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Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter: Simplify Your Life One Minute at a Time
ALL THE ADVICE AND MOTIVATION YOU NEED TO KICK-START YOUR HOME ORGANIZING PROJECT . . . ON YOUR SCHEDULE Whether you have thirty seconds, one minute, five minutes, or fifteen minutes, this organizing daily devotional offers tips, checklists, weekend projects, quizzes, and encouragement that will help you find the time, motivation, and permission to let go of sentimental clutter, set up storage solutions, and establish routines that make sense for your life. Filled with practical advice and small, doable projects that were created with your busy life in mind, Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter is a loyal resource, as well as a workbook, that you can rely on for straightforward, inspiring advice and tips you can return to time and time again. Yes, you’re busy, but you’re never too busy to cure clutter.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2016
348 people are currently reading
1142 people want to read
About the author
Erin Rooney Doland
4 books60 followersAuthor of NEVER TOO BUSY TO CURE CLUTTER (William Morrow/HarperCollins, Jan. 2016) and UNCLUTTER YOUR LIFE IN ONE WEEK (Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster, Nov. 2009). Editor-in-chief of Unclutterer.com and a regular (4 or 5 times a year) advice columnist for REAL SIMPLE magazine.
I am dreadful at listing and reviewing books I've read and reporting them on Goodreads. However, I am a compulsive reader -- I read 399 books (not counting fanfic or books for work) in 2015. I read almost exclusively on my Kindle, checking books out through OverDrive from my local library, buying books digitally, and with a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Books I don't typically read digitally are non-fiction reference books (and of those, they're predominantly cookbooks). I also write fiction, but under a couple gender ambiguous pseudonyms.
I am dreadful at listing and reviewing books I've read and reporting them on Goodreads. However, I am a compulsive reader -- I read 399 books (not counting fanfic or books for work) in 2015. I read almost exclusively on my Kindle, checking books out through OverDrive from my local library, buying books digitally, and with a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Books I don't typically read digitally are non-fiction reference books (and of those, they're predominantly cookbooks). I also write fiction, but under a couple gender ambiguous pseudonyms.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 66 reviews
July 26, 2016
This is not an uncluttering book. Nor is it an organizing book or a simplifying book. Basically, it's a housecleaning handbook sorted into small chunks of time. If that's what you're looking for, great. But it's not at all what it claims to be.
As examples, here are three suggestions from the book: "Sort a hamper of dirty clothes into lights, darks, and delicates" (1 minute), "Clean a litter box or your pet's equivalent" (5 minutes), "Test the batteries in a smoke alarm and/or carbon monoxide alarm" (30 seconds). Are these important, useful tasks? Yes, of course. But they have nothing to do with curing clutter or simplifying your life. This book was full of such ideas, with a woeful lack of thoughtful content about identifying and parting with the actual clutter that surrounds many of us.
As examples, here are three suggestions from the book: "Sort a hamper of dirty clothes into lights, darks, and delicates" (1 minute), "Clean a litter box or your pet's equivalent" (5 minutes), "Test the batteries in a smoke alarm and/or carbon monoxide alarm" (30 seconds). Are these important, useful tasks? Yes, of course. But they have nothing to do with curing clutter or simplifying your life. This book was full of such ideas, with a woeful lack of thoughtful content about identifying and parting with the actual clutter that surrounds many of us.
February 10, 2016
"Won this book on Goodreads!" I would give it a 3.5 honestly. Most things in the book are common sense, just stuff I think we all fall short on. Maybe one day I will follow some of the guidelines but as for right now. I don't know. Maybe I'll start with my four year olds room. (I'm so terrible, lol). I do not part with my books,the ones I really like anyways.
July 13, 2021
"أنت مشغول ، ولكن لاتنشغل مطلقاً عن علاج الفوضى "
هكذا تبدأ السيدة إرين في كتابها ، وهى أم في العقد الرابع لطفلين صغيرين ، ورغم أنها تشغل مناصب في العديد من المجلات الراقية ، تسعى السيطرة على تنظيم مسكنها باستمرار وكأنها أرادت أن تخبر القارئ إن كنت مشغولاً فأنا كذلك لذا دعني أخبرك عن أفكار تمكنك من حل الفوضى .
