One Thing At a Time Book Review

I must have seen this book on someone else’s blog or through searching the library website to see what they had and decided that I should read it too.  One Thing At a Time: 100 Simple Ways to Live Clutter-Free Every Day by Cindy Glovinsky is the second in the series.  If I had it to do over, I would read the first book first.  Making Peace with the Things in Your Life: Why Your Papers, Books, Clothes, and Other Possessions Keep Overwhelming You and What to Do About It is the first book and this books states that it was the starter guide…oops! I already went back and put the first book on hold at the library for when I am ready to read it :)

The great thing about this book is the strange format.  It is broken into 100 different chapters.  All of the chapters are steps that you can do to live more clutter free.  Here is an example of the first ten chapters:

1.  One Thing At A Time

2. Things Don’t Move Themselves

3.  Breathe, Don’t Run

4. De-Clutter Your Body

5. Carry A Clipboard

6. Post Checklists of Routine Tasks

7.  Roll Back Your Sleep Schedule by Half An Hour

8. Stop Perfecting, Start Bettering

9.  Make Your Bed Every Day

10. Open the Windows

The titles may not be spoiler alerts but they directly relate to the topic of discussion.  The chapter on carrying a clipboard is about going from room to room, clipboard in hand, to note the things that need to be done in each room.  Although I know that this is helpful to see and note what needs to be fixed, I am not a 100% sure that the clipboard is really going to make you feel more powerful over the task….but who am I to know. 

Each chapter covers an important topic and the short chapters help to read the book quickly.  The book gave me a ton of ideas on how to start but since I sat down and read it so quickly, I might not do all of the steps suggested.  This book is meant to be more like the word of the day calendar where you get an idea and try to work with it before moving on to the next topic.  Of course, not all topics apply to all people so it might not work one chapter at a time best either.

If you have to clean out your house and don't know where to start, please check out this book at your local library or bookstore.  I think that the small easy chapters will give you a place to start!!  If you don’t want to wait, you can check out the author’s website at http://www.freshstartorganizing.com/ (I currently am without power so I didn’t check out the site yet).  Good luck and happy de-cluttering!!