The Life Laundry: How to De-Junk Your Life

by Dawna Walter, Mark Franks

Everyone has clutter in their home—but what we don’t realize is the huge impact it can have on our lives, and how energizing it is to clear it away. Drawing on years of professional experience, Dawna Walter explains how to get to the heart of why clutter has built up around you—then shows you how to deal with it. Packed with valuable advice, practical exercises, and a questionnaire to help you identify your problem areas, Dawna will guide you every step of the way, motivating you to let go of the things you’ve collected but don’t use. And once you’ve started to take control of your possessions, you can follow Mark Franks’ advice on turning your junk into cash. Practical, inspirational, and liberating, this is the ultimate guide to de-junking.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Audiobook, Lifestyle

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2002

Reviews

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came out to accompany a TV series of the same name about a decade ago and I bought it at the time for both my mum and I to motivate us both to have a clear out. We both really enjoyed reading the book back then and it did spur us on. I'm not sure that it has dated well though and aside from that I think it worked better if you had seen the programme at the time.

[Zelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's kinda dated but you can pick up a thing or two such as getting started or taking action. It doesn't have too much of a lot of 'revolutionary' ideas unlike the books like those by Fumio Sasaki and Marie Kondo but it has stuff. It can help you get convinced of decluttering soon. I used this book to refresh me about the habit/idea. It has mini-guide references too, so that's a good touch. Although, some of it does cover stuff that is no longer as common in the house such as newspapers and DVDs. Nonetheless, the book seems warming enough as a sort of introductory even to de-junking stuff. Also, one last thing, the advice on recycling or selling your things, may not be the most helpful as it isn't that much generic or applicable anywhere. Perhaps, it was created for the time and place it was originally written in, which I believe is Britain and the early 2000s. I only skimmed through it as I got the gist. I guess I would be flipping through it from time to time when I need some quick (specific?) advice on how to declutter clothes or books or something.

[Barbara Ab · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simple book that probably might be more appreciated by people who have never read anything about decluttering. I think it’s a good starting but she is more an adviser for business e rich people that for “busy ordinary women”.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned on page 52 of 143. Too much new age thinking, not enough actual guidance. Also nearly 20 years old and methods and problems have dated. No mention of trading in books online to clear them out the house for instance.

[Estelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and helpful.

[MountainAshleah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audio. This is a short primer on the basics of home organization. Some of the information is so basic and common sense that it's inadvertently laughable. The author is more of an energetic cheerleader than anything else, and the audio version would probably appeal to recent graduates, your sloppy dad, or someone similar. But she only begins to brush the surface of why people accumulate clutter and resist uncluttering their lives, and for "professional" clutter bugs, that's important to know. Other than a small storage room I don't have a clutter issue, but if I did, this book wouldn't help to resolve it. Most of us understand organization principles, most of us could probably make the time to get more organized, but most of us resist anyway.

[wueasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

COSHAM - U/LINED
Beginning with an extensive questionnaire, she first identifies the type of clutterer you might be. She then creates handy schematic guides for dispensing with each specific brand of clutter: books, clothing and, rather brutally, sentimental items, for example. The writing is pleasant and disarmingly honest.

[Laura Gilfillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic organizational advice, mostly very simplified. For instance, her advice for how to deal with kids is to make sure they put their things away when they are finished. Right.

[Annburnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book helps you get control of your life by organizing and decluttering . It is helps you see the problems that clutter is causing in your life.