وراء كل بيت جميل هنالك غرفة مظلمة تعج بالفوضى وفي الغالب هو المخزن أو ربما يكون أحد أدراج بعض الغرف تتزاحم بها قطع مفقودة وأشياء لن ترجع لاستخدمها مرة أخرى ومع هذا ترغب في الاحتفاظ بها ، وهذا طبيعي ففي المنزل يشترك فيه أكثر من شخصين على الأقل وليس جميعهم مهتمين بالترتيب ، ومع الانشغال بأمور العمل وجوانب الحياة جعل الإكتناز بدلاً عن الجرد غير مدرج في مهام نهاية الأسبوع لدى الأسر ، ولولا معالجة الأمور في وقتها فلربما بعض المهام المقدر توقيتها بدقائق هى في الواقع تستغرق مدة أطول نتيجة تجاهلها !
تريد الكاتبه أن يكون الكتاب مرجع لكل قارئ لديه مشكلة في معالجة الفوضى ، من خلال تقدير المهام في مختلف الغرف - وهى بالمناسبه مصنفة الكتاب على هذا الأساس - من خلال تقدير الوقت المستغرق بأقل من دقيقة ولا يتجاوز الخمسة عشر دقيقة ، لتجعل مهمة الترتيب والتنظيف سهله لكل من يجد صعوبة في ذلك ، كما أن طريقة التصميم الداخلي المزود بالرسومات وجداول مهام الأسبوع والنقاط المباشرة وتصنيف المهام والمدة المستغرقة لانجازها جعلت من الكتاب أكثر قيمة وحافز لفئة تجد صعوبة في مواجهة الفوضى .
ليس بالضرورة أن تكون من أولئك الذين يكرهون الترتيب أو لا تعاني من الفوضى في منزلك ، بل هو كتاب لكل قارئ يرغب في جعل مهمة الترتيب والتنظيف أكثر يسر ومتعه من خلال حسن إدارة الدقائق القليلة من الأربعة وعشرين ساعه في اليوم الواحد .
في بداية الصفحات المئة الأولى قد لا توجد الكثير من الأفكار بقدر تجاوزها ، لذا اطلب منك التريث قبل ترك الكتاب ، كما أن بعض المهام ليست بذات اليسر لإنجازها في غضون نصف دقيقة، ورغم ذلك ترى الكاتبة بأن لكل منا قدرات متباينه ربما يستغرق معك وقتاً أطول من المقدر .
هكذا تبدأ السيدة إرين في كتابها ، وهى أم في العقد الرابع لطفلين صغيرين ، ورغم أنها تشغل مناصب في العديد من المجلات الراقية ، تسعى السيطرة على تنظيم مسكنها باستمرار وكأنها أرادت أن تخبر القارئ إن كنت مشغولاً فأنا كذلك لذا دعني أخبرك عن أفكار تمكنك من حل الفوضى .
وراء كل بيت جميل هنالك غرفة مظلمة تعج بالفوضى وفي الغالب هو المخزن أو ربما يكون أحد أدراج بعض الغرف تتزاحم بها قطع مفقودة وأشياء لن ترجع لاستخدمها مرة أخرى ومع هذا ترغب في الاحتفاظ بها ، وهذا طبيعي ففي المنزل يشترك فيه أكثر من شخصين على الأقل وليس جميعهم مهتمين بالترتيب ، ومع الانشغال بأمور العمل وجوانب الحياة جعل الإكتناز بدلاً عن الجرد غير مدرج في مهام نهاية الأسبوع لدى الأسر ، ولولا معالجة الأمور في وقتها فلربما بعض المهام المقدر توقيتها بدقائق هى في الواقع تستغرق مدة أطول نتيجة تجاهلها !
