my bad habits. It offered ideas to battle my idiosyncracies. It must be working - I haven't bought anything on eBay in over a month! LOL! If there's one area in which I may not see eye-to-eye with Peter Walsh, it involves keepsakes and mementos. As a mother of 2 daughters, I tend to stockpile knickknacks for their memory boxes. Women tend to have a deeper attachment to "items" which men just don't get. It's my belief that women have a better connection to the past, and "things" trigger those memories. Guys (esp. my hubby!) just want to chuck everything! The book contains a lot of common sense guidelines; moderation is the key!
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