Clutter Intervention: How Your Stuff Is Keeping You Stuck

by Tisha Morris

"This is the book we need now...[It] illuminates the deeper "whys" behind each kind of clutter in your home so that you can peacefully release everything you need to and live buoyantly again!"—Sarah Bamford Seidelmann, author of Swimming with My Unexpected Pilgrimage from Physician to Healer

Get to the Heart of Why It's So Hard to Let Go of Your Stuff

What's your clutter actually covering up? Once you're aware of the real issue, letting go is simple and decluttering can happen immediately. Using step-by-step instructions and easy-to-understand explanations, Tisha Morris shows you how to move into a new phase of life by ridding yourself of all that's holding you back. Everything in your home is an extension of your identity, and when you keep old stuff for too long, you get stuck in the past.

Clutter Intervention teaches you about the psychological, emotional, and energetic components underlying your possessions, making it easier for you to let go and live authentically. Discover ways to clear out items associated with your past relationships, jobs, and unhealed grief. Learn how to handle blind spots, common excuses, and overcompensation. This book isn't about living with less. It's about living in alignment with the life you want.



"Clutter How Your Stuff is Keeping You Stuck is a unique self-help guide to freeing oneself from both physical and emotional clutter. Being able to process and let go of pain or difficult memories is an invaluable ability. Chapters outline a declutter program for moving on past mementos from past relationships, previous careers, the glory days of youth, and even helpful tips for clearing out digital clutter. Highly recommended!"—Midwest Book Review

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Reference

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2018

About the author

Tisha Morris is an entertainment attorney and founder of Legacy Arts Law where she represents writers, filmmakers, and creators in film, new media, and publishing. She advises on contracts, dealmaking, and creative business strategy, and is the author of multiple books on creativity and personal development. Tisha lives in Ojai, CA and can be found online at www.tishamorris.com.

Reviews

[Krissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often tease my mom, who is an avid reader (of mostly "the classics") and reviewer on Goodreads, and tell her that she never rates any book fewer than four stars. She always tells me that she always researches the books she reads ahead of time to try to figure out if they're worth her time.

Ah. Not so much with me. I will see a book that looks interesting and dive right in. I have a personal philosophy that I will give any book a chance, and I almost always finish it. I think I've stopped and quit reading less than a dozen books in my lifetime.

So. Tisha Morris's Clutter Intervention book is one of the ones I wish I'd researched further before starting. I absolutely did read the whole book all the way through (no skimming!) and have determined that this book is not my thing.

I don't feel like I have a clutter problem, per se, but as a person with a lifetime of items, if I see an interesting book about clutter prevention and maintenance, I like to read it. The last "clutter help" book that I read was Marie Kondō's Spark Joy, which I loved (I am also a fan of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.)

Maybe any book after reading Marie Kondō would be a let down.

Here's the main thing. I didn't realize that Tisha Morris was a practitioner of the Healing Arts. I didn't know she was into Feng Shui. Which is fine, but it's just not my thing. I don't take as much of a holistic view of my world as someone like she does. I actually snickered a little when I read her suggestion/idea to burn a bundle of sage to clear "negative energy" from furniture. Then I felt a little bad.

Again--it's just not my thing.

It may absolutely be your thing!

Also, this book made reference to her other books (particularly Mind Body Home) more than I cared for. At times this book seemed like an ad for her other books.

Back to Marie Kondō for me I guess, until I find something as good or better!


