One Year to an Organized Life: From Your Closets to Your Finances, the Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Completely Organized for Good

by Regina Leeds

From the professional named "Best Organizer in Los Angeles," a comprehensive, week-by-week bible to completely streamline all aspects of your life-from your closets to your finances.

Who would you be if you felt at peace and had more time and money? An organized life enables you to have more freedom, less aggravation, better health, and to get more done. For nearly twenty years, Regina Leeds has helped even the messiest turn their lives around.

One Year to an Organized Life is a unique week-by-week approach that you can begin at any time of year. Regina helps you break down tasks and build routines over time so that life becomes simple, not overwhelming. Whether you're living in chaos or just looking for new ways to simplify, this essential book will help you get the whole household organized-and stay that way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Productivity, Personal Development, Reference, Business

Audiobook

First published December 31, 2007

About the author

Professional Organizer. New York Times best selling author of 9 books. Speaker.

Reviews

[Anne-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sick when I read this so perhaps I didn't give it much of a chance. However, it was the same advice in a different book. But it had Ducks in a Row on the front cover! And that is how I want my ducks! So I bought it!

I prefer to sit and read organizational books in my messy, unorganized home rather than actually getting up off my ass to do something about it. It’s like reading a weight loss manual while eating Cool Ranch Doritos and chugging Dr. Pepper.

The thing is, I used to be super clean and organized and I don’t know what happened to me.

Do you ever feel like you used to be a better version of yourself? I think Regina Leeds has led me into some sort of existential crisis. Maybe it’s just time to up my meds.

Oh, and I hated how she was all, “Just go to The Container Store and buy so and so . . . “. It’s like, I just spent 17 bucks on your book Regina Leeds and I can’t afford to go to The Container Store now. Although, I do LOVE the The Container Store. There was one near my old crappy job and I would go there on my lunch and browse at all the different ways to store stuff but now I can’t even go near my old crappy job without inducing major anxiety.

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a trend among books like this and, I'm not knocking it I just wish they were more upfront about it.

This book has some good advice but, even though it pretends otherwise, it is written for Gen X/Baby Boomer middle Americans with maybe 2 kids, a very traditional family set up and a 3 bedroom detached house with a garage. I'm sure there are people who fit that description for whom it really works but I wish it had mentioned it more in the description so I could have skipped a whole lot of stuff that it's useful to me at all.

Instead I waded through chapters on sorting out a garage that doesn't exist, preparing the kids I don't have for school and throwing the Thanksgiving party I'll never have because I'm English.

If those are things you need advice on then Regina is an endearing person who's very direct, open and honest. And if someone could direct me to 'Getting it together for twenty-something millennials who may live outside the US' that would be great.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't my favorite. A couple of weeks ago, I read another book about getting organized and I liked that one much better. This one is written by an actor turned professional organizer and it came across as way too clinical. If you truly are a complete mess with clutter everywhere, then you might be able to gain some insight on getting on top of the clutter avalanche. It did offer some practical advice.

Here are my 3 main problems:
1. From the beginning, I didn't like the tone the author was setting. It felt like an elementary school teacher talking to her 3rd grade students. And her talk about making dream boards seemed like "busy" work. So right away I was rolling my eyes.

2. She mentioned how one could use the little tubes of toothpaste, the little bottles of shampoo etc., from hotels as "fun party favors" (her words, not mine). That doesn't sound like a party I would want to go to.

3. The last thing I'd mention is that her whole approach to getting clutter free, is to throw money at it in the form of boxes, totes, racks, shelves, etc.

So if you have clutter that you can't manage, you'll need lots of money to go and get all the things she recommends.

[Jennifer Miera · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't say that the author had a particularly new slant to the whole organization thing, though I did pick up a tip or two on filing. The organization of the book (dividing it up into 12 months) was original, but didn't really seem to work as a concept. Basically, it comes down to 1. Get rid of things you don't use or for which you don't have an immediate need. 2. Think about how you use your space and organize accordingly. 3. Find a system that works for you and maintain it.
If you are completely overwhelmed by your possessions, then this might be a good book to start with. Otherwise, I think a lot of it is common sense. And - who has time to keep a journal to "contemplate" organizational goals!!!

