What was your first impression?

My first impression was "I have to read this book!" The full
title is, 'The secret of how to win freedom from clutter'. The front cover's
cartoon depicts a naked woman running off into the distance, arms aloft, leaving
behind assorted personal items on the floor. The back cover asks questions like,
'Do you live in fear that one day someone you respect will open your cupboards
– and find the awful truth?' and 'Have you ever finally replaced a broken part,
then carefully kept the broken bits – just in case?' This is a readable
and humorous book. It doesn't shy away from the troubles some of us have with
our possessions.

What's it about?

This book has sections called things like the 'Junkee ID test' and 'Taming
the paper tiger' and has a preface entitled, 'OK…I'll confess first'. It tackles
all the different areas and ways in which our clutter can strangle us and offers
hard hitting and practical advice on what to do about it. Not only does clutter
take up too much space and time but it can have a negative effect on the rest
of our lives too. The book is honest and direct but helps us to laugh too.

What did you like about it?

I liked the positive way in which the book claims to have simple answers
to your problems with clutter. No matter how bad you think your house is, you
don't have to struggle with it forever. I also liked the cartoons placed liberally
throughout, making light of the situations we can find ourselves in. I especially
liked the practical effect the book had on our house!

What didn't you like?

On the whole, I liked it all. I did find that perhaps he was a little harsh
on the subject of keepsakes, things that we keep because they remind us of someone
or a special occasion. He was advocating treasuring the memory rather than the
physical object, a healthy sentiment, but I found I couldn't quite swallow it.
Maybe that's just me though.

What will you still remember a year from now?

I will remember that clutter can affect our stress levels and our enjoyment
of life as a whole, not just affect our house with its physical presence.

Who would you recommend this book to?

I would recommend the book highly but would be careful to do it in a way
that didn't make the person think that I thought they were messy! Tricky.

Can you give us a couple of good quotes from the book?

'It [clutter] stifles us and robs us of freedom because so much of our time
is needed to look after it. We have no time to have fun, to do the things we
really want to do. Not only are our houses, drawers, cupboards and vehicles
so crowded that we can't breathe, but our minds, emotions and relationships,
too, become dull and stagnant. We're so surrounded with stuff, we don't even
have time for the people who mean the most to us.'

'It may be worth something some day' - The glittering illusion that one day
you might be able to sell that piece of junk for a phenomenal sum creates an
excuse to cling to even the most worthless items'

This book is currently out of print in the uk, but is available from some American websites under the title, "Clutter's Last Stand" - as shown in the cover image at the top of the review.