I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Klaudyna Maciąg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mnóstwo bełkotu, mało konkretów.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a free copy to review before the February, 2018 release

This next paragraph is all about me and my unique challenge, so feel free to skip to the next if you just want to hear about the book without my personal confessions:
I have a problem. It's either too much stuff or too small of an apartment, but moving sucks so I'll concede it's likely the former. Any time I see a title on NetGalley about organizing, clutter, or hoarding, I request a copy. What I knew I needed to read was Chapter 6 of this book, about Unhealed Wounds and Unresolved Grief. A lot of times these types of books aren't all that helpful for me because there's not really an "A-ha" moment here. I don't need a professional to tell me that unresolved grief is the reason I have boxes of my father's clothes and random belongings such as typewriter cartridges that might even be older than me (yes, for actual typewriters I don't even own!) My dad kept everything. And for some reason, even the stuff I don't feel an emotional attachment to hasn't made its way out of my personal space in over six months. I need to do something with it, but keep putting it off and keep looking for a literary kick in the ass to tell me that it's time & it's for the best.

Clutter Intervention is similar to other de-cluttering books in her advice about dealing with excess, but she takes a spiritual, new-agey approach. She's very much about the energy and vibrations of the items in the household, the yin and the yang, which are things that I'm generally not drawn to. She's not in your face about healing arts, but if you already believe in the power of crystals and burning sage and inner child work, and have too much clutter, this might be a perfect resource for you.

The author mentions that she has published books about clutter and feng shui before but was inspired to write Clutter Intervention after her mother suddenly passed away and she realized how much stuff was hiding behind closed doors - literally and figuratively. She makes comparisons between our homes and our wellbeing, and often closets full of boxes contain items we are not emotionally ready to deal with, so we stash them away. There are emotional connections behind why we keep the things we do.

I like how the chapters are organized. She touches on common things that people find hard to part with, like items from past relationships, gifts, parents who have trouble parting with their children's items, even after they've grown up. If you fall into one of these common situations, you'll recognize yourself right away. The chapter on grief wasn't the kick in the ass that I needed, but she talks in this chapter about the five stages of grief, and I must admit to myself that there's something bigger that I need to deal with than just boxes of typewriter ribbons and men's clothing. Perhaps those of us searching for solutions with clutter should reach out for a different type of self-help book altogether.

[Sarah Mahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although much of the information and advice offered was helpful and made a lot of sense, I didn't appreciate that she used weight-loss as an analogy to decluttering no less than 3 times. I would prefer not to be lectured on how to lose weight while reading a book about decluttering. There has to be a better way to describe the process of decluttering than talking about calories.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clutter Intervention could be titled The Psychology of Clutter. It is not a book about intervention with clutter as much as it is a book about why one lives the way one does with their “stuff.” If you are looking for good, practical read to help you win the battle with clutter, then I would suggest any book by Marie Kondo. If you want to know what in your psyche makes you want to have clutter, then Clutter Intervention might help.

The last chapter had some ideas that border on practical tips for dealing with clutter. The rest of the book read like a psych textbook.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

[Ayekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book and for those who like to accumulate "stuff" a good look at maybe why you do it and how to move some of that out of the way. I liked the section on closets because that in part fits me. House is perfect and the closets, while organized are what I call organized chaos. Made me take a good look at my unnecessary stuff and what in the name of all things holy am I keeping those bags for?
She has a great approach to house keeping, literally and she's very gentle in her suggestions. Some people need a big push to dejunk their homes or spaces. Others don't. It's a great book and I would have liked more truthfully. I liked it enough to go and get her other book to read.

**arc from NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for a fair review**

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some interesting ideas on why we keep things and how to let go of things. There are a few practical tips for getting rid of things but mostly it showed reasons why we are afraid to let go of clutter.

[Katie Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew that I had to read it! Just going through a break-up and moving them out of my house, I needed something to help me with the energies and memories that were still flowing. While I haven't put the book into practice, there were several things that resonated in my head while I was reading them. The energies of anything and everything flow through us and everything around us, so why wouldn't our feelings about things cause some of our insecurities or energy imbalances. I hope to get into action soon!

Thank you Llewellen and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book, which made this honest review possible.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Millennial new age look at how to clear the clutter from your life.