تريد الكاتبه أن يكون الكتاب مرجع لكل قارئ لديه مشكلة في معالجة الفوضى ، من خلال تقدير المهام في مختلف الغرف - وهى بالمناسبه مصنفة الكتاب على هذا الأساس - من خلال تقدير الوقت المستغرق بأقل من دقيقة ولا يتجاوز الخمسة عشر دقيقة ، لتجعل مهمة الترتيب والتنظيف سهله لكل من يجد صعوبة في ذلك ، كما أن طريقة التصميم الداخلي المزود بالرسومات وجداول مهام الأسبوع والنقاط المباشرة وتصنيف المهام والمدة المستغرقة لانجازها جعلت من الكتاب أكثر قيمة وحافز لفئة تجد صعوبة في مواجهة الفوضى .
ليس بالضرورة أن تكون من أولئك الذين يكرهون الترتيب أو لا تعاني من الفوضى في منزلك ، بل هو كتاب لكل قارئ يرغب في جعل مهمة الترتيب والتنظيف أكثر يسر ومتعه من خلال حسن إدارة الدقائق القليلة من الأربعة وعشرين ساعه في اليوم الواحد .
في بداية الصفحات المئة الأولى قد لا توجد الكثير من الأفكار بقدر تجاوزها ، لذا اطلب منك التريث قبل ترك الكتاب ، كما أن بعض المهام ليست بذات اليسر لإنجازها في غضون نصف دقيقة، ورغم ذلك ترى الكاتبة بأن لكل منا قدرات متباينه ربما يستغرق معك وقتاً أطول من المقدر .
February 7, 2016
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. I enjoyed this book very much and found it inspiring. I think this works for very busy people who can just carve out a little time during the week to organize. I don't have days to organize my belongings but with her system, I started to see the difference in as little as 30 minutes a day.. The main thing is she teaches you to have a different mind-set and that is really helpful. The author suggests three steps: Cure clutter one room at a time, unclutter your routines and surprise situations that call for uncluttering. I feel like she lives in the real world, as a mom raising kids, and is very practical about it.
February 24, 2017
Practical, but a bit repetitive. I liked the emphasis on things that can be done when you just have a few minutes.
January 20, 2016
3/5 Stars
I won a free copy of this book thanks to the First Reads Giveaway program.
I liked the idea of this book more than the actual content. I actually clean and organize for a living, and I felt like most of the tips in this book were common sense. People should already know how to keep things organized. For the most part, in my experience, people are just to lazy to actually do it. So, if they're too lazy to organize, they're probably too lazy to read this book as well.
Bottom line, sorry to say, this book just felt like a waste of time - time that could've been spent actually organizing.
I won a free copy of this book thanks to the First Reads Giveaway program.
I liked the idea of this book more than the actual content. I actually clean and organize for a living, and I felt like most of the tips in this book were common sense. People should already know how to keep things organized. For the most part, in my experience, people are just to lazy to actually do it. So, if they're too lazy to organize, they're probably too lazy to read this book as well.
Bottom line, sorry to say, this book just felt like a waste of time - time that could've been spent actually organizing.
September 2, 2018
I found this book to be full of helpful, practical, non-judgmental information, presented in a fun style, and not so prescriptive or rigid that it made me chafe at the idea of it. And the author definitely understands that people are busy and not (probably) interested in taking tons of time to get rid of clutter and organize.
Each part of the house has its own section, and suggestions for things you can do if you have 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 15 minutes, plus longer weekend project ideas. There are a few fun quizzes throughout, to determine things like your suggested closet organizing style (mine: visual, even though my actual closet is closer to the super-organized description). Though I don't agree with everything (NOT getting rid of my physical books/media/photo albums in favor of digital versions, though I may weed them), there are a LOT of things in this book I'm going to try. And, in the intro, the author says to take what you like and leave what you don't, so I feel like I'm totally in line with that!
