BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Organization Topic of the Week: Books on Organizing

Hi everyone,

In this week's newsletter, I mentioned three organizing books I've read and enjoyed lately: Organizing for the Creative Person, Time Management from the Inside Out, and the Organizing Sourcebook. (See the Books and Magazines section of the Subject links area for more info on each of these.)

Now it's your turn: Have you read any organizing-related books? If so, did you find them helpful, or did they seem to complex, unrealistic, or hard to follow?

If you haven't yet read any organizing books, do you think you might pick one up before you started working on an organizing project, or would you be more likely to rely on other sources of information (such as a friend, Professional Organizer, online resource, etc.)?

Share your thoughts! I look forward to your insights.

Best,
Emily

Hi Emily, I've got Organizing from the Inside Out. I ordered it from B&N and tried to particiate in the "university" on B&N but I wasn't organized to accomplish that and everything else I do so I scratched that. I also have Sink Reflections and how to get organized when you don't have time.

I have figured out that I am a procrastinator and poor time manager - at home.

Certain tips that I find helpful are

find a place for everything and keep it in its place
don't buy it unless you really need it
put it away
call on Will Power to help get things done

Sink Reflections annoyed me because the first thing you're supposed to do is clean the sink and shine it up. Generally, the sink is not my problem. I generally get overwhelmed with filing papers, doing detail work, doing things I would rather not do (procrastion).

I totally agree Angie. My home is decorated in the 'minimalist' style with a definate country style, as we live in the country. But I do find it is a constant battle to keep the clutter at bay.

I told hubby some years ago - "No more stuff". It had gotten to the point where I had to clean out old 'stuff' to make room for the new 'stuff'. I love to cook, and was more than happy with my kitchen appliances, and certainly didn't want anymore. Hubby also admitted that he felt the same with all his tools.

So our new philisophy is to ask ourselves before buying anything is "Do I really need it, or will it just become a dust collector?" We usually give each other money for gifts, and spend it on home improvements, instead of 'stuff'. The only exception being books and cd's, as we have a large bookcase.

Treehuger - one of my biggest problems is paper. I tend to save magazines and then all my notes for my projects. I'm a genealogist so the piles grow - high. I do like to colelct mugs when we travel and my son told me that I have to get rid of some of what I have as the closet door does not want to shut. <G>

Where in Australia are you? I was there and New Zealand in February.

Time Management Inside Out is my favorite book and it really helped to get this procrastinating clutterbug going. I also bought it as gift for my Mom who is another clutterbug <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />