Organised Enough: The Anti-Perfectionist's Guide to Getting—and Staying—Organised

by Helen Amanda Sullivan

This is not a book that tells you to throw everything out and live austerely. You don't need a sock drawer that brings you joy or a kitchen from a design magazine; what you do need is to be organised enough to feel in control and serene. Organised Enough offers a ground-breaking, science-driven method for maintaining organisation: it addresses not just the steps of decluttering but also of developing the habits to stay clutter-free. Amanda Sullivan shares the method that has brought great success to her clients - from celebrities to hoarders. With seven concepts to help you define your goals and seven essential habits to keep chaos and clutter at bay, you will learn to reframe how you think about your space, your stuff, and your life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, How To, Reference, Personal Development, Lifestyle

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2017

About the author

Amanda Sullivan is a professional organizer in New York City, she founded her company, The Perfect Daughter: Chaos Control in 1999. She is also the author of Organized Enough: the anti-perfectionist’s guide to getting- and staying- organized. Amanda lives in Manhattan with her husband and their three children. To find out more about Amanda or read her blog check out her website at: http://www.theperfectdaughter.com/wha...

Reviews

[K.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Organized Enough: The Anti-Perfectionist's Guide to Getting--and Staying--Organized by Amanda Sullivan. There are so many great concepts here. For me, it was definitely the right book at the right time. The author developed a system called FLOW to help you with all of your decluttering needs. I am not sure if it works for me yet, but I am off to a promising start. I was so motivated by this book that I was dusting and decluttering my bureau at 11:00 o'clock last night--and I hate dusting.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

P. 56 "Underneath these busy, successful women...I hear anxious, high-achieving little girls, who don't want to do it wrong."

P. 60: "You have to be brave enough to say, 'This I can do, and no more.'"

P. 63 "...hanging on to past selves in the form of clutter."

The best thing is this: I really did spend a large part of the day seeing my home with "fresh eyes", and I took two bags of stuff out of the house! YAY!

This book put me in motion. Maybe it will do that for you, too.

[Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I subscribe to a lot of home and garden magazines, and I lust after the perfectly organized rooms/desks/pantries - but never come close to being able to replicate the pictures, even when there are tips included.

Enter this book, which reminds me that my house isn't a photo shoot, but a living organism (love that metaphor!). There were so many great tips/ideas on how to make my house look neat and be functional, without feeling like I'm always chasing (and never achieving) perfection. I actually took notes while reading, because there was so much I wanted to try that I knew I wouldn't remember everything.

[Vertrees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of good tips- the biggest thing I took away was that each space is always evolving. Things come and go, and we should let them go, and let our space reflect who we are now. And keep it up with maintenance.

[Miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great antidote to KonMari.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential guide

This book changed my life. I have been reading it slowly for six months and implementing the principles as I go. My closets have gone from chaotic, overstuffed messes to organized places where I can find things quickly. I have made at least four carloads of donations to Goodwill, all guilt-free thanks to her focus on the psychology behind keeping things. I feel like I’ve actually achieved lasting progress in so many areas because the book focuses on creating systems that eliminate my past pattern of doing a big clean-out only to have to redo it a year later. The author’s approach is lofty but achievable, and focused on functionality, making it imminently practice. I highly recommend the book.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This might actually work for me...

[Dunja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I don't understand all the people who gave it 3 stars, but commented that it was helpful. Of course it doesn't offer up any "revolutionary" or previously completely unheard-of solutions (do people realistically expect that from a book about organizing?), but it is well-written, engaging and highly motivating, with a methodical approach and lots of practical advice that you can - and will feel the desire to - immediately start implementing.

The author goes into dept about all the various reasons clutter starts forming in the first place and the different ways in which our lives can become cluttered, discusses the psychology and irrational fears behind it and makes you think about how to break clutter-forming habits. Then she proposes new ones to replace those, all the while not demanding a complete change of lifestyle. The book is also very anti-materialistic and focused on avoiding the urge to buy more stuff in order to "organize" the existing.

I believe most of us deep inside know how we'd like our homes/lives organized, but we get too attached to our belongings, we're putting it off for one reason or another, or we just feel too overwhelmed to start. At least that's the kind of help and motivation I was looking for when I started reading this book. It doesn't contain any magical solutions nor does it tell you "put this thing here", but rather makes you think differently about your space and the things you own and understand how you can form new habits your own way so you can be sure you'll be able to maintain them.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a helpful resource!

This book came into my life at just the perfect time. My husband and I are redoing our bonus room upstairs and must make a real effort to purge and organize all other rooms in our house. There were a lot of really wonderful examples provided, suggestions offered and funny stories told throughout this book.

It inspired me in so many ways to get more organized but to not feel like I need to be photo ready at all times. We work on a deadline every month before our house keeper comes but things previously had gotten tossed in whatever corner of any open cabinet we could find for 24 hours until the house was cleaned. This book is teaching me that we need to find more permanent “hiding” places for these things that we need to have readily accessible but not always out and taking up space on the kitchen counter.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What, on the outside, seems to be a sort of antonym to Marie Kondo's book, actually turns out to compliment it very well. Kondo teaches you how to let things go and Sullivan gives you the real world habits and solutions to keep them gone. I really appreciated her focus on consuming less in alla aspects of our lives. Another for my (now well curated 😆) bookshlef.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book motivated me to handle some of my stacks of stuff around the house. I thought the author's examples were relevant even though the people she worked with were a higher income than me. She did review the same principles over, but I didn't find it boring. Good read.

[Dogsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical and actionable advice. Done is good, good enough and done is great. Procrastination and perfectionism are linked. Lots of good ideas, see notes. Definitely worth re-reading on a regular basis. DPL book 648S

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

More my speed - some good ideas. A response to my need to declutter. (Moving an elderly in-law will do that)
Would be a good one to revisit in a year.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for maintaining organization after a purge and uses a systems view, which is helpful for moving beyond thinking of organization as just putting every little thing in exactly the right spot.

[Briggs Myrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical and Straightforward

This decluttering guide offers practical and realistic advice. Examples of real situations reinforce the concepts. One idea that I have found particularly useful is the practice of keeping a journal. As I encounter opportunities to declutter, I can note it for later implementation, and keep track of my progress.

[Giovanna Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm always looking at new ways of thinking about clutter - this was good, structured, and not so much Anti Kondo - more like you don't have to be so hard on yourself and be a Kondo perfectionist (which is hard work).
I liked the practical advice, and it's motivated me to take another look at my place and see what I can do. Nothing like 'fresh eyes'. Great for a post covid clean out.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me step back and see I have a lot of unnecessary stuff and that I’m holding on to it for the wrong reasons. Slowly organizing and making little changes instead of full steam ahead is what I needed.

[Legustafson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice place to start if you want to organize your house.

[Darla · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing new here

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a surprise. Mainly it teaches you to build a habit of being organized. The author basically lets you off the hook for perfection in your organization. You only have to hit 50%, not 100%. If you fail today try again tomorrow. Block out time and make it a habit. She is more of a coach than a rigid teacher. There aren't any rules you can't break, but try to be consistent in your habit. It was actually a very good book. I enjoyed her writing style and her way of looking at organization.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was first contacted about his book, I knew that I needed to read it. Any tips and tricks that I can get for decluttering my life are always welcome. I really appreciate that the author takes the time to help you think about what it is that matters to you, what are your goals. By starting there it allows you place to begin and to expand on.

This book kept me engaged and I enjoyed the insights throughout. It was not limited to only your stuff, but also about your life and all of the complexities associated with. All in all, I enjoyed this book.

Thanks for the opportunity.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book really practical. It's not airy-fairy or complicated, and as the tag-line says, it's not about being perfect. It really helped me identify areas where I was procrastinating because I wanted it to be instagram perfect & gave good practical advice for how to get your home to a state where you know where everything is & can manage it with just a little work. And everything in here is achievable, it's not far-fetched. Highly recommended.

[Joy Reinbold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed. It was extremely practical, while still fairly engaging and interesting. Sullivan offers step-by-step advice that isn't impossible in its application. I'd call this the organization book for the rest of us.

I didn't spend nearly as much time on it as I felt like I could have. I'd recommend this book to be read slowly. Follow her time recommendations, go through the steps one by one.

[Sherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing groundbreaking in the advice for what to keep, etc. but more so in identifying what makes you keep stuff in the first place...and accepting that you don't have to be perfect to be organized. Your personal organized has to fit who you are and what your lifestyle is, not what you see in a store or a magazine.

[Mizloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: after implementing some suggestions and unloading 2 boxes of books:
Best. Organizing . Book. EVER!! I've been trying to get organized for 50 years. I've made more progress with this book in 2 weeks than ever before. It's a winner!

My original review: better than average declutter tome, since it addresses underlying issues - somewhat superficially, but what do I want for $1.99?

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second organization book I've read in a short amount of time. I definitely liked this one better than the last. The author sets up systems that work, but that are easily adapted to any situation. Do I agree is everything absolutely not, but it definitely offers up food for thought as well as giving you the tools to achieve your organized enough goals.

[Michele Cacano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on organization I've read yet. I was familiar with some of the concepts as well as some of the techniques and tips, but the author lays it all out in a very Christine and orderly (consistent with the content!) fashion that I feel better equipped to manage my house and stuff. Well written book, for all types of spaces and clutterbugs.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some really good ideas in here. I've read several organizing/decluttering/cleaning books over the years, but still struggle with it. I feel more confident after reading this one. I've even started scheduling my entire day in my calendar, which makes me feel more in control and helps me actually accomplish things during the day. I hope to have this continue!

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a book about organizing once every few years. I've learned that they all have the same basic advice, just approached from different angles. If I learn one new thing and get re-motivated then I consider the time spent reading the book time well spent. I did learn one new thing here, and have already put it to good us.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that I can be a tad obsessive about order and cleanliness. To the woe of my family I gravitate toward slightly militant de-cluttering and tidying processes.

So refreshing to read a book about being organised 'enough'. Who wants to be a slave to their systems?

Not me anymore!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it could be a little slow at times, there are also some really useful tips and tricks throughout. She focuses a lot on establishing habits as a way to maintain order, or some semblance of it. The habits she talks about are very actionable!