The Six-Week Total-Life Slim Down - Lose the Clutter

Recently, I moved home to assist with my disabled parents. In that move, two houses were combined into one. Because of the short amount of time between my lease ending and having to move, everything just got shoved into the garage and other free space. You know the old adage - I'll just get to it later. Well later has lead to some serious stress about where to go now. To try and make some headway, I decided to purchase a book. Something to try and give me a starting point since I am seriously overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things I need to go through from my house, their house, and that inherited from dead grandparents.

Peter Walsh's book caught my eye because not only am I dealing with a clutter house, but I'm dealing with some extra weight that needs to go. Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight seemed like the perfect way to make both happen. So I took one afternoon and read through the book.Perhaps not the greatest ideas but I wanted to see what I was in for. This book does offer some practical advice after going through a brief history of people buying and keeping stuff in their homes followed by a quiz to see just where you rank in the clutter land. According to this book, we're hoarders. Now, I don't necessarily see us as hoarders, but rather circumstance forced some quick moving and lots of stuff from multiple houses into storage areas of another resulting in the one non-disabled person becoming completely overwhelmed.

The actual process begins in chapter six when Mr. Walsh goes over the eating portion of this process. He gives ideas for an eating plan that is pretty similar to anything else you'll find out there. A bit of common sense and paying attention to the country at hand will get to understand how you should be eating. Chapter seven starts the exercise portion; again, nothing revolutionary. A bit of common sense and paying attention to what is going around.

Chapter eight begins the decluttering process. Really, after reading through it, nothing is majorly different from other plans I have seen. Except maybe he starts with the kitchen. Which is the least clutter area of my house. The second part of the book goes into the eating area. In my house, that is tied into the living room which isn't worked on at all until chapter thirteen. In between, he starts the master bedroom first followed by the closet and master bedroom. Nothing about other bathrooms or bedrooms in the house; just the master; and than onto financial items before finally getting to the living areas.

Really, this was a difficult plan to follow. At least in our situation. And the process didn't make much sense to me. Tackle the bedroom before the closets? Why not do the closets first, clear them out, and than do the bedroom. With a cleaner, organized closet, you'll have the proper space to store items that shouldn't be in your bedroom. And not tackling the living areas but the dining room just didn't make much sense. Another area that was overlooked in my opinion is the entry way and entry closets. These develop clutter just as much as others, yet I did not see much of anything until he tackled the garage or attic.

Very repetitive, very repetitive, very repetitive... The first several chapters tell the same thing over and over and over and all mention that the 6 week program will solve everything, and then repeat and repeat, oh yeah, and repeat.

Maybe there is some value later on in the book, but I could not take the mindless repetition any longer. Does the author get paid by the word? It reminds me of a saying I try to use when writing, 'I would have made it shorter, but I did not have enough time.' It takes time, effort, and skill to write without repetition, but it should be the goal.

Fortunately I checked out the digital version of the book from the library for free.

Ok, so I would not have correlated a cluttered house with increased weight, so the premise was an interesting start to the book. The book lays down simple principles for de cluttering your home and life, from clearing your homes of excess “stuff” to define your own personal space, to clearing your body and mind. All really great ideas in principle, but really hard ones to do in life.

The book sets out a 6-week program in a step-by-step fashion to attach decluttering their homes, their bodies, and their lives. The author even went to the extent to testdrive the program with a group of volunteers who claim to have found significant weight loss to calmer minds and more organized, happier, and more efficient lives. I have not made it through the program yet, but at least it feels like the author has given the reader a map to work with, rather than a simple directive to declutter your life.

Given the practical application of trying to simplify our lives and health, I think the book is a good read for just about anyone.

I read this book only for the decluttering information. Sure, I had weight to lose, but it was not my priority. After gatherig many items around the house and garage over six months time, my husband and I had a large, successful garage sale. I still weighed the same, but mentally and emotionally, I felt a bit lighter.

Then a month after the garage sale, while on vacation, I started walking each day along the beach. I was determined to keep walking when I got home, and have done so every month since then, averaging 20 days a month of walking 45 to 60 minutes.

I also cut back on what I eat. I have lost 15 pounds! I credit it in many ways to getting rid of much of the unneeded "stuff" we had. I still have plenty, plenty of nice things. But it is edited down to more of what I actually use and love.

It has always been hard for me to lose weight. I am in my 50s and have an illness. I would never have connected the "lose the clutter = lose the weight", but Peter Walsh has made a believer out of me!

I love Welsh's books on decluttering. They are very inspirational and motivating. I don't worry that I don't follow all his advice to a T but I am able to adapt it to my own life and timeline. The important thing is that his words make me want to keep my house in order. I am in no way a hoarder. But over the years, I will hold on to some things, not wanting to part with the memories. It is always a good idea to periodically reassess what I want to keep. Some things I will never let go of, and other things I will find easier to part with in time. Thanks, Peter, for all the insight!!!

I read this book only for the decluttering information. Sure, I had weight to lose, but it was not my priority. After gatherig many items around the house and garage over six months time, my husband and I had a large, successful garage sale. I still weighed the same, but mentally and emotionally, I felt a bit lighter.

Then a month after the garage sale, while on vacation, I started walking each day along the beach. I was determined to keep walking when I got home, and have done so every month since then, averaging 20 days a month of walking 45 to 60 minutes.

I also cut back on what I eat. I have lost 15 pounds! I credit it in many ways to getting rid of much of the unneeded "stuff" we had. I still have plenty, plenty of nice things. But it is edited down to more of what I actually use and love.

