bigsister
New Member
Maat goddess of truth, and balance
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 75 
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Post by bigsister on Jul 28, 2009 7:55:01 GMT -5
I would like to give a book to my brother that will help him when he returns to an apartment. I have looked at many at the bookstore but none seem to really get to the heart of the squalor issues.
If you have read a book that has really helped you, would you post the name of it here.
Thanks Sis
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Post by messymimi on Jul 28, 2009 10:03:09 GMT -5
BigSis, I have not read any myself, but there is a list on the old SS site here:
www.squalorsurvivors.com/resources/books.shtml
I have also heard that Buried in Treasures by Tolin, Frost, and Steketee is a good one.
Hope this helps.
messymimi
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Post by Chris on Jul 28, 2009 11:30:30 GMT -5
I really got a lot from Clutter's Last Stand, by Don Aslett and I think a man would appreciate the humor in it. I have checked it out of the library so many times I'm surprised I haven't gotten a copy for myself yet.
The other books which have really helped me:
Unclutter Your Home by Donna Smallin (light but extremely helpful I think of this as a beginners book)
Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley (women's perspective may or may not be as helpful to men)
Buried in Treasures by David F. Tolin (ongoing serious help not a quick read but a book you can really work with for a long time)
When Organizing isn't Enough by Julie Morgenstern (I love all her books -- the one on Time Management and the one Organizing from the Inside Out had great stuff too!)
Many of the books can be found at the library and at used book stores. It sort of depends on the person whether they are readers. But I am a book person and all of these help me with mine and my husbands' ongoing problems with clutter and excess acquiring, saving and hoarding.
NOTE: I believe that Buried in Treasures gets the closest to the heart of serious hoarding/squalor issues! It is compassionately written and can be of great help to the person with the problem AND family members.
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Post by notsomessyshell on Jul 28, 2009 12:36:21 GMT -5
I can heartily recommend Buried In Treasures! It is fantastic. I am only about 3 chapters in and it is amazing. My sister is dealing with my niece who is a hoarder and she practically snatched it out of my hands. She left here and once home headed for the bookstore.
Good luck finding one that speaks to you. I checked the library and perused a few before that had been recommended. Buried was the one for me.
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Post by limegreen on Jul 28, 2009 14:13:27 GMT -5
Yeah, another vote here for "buried in treasures", it has definitely given me some insights into my hoardingand it is easy to read and has questionnaires and exercises to make you keep your focus. I'm not so good at focus, so that really helps.
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Hazel
New Member
Actually, still sorting it all out...
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 78
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Post by Hazel on Jul 28, 2009 16:19:05 GMT -5
For acquiring and hoarding issues - another vote for 'Buried in Treasures' - I've just read it and filled in questionnaires (it's a workbook so ideally you need your own copy). Also recommend the introduction to 'Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring - Treatments that Work' (Steketee and Frost) - I read that intro online on a well known bookselling website (I did get my own copy after!) and thought "they really understand" unlike a lot of clutter management books I've read which are useful but don't really address the underlying problems.
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Post by chakraverte on Jul 28, 2009 17:53:27 GMT -5
Buried in Treasures, and when organizing isn't enough are both very helpful.
xoxo
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Post by want2organize on Jul 29, 2009 18:08:10 GMT -5
I vote for "Clutter's Last Stand".. Three thumbs up!
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Post by Lucky Laura Loving Life on Jul 29, 2009 18:37:01 GMT -5
I really felt motivated with the sidetracked home executives book or S.H.E. which also has an online group but can't really say that it targets men in particular. Congratulations on him doing well enough to come home soon!
Love,Laura
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Post by missjean on Jul 30, 2009 10:24:06 GMT -5
The one that's helping me a lot right now is "ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life", but I wouldn't call it guy-oriented.
Clutter's Last Stand is a great book.
If he uses the computer, I'd suggest the OrganizedHome.com website. Cynthia Townley Ewer, the webmaster, doesn't charge anything for the printable checklists and other goodies. I created a Household Notebook using her guidelines, and it's made a real difference in my ability to pay bills, find phone numbers, and keep track of important information.
Her book "House Works" is mom-oriented, but I've found it helpful. Her approach is that there's no one-size-fits-all system for organization, so she gives a lot of options based on a person's activities, "clutter personality", etc. The reason I bought and kept this book (unlike so many others) is the color-coded "Cycles of an Organized Home". It deals specifically with the fact that new stuff (and potential squalor) comes into the kitchen, the closet, etc. So the Food section has everything from menu planning to how/how long to store food.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Jul 30, 2009 12:44:47 GMT -5
... Also recommend the introduction to 'Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring - Treatments that Work' (Steketee and Frost) - I read that intro online on a well known bookselling website (I did get my own copy after!) and thought "they really understand" unlike a lot of clutter management books I've read which are useful but don't really address the underlying problems. I found this book particularly helpful, for several reasons: It describes techniques to use to help others overcome denial and ambivalence related to decluttering, using motivational interviewing. Since it's written for psychiatric professionals, its style is more detached than many "declutter and organize your home" books. This helps me control my strong emotions associated with these issues, by allowing me a little detachment. I'm a nurse, so I didn't have any problems understanding the terminology. It describes several different ways to approach a problem, for example sorting and disposing of clutter. I didn't get all hung up on whether I was "doing it the right way, " because there were more choices. I bought this book on-line at work, during a day when I had more than a dozen windows open on my computer. Apparently, I found and purchased it twice that day, since two copies arrived within days of each other, from different addresses.  If you use motivational interviewing with your brother, you could find out what would be most helpful to HIM. |
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Lochmess
New Member
Joined: June 2008
Posts: 55
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Post by Lochmess on Jul 31, 2009 14:23:33 GMT -5
To the books already mentioned in the previous posts I will add:
- F. Neziroglu et al, Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding
- Peter Walsh, It's All Too Much
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Post by wyoming on Jul 31, 2009 15:59:11 GMT -5
Not really about clutter, but The Power of Now by Eckhardt Tolle is an amazing book. Helps with perspective on a consciousness level. Which reminds me...I need to finish it!  |
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