The Personal Organizing Workbook: Solutions for a Simpler, Easier Life [Spiral-bound]

Meryl Starr (Author), Thayer Allyson Gowdy (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2006

Thanks to Meryl Starrauthor of the best-selling Home Organizing Workbook and go-to gal for Real Simple, InStyle, and a host of premier media outletsorganizing those buried desks, overstuffed handbags, and mysterious-yet-important papers wedged in the glove box is only a book away. The Personal Organizing Workbook teaches the fundamentals of managing time and clutter, offering tips, quizzes, and checklists to help create a personalized organization system that will really see some use (unlike that pricey PDA now gathering dust). It also outlines skills for sticky situations such as declining a post on the PTA or being honest with a time-hogging friend. Under Meryl's guidance, dreams and priorities finally get their due, old friends are seen more than once a year, and Christmas cards beat Santa to the door. And because being organized means staying organized, there's a special section dedicated to getting back on track. Packed with information, with a chic and practical concealed spiral binding and easy-reference tabbed sections, and brimming with gorgeous photography, The Personal Organizing Workbook will inspire readers to take control of their time, their stuff, and their lives.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

As the owner of Let's Get Organized, Meryl Starr has done more than her fair share of tidying up, from humble apartments to the homes of Hollywood celebrities. Her tips and ideas for home organizing have appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as Family Circle, Woman's Day, and Self. She lives in New York.

Thayer Allyson Gowdy's photographs can be seen in InStyle Home and Health, as well as the book Nest for Two. She lives in San Francisco.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811849422
• ISBN-13: 978-0811849425
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new, save your money, January 16, 2009

By 

Helen (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Personal Organizing Workbook: Solutions for a Simpler, Easier Life (Spiral-bound)

I found this book intensely irritating. It's 160 pages long and most of that is filler, pretty photos, pages with three short paragraphs spaced well apart. The actual content could easily be included in a book of half the length and without that infuriating spiral binder (way too big and bulky). It's basically very expensive for what it is.

The content is ridiculously optimistic. Apparently you can sort out your clothes closet in two hours flat. If that were really the case, nobody would ever have a messy closet. My clothes closet is not very big and is organized and tidy, but I still need at least one day to sort it out twice a year, because you have to try things on to see how they look when deciding whether to keep or toss.

Some of the advice is so ludicrous, it had me howling with laughter. Apparently you can have a really tiny handbag because you only need to carry seven essentials (wallet, calendar or electronic organizer, notebook, pen, comb, tissue and keys). I only ever buy small handbags and I travel light, but I do not view my asthma inhaler, cell phone or sunglasses as frivolities. Many women would be horrified at the thought of not carrying any make up whatsoever!

If you've read any other decluttering book, you don't need this one.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Calling all disorganized people...GET THIS BOOK!!!, May 12, 2007

By 

J. Sandrowski "Jiji" (Lihue, HI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Personal Organizing Workbook: Solutions for a Simpler, Easier Life (Spiral-bound)

This book is TERRIFIC! Not only is it well laid out (pictures, tabs, everything that makes this book)the information contained in it is good, makes sense, and easy to follow! I also got the Home Organizing Book from the same author. Great book as well. It motivates you to get off your behind and get your life in order. GET THIS BOOK.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READ for those wanting a FRESH LOOK at an OLD TOPIC, February 3, 2009

By 

Barclay B. Gresham "BARCLAY" (BIRMINGHAM, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Personal Organizing Workbook: Solutions for a Simpler, Easier Life (Spiral-bound)

I HAVE READ ABOUT A MILLION ORGANIZING BOOKS, MAYBE 2 MILLION? THIS IS DEFINITELY IN MY TOP 3! IT IS AN EASY READ, NEW INFO, VERY PRACTICAL, AND GREAT RESOURCES. I REALLY LIKE THE PERSONAL APPLICATION. IF YOU ARE ORGANIZATIONALLY CHALLENGED, OR BETTER YET IF YOU HAVE ADHD, THIS IS FOR YOU! THIS ISN'T JUST ANOTHER ORGANIZING BOOK. IT HELPS YOU ORGANIZE YOUR ITEMS, ROOMS, PAPERS!, LIST, BILLS, RELATIONSHIPS AND OVERALL FIND MORE TIME IN YOUR DAY. I REALLY ENJOYED THE STAYING ORGANIZING CHAPTER. TEACHES YOU AND GIVES YOU TIPS TO GETTING BACK AND STAYING ON TRACK. THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR THOSE WANTING A FRESH LOOK AT AN OLD TOPIC. I AM BUYING STARRS OTHER BOOKS AND GOING TO HER WEBSITE NEXT. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT OF EMAILING STARR A THANK YOU..... NOW THAT I HAVE LEARNED TO MANAGE MY TIME BETTER!