Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable [Paperback]

Bill Adler Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Series: Outwitting | Publication Date: May 1, 2002

The new book by the best-selling author.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

From the moment we're born we accumulate stuff. Over time this stuff turns into clutter, and instead of enjoying our possessions, our stuff becomes a burden. What was once a spacious apartment or house becomes a cluttered mess that's simply no fun to be in (and can even be hazardous to your physical and mental health).In Outwitting Clutter, you'll learn about: How to declutter your life in 1-, 5-, and 15-minute increments; dealing with broken stuff; imposing a time limit on underused clutter; how to determine: is it sentimental, or is it clutter?; clutter in all the wrong places; how to outwit kids' clutter without giving them away; how technology creates digital clutter; avoiding yard clutter/tool clutter/equipment clutter and hobby clutter; clutter at work-in your desk and home office; outwitting clutter, room by room; financial clutter and what you have to keep and what you don't; how to prevent clutter in the first place, and much, much more.Whether you seek to organize your office, or your life, Outwitting Clutter will save you time, space, money, and ultimately, your sanity! (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 272 pages, b&w photos)Bill Adler, Jr. is the author of numerous Outwitting books, including Outwitting Deer, Outwitting Mice, Outwitting Neighbors, Outwitting Contractors, and Outwitting Critters. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, two daughters, and an enormous but extremely well-organized CD collection.

About the Author

Bill Adler, Jr. is the author of numerous Outwitting books, including Outwitting Deer, Outwitting Mice, Outwitting Neighbors, Outwitting Contractors, and Outwitting Critters. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, two daughters, and an enormous but extremely well-organized CD collection.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585742716
• ISBN-13: 978-1585742714
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #548,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and Helpful, May 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable (Paperback)

Bill Adler, Jr. is hilarious. If you don't get anything but a good laugh from this book, it's worth it. He has a great sense of humor and he knows how to make decluttering fun and lighthearted. He gives good tips and a different insight which you may or may not agree with(choose and use those which you think will work for you). I have read a lot of material on decluttering and organizing and this book was still helpful, enlightening, and just plain fun to read.

80 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Satan,get thee behind me!", January 9, 2006

By 

J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable (Paperback)

If you're anything like me,you've been fighting clutter all your adult life.Reading about how to control clutter to me is like reading recipes is to my wife.After all this reading we'll look at each other and say,"Let's go to the Mall,and then out to eat."Although newspapers and magazines are continually carrying articles about clutter,they're as common as those on energy conservation.The best book I've come across, several years ago, was "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett(see my review of December 29,2005).Despite my best intentions and efforts Clutter still stands.
When I came across Adler's book,and already having been familar with his other book,"Outwitting Squirrels",I thought it would be well worth reading.Both of these books are to the point,totally all encompassing,full of humor and will describe both you and your cluttering instincts to a tee.Whether reading this book will help you turn your habits around or will become another addition to the 'pile' ,all depends on you.So what's new about raising Hell on Saturday nite and reading the Bible come Sunday morning?Anyway,you gotta keep trying,just think how it would be if you didn't try.I am reminded of Larry McMurtry's novel "Cadallic Jack" and the old fellow who had his house stuffed with bird nests he had collected over the years.
I'll give you a little personal example.I came into a small collection of matchbooks and have no interest in them.Come to think of it I hardly see them anymore.I have offered them to several,but to date no takers.Now is the time to take advice from my title.Get rid of them!
The one big thing that comes into play with clutter is that it definately involves those we live with.Somebody elses clutter is a lot more easier to get rid of than your oun.Now if you want to really declare war on it,exchange control over one anothers clutter.However;one should also discuss divorce expenses before embarking on a War on Clutter..If you think Bush bit off a big one with his War on Terror,you're in for a biiiig surprise!
Don't loose heart completely.Just like his book shows how you can still continue to feed backyard birds and still live in peace with squirrels,he gives some of the same help in living with clutter.If all else fails,organized clutter beats disorganized clutter every time.My wife and I have declared two areas in our home off limits over clutter.I have half of the basement for my 7000 books,puzzle and other collections and she 3 closets and a bedroom,as a result of empty-nesting,for her treasures.The rest of the house is neat as a pin and off limits to clutter.
I think the best laugh in this book is where Bill talks about the clutter of hair shampoo and and conditioners ..check out 151.
while most advice on clutter deals with getting rid of clutter;Adler takes it a step further and gives some good suggestions on how to manage it,if you can't eliminate it all together.
While Adler gives us a great war cry,"Don't bring it home";an old friend of mine gave me this piece of wisdom,"Every thing you get,takes looking after."

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very straightforward advice, August 22, 2006

By 

Sid M. Willis (Southwest Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outwitting Clutter: 101 Ingenious Space-Saving Tips and Ideas to Make Any House or Apartment More Livable (Paperback)

This author's advice is direct and simple and seems very good for getting the reader started immediately on organizing. Highly recommended.