Another thought, when I die, do I really want people to comment, "Well, at least she was organized"? Unless "stuff" has truly overtaken one's life, I think organizing can be carried to an extreme.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean. Here's the deal.

There were plenty of great organizing tips in this book. I was inspired in a lot of aspects.

But the book was so completely overshadowed by Regina's holier-than-thou, look-at-how-perfect-I-am complete and utter lack of humility. Not to mention her whatever "zen organizing" thing drawn from Eastern spirituality? Her continued capitalizing of "Soul" drove me nuts. As did her helpful hints like using incense to banish the energy of people from a room. Since when did organizing turn into hoodoo voodoo wackjob diatribe? Egh. I'm sure there's plenty of other organizing books out there, without Regina's weird ability to shove "oh it's not a religion, so you're not going against your faith" down your throat.

[Jenn]

DNF'd because so many chapters aren't relevant to my situation. The book isn't badly written; it's just not for me. I enjoyed reading about the first few months of challenges, and I think I will give them a try. I don't have a basement, attic, or laundry room, however, so I have no challenge for June. July is also a no-go for me: I either don't have the kind of money that allows me to travel annually for vacation, or I do have that kind of money, in which case I don't have any time for a travel-type vacation. I will say that the part where she suggests that your assistant keep a database for all your stuff if you can't remember which furniture is in your Hamptons beach house and which is in your actual house is where I officially DNF'd this book.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Offered gems such as: Make a home inventory list for each home so you can remember if the Tiffany china is at your regular house or your beach house.

This book is directed toward people who have significantly more expendable income than I will ever have.

[starwolvie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not for me. The reason I picked it up from the shelf at the library is because I thought that breaking things down into months/weeks would be helpful.

I did not find it helpful.

Did we really need to have November dedicated to Thanksgiving and December for Christmas? Surely the two could have been combined.

I found I ended up skim reading parts that did not apply to me - or were totally ridiculous like the travel folders and her travel checklist for packing "light".

Her "inspirations" for presents suggest to husbands that you can't get wives useful products such as vacuums as they will leave the room in tears. And useful products are not for kids and teens - only your staff. The dietary advice in this book regarding what to bring into your house around christmas/new years lest you put on five pounds is totally unnecessary in a book about organisation.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very much to say about this guide in that it's a standard organizational book that tackles rooms in the home one at a time, with a proposal of getting organized completely within a year's time and having fun in the process of keeping to those habits. I listened to the audiobook version of the book and actually rather liked it, but found that it didn't apply to me but in spurts. This is definitely a guide for those who want to manage their time and organization - and have families and their own homes (so for those who are single or live in apartments, condos, or smaller spaces, it's not as helpful as it could be). I'll admit also that the book was a bit long winded in establishing certain points - it could've been streamlined a little better to address certain aspects of the home, though I did like the incorporation of the journaling ideas, the time estimation for each project, and some of the tips it gives from everything in terms of organizing one's bedroom, to the kitchen, to shared common spaces. It's certainly a helpful book, though I think I didn't get as much out of it as I would've liked.

Overall score: 3/5

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about organizing your house and getting rid of clutter. The author gives a week-by-week, month-to-month plan that can be started any month of the year depending on which area you want to work on first.
Regina Leeds is a professional organizer and has some good suggestions and tips. Many of them, I already knew and had put into practice over the years.
3 stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my book. I marveled at the insane filing systems, giggled at the affirmations, got incredibly jealous of her travel stories…but mostly just listened to someone completely different from me walk thru the rooms and months of her life. Not helpful for a disorderly, working lady who winces at the idea of journaling (for a year!) my organization goals.

[Shevonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good for someone who doesn't have any clue how to organize their household. However, I have read tons of books on time management and organization, so I didn't learn much from this book. Being that I know tons on the subject, I think this book is great for people who don't know much. It gives you wonderful tips in a way that will make you slowly become a time management and organization guru. If your house is a mess, then this is the book to pick up.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A month by month guide toward an organized home and lifestyle. Even includes organization for travel and business in monthly segments. Each monyh is also broken down into weekly activities.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the author's overall plan. Instead of becoming an Organized Person in one fell swoop (and burning out in the process), Leeds has you tackle one area per month and breaks each month down into a week-by-week plan. Sometimes this is an area of your house, such as tackling the kitchen in January or the bathroom in April. Other times, you reorganize an area of activity: in August, learn to plan a move; in November, plan Thanksgiving dinner (and how to throw parties in general).

Unfortunately, I found Leeds' writing style annoying and "precious" (she's fond of visualizations; they don't call to me). Plus, I'm drowning in books and yarn; Leeds barely touched on organizing books and the only craft she really talks about is scrapbooking, so her suggestions weren't much help to me. But her overall plan of attack is good.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Why do YOU need to read a book about getting organized?" asked my husband, which was gratifying. But I got a lot out of Leeds' approach, especially when it comes to big projects (like cleaning out a garage, or moving house). She and I part ways on some things -- I wish she'd included one's local historical society as a possible donation site (she threw out all her mother's grade-school notebooks!) -- but overall her advice is sound and her approach appropriately upbeat. I borrowed this from the library as a Kindle, but I'm thinking about buying the hard copy.

[Laura (ローラ) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dated and out-of-touch.

[Joy Reinbold · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I want to hate this book and enjoyed all of the well-earned negative reviews, I have to be honest and say that I mostly enjoyed it. I like the monthly approach to organizing and the very prescriptive assignments. I even sort of liked the journaling promps.
The dream board idea is trash, though. AND ALL THE CULTURAL APPROPRIATION. The audio book is great for a hate-listen. It's read by Leeds herself and all of the obnoxious 1-percenter-baby-boomer quotes are made even better (worse) by the sound of her voice.

[Jane (Avid reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this - on the surface it seemed like it had a lot of promise - organise your life in 52 weeks with a focus by area for each month. What’s not to like?

Unfortunately, this book really missed the mark for me - I’m clearly not the target audience as I don’t have a bathroom filled with favours from first class flights, nor a second house in the Hamptons 😂😂. Also surely not every organising problem requires hours of introspective journaling, creating dream boards or endlessly shopping for storage supplies.

The useful advice could have fitted on a one page check list and basically amounts to organising things straight away (make the bed when you get up, do the dishes straight away etc).

Fortunately, I borrowed this from the library so I only wasted my time rather than my money. There are much better books in this genre.

[B Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the fact that Ms Leeds doesn’t just tell me how to organize my house, she breaks it down into small tasks while at the same time helping me to figure out how I arrived at this disorganized mess. Already putting the steps into practice even though it’s not January first!

[jiji]

Started this but quit because it’s 593 pages and I don’t want to get organized that bad. Mari Kondo much snazzier and concise.

[Jen B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind Regina Leeds' book is that you break down each area of your house month by month and devote the entire month to reorganizing it. At the end of the year, voila, your life is completely organized. Since I only had the book for two weeks from the library, that wasn't going to work -- so I read the whole thing and took the tips I needed...and I think I can accomplish a lot of what Leeds writes about in much less than a year.

Her method of thinking about organizing is a good one, and is by far the most helpful aspect of the book for me. The idea of breaking your cleaning/organinzing down room by room and section by section is extremely helpful in making the chaos seem less overwhelming. Using this book, I easily came up with plans to tackle the disorder in my kitchen, bathrooms, home office, and living room. But I can work on them an hour at the time rather than devoting an entire day/weekend/week to the chaos.

