The Life Laundry: How to De-junk Your Life [Paperback]

I would urge everyone to go straight to the 'life laundry survey', which is comprehensive, well thought out, and dare I say it, quite revealing. It uncovers every possible 'clutter zone' and even asks you to list items such as clothing, dvd's and kitchen appliances that you haven't used in the last year. Once I put pen to paper there was no stopping me! When you see all your 'junk' in black and white, it really makes you aware of the problem areas, therefore, making the whole process easier to tackle.

Other posing questions ask you about your attitude towards everyday household tasks such as making the bed and dealing with the laundry, down to even how you organise your wardrobe. It seems they have left no stone unturned therefore confronting every possible aspect as to why we all have a tendency to hold on to things that prevent us from moving forwards. Another interesting chapter deals with the varying types of circumstantial clutter, which although I did not fit into any of the categories I recognised many of my friends and family who did.

The section entitled 'Clutter Hotspots' clearly maps out whether you should 'use it or lose it' - this can be anything from books, entertainment, children's toys through to sentimental items. The authors guide you with a common sense approach, which even a complete novice could follow.

I feel confident that people, who proclaim to have a clutter-free household as well as those who are knee-deep in chaos without a clue where to start, could benefit from this easy-to-follow book. The tv series serves as a compliment to this useful manual and is sure to make people take a long hard look at their lifestyle and habits. Only the truly disciplined die-hard minimalists need not purchase!

Just when I thought I only possessed items I wanted to keep along comes this book and now there are now five refuse sacks ready to go to the charity shop and I feel utterly cleansed. This is one book I won't ever be taking to the charity shop!

It all makes perfect sense. Most of it is plain and obvious so why do we let it all pile up.

I have two 4 year olds, I have reduced their bedrooms by half and they can see and choose their toys properly. Their clothes have all been passed on to either relatives or the ACeBabes charity. I have even sold their buggy - why keep it they walk now.

I have also bagged and binned piles of our clothes that I never wear and keep 'just in case'.

As with Mrs R Wilson, cards were a problem for me, after reading Life Laundry, I have cleared out years of sentimental cards.

Just need to go in the loft now, am imagining it as a weight on my shoulders, leaning down on me. Must do it soon.

I feel so more refreshed and they book was worth every penny. It is now in Florida, in the holiday bag of a family member as I have used the Life Laundry formula and passed it on to another needy person.

The book is a tie-in to a BBC programme of the life makeover kind. It starts off with the reasons why we need to de-clutter our lives (just in case you don't know already) and the varieties of people and the clutter they hang on to. Myself, I'm an empty nester. This is followed by a survey of the problem areas in your life, which is very comprehensive. The only problem I had with this was seeing it through to the end, because I kept wanting to make a start on the actual clearance. After advice about how to get started, the book takes you through different categories of belongings from both books to sentimental items, then through the rooms of your house. The underlying principle is use it or lose it.

There's also valuable help on letting go of emotions and finally how to distinguish between trash and treasure and ways to dispose of it.

I think the book an excellent one with an easy style, but not trite. I am hooked on both it and the TV programme and this spring I am going to invest time in liberating my house, my mind and my energy.