I recently had a chance to look at several organizing books by Cassandra Aarssen, courtesy of Mango Publishing.
When I originally looked at the books, I didn't pay attention to the author, and it wasn't until I was on the third book that I realized that they all had some similarities. So although it might seem odd that one author wrote three books on organizing and decluttering, they are different enough that they work well for different audiences, or present the tips in different enough ways that they'll work to reinforce each other well.
The Declutter Challenge: A Guided Journal for Getting Your Home Organized in 30 Quick Steps
This was an interesting take on decluttering - a guided journal. It's a great book for people who need a little more time to reflect and explore while working on a task, but it still broke down the overwhelming task of decluttering into more manageable smaller tasks. Self-reflection can help with achieving goals, and this works decluttering into both a short-term step-by-step approach and a longer-term focus.
Real Life Organizing: Clean and Clutter-Free in 15 Minutes a Day
This book looked a little more "grown up" and looked at decluttering as an ongoing project. Fifteen minutes a day makes the task very much in the realm of possibility for most people. There were a lot of organizational tips that aren't always included in other books, like a Command Center and a gift closet - ways to organize some of those areas of real life that don't always fit neatly into a perfect system.
This book is great for those who are task-oriented and love checking off boxes. The worksheets are easy to use and adaptable to any life situation, and include some non-tangible organization tips as well.
I liked all three of the books, and they were different enough that I was able to get useful tips from each book - even though I already felt like I have a decent organizational system. For someone looking for just one book, each one has a particularly strength - Real Life Organizing for those who want the idea of a daily quick work or a book that looks a little more stylish; Declutter Challenge for those who like being reflective about goals; and Cluttered Mess to Organized Success Workbook for those who like the visual reminders of tasks to do.
There's also another book The Clutter Connection: How Your Personality Type Determines Why You Organize the Way You Do that I didn't get to review, but sounds intriguing, especially if you're interested in the link between personality and behavior.
Cassandra Aarssen is a Professional Organizer who shares easy and inexpensive organizing tips and tricks through her blog and YouTube channel called ClutterBug. A self-proclaimed super slob, Cas transformed her home and her life through organization and now she is determined to help others do the same. Her first book Real Life Organizing gives the reader easy and painless ways to declutter and organize their home on a small budget. For more about her blog ClutterBug, visit http://clutterbug.me
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