Rating: 
Summary: Changed my life!
Review: I found the system in the book to be very helpful. The system is great. It may not be for everyone though. I found that I had all the great intentions in the world to get things done.But I always seemed to never finish a task.I would start another before I was done with the first.I was the side-tracked queen. The system does not just affect your housework. It helps build habits that you always wanted to do but just never got there. My husband is very happy that I use the system. Especially if you don't have hours in a row. If you work, have kids,and go to school too this system helps organize and prioritize.You don't have to do it all yourself. You can delegate certain tasks to family and then enjoy the rest of the time together. It helps get all your bases covered, and realize what needs done, how often and how long things truly take. I found that I had lots of time to clean but everything seemed overwhelming. There are many more things I can say about the system, but it would be too long. I believe that there are many people who would find this to be a great way to simplify their housework and make it almost enjoyable. :)
Rating:
Summary: Life Saver!!!
Review: Since I discovered the Sidetracked Sisters in 1988 I've graduated 3 daughters from highschool, 2 from college and one from medical school. I've given 4 weddings, three of them in cities in which I did not live. I've moved seven times, attended 3 graduate schools, completed a Master's degree and started a Ph.D. I've managed to stay married to the same neatnic for 36 years and now have four beautiful grandchildren. If it were not for Pam and Peggy, I couldn't have survived (literally) one day beyond the day I first picked up this book. The card file grounded me and kept me going on days I feared either flying of the face of the earth or gettly buried in the clutter. By sharing the book with my own sister, we have kept reminding each other to "get back to the box" during times we were less than diligent. The principles shared by the authors are excellent management skills which I employed in my private practice as a counselor and have taught to clients suffering from conditions such as ADHD as well as to parents overwhelmed by what life's pressures are handing them. I've also used the "Happiness File" for years, I reread it every year in January, setting new priorities for the year and reviewing my accomplishments from the previous year. The book is an easy read and funny. Perhaps the greatest testimony to the efficacy of the system is that my pediatrician daughter and busy mother of one of my beautiful granddaughters has asked for a copy recently stating, "I didn't think I'd ever say this but I've got to find a better way to manage all I've got to do and it's worked pretty well for you."
Rating:
Summary: Newbie to the program, but it is working...!
Review: I am a smart successful woman, but somehow could never "keep house" like my mom did, and her mom, and of course my sister in law (are sister in law's ALWAYS perfect, or is it just mine??!!)...This book helped me to organize the things that I needed to do on a regular basis in order for my house to look nice, and to be clean...It is funny, but I have been doing it for about two weeks, and I definitely find myself getting into better habits - picking up, wiping down, etc...Definitely not things that the OLD me would have done! Since I started I am happier and more relaxed in my home, and I can entertain friends without a frenzy of cleaning in the 30 minutes before they arrive! I even fired my cleaning lady (who only comes every two weeks, so she had not seen "the new me house")...Anyway, if you crave a system that allows you to do small tasks regularly and prevents MASSIVE cleaning needs that seem overwhelming, this is it! Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Works well - for some
Review: Pam and Peggy certainly know what it feels like to be living in total chaos, and they use that understanding to good effect in this book, showing step by step how they got organized. They don't take any knowledge or organizational ability for granted, and they have great senses of humor. Their card-file system will probably work for most people who are SHE's (Sidetracked Home Executives) because of their creativity, or just general distractedness.If, however, you are a SHE because you're a frozen perfectionist, someone who never cleans because you don't have time to do it RIGHT, this is not the book for you. The card-file is wonderful - except that I'm entirely capable of spending the next 6 months making sure I've got the file system perfect without ever actually doing any of the stuff on it. There's also nothing to prevent you from overloading yourself with nit-picking chores and burning out. If these sound like things you would be prone to, then I would recommend "Sink Reflections" by Marla Cilley instead. She uses much of the same material as Pam and Peggy (she credits them as her inspiration), but her program is specifically designed for those of us who try so hard for perfection we get nowhere. If perfectionism isn't your problem, then by all means go with Pam and Peggy. They're great fun to read, and however bad your house is, they will understand.