It has always been hard for me to lose weight. I am in my 50s and have an illness. I would never have connected the "lose the clutter = lose the weight", but Peter Walsh has made a believer out of me!

I love Welsh's books on decluttering. They are very inspirational and motivating. I don't worry that I don't follow all his advice to a T but I am able to adapt it to my own life and timeline. The important thing is that his words make me want to keep my house in order. I am in no way a hoarder. But over the years, I will hold on to some things, not wanting to part with the memories. It is always a good idea to periodically reassess what I want to keep. Some things I will never let go of, and other things I will find easier to part with in time. Thanks, Peter, for all the insight!!!

I borrowed this book from the library. I was mostly interested in the de-cluttering part and chose this book because Peter Walsh is supposed to be a well-known authority in this. The book was a huge disappointment.

First of all, the underlying premise of the book is an alleged correlation between clutter (and/or hoarding) and being overweight. The evidence presented is shaky at best. Considering that a large proportion of Americans is overweight, of course you'll find lots of overweight people among those with too much clutter! Also, I personally know multiple people who have severe problems with hoarding, and yet they are thin and super fit. In fact, for them, hitting the gym religiously every day for 2-3 or more hours has become their way to "escape" their homes. Their homes are so filled with hoarded items that they can't stand spending time there and they can't even shower at home! So instead, they spend every evening at the gym, several hours each day in the evening exercising, then shower at the gym, and go home just to sleep. No kidding!

Second, in my opinion, clutter, food and exercising are separate things, deserving separate books. It's totally separate "apples and oranges." Also, when it comes to food and exercise, there are so many ways and so many personal preferences, and people are starting at different points, etc etc etc. The exercise routine that the book proposes - using milk jars as weights, to do at home - are you kidding?! The book's way to combine strategies to tackle clutter, weight and fitness into one book didn't make any sense at all - zero sense. What a strange idea.

Third, the book is really heavy on pretty much telling the readers with clutter that they have a massive problem and shaming them on and on and on - so negative. What's the point of being so negative and pages and pages of text of basically trying to bring people down and make them feel bad just because they struggle with clutter? It's like telling smokers on and on and on how smoking will kill them. How is that helping anyone?

Fourth, the specific strategies to tackle clutter didn't make much sense either.

The bottom line: Get instead The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. That book doesn't waste time shaming people about their clutter or trying to bring people down just because they have clutter. Nor does Marie Kondo attempt to be an expert in weight loss or fitness, unlike Peter Walsh. Instead, Marie Kondo provides, in such a beautiful way, what she knows and does best - specific strategies what to do to de-clutter and to tidy one's home, to make it beautiful and enjoyable, - strategies that actually work. You read this book and you feel good about yourself, you feel hopeful that you can get your home in order, within a reasonable amount of time, and you have specific strategies on what to do! Marie Kondo's strategies actually work, as evidenced by thousands and thousands of raving fans!

I could not put this book down. Finished before my date to start to get rid of the clutter, now just reviewing thing to help me..... I was in the right time and space to get it!! I wish I had a link to Peter Walsh for questions... I love this book!

Giving practical advice to loose the clutter in your house, it focuses more on what you want and advises that everything else is just hampering your vision, focusing on the setup prior to decluttering helps you have a vision of what you want a room to look like or even be used for, before you start. The exercises provided are easy and require no extra stuff there also easy to fit in, and you do loose weight while pulling out all your stuff.

The review for this book in our daily newspaper caught my eye, not because I need to lose the weight, I’ve conquered that battle, but because the clutter just won’t go away. I finished reading the book two days ago. Yesterday I typed almost three pages of notes for myself before I pass the book along to a friend.

The plan for decluttering my house sounds so workable that I can’t wait one more day before taking that first step toward cleaning up the kitchen area. Today I will empty a big drawer in the office so I can get the office “stuff” out of my kitchen.

The author claims that using his tested program for getting your body and your house uncluttered is a gift the reader can give himself. I say “Amen.” Get this book. Read it with a highlighter. Then get to work. If you can enlist a friend to battle along with you, you can encourage one another and both will come out winners.

-Hope Irvin Marston, author of AGAINST THE TIDE: THE VALOR OF MARGARET WILSON

I checked this out at my library recently and knew pretty quickly that I wanted a copy of my own. This book takes a very different approach and covers why we hold on to clutter and body fat. The reasons are pretty much the same. That is something I have always struggled with and even though I am not finished with it quite yet, I have found it very enlightening and well written.

I so needed this book. Easy read with great suggestions, food for thought and simple steps for improving your space. Book helps you identify whether you have potential to clutter or hoard and distinct differences. A Guide, A Keeper! Great price , fast delivery = the store of course!

This book really sucks. Try the free sample first if you feel so strongly compelled. I just can't spend another minute reading this drivel. Time to go throw out crap and hit the gym. Nothing gained from this purchase. Not even of entertainment value. Highly disappointed :/ had hoped for some helpful insights on how to keep tidy and trim.

Easy to follow good advice for the most part. Exercise section needs to be re-thought - too complicated, some not good for you, apartment dwellers are not going to have multiple duffle bags, large containers of anti-freeze etc. Really appreciate Peter Walsh's positive attitude!

Giving practical advice to loose the clutter in your house, it focuses more on what you want and advises that everything else is just hampering your vision, focusing on the setup prior to decluttering helps you have a vision of what you want a room to look like or even be used for, before you start. The exercises provided are easy and require no extra stuff there also easy to fit in, and you do loose weight while pulling out all your stuff.