Each part of the house has its own section, and suggestions for things you can do if you have 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 15 minutes, plus longer weekend project ideas. There are a few fun quizzes throughout, to determine things like your suggested closet organizing style (mine: visual, even though my actual closet is closer to the super-organized description). Though I don't agree with everything (NOT getting rid of my physical books/media/photo albums in favor of digital versions, though I may weed them), there are a LOT of things in this book I'm going to try. And, in the intro, the author says to take what you like and leave what you don't, so I feel like I'm totally in line with that!
April 18, 2016
Either I'm too organized (nope) or this book had useless ideas. Broken down by room and then by time (30 seconds, 1 minute, 15 minutes, etc.) the author assumes you keep cleaning supplies in every room and that you have room to spare to build "projects". I will admit that I read a lot of organizing books and that may be what make her tips old hat to me, but until now I've never read a book that didn't have at least one new helpful idea.
January 22, 2016
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
I enjoyed this quick read. While I am already a fairly tidy person, I found the tips helpful and easy to manage. I especially liked how many of the tips were organized by time, so if you only have 30 seconds or one minute, you still can accomplish a task.
I enjoyed this quick read. While I am already a fairly tidy person, I found the tips helpful and easy to manage. I especially liked how many of the tips were organized by time, so if you only have 30 seconds or one minute, you still can accomplish a task.
April 3, 2017
Challenge accepted.
August 22, 2017
Basically, common-sense advice that you can read about in a Supermarket rag, or the Sunday lifestyle pages of the Herald Scum, Daily Fail or Daily Terrorgraph newspapers.
June 16, 2016
As a professional organizer, I LOVE this book! It takes the overwhelm out of getting organized and breaks down each project into tiny chunks. So tiny, in fact, that it even features 30-second tasks that one can do to contribute to getting more organized. Who could procrastinate about that?!
I also love Erin's conversational writing style and some of the outside-the-box tidbits. For example, I really got some golden nuggets out of the cleaning ideas, the life hacks (like having guests over without much notice) and the suggestion for no-slip grip tape for renters who have slippery wood stairs (like we do!).
If you're ready to not just get organized but also transform your home into your sanctuary and make your life A LOT easier, then I highly recommend you pick up this book.
I also love Erin's conversational writing style and some of the outside-the-box tidbits. For example, I really got some golden nuggets out of the cleaning ideas, the life hacks (like having guests over without much notice) and the suggestion for no-slip grip tape for renters who have slippery wood stairs (like we do!).
If you're ready to not just get organized but also transform your home into your sanctuary and make your life A LOT easier, then I highly recommend you pick up this book.
July 26, 2016
I didn't expect this book to be terribly useful because I don't consider myself much of a hoarder and I don't tend to have a lot of "clutter." But I think this book could benefit just about anyone at any level of clutter. Personally, I'm going to make my husband read some sections of this so that he will get rid of some of the crap he's holding onto "just in case."
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
January 26, 2016
This book is perfect for me. I love to organize and I've been a big unclutterer since I was a kid. For years I was on top of my uncluttering game! Now I've got two kids under 4 and my organizing system has completely fallen apart. This book helped me set some manageable goals to tackle some of the chaos in my storage room.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs a little help figuring out how to make efficient use of their time!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs a little help figuring out how to make efficient use of their time!
February 6, 2016
Goodreads Winner
I'm so glad I recieved this book. I had my fingers crossed since I have problems with clutter and need organization. It's packed full of helpful tips and reminders. The book makes it easy to take cleaning step by step at your own pace.
This book would also make a great gift to someone who gets overwhelmed with organization.
I'm so glad I recieved this book. I had my fingers crossed since I have problems with clutter and need organization. It's packed full of helpful tips and reminders. The book makes it easy to take cleaning step by step at your own pace.
This book would also make a great gift to someone who gets overwhelmed with organization.
