[.ca] Organizing From The Inside Out: The Foolproof System For ... (ISBN 0743517784)

From Amazon.com:
It's about time! Julie Morgenstern has written an organizing book that covers a new way of looking at the task of organizing effectively without labeling or blaming the person behind the lack of organization. Rather, she says, people who don't organize just never learned how to organize, through no fault of their own--after all, it's not a skill that's taught in school. That said, she gets down to work helping you figure out an organizing system that will really work for you, not a system based on cookie-cutter filing concepts or special storage units. Morgenstern's "from the inside out" system begins by laying out the possible reasons for a failure of organization: technical errors (like having a complex organizing system that breaks down), external realities (like not enough space for your belongings), and psychological obstacles (like fear of failure--or success). Then, her Analyze and Strategize steps help create a plan of action based on your needs and goals, and the brief chapter called "Attack: Getting the Job Done" offers basic ideas for making space. The largest section of the book, "Applying What You've Learned," addresses the specifics of organizing workspaces, home offices, living spaces, and storage areas. Each section has a "How Long Will It Take?" box that gives a realistic time estimate, and Morgenstern's "Julie's No-Brainer Toss List" for each area gives the permission and encouragement that most of us have been waiting for to get rid of things we'll never use again. The section at the end, "Tackling Time and Technology," is worth its weight in DayTimers and PalmPilots. Whatever your organizing issues are, you're not a hopeless case, and you don't need special equipment--just a little understanding of the problem and a willingness to plan before diving in.

to organize takes time......:
This book was a good book, but this book is NOT a miracle cure. I started out by reading Sandra Feltons Messies Manual and came across a copy of this book. There are alot of good books out there Im sure But I dont have time to read all of them... I found out a free website organizedhome.com very helpful and time saving. This book is a good book but not for everyone. my tip: type in organizing under the amazon search menu and then list the books by reviews to find the ones that are currently rated at the top.

THIS BOOK DOES NOT HELP!!!!!!!:
I know that this book is meant for adults, and yes, I also know that there's a teen version. I am a twelve-year-old in seventh grade, and I am one of the most disorganized people ever. So when my best friend got me "Organizing From the Inside Out For Teens", I thought it would help me get my life and time organized. Well, guess what? It didn't. So, I went to the library, got a copy of this book, and expecting something better, I read it from cover-to-cover. It was basically the same as the other book, but targeted to adults and their lifestyle. (The information about organizing and time management were nearly the EXACT SAME). And no, this book didn't help me get organized either. The author's tips were basic common sense, like if you need more storage space, go buy some containers, or store sweaters in deeper drawers and t-shirts in shallower ones. ANYONE would probably know that! What I especially found funny about this book is that the author says in the beginning that this is the only organizing book you'll need, all the other ones ...., but then at the back of the book, she writes this recommeneded list of other organizing books to read by different authors!!!! How .... I'm sorry, but this book is obviousely not meant for us extremely disorganized people.

Why aren't you organized?:
The analysis section of Morgenstern's book stuck with me and it's why I like this book; why aren't you organized? Space issues? Perfectionist-fear-of-failure? Or is your system too organized and is it just impossible to maintain? After you go through this part of the book, the rest is common sense, but it does provide A PLAN, and a plan is key to getting anything done. The plan is more or less: 1. Sort 2. Purge 3. Assign a home 4. Containerize 5. Equalize Many other organization books have exactly the same steps. But the difference here is in knowing what failed you before you start out, and the idea of finding things you might need (an extra clothes rod in your closet, crates for files you aren't using but want to store, etc) before you embark on the clean-up. If you have a really hard time divesting yourself of "stuff", you might need another book on how to get out of the clutter habit, but this one is a good start.

It works!:
I must have a jillion "how to get organized" books and this one works, for the simple reason that it's not a one size fits all method. Instead, each person must tailor the concepts and ideas to suit him or her. In other words, in order for it to work, the person trying to get organized must do some work, too, before digging in and rearranging files and throwing stuff out. Great book!

Think & Plan first, THEN Organize:
This book has some very useful ideas of how to get organized. What I really enjoyed the most was the planning sections (the first 2 sections of the book). It first dealt with issues of why past organizing has not worked, as well, what you want the space to look like. You first must ask yourself questions such as What do I use this space for? Can it be organized so when I am using the space it's more efficient. After reading this book, I realize that planning and KNOWING where you are going is most important before you even begin organizing your possessions.