Rating:
Summary: Humor saves sisters from clutter
Review: I first read this book about 16 years ago when I had just had my third child. Now 16 years later, I am the single parent of 5 working full-time. For a while I was part-time student working part-time as well. I think I appreciate the book even more now and I am more organized, mostly because I too was a mother like Pam and Peggy -I enjoyed being home with my children thoroughly and never resented the endless interruptions. I always felt that those years with those babies were too precious to be missed..and I still do. Unfortunately my husband didnot share my admiration for my dedication to mothering my children and I often got the "..I just don't understand what you do all day.." I was not lucky enough to have a supportive spouse and it was not until we divorced that I recognized that he was most of the problem anyway! Usually I felt like I had 6 kids! I have just started using the card system for my kids, and after 2 weeks I would have to say that I see an improvement. Sixteen years ago the book really made me laugh but it didn't help me get organized, I think I used every excuse. But it was a comfort to me, especially the spiritual parts that Pam wrote in regard to her divorce. Now I am much more organized and much happier. I am emphasizing how the card system will help my kids to become more organized in preparation for their futures, so they can see they are doing it for themselves, not just for me.
Rating:
Summary: Newbie to the program, but it is working...!
Review: I am a smart successful woman, but somehow could never "keep house" like my mom did, and her mom, and of course my sister in law (are sister in law's ALWAYS perfect, or is it just mine??!!)...This book helped me to organize the things that I needed to do on a regular basis in order for my house to look nice, and to be clean...It is funny, but I have been doing it for about two weeks, and I definitely find myself getting into better habits - picking up, wiping down, etc...Definitely not things that the OLD me would have done! Since I started I am happier and more relaxed in my home, and I can entertain friends without a frenzy of cleaning in the 30 minutes before they arrive! I even fired my cleaning lady (who only comes every two weeks, so she had not seen "the new me house")...Anyway, if you crave a system that allows you to do small tasks regularly and prevents MASSIVE cleaning needs that seem overwhelming, this is it! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Get Organized For Life!
Review: I have been using the techniques in this book since 1990, and just love it! Definately a worth while read. You won't EVER regret buying this book, and taking the time to put what they say into practice!
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I'd expected
Review: I was not very impressed with this book. While the stories told are interesting, I didn't find as much from this book to help me as I'd expected. I got a lot more from Marla Cilley's book "Sink Reflections".
Rating:
Summary: The 2nd Generation
Review: My mom used this book as her tool to staying organized when she was a stay-at-home mom with three girls. Now, I find myself as a working newlywed and not enough time to do anything!!! I have a wonderful husband, but he's as sidetracked as I am when it comes to housekeeping! We are trying these methods and they seem to be working! We are thinking about having someone come once a month to do heavy-duty cleaning like cleaning baseboards, ceiling fans, and other once-a-month odd jobs. Try it! The lease you can do is try it!
Rating:
Summary: Low-tech, but still works great!
Review: I don't know why you'd want to bother putting this system on a computer or handheld, the index card system (or even just cut up all those one-sided ads for "cards") uses no electricity or batteries and works just fine, even during power outages. Their system is just as useful for any other "job" (and keeping house is a job, make no mistake, even if you like that sort of thing) that requires a lot of repetitive work. I think its greatest value is to keep you on a schedule long enough to establish good habits, and as you establish those habits you can get rid of some or even all of the cards. I don't know how you'd get overwhelmed with the system and do too many cards--I imagine most people who are "housekeeping-challenged" in the first place are never going to get to the point where they want to do MORE housecleaning than they absolutely have to. You might get bogged down if you write down *every* little step--to me, "mop floor" automatically means to sweep/vacuum first, but not necessarily to other people. I think this book is much better than their other book, Get Your Act Together: 7-Day Get-Organized Plan.... Get Your Act Together is somewhat repetitive, and contains some of the same stories as this book. I also wasn't into the division of the week into "free day", "half-cleaning day", etc. Just divide up the chores as fits the rest of your schedule. Not saying that it isn't worth reading, but you don't have to run out and get it too. If you have the older editions, you don't need the newest, not enough is revised to make it worth buying.
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