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The Life Laundry 2: How to Stay De-Junked Forever
Product Group: Book
Publisher: BBC Books (2003-08-14)
ISBN: 0563487496
EAN: 9780563487494
Dewy Decimal #: 643
Paperback: 144 pages
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Editorial Reviews
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Do we really need books such as Dawna Walter's How To Stay De-junked Forever? Or TV series such as The Life Laundry, which it accompanies? The answer would appear to be a resounding yes, as more and more of us sink under an avalanche of objects that we are reluctant to get rid of. Writers such as Graham Greene and Jean-Paul Sartre believed that we are possessed by our possessions, and it's that philosophy that Walters is out to puncture with a vengeance. The great success of The Life Laundry: How To De-junk Your Life (which accompanied her first television series showing us how to clear the clutter) was a sage mixture of both fairly elementary advice and some cutting, not-so-obvious truths. Apart from those few people living in minimalist Japanese-style homes, many of us found much food for thought in Walter's book and programme, and a great deal of weeding out of old clothes, magazines, toys, etc, no doubt took place after she had shown us the way. In the new book, though, her concern is with making us alter our lifestyles completely in order that the clutter will never return. She teaches that, in order to create a functioning, organic environment, it's necessary to undertake genuinely life-altering procedures. There are motivational projects, storage tips (in which every iota of space in-house is intelligently utilised) and a room-by-room analysis of our storage solutions that are highly practical and (still more important) achievable. The format of the book is highly user-friendly, with attractive checklists, storage tips, floor plans and aspirational images. So if you feel you can add one more book to the mountains that you already possess, this had better be it. --Barry Forshaw
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Customer Reviews
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There's better out there...
Rating  (2)
Date: 2006-04-18
4 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
Any clutter clearing book is worth reading if it motivates you to do *something*, but I still reckon a much better choice was Karen Kingston's "Clear Your Clutter". That book has stayed with me for 5 years, and still motivates me far more.
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Plenty of colour
Rating (2)
Date: 2005-06-28
5 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
I am sure this squarish volume can be viewed as a most "modern" artifact, but I cringed when I opened it and tried to read the light and pale text on a dark background. Actually, the typeface is hard to make out even on the white pages which, admittedly, comprise most of the book.
Could someone thus putting form over substance really have something sound to offer? Turning to the picture of the author's colourful kitchen on page 54, one could quickly answer: No (way!). It is a lovely specimen of a "never cooked-in kitchen".
Yet it seems that Ms Walter has been able to help people give makeovers to their houses and even their lives. I must assume this ability has a great deal to do with the synergy of people from different trades working together. Come to think of it, every extra couple of hands, when you are contemplating a room or house makeover, must make an amazing difference.
If you are thinking of buying this, because you have started to feel crowded-in in your current space, think twice and do a little more research. You can find better-organized directions for de-junking. If you feel both crowded-in and bored with your current space, perhaps the interiors photographed will work as inspiration. Good luck to all!
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A practical guide that really is life-changing!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-08-31
12 out of 12 customers found this reveiw helpful
Linked to the BBC TV series - The Life Laundry - this motivational book represents the kind of wake-up call that anyone would welcome! In my view, it suggests very simple, practical and effective ways to sort out the clutter we accumulate in our homes which can have a negative effect on our lifestyle - and our happiness. It is packed with inspirational ideas about how to adapt the decorative style in our homes, and deal with any problem areas, in order to maximise the layout, and make much better use of space and storage. And best of all, it shows us how simple it is to maintain the freedom of this clutter-free existence by rethinking the way we use our time and energy, and relate to our surroundings. It made a life-changing difference to me. So when it comes to rethinking lifestyle, I would recommend this book as one of the best buys that I have made!
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This book helps me simplifying my life.
Rating  (4)
Date: 2004-02-17
28 out of 29 customers found this reveiw helpful
I got both of the Life Laundry books - I needed a change - understanding why all the Things get just Everywhere; papers, clothes, mp3s, files, foods.. just the 'too many things' around the house. I've wanted that simplicity and less for all my life - and these two books helped me reconsider WHY the things collect.I could with the help of this book identify my own problem areas at home (including backpack and ext. fw drive), the habits that lead to more chaos and how to re-educate oneself to the other way, the patterns that e.g. my parents have used as far as I remember (I think they would really need the de-junking the life; they moved 10 years ago and still haven't opened all the boxes). The book is well written; easy and compact, it makes you realize why some things may be as they are, it gives help on how to start de-junking, and how to make yourself just not collect back everything. This book foillows the BBC TV show. I have never seen the show, so the necessity came from the need of Simplicity. After reading them quickly and having started even some minor changes on room, I do feel the difference - happier and more energic me. Graphically I like the book - handy size and fresh look. I wish there were a bit more examples of the homes Before and After the De-junk operations - but probably with the amount it has them now it has stayed as junk-free as it could, lighter to see and read. It has many inspirational pictures of rooms that work, and that have Things around but that are not cluttered or junky. This book has far more pictures than the other of the series - the other mainly starts with de-junk process, this helps you create the space around you to be simply more like you. I can't say that one of the books would be significantly better or worse - I think the one you need will depend on you needs in life, or just get both.
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Retail Price: £7.99
Amazon.com's Price:£0.01
That's 100% Off!
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