Rating: 
Summary: Kathy Waddill is an Organizer's Organizer!
Review: Although I'm a professional organizer and author ("Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book"), and I thought I had my organizing engine hitting on all cylinders, I can't describe how much I've benefited from reading Kathy's incredibly useful tome! Man, did I need a tune-up! I might add that the benefit has been visible as well as invisible.Over the more than 20 years that I've been a professional organizer, I've read plenty of books on this subject, since after all, it is my profession. If I can glean a few practical new ideas from every book I read, I consider it a good thing. But my response to Kathy's book is off the charts! Kathy describes nine clearly-defined strategies that help get you get organized and then stay that way. I think the strategy that has been most helpful for me (so far) is to "Label Everything." I was good about labeling "things" around the house, such as spices in the kitchen and files in my office, but I had really overlooked the technique of mentally labeling areas. Kathy has opened my eyes to an incredibly insightful approach with this strategy. A verbal tag is a strong incentive to put things where they belong, and to help you find them when you need them. Although our home has plenty of storage space, the fact that my husband (H. Jackson Brown, "Life's Little Instruction Book") is a prolific author and inveterate saver of ANY shred of information, in ANY form, that might EVER give him an idea (including magazines, books, loose papers, and objects large and small!), caused me to succumb to the temptation to stash things in all sorts of places, just to get everything put away. I pretty much knew where to put my hands on what I needed, but I had to maneuver around things many times. Not any more. The times, they are a'changin'. First, I realized that the walk-in closet in our guest room was NOT being used at all effectively. But I never "saw" that until I read Kathy's book. So I mentally "re-labeled" it as a "reference library." In spite of the fact that we have a abundance of bookshelves in our home, there never seemed to be enough. (Did I mention that authors LOVE to read?) I cleared out, recycled, gave away, and re-located most of the odd assortment of things that had found their way into that closet. Then, with my trusty screwdriver, I dismantled the "Closet Maid" shelving, since we didn't need it for hanging clothes, and it certainly wasn't suitable for books. My next step was a trip to Office Depot, where I found some reasonably-priced shelving (29.95 for a 5-shelf unit, made by Grosfillex). I bought 3 sets to begin with, but quickly went back for 2 more. Each unit, when assembled, is about 11" deep by 26" wide, although the box each unit comes in is lightweight enough for me to carry upstairs by myself. The shelving can be assembled without any tools, and is made of laminated particle board, so it's sturdy. Not too large, and not too small, but just right! (Look, Mom, I can do it all by myself!) Then I began going through our reference collection, stashed in many rooms, and started rounding up entire categories of books and magazines to re-locate them to our "new reference library." (Unlike many folks, writers really DO have a good excuse for saving certain types of magazines, since they provide timeless reference material, as well as temporary enjoyment.) Now, when I want to put my hands on information about planning kitchens, troubleshooting a Mac, or learning Hebrew, I know exactly where to look. Not all over the house. In ONE place. But that little exercise just whetted my appetite. Now I was seriously hooked. A couple of days ago, I noticed that one of the closets under the eaves in our "son's bedroom" (another case of faulty labeling, since our son is 32 and lives in Atlanta) was being badly misused. Why? Because it didn't have a proper label, of course! If I'd had to label it honestly, I would have had to refer to it as "Catch-All Zone, One of Many." So I "re-labeled" it "Office Supply Closet." (Both my husband and I have offices in our home, and he also has another one away from home, since our successful almost-34-year marriage is predicated on the motto, "For better or worse, but NOT for lunch.") However, neither of our home offices really had adequate space for storing bulky things like toner cartridges, reams of paper, extra file folders, computer supplies, etc. So I went back to Office Depot for yet 2 more sets of those shelves. (You know a good friend when you find one! ) Organizing that closet will be my new-best-friend project beginning today. The personal case histories in Kathy's book are so helpful. It's easier to recognize your own mistakes when you see other people making them. I've recommended the book to several friends, and I plan to re-read it myself, because it is so packed with practical advice that I'm sure I couldn't possibly have absorbed it all on the first reading! If you want to get organized and stay that way, this book is a MUST! Don't put it off another minute. You can't imagine how much better you'll feel, once you get your engines fired up!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Help!
Review: An excellent, pragmatic guide to producing a simpler, more peacful life that takes care of the concerns important to you. I've read the book twice, the second time with a highlighter, and have implemented her suggestions around bill payment flow, photo boxes, dry cleaning sorting, and others. Our house is in the midst of renovation: a wonderful reason to discard, simplify and organize. For a recovering packrat her suggestions are invaluable. The stories anchor it in the real world.
Rating:
Summary: producing a more peaceful life
Review: An excellent, pragmatic guide to producing a simpler, more peacful life that takes care of the concerns important to you. I've read the book twice, the second time with a highlighter, and have implemented her suggestions around bill payment flow, photo boxes, dry cleaning sorting, and others. Our house is in the midst of renovation: a wonderful reason to discard, simplify and organize. For a recovering packrat her suggestions are invaluable. The stories anchor it in the real world.
