Rating: 
Summary: Help for me at last..!!!
Review: Being a child of depression parents I have lived with and been overwhelmed by "clutter." Having had the phrase "you never know when you might need it" drilled into my head from birth, has made my life a living nightmare. The emotional struggle to give up even the smallest little item (which might be useful someday) has caused so much stress and frustration in my life and cluttered my brain that at age 45 I am an emotional wreck. I stumbled on "Clutter's Last Stand" while shopping at a second hand store (something which I am trying to get away from because it feeds that "something I might need" thought process) and just after reading the first few pages knew it was for me. I absolutely love the illustrations. Pages 12 through 16 show the genealogy of junk; how we are conditioned to become the junk collectors we are as adults. I could have written the chapter entitled "101 Feeble Excuses for Hanging onto Clutter" and I am the monkey on pages 28 & 29.
On page 38 it says "no matter how sharp you are, what you own, how famous you are -- if you eat, wear, live, and love junk it will cause ugly bulges somewhere on your person or your psyche." There is truth in that statement and I'll leave it at that.
Page 42 -- Clutter Makes Everything Take Longer. I knew that before I read it. I can never find what I want when I need it because things are never where they are supposed to be. By the time I find everything it takes to do the task at hand I'm either too tired to do the task or else I've forgotten what it was I was doing.
I highly recommend this book for other people who are children of "Depression Era" parents struggling with the same problem that I am.
It's funny and practical.
Rating:
Summary: Help for me at last..!!!
Review: Being a child of depression parents I have lived with and been overwhelmed by "clutter." Having had the phrase "you never know when you might need it" drilled into my head from birth, has made my life a living nightmare. The emotional struggle to give up even the smallest little item (which might be useful someday) has caused so much stress and frustration in my life and cluttered my brain that at age 45 I am an emotional wreck. I stumbled on "Clutter's Last Stand" while shopping at a second hand store (something which I am trying to get away from because it feeds that "something I might need" thought process) and just after reading the first few pages knew it was for me. I absolutely love the illustrations. Pages 12 through 16 show the genealogy of junk; how we are conditioned to become the junk collectors we are as adults. I could have written the chapter entitled "101 Feeble Excuses for Hanging onto Clutter" and I am the monkey on pages 28 & 29.
On page 38 it says "no matter how sharp you are, what you own, how famous you are -- if you eat, wear, live, and love junk it will cause ugly bulges somewhere on your person or your psyche." There is truth in that statement and I'll leave it at that.
Page 42 -- Clutter Makes Everything Take Longer. I knew that before I read it. I can never find what I want when I need it because things are never where they are supposed to be. By the time I find everything it takes to do the task at hand I'm either too tired to do the task or else I've forgotten what it was I was doing.
I highly recommend this book for other people who are children of "Depression Era" parents struggling with the same problem that I am.
It's funny and practical.
Rating:
Summary: A 'jolly' way of looking at yout life's storage & what to do
Review: Don Aslett writes as tho' he has lived in nearly every type of household (at least the most unruly of the lot). This is not to say that he is not organized...oh contrar! He makes such good sense of ridding ourselves of unneeded clutter and gives answers to HOW to do it! A delightful book to read for anyone who has ever faced any kind of dilemma in getting uncluttered. One of the very best uses I found for this book was Now in particular so many of the "Baby Boomers", myself included & so many friends are going through this 'nightmare' of cleaning out & goint thru' lifetimes of treasures in order to help our dear parents try to adjust to a new way of life:( At least Mr. Aslet's book gives humor to the whole unpleasant subject.) The least any of us can do is try to put as much humor into a very painful task which creates huge emotional & physical changes for those we hold so dear! Humor always seems to take the edge off pain. So, put this book to work, you will be pleased!:) Susan Tyler, Auburn, CA
Rating: 
Summary: Good read...helpful advice
Review: I have Mr. Aslet's book 10-12 times. Read the other reviews on Amazon, they are all basically correct. The tips on how to get rid of your extra belongings and clutter are great...some of the preaching I could have done without. The bottom line is although, is any the author's ideas above common sense? and the answer is a resounding no! But, do some of us need little and gentle reminders? and the answer at least for me is Yes. Mr. Asletts book is for those of us who at minimum need a push in the right direction.
Rating:
Summary: SENSIBLE ADVICE PRESENTED WITH UNIQUE HUMOR
Review: I have purchased several books on organizing and de-cluttering, and while they had some good ideas and advice none come close to Mr. Aslett's books (Clutter's Last Stand in particular). This book makes you take a good hard look at your accumulating habits (not to mention all your JUNK) and really inspires you to get off the couch and start sorting and pitching stuff out (I have also donated much to local charities). I had attempted this on many occasion but somehow never cleared out everything because I was so attached to certain things. After reading this book I atlast have been able to get rid of things I thought I couldn't live without. It is such a wonderful feeling of freedom when you get rid of the clutter. You're able to see new possibilities in your life. I recommend this book to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Very Inspiring!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book! In fact, I even couldn't stop laughing! There may seem to be a bit of 'brashness' to the author's tone, but, it may be just what folks need that REALLY need to get rid of clutter, like receiving a nudge to "do something about it." I have de-cluttered a lot since reading the book but have more to go, mainly regarding stuff in our basement. Now when I "de-junk," I don't spend too much time making a final decision as to where the 'stuff' should go. If it doesn't have a "home," then it HAS to go somewhere else, most likely File 13 (THE TRASH CAN)! I have also read 2 other books of Don Aslett's and have frequented his website regarding janitorial supplies and am going to try out some of those. Our local library is going to get one (or two) of his books in (hopefully this week), so now I won't have to buy them. His books are, by far, the most humorous books that I have EVER read!
