Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good

by Andrew J. Mellen

Overview

A professional organizer and life coach shows readers how to kick the clutter habit with his complete how-to guide to total organization

Arguably the most organized man in America, sought-after coach Andrew J. Mellen has created unique, lasting techniques for streamlined living, bringing order out of chaos for the chronically overwhelmed everywhere. Acknowledging that it's often the "stuff behind the stuff" that holds people back, Mellen offers a surprisingly simple, yet effective solution in his step-by-step guide, guaranteed to help achieve organizational bliss for everyone from perpetual key-misplacers to hard-core hoarders.

From basement to bedroom, kitchen to car, and into every corner of life, Mellen’s system yields lasting results. Discover how to:

• Never lose your keys or wallet again
• Stop mail, magazine, and paper pileups for good
• Feel empowered to tackle bills and budgets
• Reclaim space and time once dominated by clutter

Built on the principle that we must distinguish ourselves from our possessions, Unstuff Your Life! starts with truly achievable goals and works toward the nightmare projects everyone tries hard to avoid. With humor, honesty, tough love, and foolproof advice, Mellen makes it easy to finally let go and embrace the decluttered life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781583333891
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/03/2010
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Andrew J. Mellen is an author, speaker, professional organizer and life coach who has been featured widely in the media, including O, The Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living Today, Woman’s Day and on HGTV, DIY, BetterTV, and NPR. With a coast-to-coast roster of clients, he leads workshops throughout America. He lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 You Are Not Your Stuff 9

2 Key Wallet Purse Mail 29

3 Kitchen Pantry 53

4 Office Home Office Paperwork 89

5 Clothess Closets 123

6 Auxiliary Spaces: Basements Attics Garages 161

7 Car 217

8 Mementos Sentimental Objects Gifts Collections 241

9 Photos 271

10 E-mail Organizing Computer Files Social Networking Sites 303

11 New Things and the Rest of Your Life 351

Thank-Yous and Acknowledgments 375

Appendix: What to Save 378

Resources 382

Index 385

Editorial Reviews

Living in chaos? Professional Organizer Mellen has written the book to help. At 400 pages, it's not for the faint of heart or the semi-committed, but for readers determined to bringing their stuff under control. "There is no magic device, and you don't need to be rescued," Mellen assures, advocating ways of streamlining that don't have to break the bank. He begins by the front door, with creating a place to locate your keys and mail, and then moves through the house from room to room, starting in the kitchen; sentimental doo-dads (the most difficult to abandon) are the last to go. While Mellen at times ventures into Martha Stewart's turf ("Create a paint schedule!"), he's closer in temperament to his mentor, Oprah. For those having trouble letting go of their stuff, he says, "Identify with the willingness to shift your behavior," and move bravely forward. Despite dips into hokum, Mellen is not a sentimentalist, he's a tough life coach, and many readers will have trouble paring down as much as he'd like. But those willing to take even a small sip of Mellon's Kool-Aid may enjoy a more organized, efficient, and well-managed life. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Whether it’s your home or your head—Andrew Mullen shows how to achieve organizational success!”

—Peter Walsh, author of It’s All Too Much and Enough Already!

“Good sense of humor and considerable amount of compassion… Unstuff Your Life! is an extremely helpful and practical book, always pointing us to the bigger picture.”

—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness

From the Publisher