I found quite a bit of the book impractical. Leeds asks each reader to keep a journal throughout their year of organizing, in which to write down feelings, answer questions, etc. to help determine WHY they have become so disorganized in the first place. A journal, seriously? Clearly I don't have time to keep my house organized...so do I really have time to keep a journal about why I don't have time to keep my house organized?

Overall, this has been a good resource to get me motivated to organize and to help me realize the problem isn't as big as I thought...but I'm glad I checked it out from the library instead of buying it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have discovered this about myself. I enjoy reading "how to get organized" books. I have spent most of my whole life trying to get organized. I have variously successful at this at different times.

It would be fun to try this for a year. The reader is given 12 different projects to do. Four sub tasks exist in each task. Each task begins with a journaling exercise about you and the particular task topic.

The setup of this book fits right into my sense of ordering or attempt there to. But I know2 that my hobbies and efforts last 2 or 3 weeks and then I am off onto something else. I either come back to the task I started with or I leave it in the dusk of another two week hobby.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Week-by-week detailed steps for organizing your life

Regina Leeds starts with your mother’s philosophy: There’s a place for everything. She provides all the details you need week-by-week and month-by-month to help you stop searching for keys and remote controls, and quit wondering when your dental appointment is. With her help, you can change from time-wasting time mode to “just do it” mode. The weekly organizational activities on her agenda range from one hour to a full day, though she rarely asks you to tie up an entire day. Leeds knows many people have busy schedules and an overwhelming amount of work to do in organizing their lives. getAbstract finds that her orderly approach might help you transform your life or, at least, your closet.

[Firefly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It takes organizing your life and your home and breaks it down into 12 one month programs for you to work with. I haven't been able to do some of the suggested things yet because of life complications, but I am still referencing it to help me get organized and be organized. When we are organized, we have more time to do the things we enjoy, instead of spending 2 hours looking for car keys we lost, or library books that are overdue and missing in action. I would rather spend that 2 hours reading those books than looking for them. :) I liked the format and the information. I found it very helpful.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to be organized but no matter what I do after I clean, I still find myself once again creating piles and making my house look messy!

This book has a breakdown, room by room for organizing. Each chapter has lots of tips and ideas. Leeds says readers shouldn't try to do it all at once and that when working on organizing we should reward ourselves when we complete a task

I am planning to go room by room, one a month, to clean and organize. Once done, I plan on working very hard too keep it clean!

Wish me luck!

[R. Paola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of minimalism and organization books. Even if many say the same, there's always at least something you can learn. This book, on the other hand, did not provide anything for me. It was so long and I was not enjoying it. While listening to the audiobook, I also didn't find it appealing to listen to the narrator laugh at her own personal anecdotes. Hearing her laugh didn't make me feel connected to the story. I was not able to finish the book. It was just dragging on. I do not recommend reading this.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great! It is supposed to take you a year to read because it is written by months and weeks. It gives step by step directions and tips and goes room by room. At the beginning of every month you are supposed to answer her "journal" questions and write them down, so it takes effort for the reader to really get organized. I have to warn you though, it gives great suggestions and makes you want to buy a ton of organizing tools, but I think it is totally worth it.

[Fern B · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I liked best about this book wasn't the organizing tips, but was the theme of making your house/apartment/space work best for you. The attention to space and function and ensuring that everything is organized to make your life easier is at the heart of the book. Working through the different book chapters focuses your attention on different spaces (bedroom, kitchen) or activities (travel) and forces you to re-think things. Why do you have that old mixer on the counter?

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this so much that I ordered my own copy to read and reference back as I become "organized" this year. I like that it breaks up the areas in my house into easily manageable tasks to do every week. I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed as I do when I embark on this same clean out project every January. Here's hoping to a more organized life and home.

[Mary Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has really helped me to organize my home and life. I have read through most of it except the chapter on moving, which I do not plan on doing in the near future.
Really great ideas for staying on top of tasks.