February 7, 2016
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This was a very quick and informative read. I enjoy the room by room system and how things are broken down into very quick and easy ideas of taking control of clutter
This was a very quick and informative read. I enjoy the room by room system and how things are broken down into very quick and easy ideas of taking control of clutter
February 4, 2016
I've been reading a ton of organizing books lately, and this one not only gives one minute projects to get started on cleaning out, but it has check lists for adding some more time to your clean out. Lots of small steps that eventually lead you to finishing your decluttering projects.
May 31, 2017
Deceptive title. The book is all about cleaning and storage and very little about decluttering and simplifying. I kept trying to read it, but found it boring and so brief as to be pretty useless. I finally just gave up rather than waste time when there are better options out there.
September 10, 2017
This book adds to my collection of organizational idea books in my personal library. It goes from room to room, offering 30 second, one minute, 5 minute, and 15 minute increments of time frames in which to clean various sections of your house. The simplicity of it is inspiring and motivational for quick wipe downs or complete overhauls. It is not necessary to read it cover to cover if there are sections of your house that need to be uncluttered; just open to the section that is relevant to the task. I was inspired to tackle many sections of my home, still a work in progress, and found that it was helpful when I sponsored a lecture in my home and had unexpected family drop in the same week my daughter left for camp. Swish, swish, swish--some rooms got the 30 second run, most the five minute, and presto! --quality areas decluttered in minimal quantity of time.
I still have more to declutter after downsizing from a 6BR home to a 2 BR apartment, but this book has majorly impacted my living habits in a positive manner. It took awhile to get through it because there were so many great ideas, I was overwhelmed with where to start each section and resistance was strong. Once I started putting the theory to practical use, the book was finally completed.
This was a Goodreads giveaway book that I received last year in a proof book format. I would recommend reading this if you have any kind of decluttering to do. The emphasis seems to be more of cleaning and maintaining cleanliness habits than the decluttering, although in order to clean, the area must be decluttered. Following through is the key to continuity and that is an individual style that each person must plan for. Definitely a worthwhile read.
I still have more to declutter after downsizing from a 6BR home to a 2 BR apartment, but this book has majorly impacted my living habits in a positive manner. It took awhile to get through it because there were so many great ideas, I was overwhelmed with where to start each section and resistance was strong. Once I started putting the theory to practical use, the book was finally completed.
This was a Goodreads giveaway book that I received last year in a proof book format. I would recommend reading this if you have any kind of decluttering to do. The emphasis seems to be more of cleaning and maintaining cleanliness habits than the decluttering, although in order to clean, the area must be decluttered. Following through is the key to continuity and that is an individual style that each person must plan for. Definitely a worthwhile read.
February 27, 2018
It is highly motivating.. It explains to you in detail how to do tasks. It is very encouraging towards you. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is overwhemed just like I was. It tells you in detail how to clean small sections at a time. For example, how to check for stuff under your bed you need to get a stick like object. I love this you can walk your dog and clean up its poop and then clean up the cat liter at the same time. You are simplifying your life. Well, I got this book to figure out. things that are going on in my life. Whats my purpose is in life and where I can find happiness. and peace. Plus have more freedom to do the things I want to do. Well I would teccomend this book to anyone who is overwhelmed just like I was. They just nef to get this book.
Overall, it just a good book. Now if I had the time, I would go back and reference this book.
Overall, it just a good book. Now if I had the time, I would go back and reference this book.
October 3, 2018
Unlike many similar books, I didn't object to the writing style- there was no intrusive Christianity, no tone-deaf metaphors involving addiction, and no assumption that the reader must be a stay-at-home mom. "I didn't object to the writing" sounds like damning with faint praise, but in this category, it's more rare than you'd hope.
Unfortunately, though, I don't think the core conceit works. If you only have five or ten minutes (much less thirty seconds!) are you going to open a book and find a task to do? Odds are that either time will be up before you find something relevant, or you'll get distracted reading about how long to save various sorts of paperwork or natural cleaners or something.
This might be useful as an app or something. If my computer told me at intervals that it was time to stand up, stretch, and do a randomly-generated household task from the list in the book, that might actually work. As a book, though, it reads well but doesn't seem functional to me.
