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| It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff (Unabridged) | 
 enlarge | Author: Peter Walsh
Publisher: audible.com
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $15.73
You Save: $14.22 (47%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  120 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B000MGBNNK
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
When you think of what it will take to clean your house, are you so overwhelmed you throw up your hands and cry, "It's all too much"? Do you dream of having a closet where your clothes aren't crammed in so tightly that you can actually get to them? Is your basement filled with boxes of precious family mementos you haven't opened in ten years but are too afraid to toss? Are your kitchen counters overrun with appliances you've never used? Do your kids play in the living room because there's no room left in their playroom? If somewhere along the way you've simply lost the ability to keep your home organized and clutter-free, then It's All Too Much has the solution you've been searching for.Peter Walsh, the organizational guru from TLC's hit show Clean Sweep, understands how easy it is for clutter to creep into your life and how hard it is to get rid of it. In It's All Too Much, he shares his proven system for letting go of your emotional and physical clutter so that you can create a happier, more stress-free home and life. At last, here is a system for managing your clutter, regaining control, and living the life you imagine for yourself. Peter has helped clients from every walk of life. With his trademark humor and insight, Peter guides you step-by-step through the very charged process of decluttering your home, organizing your possessions, and reclaiming your life. Going way beyond color-coded boxes and storage bin solutions, It's All Too Much shows you how to reexamine your priorities and let go of the things that are weighing you down. Clearly and simply, Peter gives you the courage you need to go through your home, room by room -- even possession by possession -- and honestly assess what adds to your quality of life and what's keeping you from living the life of your dreams. Filled with real-life examples and advice for homes of all sizes and personalities, It's All Too Much will set you free from the emotional baggage that goes along with clutter and help you lead a fuller, richer life with less stuff.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 115 more reviews...
 Very Helpful January 24, 2007
340 out of 349 found this review helpful
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"
This Book Is About Right January 12, 2007
250 out of 254 found this review helpful
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.
 Guide to Accomplishing the Seemingly Impossible January 17, 2007
198 out of 202 found this review helpful
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.
 Can Anyone Really Live Like This? October 22, 2007
144 out of 170 found this review helpful
I read a lot of books on organization, and it is kind of a hobby of mine. Most people would have considered me very organized before I had kids. Now I have organizational challenges stemming from them and the stuff I inherited after the deaths of my parents and in-laws. I bought this book hoping for some new ideas. I'm giving it three stars because his pep talk is helpful in motivating me to get going, but I found his solutions ultimately unrealistic. There's a reason that they keep the Constitution under glass and don't just post a picture to "honor" it - there's a human desire to touch history, and that includes our own. There's a power in holding something that your deceased loved one lived with that no photo can capture. This seems to totally escape Walsh. To keep only the things we need today denies a large part of our histories and who we are and strands us like travelers in some wayside inn which may be pretty, but it isn't home. There have to be limits, of course, but there also have to be better strategies than he proposes. Almost worse is the subject of kids' toys. He ignores the reality of the kinds and amounts of toys most kids have - to suggest limiting kids to several "bins" ignores the shapes and sizes of pony castles and Barbie furniture (or shoes!). His solution is tidy, but useless. Maybe if my house looked like a candidate for Clean Sweep I'd be willing to do as he suggests, but I think I'll pass on most of his ideas.
 De-cluttering for selfish anti-environmentalists September 4, 2007
86 out of 118 found this review helpful
While the finger wagging and endless chastising aimed at habitual hoarders may motivate some, there is little in the way of new ideas in this book.By about page 66 I was ready to hurl it into the nearest trash bin-which would have pleased the author. Mr. Walsh is a huge fan of trash bags and landfills. He seriously needs to listen to Jack Johnson's song "Reduce, reuse, recycle"! While he does mention giving unwanted items to friends and charities (for the tax write off) he offers the disclaimer that imperfect clothes and other items are only a burden to non-profits like Goodwill, so throw them out. Nonsense. Having worked for a pet rescue group I know that both animal shelters and vet clinics need worn out clothes and towels for pet bedding. After all, if the animal is ill the bedding needs to be tossed later, so a new supply is ALWAYS needed. Catalogs and magazines? Walsh says throw them all out-no mention of the fact that most municipalities recycle BOTH, along with junk mail (even those window envelopes) and cardboard. Same with glass items and several types of metal and plastic. I used Walsh's method of of sorting using boxes and bins, but mine were labeled Goodwill, give to friends, Consignment, Paper, plastic, glass, metal, and bookstore. The Trash bin was only one medium sized box. Old books can be turned in for cash or trade at used bookstores-they need not be tossed out. Freecycle and non-profit veteran's groups were also unmentioned by Walsh. Freecycle groups are nation wide and can be joined online. It takes only seconds-minutes at the most-to list items on Freecycle. Once you list your "offer", you simply wait for replies. If someone wants your unwanted items you post "taken" along with a copy of the list of items, then leave those items on your porch for pickup. Veteran's groups will also often do at home pickups. It's a great way to get rid of large unwanted items such as furniture, big screen TVs, appliances or huge magazine collections. One man's trash is another's treasure, and you aren't filling up another landfill! Besides, many of us live in states where hurricanes, tornadoes and/ or flooding are yearly occurrences. Families can lose EVERYTHING in just seconds. Do the right thing and bless the less fortunate with your unwanted goods. You'll not only have the satisfaction of an organized home, but you'll be giving basic necessities (and maybe even a few little luxuries) to those who need them most.
Walsh also doesn't give specifics about how to keep items out of your home. Heck, I went online to my local library and ordered his book along with five others, a book on tape, and two DVDs, which were then delivered to my door free of charge. Libraries are a fantastic media resource; you can check out more than just books at most; periodicals, videos, DVDs, audio books and more. Some audiobooks are even available as free downloads to card holders. And if you just HAVE to have an article in a certain magazine, then scan it and save it on your computer before you return the magazine. Other ideas; set up a media lending circle with friends and neighbors (just be sure to type out and email what each has borrowed so you both know where items have gone), swap wardrobes with a same sized close friend, do a neighborhood garage sale instead of one on your own (more customers), give unused or barely used unwanted bath and cleaning products to newlyweds or college students, and do a toy swap with another family instead of buying new stuff; also, give excess toys to battered women's shelters or children's hospitals. ALWAYS shop with a list and give yourself a strict time limit when in a store to discourage impulse buys. Tell your friends that a thoughtful card means more to you than a material possession, or that a dinner out with them would be gift enough. A video like "Affluenza" or reading "Your money or your life" can help hoarders to resist new acquisitions, which is the key to staying clutter free.
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