The Clutter Cure: Three Steps to Letting Go of Stuff, Organizing Your Space, & Creating the Home of Your Dreams

by Judi Culbertson

Book Overview

Your prescription for the organized and beautiful home you desire That old doll collection. Twenty years of pay stubs. All the trophies your child ever won. It's difficult to love your home when every... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0071487441
• ISBN13: 9780071487443
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

This one works

This book offers a firm and gentle approach to decluttering. For me, it is working. Even my bookshelves have some room now.

the clutter cure

this goes beyond organizing. it's how to overcome issue with our stuff. I love her "endangered species" list-- like an old typerwriter. It made me see my stuff in a different way and showed me how to let go of some of the stuff.

Like a Shot in the Arm

The Clutter Cure This book changed my view on the things I own. The author discusses why we hold on to things, and in a gentle and logical way enables you to 'let go' of clutter and move on with living. Absolutely recommend this book to any and all.

This Book Was Great!!!

I really appreciated the ease of reading this book. It is written in easy to understand everyday language, and I saw myself and my clutter habits on almost every page. Page by page it seemed as though the author was reading my thoughts. I especially enjoyed learning the reasons behind why we hold on to things that no longer have use or meaning to us. I think the author's vast experience leading decluttering seminars, along with her own insight, must be what makes this book so 'right on'. This book helped me tremendously to finally get going, and follow through on something I've wanted to do for a long time--embark on a much simpler home and lifestyle. I now have an understanding of why all that 'stuff' was in my house even though it drove me nuts to see it, but better yet this book has given me the tools to not only declutter my home, but also to keep it that way. Kudos to Ms. Cultbertson!

Gets down to the "why" of clutter and "packratting"

I found this quick read on my local library shelf and used it in conjuction with "Sink Reflections" by Marla Cilley. I've read (and ignored) many "cut the clutter" books over the years and this one is the first I've seen that goes right to the heart of the matter - why people hang on to items that they will never use again. Culbertson presents a very honest approach to attacking the emotional attachment we have to things and a practical way to cut the cords that bind us when he hang on to things we don't love or need. When it comes to methodology, there's nothing terribly novel or groundbreaking. But, when paired with her fantastic insight into why we keep the junk we keep, her recommendations can be quite powerful. I do not agree with some of her assumptions/presumptions concerning decorating styles and preferences... i.e., that people who prefer, for example, Americana decor are trying to recreate some bygone era and are tied by clutter. She also makes mention on p. 123 of an elderly man who built an intricate train scene, commenting that "everything was frozen in an eternal winter, and the trains were symbolically going around in circles." Gag! I happen to like winter... I don't think that people who like winter or dig trains are stuck in a rut - at least not all of them! :) My primary "gripe" comes in the second stage - assessment - wherein the author encourages the reader to create the home they want based solely on their own needs, without regard to impressing others or keeping up appearances. That, of course, is GREAT advice, but she goes further in saying, for example, we should ditch the old towels/bedroom comforter/insert outdated item here and simply replace it with something we love. Super. Now, when I get the money I'll do that but for now, my shabby towels take a back seat to getting my children to the dentist! A great book. An easy read. Recommended.