Unfortunately, though, I don't think the core conceit works. If you only have five or ten minutes (much less thirty seconds!) are you going to open a book and find a task to do? Odds are that either time will be up before you find something relevant, or you'll get distracted reading about how long to save various sorts of paperwork or natural cleaners or something.
This might be useful as an app or something. If my computer told me at intervals that it was time to stand up, stretch, and do a randomly-generated household task from the list in the book, that might actually work. As a book, though, it reads well but doesn't seem functional to me.
January 2, 2021
The most useful part of this book was the first section, in which it basically provides itemised lists on how to clean each room, depending on how much time you have to clean. I'd not come across some of the tips before (such as the 'sponge cycle' trick of cutting corners whenever a sponge is demoted from 'washing' to 'cleaning', etc) so that was a nice surprise.
However, I found this book was more about simply tidying your life rather than decluttering it - the overarching message is PEEP ('place for everything, everything in its place'), with a small mention of the fact that less stuff will make this easier. Overall, a quick and logical read, and one that is better read than listened to so that you can refer back to each list easily should you want to clean a particular area of your home.
However, I found this book was more about simply tidying your life rather than decluttering it - the overarching message is PEEP ('place for everything, everything in its place'), with a small mention of the fact that less stuff will make this easier. Overall, a quick and logical read, and one that is better read than listened to so that you can refer back to each list easily should you want to clean a particular area of your home.
July 15, 2023
I found this book to be surprisingly inspiring (having read a BUNCH of decluttering books throughout the years, by Marie Kondo and more). While I had picked up this book at the library on a lark, intending to skim-through in about 30 min, I wound up taking an hour and bookmarking ideas to revisit. This book is comprehensive and is serious about having quick activities to do - 30 seconds/1 minute, 5 min. etc. And the quizzes are fun! "Never Too Busy...," definitely made me want to do some things immediately. I'd especially recommend this to all you downsizers out there. Get started! Keep going:)
December 28, 2022
It's not that the suggestions in the book aren't good ones. But it's not at all what it presents itself to be. There is little to nothing about decluttering or organizing or simplifying your life in this book. Rather, it is a list of household chores and cleaning tasks, broken up by room and time commitment. Pretty good if that is what you are looking for, but not at all what I wanted from it when I picked it up, which is rather disappointing.
May 29, 2024
Overall decent but might have been better with less attempts to come up with cleaning tasks that could be done in a minute or less--frankly I felt a lot of them were ones that would take longer if done right. Really did a good job of suggesting apps and sites that help with cleaning and cutting clutter, such as a site for how long food can safely be stored in various ways and various ways of digitizing and then organizing documents.
May 19, 2020
I wasn't picking this book up every day (and I've barely been reading since this pandemic started) but I'm glad I took the time to finish it.
There are some great tips in here about decluttering and organizing that have been extremely helpful while planning our upcoming move. I'm excited to put some of these tips into practice when the unpacking starts!
There are some great tips in here about decluttering and organizing that have been extremely helpful while planning our upcoming move. I'm excited to put some of these tips into practice when the unpacking starts!
December 1, 2020
Loved this book and how it breaks down your home into places everyone sees, only you see and places you might not want to see. The suggestions for 30 seconds, 1, 5, and 15 minute tasks are great as are the weekend project suggestions. I incorporated a ton of the digital clutter remedies into my routine and am glad I did! Truly a daily clutter devotional book!
January 10, 2021
I enjoy reading books about decluttering and organization, because they keep me motivated to stay on top of things. This book in the genre leans more towards the cleaning/home maintenance end of the spectrum. It did motivate me to do a full clean out of my fridge (which I had intended to do on Jan 1 and didn’t), so I guess that’s a win.
February 6, 2021
A very thorough and easy to read book about building decluttering and organizing into your life. Some things were a little cuckoo ( like if your house is a mess, apparently you shouldn't let people in but bring them to a coffee shop or hotel...). But even just reading it through inspired me to tidy up some stuff and taught me cool hacks.
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