There are some practical clutter removal tips scattered throughout Clutter Intervention: remove the easy stuff first, declutter fast to keep your energy high, and make a prioritized to do list of next steps. However, the majority of the book is about how to remove the emotional baggage that makes you want to keep stuff you never use or don’t fit into anymore. It may be an image of yourself from twenty years ago. It may be a gift that you didn’t even like when you received it. It may be mementos, paperwork or clothes from an old career. Unresolved grief may force you to keep a loved one’s stuff for sentimental reasons.

Clutter Intervention uses some new age techniques like burning sage and using feng shui. Personally, that part wasn’t for me but people who already believe in that type of think will be thrilled to see how to incorporate into their decluttering process. The best part of the book was the digital decluttering section. This topic is seldom explored in decluttering books.

Ever since I read the gold standard of decluttering books, The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, I have been looking for a more practical decluttering book. I need a book with step-by-step lists of how to declutter. Typically, I do a great job in one room, get tired and don’t continue. Clutter Intervention did not satisfy that need. However, it is recommended for readers that are more open to the “why” of decluttering rather than the “how”.

Thanks to the publisher, Llewellyn Publications, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Tina Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit new agey in places and slow to get going but I actually found it rather interesting. I thought the point about getting rid of old work papers etc. because you won't refer back to them and what do you need to prove was an interesting one. Not as many practical steps as might be useful but overall a decent, short read.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throw away Marie Kondo and read THIS. This book finally moved me forward. I'm talking about divorce clutter. Empty nest clutter. The really hard stuff that used to turn me into a crumpled, crying, mess. If you are stuck, this won't make you feel worse about yourself, it will really help!

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on how your outer world is impacted by your inner world and vice versa. The importance of letting go in order to fill your void with love and joy rather than stuff.

[Annie (is so far behind 😬) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you don't do 'woo woo' then this is not the book for you. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it but found myself engrossed quite quickly. Although I don't have much stuff, comparatively, to clear out of my physical living space, I certainly have a lot of mental and emotional clutter to get rid of. Tisha Morris delves into the 'why' of clutter (of all kinds) rather than the 'how to get rid of it', exploring and explaining the connection between unresolved emotional issues and the clutter that surrounds you in physical form (collections, papers, well...stuff); how letting go of this physical stuff allows fresh new energy to come in to replace all the old stuff that's holding you back. Why are you keeping it? What purpose does it serve? Could someone benefit from it or enjoy it more than you are? What's its story?

I think I enjoyed this because I'm going through a decluttering phase at the moment and find myself stopping and pondering the same items over and over again, putting some aside to deal with later. But I am getting there and this has given me a bit of insight into why I do this - how is each item connected to me? What does it represent? Am I ready to let it go?

If you want a step-by-step 'how to declutter', this isn't the book you need and you will find others that will help with the practical aspect of that, but I would recommend it if you want to delve deeper into the decluttering process and really figure out what it is that ties you to your items.

[Ren Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpectedly, I really enjoyed this decluttering volume. Taking the decluttering a step further than Marie Kondo, this decluttering book deals primarily with identity theory. Each chapter deals with why it’s hard for us to let of objects, which she argues is the physical manifestation of our internal environments and identities. From past relationships, to past careers or roles, to all the “just in case” excuses she goes deep into what these internal statements actually mean.

I appreciated her method because it’s very hard to get to that underlying narrative that is the foundation of surface level thoughts and actions. She approaches it from an energy healing perspective, which I haven’t read to this depth before.

Through each chapter she had me looking at my space differently- what identity is this projecting? Who would I be without it? Why am I keeping papers more than 10 years old from the first stages of my career and undergraduate? Why do I feel so guilt receiving gifts? And what do unwanted gifts do to the energy of my mom.

Perhaps second only to the KonMari Method, this book has me wanting to take apart my house, collect it all in one space, and look at my life narrative through the physical objects I’ve been keeping.

Highly recommend if you have read a lot of decluttering material but still feel like you can’t get anywhere inside your house or office. Also recommend for identity theory enthusiasts such as myself.