Rating:
Summary: Very Inspiring!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book! In fact, I even couldn't stop laughing! There may seem to be a bit of 'brashness' to the author's tone, but, it may be just what folks need that REALLY need to get rid of clutter, like receiving a nudge to "do something about it." I have de-cluttered a lot since reading the book but have more to go, mainly regarding stuff in our basement. Now when I "de-junk," I don't spend too much time making a final decision as to where the 'stuff' should go. If it doesn't have a "home," then it HAS to go somewhere else, most likely File 13 (THE TRASH CAN)! I have also read 2 other books of Don Aslett's and have frequented his website regarding janitorial supplies and am going to try out some of those. Our local library is going to get one (or two) of his books in (hopefully this week), so now I won't have to buy them. His books are, by far, the most humorous books that I have EVER read!
Rating:
Summary: The DeCluttering Bible
Review: I've read and re-read this book a dozen times. Each time I gain something new, either a strategy for getting rid of junk. Or motivation. On the surface, it's a fun book with great illustrations, and info broken down into small bits. You can pick it up and start reading anywhere. But as you read, a philosophy emerges. I think its point (and any good book on decluttering) is: 1. Find out what is currently important in your life; 2. Get rid of the things that don't contribute to that; 3. Take good care of the things that remain. Easy to say, but hard to do when you're looking at a closet overflowing with stuff. The thing I like about Aslett's writing is that he addresses all the reasons people hold onto things. I mean, getting rid of your stuff can be emotional. It's not just the things, but what they represent. Like projects we've started, but never finished. (getting rid of them means admitting dedeat.) Keeping broken stereos and appliances in the garage, thinking we'll fix them (but never will.) Holding onto your dead grandfather's set of horseshoes (because you think getting rid of them would be disrespectful.) The tragedy of clutter is that it distracts us from living fully in the present. And after reading Aslett's book, I was genuinely motivated to make some changes. Big changes. No, I didn't throw away everything I owned. But I did get rid of a lot. And I can safely say that I haven't regretted a single removal. The benefits have been that I appreciate what's left so much more (I actually READ the few remaining books, actually LOOK at the few remaining photographs, actually FINISH the remaining craft project, can actually FIND things when I need them.) The philosophy has trickled down and helped me be selective in my purchases and accumulating now. I only bring something new into my home now if it enhances my life. No more recreational shopping. What freedom. And I sincerely thank Aslett for this book, and his dedication to his profession.
Rating:
Summary: A good reality check
Review: I've read the previous reviews for this book and was shocked. People took this book WAAAAAY too personal. If you don't like hearing your junk being criticized then do not read this book! I found this book to be a wonderful wake up call and it was also very humorous. Don Aslett is sarcastic and very human in the analogies he gives. He doesn't say "throw it all away no matter what it is" he just says we shouldn't be holding onto things for the wrong reasons. For example, I have kept an old vest in my closet for 5 years. Why? Because every time my sister sees it she says "I was always jealous of how good you looked in that vest in high school". I'm 25 and I think I look dreadful in it now and it was a constant reminder of what I didn't look good in anymore. But I kept it because my sister was jealous of me for it. I read Don's book and threw the vest out and went out and bought something I actually looked good in to replace it ;) Now, I'm happy, I look good, and my closet space is being used by things that have a purpose. And Don Aslett doesn't just stop at household clutter; he goes on to recommend changes we can make with our lifestyle clutter, like old boyfriends and junk food. I recommend this book for anyone that wants to clean out their lives and be happy.
Rating: 
Summary: The good, the bad, and the ugly about Clutter's Last Stand
Review: The good:
- Aslett is in my opinion correct about the reasons people clutter and the harm clutter can do. Most people who have a lot of clutter don't even realize why it's a problem.
- Many of his methods for getting rid of clutter are useful and sensible, but not obvious.
- You really do feel free when you've ridden yourself of clutter.
The bad:
- Aslett's assumption that those with cats should care so little about them that they should get rid of them just to have a little less clutter and dust. This isn't just stupid: it's irresponsible and heartless. Most cat owners love their pets much more than they love a continually clean house. Is a little dust and fur really so horrible that you'd rather put your best friend(s) to death than live with it? I would hope not.
- His love for the open design in houses. Open-plan houses are a pain to decorate, more expensive than normal homes, difficult to live in (issues of privacy and sound control come to mind), usually cold and expensive to heat during the winter, and not very easy to clean, since many of the ceilings are 20 ft high and dusting the high ledges can be a chore. At any rate, most readers aren't likely to move into a new, colder, less comfortable, less energy-efficient home simply because an author recommends it.
- His strange dislike of bedskirts. He calls them 'dust ruffles' for some bizarre reason, and officiously points out that they don't eliminate dust. He says nobody needs a 'dust ruffle', since all they do is hide clutter. Word to Don: they're called bedskirts, not dust ruffles, and they're there to HIDE THE UGLY METAL RAILS that most beds come with. Now maybe some people would prefer to spend $3,000 on a new bedroom suite instead of spending $30 for a bedskirt (as Aslett implies is a good idea), but is that really sensible? Doesn't it makes more sense to just not put anything under the bed and use a bedskirt to hide the ugly rails?
The ugly:
- Prejudice is never pretty. This book could have been much better if Aslett had laid off the fat-bashing and the cat owner-bashing. I might have given this book 3 stars or more, but no book written in this day and age should promote hatred, and no book promoting hatred should be given more than one star.
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