My patients have complex issues, ranging from clinical depression to various OCD tendencies. A fairly common symptom among many of them, though, is hoarding or cluttering, as Mr. Nelson defines it. For a layman, he displays a good understanding of the difference, and is able to explain the psychological aspects of this disorder in easy to understand terms. More importantly, he offers real solutions to the root causes of this manifestation of symptoms.

Hoarding affects a very small percentage of the population, but cluttering (a more benign expression of less acute symptoms) is far more common that generally discussed. Because of the shame it causes, those not in therapy do not talk about it. Since the symtoms are not exhibited in public (like alcoholism), people can live their wholes lives without being diagnosed.

Something I often tell my patients is, "You aren't going to clean out your house until you clean out your feelings." Cluttering may be a lifelong tendency, or may start after a traumatic psychological event like a divorce, death, loss of job or other emotional episode. Mr. Nelson echoes this sentiment. I was impressed by his interviews with professionals in the medical community to give his book a solid foundation. Combined with the stories from self-diagnosed clutterers, and the thoughts of professional organizers, he presents a well-rounded picture of a hidden epidemic.

Thankfully, he has done with with a sense of humor that makes it easy reading. This book will elicit strong feelings from the readers, and his humor can keep them from feeling overwhelmed. That he weaves a spiritual view into his advice for recovery, without being preachy, opens an entirely new window of enlightenment.

This is not a book for people who want to "get neat." While there are chapters with practical advice on physically decluttering, they are written as only a real clutterer can appreciate. There are many books on housekeeping and organizing that would better serve someone who doesn't have an emotional attachment to her "stuff." The reader who will benefit from this book has tried and not succeeded in organizing her physical world. She had probably read other books that told her "how to" do it, and those tips had no lasting effect. This book is for those who want to understand the "why" of their cluttering. In my opinion, this is the first step that needs to be taken before the "how-to" can take place.

In conclusion, don't buy this book if just need to arrange your house better. Buy it if you need to arrange your life better.

My cluttering has been a source of friction between me and my husband for years. He is neat. I am not. I am not so bad as to be a hoarder (as explained in the book), but am pretty meessy. I have been to classes on "how to organize your life," tried to practice feng shui (which may work for simply disorganized people, but not for people like me), and even hired an organizer to help me. Nothing worked.

I nearly passed this book over, becasue I've read half a dozen "organizing" books. But when I saw that Ann Richards, former governor of Texas and Lucia Cappachione, a spiritual self-help author I adore, endorsed the book, I took a look.

It is amazing! Mike (and you will feel like you know him personally when you read his book) approached cluttering from an entirely new perspective. He's obviously a clutterer himself who has found a way out. He manages to write with alternating seriousness, insight and much-needed humor. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud at his obviously single man's approach to housecleaning!

We need to change our ways of thinking about the stuff in our lives and improve our spiritual lives to really, permanently, get better. He shows us how.

The chapter on relationships hit home. I was using my clutter as a defense against closeness. I never knew that. By applying the principles he puts forth to my clutter and our relationship, things have already improved. He doesn't promise a miracle cure, or overnight curing, but he does point us on the right road.

If there is one criticism of this book, it is that it is not long enough. Oh, the 200+ pages are packed with information, but I felt that it could go on and on. I just wanted to keep reading. I hope that Mike will write a follow-up workbook. I just love his writing.

Thank you Mike, for writing such a personal and revealing glimpse into the lives of clutterers. You put a lot of yourself into this and it shows. I'll buy any book you write!

I drive a lot on business trips, and this audio CD (actually 3) is a great way to do some self improvement if you are having trouble getting time reading or just want to multi-task while driving. Unlike a lot of audio CDs where the authors have terrible voices, but insist on reading themsleves, they have hired someone here, and I really like his voice. The author is a clutterer himself, and so there is no, "buckle down" type morality statements. Sometimes the Flylady site and the book about Messies take a very religious tone, which I'm not that into. The author discusses a lot of his personal history, as well as other people's, and I was able to gain a lot of insight into cluttering as a specific phenomenon, as opposed to just lacking housekeeping skills or having ADD and not being that into housekeeping or the concept that you are depressed possibly, and don't care about your house. Constantly acquiring things or having an inability to throw things out, really is a specific phenomenon for a lot of people apart from other issues, that needs to be addressed. Since hearing the first 2 CDs a week ago, I have already been energized and able to give up 4 bags to Goodwill. Good luck everyone.

This book was one of the few I have bought and actually read cover to cover (versus browsing or skimming) on the subject of clutter. Mike knows first hand what is like to be a clutterer, and how to get to the root of 'why' we do it. He has some practical suggestions, good references for further help, and most importantly a 'lifeline' to throw to fellow clutterers that have struggled for years to get clutter under control. Thank you Mike, I was impressed enough to start a group in my area for mutual support. No one understands a clutterer, like someone that has been there!

Many books have been written about how to organize your life, your workspace and your home, some good, some bad. We gravitate toward authors that provide practical systems for bringing order to debilitating chaos. This is not one of those books. Mike Nelson instead writes of the psychological reasons that some people allow clutter to overtake their lives. If you're looking for an explanation about why you can't find that important file, start reading. If you're looking for some way to prevent you from making similar mistakes in the future, we [...] advise you to look elsewhere.

I already was trying to declutter my life and this book was just what I needed. It answers the "why?" as well as the "how?" My clutter is not obvious to others, but 25 years of packratted stuff from a bygone marriage lurks in hidden places and I spend way too much time trying to find things.... I also found dozens of small things I had fruitlessly searched for in the past. But the greatest benefit is the good feeling I get when I shove things into the trash or yard sale boxes and then stand there enjoying my nice tidy space. Nelson has provided self-talk which has me questioning why I am holding on to things that I neither need nor like. Magically, similar things start gravitating toward each other in a process of organization. I still have places to unclutter, but I now look forward to what I'm going to rediscover and a feel-good opportunity. Some day I may write my own sequel to this book.

The other reviewers have pretty much said it all, this book was a turning point for me too. I have been wanting to get the clutter out for years and I finally realized that if I didn't want my sister to come in the house then it was time.

This book gets to your soul and spirit, period, but you have to be ready for it.

Mike Nelson does an effective job of giving "recovering clutterers" some practical information and (perhaps as important) motivation to get victory over the problems of a cluttered environment. The chapter on computer de-cluttering is showing it's age. (...)

This book advises us to "Change Our Cluttering Behavior." It emphasises keeping stuff from coming in. We need to change our behavior, through the causes of the problem, not the symptoms. We tend to concentrate on the STUFF, better organizing techniques and finding the right organizing tools to make the messes go away. This is proven not to work. Mike helps us free ourselves from our having been "trapped in a prison of clutter of our own making." The book is different from most others relating to "Clutter." It's a worthwhile read for those of us trapped in the clutter cage.