It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff (Hardcover)

by Peter Walsh (Author)
Key Phrases: wish clothes, clutter problem, Kick Start, Room Function Chart, United States

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Veteran "organizational consultant," TV show host and author Walsh (How to Organize (Just About) Everything) has more ideas in his latest book on clutter management than the spare closet has junk, and, even better, it's organized, in-depth and entirely user-friendly. Part One examines the "Clutter Problem": how it happens, how it hampers and how to face it without excuses or discouragement. Part Two presents a step-by-step approach to "Putting Clutter in its Place," which begins with "surface clutter" and developing a household plan before moving on to the bulk of the book, a walkthrough of each room in the home. Also included are ideas for involving other family members, letters Walsh has received from viewers of his TLC show "Clean Sweep," vignettes illustrating how real people deal with common organizational challenges and plenty of charts, checklists and sidebars ("Clutter Quiz," "Yard Sale Planning") for added utility. Walsh is upbeat and funny throughout, treating the task at hand like "a thrilling archeological dig," a "positive and exciting" way to unlock your "ideal home" and "unearth those things that are most important in your life." Entertaining and instructive, this is one guidebook readers should place in their "keep" pile.
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Review
"The best organizing advice we've ever heard!" -- Woman's Day --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; 1 edition (December 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743292642
• ISBN-13: 978-0743292641
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (139 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,341 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

276 of 279 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This Book Is About Right, January 11, 2007

By	Diane M. Zielinski "passionate consumer" (upstate New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you like Peter Walsh on CLEAN SWEEP, you'll appreciate this book. It's written as if he dictated it in his blunt, yet helpful voice, and I felt as if he was speaking to me throughout the book. He addresses the main issue of clutter: it's choking and smothering too many families and their homes, leaving them miserable in the place they should be the happiest. He presents logical arguments for why we should part with Grandma's china and Timmy's first drawings and shows his coaching technique when he argues WHY we just get rid of the stuff. My only concern with the book is that it's too short and lacks illustrations. Of course, maybe that would be too much. This book bridges the gap between the organizing books and the psychological texts that address hoarding and other complex emotional issues.

364 of 373 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, January 24, 2007

By	Jay K. "just a thought..." - See all my reviews

I liked this book because it helps me, a not naturally organized person, have a lifestyle that is simpler, saner, nicer. I have many organizational books, and this one is pretty good. Some books want you to do so much work up front about why you got this way and how to not be this way (by spending a lot of money on organizing bins and products), that I am exhausted before I even begin the process. Clutter attracters need quick answers or they won't do the work required. At least, that's the way I am.

Walsh organizes the book into two main parts: The Clutter Problem, where he talks about the issues and excuses and finally, the possibilities of how to live clutter-free. Part 2 is Putting Clutter in Its Place, where he starts with surface clutter, then moves on through different rooms in your house, one at a time. My favorite part of the book is the New Rituals part, where he tells you, month by month, how to keep up with this clutter-free lifestyle. Because, for me, the hardest part (after starting) is keeping the clutter out and the organization going.

Other books you may want to look at are "Spiritual Housecleaning" (if you are into that) and The Flylady's new book(s) and web site. These have been extremely helpful to me and I no longer feel guilty that I can't have people over because of the state of my house. In fact, company is coming tomorrow and I'm ready!



"It's All Too Much"

210 of 214 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guide to Accomplishing the Seemingly Impossible, January 16, 2007

By	Jason S. Schneiderman (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're drowning in your possessions and it seems too much to handle, this book provides a great guide to turning your mess into a peaceful paradise. Unlike a lot of home organization and renovation books, it just doesn't suggest how to organize the stuff you have (which it does), but it gets to the bottom of the cause of the mess and clutter, shows you how much the clutter is truly costing you, gets you past the excuses, lets you see the psychology behind how things got so bad without making you feel guilty, and guides you to taking control of your space. If you have a large house or a small apartment, Peter shows you how to make what you have the best it can be, and how much a clean organized home can improve your mood, health and overall life.