Winning the Clutter War [Kindle Edition]

Sandra Felton (Author)

Book Description

Do you constantly misplace books, keys, bills, shoes...?
Are you tired of fighting an avalanche every time you open a closet or cabinet door?

Don't despair! Even if you've been a messy person since childhood, organizing expert Sandra Felton's practical advice will make your dreams of an orderly lifestyle become reality. Hundreds of thousands of readers have already benefited from her strategies.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Make chronic clutter a thing of your past!

Do you constantly misplace books, keys, bills, shoes...?
Are you tired of fighting an avalanche every time you open a closet or cabinet door?
Do you avoid answering your phone because you can never find it?

Don't despair! Even if you've been a messy person since childhood, organizing expert Sandra Felton's practical advice will make your dreams of an orderly lifestyle become reality. Hundreds of thousands of readers have already benefited from her strategies. In Winning the Clutter War, Sandra helps you

keep your house clean
pay bills on time
organize your activities
enjoy your spare time without feeling guilty
and more!

Sandra Felton, The Organizer Lady™, is the founder of Messies Anonymous, a group established to help women organize their households. She is the bestselling author of several books, including Living Organized and Smart Organizing. She lives in Florida.

About the Author

Sandra Felton, The Organizer Lady™, is the founder of Messies Anonymous, a group established to help women organize their households. She is the bestselling author of several books, including Living Organized and Smart Organizing. She lives in Florida.

Product Details

• File Size: 1777 KB
• Print Length: 272 pages
• Publisher: Revell; Reprint edition (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0042P563A
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #308,239 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved the non-judgmental tone and positive message April 14, 2012

By Holly K TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Most people who know me think I am incredibly organized, my car doesn't have any junk in it, and my home is tidy. True confession time --- I am a messie who constantly struggles daily to keep things that way. I am married to a messie and my teenage daughter leans more toward messie so that doesn't help either. When I use the term "messie" I am using the word that Sandra Felton uses to describe people who live in a constant state of clutter and disorganization. The opposite of that is "cleanie" which describes someone who is organized, efficient, and their home is calm and uncluttered. That is what I aspire to be on a daily basis.

This book is written by someone who is by nature a messie as well and has worked to find systems that enable her to move toward the cleanie lifestyle. Quite a bit of the book is philosophical, describing the two styles and explaining the impact of each on our quality of life. As she says, an extreme cleanie may be just as difficult to live with as someone on the other end of the scale. Either end of the spectrum has its drawbacks and maybe somewhere in the middle is best for most of us. Ms. Fulton does move back and forth between providing general information about messies and cleanies and providing step-by-step instructions for how to get a handle on the clutter and keep it under control.

One the things I liked best about the book is the acknowledgement that some people are just wired to be messies --- creative types, people with ADD, etc. and others are wired to be cleanies. I have friends that fall into both camps and my messie friends spend more time trying to be organized and frustrated with their failures than my cleanie friends do. Some people are just naturally one way or the other and it does not make you a lesser person to be someone who struggles with clutter.

I often pick up these types of books since I am a messie (masquerading as a cleanie) and am constantly trying to find new systems/processes that are better than what I am using. Also, reading books like these give me that energy boost I need when I am starting to slide back into messie habits. Even with fairly diligent and consistent efforts, I still have to have clean-up/decluttering projects periodically to get things back in line. Just this past January, my husband and I went through our master closet and removed 11 big bags of items to donate or throw away even though things looked ok before we started.

This book is very strong in two aspects: 1) the validation that you are not defective if you are a messie and it takes away judgment (you still need to address it, but there is no guilt about the way we are wired) and 2) a cheerleading aspect of "You can do this!". Quite often for me, just reading a cheerleading book gives me the motivation to stay the course or make corrections when I run amok. This served that purpose.

My only real concern is for people who are really very early in their journey ---- is there enough hard and fast advice on the how? Maybe, but I just don't know. I would love to hear from a reviewer who is just starting to tackle some of this to get their reaction.

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm winning again! February 19, 2011

By 2pmhitt

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I read this book many years ago but it had a different title. I needed some new inspiration and direction. The Organizer Lady did not let me down. I particularly loved the advice to put everything in pretty white boxes. Now I once again have "space" and know that everything is in its place. Great book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Her other book is better. June 17, 2012

By LifeIsGood

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I bought this book after reading her other book Organizing Magic. I like Organizing Magic better, because it read faster (more concise) and it was more inspiring (got me moving). They are both great really, but if you want to make a quick change, or if you can get only one of her book, I'd get the Organizing Magic instead. It was more main stream as well- not so religious and personal as the Winning the Clutter War.