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Post by lookingup on Nov 27, 2013 11:50:43 GMT -5
I have started on a book called It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys: The Seven-Step Path to Becoming Truly Organized.
www.amazon.com/Hard-Make-Difference-When-Cant/dp/0142196177/ref=pd_sim_b_25
I'm not too far along, but this thing has totally messed with me and I catch myself looking for anything to do besides reading it. I'm a pretty intrepid reader and don't get bothered by things generally, but this is not your normal cleaning or "get out three boxes" tip book. It asks questions. It goes right away to What Do You Want? Really Want? And the latest thing, What Is It Costing You? OMG. It's cost me terribly. I'm all shook up and I can hardly think about all these anxiety causing questions.
If you go to the link and read a couple reviews, you'll get the idea. This might turn out to be the best organization book I ever saw. And believe me, I've read a bunch.
This was a Kindle book, but looks like you can get it from other sellers.
And here are two real short $0.99 Kindle books that I thought were good.
www.amazon.com/Things-Grandmother-Taught-Organized-Living-ebook/dp/B00A13UQY6/ref=pd_sim_kstore_71
This has me yearning for my grandma's house. NO STUFF (or, really, the right amount of stuff). Peaceful. Quiet. Housedresses and aprons. No panic.
www.amazon.com/Living-Land-Enough-Courtney-Carver-ebook/dp/B006JBXM40/ref=pd_sim_kstore_39
I did not go to the local Massive Antique Mall today because of this book. Pleasant and tippy and made me consider my stuff acquisition attitude.
Ok. I don't usually post much, but wanted to put these out on view for those who might be interested.
(Why don't we have a dedicated organization book review thread?)
Anne.
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ande
New Member
Joined: July 2013
Posts: 87 
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Post by ande on Nov 27, 2013 12:50:27 GMT -5
I just bought it on Amazon for one cent plus shipping. Something needs to shake me up. Maybe that book will do it! I'm glad you mentioned it!
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Post by splendidcakes on Nov 27, 2013 13:03:22 GMT -5
I own the first book and have for years. If I recall I didn't finish it for the very reason you're talking about- I wasn't ready for the anxiety provoking aspect (and I don't know if I am now) but I am more organized and a lot less acquisitive than I was 10 years ago, so I'm going to go get it off the shelf (I know exactly where it is and I own LOTS of books...interesting...). Thanks for reminding me of it. I also want to check out the "grandma" book-you described my granny's house to a t.
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elsa1963
New Member
Now with more suction!
Joined: September 2013
Posts: 10
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Post by elsa1963 on Nov 27, 2013 13:43:54 GMT -5
I go totally ADD trying to read an organizing book.
I understand how they can cause some anxiety.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Nov 27, 2013 14:44:08 GMT -5
(Why don't we have a dedicated organization book review thread?) We do have several threads that are individual reviews of various books. We also have sidestep's "reference book" thread here takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/13863/reference-books-on-hoarding-squalor(It was previously located within the larger "general forum" but just now moved to "favorite threads" so as to be found more easily). That "reference book" thread is mainly a list of the best books. Within it are links to the full review threads. |
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Post by irisbloom on Nov 27, 2013 15:21:53 GMT -5
Sounds like a book I can benefit from. I just ordered it.
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Post by lucy on Nov 28, 2013 21:01:11 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing that information, lookingUp.
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Post by lookingup on Nov 29, 2013 10:16:26 GMT -5
Lion, thanks for digging up Sidestep's list! You are a doll. And an A#1 Reference Librarian!
Eagle, thank you for making the thread in the Favorites area. We're all looking for inspiration and that makes it easier to find.
I will persevere with the book. Decided to read it all today and tomorrow, then go back and start thinking on the questions from each section. Might be easier that way. I won't have to panic with every new, hard to answer question since I viewed them already.  Maybe I should post as it goes along.
Anne.
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Post by ohblondie on Nov 29, 2013 10:23:25 GMT -5
oh my goodness. This sounds like a great buck. I will have to see if I can get it from the library. I am so tired of organizing books that repeat the same thing over and over. That 3 box strategy, toss donate keep, does not work in this household. It sounds like this book really gets to the meat of the matter.
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Post by nifty50 on Dec 1, 2013 15:35:21 GMT -5
Hooray! My library had it in stock and I checked it out this weekend. Reading it now. Thank you for bringing it to our attention!
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Post by irisbloom on Dec 6, 2013 15:44:47 GMT -5
Wow, this book is a hard read. But so worth it.
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Post by lookingup on Dec 14, 2013 10:45:08 GMT -5
This book. Like Irisbloom says, it's a hard read. Not hard to read, but hard to digest. I can only read little bits at a time because it brings things to attention that never before occurred to me. Not so pleasant things, but very practical and useful things to think about.
Really, the book is outstanding.
I'm thinking now on a couple of things.
Making a list of what I can do on the weekend to make the work week go better. Mix a couple jars of cat food. Think about what to take for lunch. Remember to get my pills in order. Little things that make all the difference on Tuesday morning at 4 a.m.
And a new, amazing idea. Finishing tasks. Laundry for example. I have clean, folded laundry everywhere. Kitchen, living room, everywhere. The book suggests that the laundry isn't done until it's PUT AWAY. What a concept! Washing, drying, folding, then letting it sit on the sofa for weeks until the cats have knocked it over or I have pulled out the thing on the bottom and wrecked the pile is not finishing the job. And looking around here, this is probably half the trouble. Groceries stacked on the table, clean dishes everywhere but the cabinets. It was a breathtaking epiphany.
And forcing myself now and then to think about the cost over all these years of mess.
So I'm still looking at the book, but starting to work harder on these particular things and they seem to be making a difference even with my slow, tentative beginning.
Anne.
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Post by splendidcakes on Dec 14, 2013 16:41:05 GMT -5
lookingup- Baby steps are perfectly fine- in fact MUCH better than jumping in in a frenzy and quickly burning out!!!  (Ask me how I know  )
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Post by rededen on Dec 14, 2013 18:57:52 GMT -5
I've read skimmed through parts of the book and it seems to me that the author has had an epiphany - a wake up call. She's very keen on meditation and while there's nothing wrong with that I'm of the opinion that this book is more of a work book to be gone through after you've read a few others on organisation. You need a high lighter and some stick-it tabs.
Having said that, I truly believe we are the orchestrators of our own mess. Even though there are people on this board who state to newcomers (and oldcomers as well!) "you are not your mess" I actually think we are our mess to a great extent. Ah yes I can hear you all gasping.
From my experience of hoarding and messiness, we are trying to fill emotional, spiritual gaps in our lives with stuff, whatever that "stuff" is. At the extreme end there are people who hoard their urine and faeces and this is a serious psychiatric problem, but never the less, it must mean something to them otherwise they wouldn't do it. We also use hoarding as a protective barrier around us, or, as a protest against something and unfortunately some messies are just lay zee, pure and simple.
Depression and hoarding/messiness seem to go hand in hand mainly because in my opinion, it is very very hard to make a decision when you're depressed and it's easier just to live in the mess.
It can be extremely frightening when we confront ourselves about our hoarding/messiness and as we all know, we are often initially in denial about it. I have a girlfriend who is an extreme messy because she told me she resents the fact that she doesn't have the money to hire a cleaner so she lives in a mess - simple as that.
Lookingup, it sounds as though that book has made you confront some uncomfortable issues about yourself and that's hard to take - believe me, I know about that one!
The most important thing is PROGRESS no matter how you go about it.
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Dec 14, 2013 19:21:15 GMT -5
Rededen, you go right on calling it as you see it! Diversity breeds content!
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