Rating:
Summary: Waddill speaks to the right brain
Review: I am a musician, and found Kathy Waddill's book to be one that spoke well to the right brained person. And of course, only a right brained person working in a left brained world of organization could have written such a work. Bravo !
Rating: 
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: I did not like this book at all. I've read quite a few books on de-cluttering and organising. The layout of this book I found was quite hard to follow. I like an book I can just dip into and get ideas and then carry them out. It was more like a very old school text book (boring, hard to read,badly set out) I tried to force myself to read this book but gave up.
Rating:
Summary: ENOUGH
Review: I kept putting off buying this book for years because of the off putting title. Finally, having read THEM ALL - organizing and clutter books - I succumbed. Am I glad I did! The main concept is that you too can be organized ENOUGH! Once a person understands this - almost like learning to say no - the world of fun opens up!
The word enough is the best concept Ms. Waddill teaches! It makes one want to do more for some reason. Now, when I have papers on the table, I do not feel guilty. I feel that well SH---, I know right where they go and I can DO that and I can DO THAT RIGHT NOW! What is the psychological principle here? Does it matter?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Buy this book and maybe the next publishing format will have a different title.
Rating:
Summary: ENOUGH
Review: I kept putting off buying this book for years because of the off putting title. Finally, having read THEM ALL - organizing and clutter books - I succumbed. Am I glad I did! The main concept is that you too can be organized ENOUGH! Once a person understands this - almost like learning to say no - the world of fun opens up!
The word enough is the best concept Ms. Waddill teaches! It makes one want to do more for some reason. Now, when I have papers on the table, I do not feel guilty. I feel that well SH---, I know right where they go and I can DO that and I can DO THAT RIGHT NOW! What is the psychological principle here? Does it matter?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Buy this book and maybe the next publishing format will have a different title.
Rating:
Summary: This is a great book!!!!
Review: I love this book because it looks at the big picture and gives lots of ideas that really work for staying organized. Waddill's premise is that as people's situations change they need to change the way they organize their life. It is well-written, straight-forward, and filled with practical advice. I love the personal stories of people she has worked with--I certainly could identify with many of them. This is money well spent. It's like having a personal consultation with a professional organizer.
Rating:
Summary: a real page turner!
Review: I never would have believed that a book on getting organized could be so interesting to read! I was absolutely fascinated by Waddill's stories of some of her past clients, the types of (sometimes pretty amazing, sometimes more mundane) messes they were in, and how she helped them solve the problems that got them into a mess in the first place. I used to think of myself as a "totally disorganized person" but, after reading this book, I realize that, like most of her clients, I'm actually pretty organized in most areas of my life, but there's a few areas that need improving (unfortunately, those areas are threatening to take over my apartment and my life!). I thought the book was written in a very well organized way (it's surprising to me how many books on getting organized are not very well organized themselves), with simple, basic principles that are easy to understand. I especially benefitted from reading about Waddill's first principle, which is to think about the activities that take place in your home, and have an area that supports each (simple yes, but I wasn't doing this till now). I also like the idea of "labelling everything" -- including mentally labelling areas of your home -- I have a two year old son, and have realized I still don't have a designated "play area", which helps explain why there are toys all over our apartment! And she uses examples to show how, even if you're living in a very small space, you can still get organized (with great examples of how to do so). I was jotting down ideas like crazy as I read the book, and now have a long "to do" list. Unfortunately, I haven't found an organizing book yet that will actually do the organizing for me :) but at least this book was interesting enough that I got through the first step, which is reading the darned book in the first place! I think this is the first "how to get organized" book that I've actually read cover to cover. If you're looking for a book on organizing that is interesting enough that you'll actually read it, then this is the one for you!
Rating:
Summary: a real page turner!
Review: I never would have believed that a book on getting organized could be so interesting to read! I was absolutely fascinated by Waddill's stories of some of her past clients, the types of (sometimes pretty amazing, sometimes more mundane) messes they were in, and how she helped them solve the problems that got them into a mess in the first place. I used to think of myself as a "totally disorganized person" but, after reading this book, I realize that, like most of her clients, I'm actually pretty organized in most areas of my life, but there's a few areas that need improving (unfortunately, those areas are threatening to take over my apartment and my life!). I thought the book was written in a very well organized way (it's surprising to me how many books on getting organized are not very well organized themselves), with simple, basic principles that are easy to understand. I especially benefitted from reading about Waddill's first principle, which is to think about the activities that take place in your home, and have an area that supports each (simple yes, but I wasn't doing this till now). I also like the idea of "labelling everything" -- including mentally labelling areas of your home -- I have a two year old son, and have realized I still don't have a designated "play area", which helps explain why there are toys all over our apartment! And she uses examples to show how, even if you're living in a very small space, you can still get organized (with great examples of how to do so). I was jotting down ideas like crazy as I read the book, and now have a long "to do" list. Unfortunately, I haven't found an organizing book yet that will actually do the organizing for me :) but at least this book was interesting enough that I got through the first step, which is reading the darned book in the first place! I think this is the first "how to get organized" book that I've actually read cover to cover. If you're looking for a book on organizing that is interesting enough that you'll actually read it, then this is the one for you!
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