Unstuff Your Life by Andrew J. Mellen - A Brief Review

Raise your hand if you have a cluttered house, drawer, room, shelf and/or car!

• For those of you that don't have your hands up . . . Are you serious?  You don't have one place that has "stuff" that you need to organize, throw away or find a new home for?  WOW - I am jealous!   You may still want to keep reading though, because everyone in your life can't possibly be as organized as you, right?  
• For those of you with your hands up, look around.  You are not alone.  Keep reading, because I may have found something that will help you "Unstuff Your Life" if you're at the point where you're ready and willing to put a little work in. 

I consider my home to be fairly neat and tidy.  Most everything has a place where it belongs.  We don't have anything on our counters in the kitchen and pictures are few and far between.  In fact, our house looks almost "sterile".  This is due primarily to the neurotic anti-clutter man I married.  However, there are still places that definitely need some help.  The girls' closets can sometimes be described as a disaster.  I guess I figure if I can shut the door on it so Doc won't see it, then it is good enough.  I have a junk drawer that is my vice.  It is a place I keep all my "stuff" that really should find its home elsewhere.  That is why, when I was given the opportunity to read and review Unstuff Your Life by Andrew J. Mellen I couldn't in good conscience turn it down.

I received the book and began reading, somewhat skeptical that reading anything would really help me to organize my life.  I actually thought that, if anything, this book might add additional clutter.  It is another object I have to find a home for, right?   So far, I am surprisingly intrigued.  After reading the first couple chapters, I am hooked.  Andrew J. Mellen does a great job of making you understand your perspective about what you need, what your "stuff" really is, and why you feel guilty getting rid of some of the useless items in your life.

In order to provide a true and accurate review of this book, I've decided to begin my own journey to organize my life.  Beginning on September 1st (Mellen recommends beginning at the start of the month.  Besides, there is no better time for a fresh start than a new school year.), I'm going to read and commit to "unstuffing my life".  I will provide updates to you all as I make my progress, and will let you know at the end of my journey how successful the book was for me.  Wish me luck!

Book Description (from Amazon)

One of the country's most sought-after professional organizers makes his foolproof rescue plan available for everyone

Arguably the most organized man in America, Andrew J. Mellen has created unique, lasting techniques for streamlined living, bringing order out of chaos for a client list that includes attorneys, filmmakers, and even psychologists. With Unstuff Your Life! he puts his powerful program in the hands of his widest audience yet. Acknowledging that it's often the "stuff behind the stuff" that holds people back, Mellen offers an action-based plan to redirect clutterers from dwelling on their feelings. This simple shift yields immediate results that will help everyone achieve organizational bliss-from the chronic key-loser to the hard-core hoarder. Mellen's mix of humor, honesty, tough love, and foolproof strategies motivates readers to work through their feelings and make real behavior changes that will have long-lasting effects.

Written in Mellen's signature no-nonsense yet hilarious tone, Unstuff Your Life! brims with personality, along with approaches not found in other organizing books. 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. From the basement to the bedroom, the kitchen to the car, and more, readers will learn:

•where to find a permanent home for your keys and wallet

•how to sort the mail in a manageable and time-effective way

•what it means to group "like with like"

•how to tackle bills and budget

•how to problem-solve with your new skills, and more

The result is absolute freedom from the burden of clutter-and more free time than you ever imagined possible.

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I did not receive any compensation for this review and am in no way obligated to provide a positive review.