[Wrapped Up in Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was more woo-woo than I had realized going in, but that was fine with me as I appreciate that viewpoint. She mentions feng shui often and also brought up the act of burning sage to clear away bad energy, for instance. The author has a healing arts background.

The author encourages us to change our mindsets rather than offering a method of decluttering. I really liked the beginning section with the hero’s journey metaphor. I personally didn’t need the entire chapter on relationships but I saw how it fit into the overall theme of the book. It all has to do with our personal identities and the reasons why we hold on to “things”.

The end of the book gets into digital clutter. I’ve been reading a lot of clutter-related books lately and surprisingly, few books touch on this topic. The author refers to this kind of clutter as mental clutter, which is so true.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Agnieszka Dziakowska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poradnik T. Morris zawiera wiele ciekawych rad. Przede wszystkim osobiście lubię retoryczne pytania dotyczące filozofii, które skłaniaja do refleksji tak przy okazji i są postawione w zrozumiały sposób odnoszący się do treści książki. Jest ich kilka w końcowej części.
Trafne spostrzeżenia i wskazówki dotyczące gromadzenia danych w świecie wirtualnym lub na dysku twardym przydadzą się każdemu. Osobiście, jeżeli nie mam ich w odpowiednim porządku, zaprzątają mi głowę.
Książka raczej kierowana jest do osób, które mają problem z gromadzeniem rzeczy, niż tym, którzy z reguły się większości z nich pozbywają. Nie znalazłam w niej wiele rewelacji ale utwierdziłam się w moich wierzeniach dotyczących porządku, organizacji wspomnień i uczuć.

[IE · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW this book is amazing and the best decluttering book I’ve ever read. It goes deep, the title and front cover doesn’t do it justice at all. This is the book for when you’ve already read Marie Kondo and all the other decluttering books to clear out the easy stuff, and now you’re ready to tackle the highly emotional stuff from the past, like photos, mementos and old childhood stuff. Highly recommend this book for a holistic and gentle declutterring approach! I found this at Whangarei library and I would re-read again in the future.

[Shari Suarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tisha Morris is a Feng Shui expert and she has written a wonderful book about the emotional reasons that we have clutter and how most clutter involves emotions that we haven't processed. She walks you through the different types of clutter you might have and how to deal with it physically and emotionally, A wonderful read for those who like Marie Kondo.

[T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has read a lot on cluttering, there isn't much new knowledge here. I think if it could have been more of a workbook, it would have far better benefited me. On the other hand, there are people I know who could benefit from reading this if they haven't read a lot of decluttering books yet.

[Kerryn Rozenbergs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting points about how we accumulate stuff associated with our identities in life, but not much else new to add to the declutter literature genre (and I use the term “literature” loosely!). Certainly no mad folding techniques or hugging of belongings. Phew!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this was not my thing, but overall this is one of the better clutter books I have read. She gets to the heart of why we keep things ... and Chapter 8 “what could have been” and the digital clutter chapter were very helpful for me to read.

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was more than just a self help clutter cleaning book. It really got into why we collect items and keep them to create the clutter that we have in our lives. It also had handy tips how to over come all the excuses we tell ourselves when decluttering.

[Caren Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about WHY we save stuff but still the same goal...get rid of your crap!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely some solid advice for someone who struggles with excess clutter. This may just give me enough inspiration to get started on mine!

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reminder. A few new ideas about the overall benefits of clearing clutter, physical and spiritual. It’s a fast read.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe a little light on the feng shui, but totally awesome on everything else so that's just fine. Will have to read it a second time.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deals with the emotional reasons behind clutter, but offer very little practical advice on clearing it.

[ND · Rating 3 out of 5]

very useful, delves into why we have too much stuff

[Joni Kuzma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the type of book that I had to be ready to read. I may have to buy this one for my own library. It resonated in a way that surprised me.

[Fabian Coria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Método Marie Kondo better than this one.