Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Organization: Unclutter Your Home, Unclutter Your Life (Paperback)

by Christopher Lowell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Lives there even one soul in the country who decorates in line with the Miesian standard of "less is more"? No, according to TV host and author Lowell. He admits to a cluttering habit himself, graciously giving us the seven steps (aka layers) to conquer clutter. Consider it akin to an Alanon-type meeting, as he first defines the different types of pack-rat behaviors (and their motivations), then gently leads us through the "I deserve quality" routine. The second half is devoted to a dozen different room makeovers, which, although none will grace the pages of top-rate design magazines, adhere strictly to the slick, orderly, and multifunctional commandments he espouses. Barbara Jacobs
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Product Description
If your closets are bulging and your drawers are about to explode, you’re not alone. The fact is, seven out of ten Americans live in cluttered homes. Our nesting instinct has allowed the stuff to take over. Emmy Award–winning host and design guru Christopher Lowell provides the perfect solution in Seven Layers of Organization. While other books simply show containers and gizmos to get organized, Christopher gets to the bottom of why we just can’t seem to let go—and shows us how we can.

As in his smash hit book Christopher Lowell’s Seven Layers of Design, Lowell takes you through the organizing process step by step, breaking down each layer into simple tasks that anyone can make time to do. He shows how to plan ahead for better, faster, longer-lasting results; how to decide what to keep and what to toss; and how to store or show off your possessions. You’ll also see how each layer works in twelve fabulous room makeovers, from a ship-to-shore nautical bedroom to a Hollywood glam hallway to an inviting his-and-hers office space.It is possible to reach organizational nirvana and to stay there! In just seven easy steps, this colorful, no-nonsense guide will teach you how to purge your home mentally, physically, and spiritually so you’ll be clutter-free for life!

1. Assess & Schedule

2. Detach & Purge

3. Reclaim & Update

4. Sort & Contain

5. Design & Build

6. Arrange & Display

7. Cease & Maintain

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (December 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400082404
• ISBN-13: 978-1400082407
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,157 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let Go Of Your Clutter, December 28, 2005

By	Virginia Allain "(retired librarian)" (Poinciana, FL) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This is just the book I needed for my New Year's resolutions. I'm afraid that I'm a hoarder and as Lowell points out, getting rid of things isn't a physical action, "It's absolutely psychological." I'm not alone in this, as most of us have more possessions than we can comfortably care for.
His book addresses clutter in a decorating sense, not as a plan to just empty out overstuffed junk drawers. He poses questions such as:
*Does my home tell my story?
*Does this item have meaning to me?
If you sometimes find your home overwhelming and despair that it could ever look like the decorator's showcases on television, then it's time to try a book like this.
The storage solutions are things you can do yourself or easily buy in a store. The resulting rooms look good, not cheap.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent as always, January 26, 2006

By	Daniel A. Edmondson "dan_a_edmondson" (Pacific MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Once again, Christopher Lowell goes beyond the technical side of design and organization and gives advice to those of us whom don't have a background in interior design. As a Interior Design student, I found that Christopher takes the technical side of organization and makes it "real" again. His views and eye for things is excellent, as always, and makes taking control of our environment easy and effective with step by step ideas and methods instead of putting things in a grand scope, which is how we became disorganized to begin with.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lowell Proves He's a House-Whisperer and a Whitty, Humorous Writer, June 29, 2007

By	L. Pharr "UT VOL headed 2 LSU grad school thi... (Baton Rouge, Louisianna) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're overwhelmed with "stuff" and need help purging, then this is the book for you. Lowell's exceptional design skills combined with his personal charm make the book an enjoyable, worthwhile read. Lowell presents a clutter "attack-plan" that's very easy to comprehend and initiate. He describes how to first eliminate the obvious junk and then follows with a step-by-step method for letting go of items people tend to be more attached to (i.e. things we spent good money on but don't use, or gifts we don't like but were given to us by friends and family). Lowell's book discusses ways to tackle colossal amounts junk, unused "good stuff", and ways to minimize the feelings of guilt associated with the purging process. The send half of the book illustrates Lowell's design genius. Before and After photos show how remarkable a room can be after a design face-lift, clutter is removed, and functional storage systems are incorporated. If you simply need help deciding which basket would work best for your 5 neatly folded sweaters, then don't buy this book. However, if your situation is a bit more dire - for example, getting to the closet door is an obstacle course, which reveals a sea of clothing on the floor scattered with items that belong in the kitchen, den, dumpster, or wherever - then this is the book for you!