Recommended Reading

On January 28th, NAPO-NC held a special event at the Chapel Hill Public Library. The talk, “Get Organized”,  featured professional organizer and author, Geralin Thomas. A panel of other local organizers presented their own favorite organizing books. Here is the list of titles and why the organizers chose to share them:

From Hoarding to Hope: Understanding People Who Hoard and How To Help Them by Geralin Thomas

Decluttering Your Home: Tips, Techniques and Trade Secrets by Geralin Thomas

Sarah Littlejohn of Achieving Balance NC:
Clutter Control, Putting Your Home on a Diet by Jeff Campbell of The Clean Team

“Terrific organizing solutions from the junk drawer to the craziest closet. Also, quirky tidbits like perfume goes bad after 3 years.”

Sue Pail of Closet Factory:
Getting Things Done by David Allen

“It’s a time management methodology with the emphasis of getting things out of your head and onto a task list or a calendar. The purpose of this is to free your mind to focus on what is important to you at the time and not have a bunch of to-do’s floating in your mind, many of which you can’t do anything about.”

Stefanie Watkins of Clever Spaces Inc:
Become an Informed Caregiver by Deanne Morgan

“This is a great resource for anyone caring for a family member. It is filled with checklists and forms to help you make your way through the process along with easy explanations on all the legal issues you will face along the way.”

Deborah Zechini of Order in the House:
ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life

“Full of organizing tips, tools, and strategies specifically geared to the workings of the ADD brain.”

Dorena Kohrs of Breathing Room Professional Organizing:
The More of Less by Joshua Becker

“I work with women to create a home that supports their biggest dreams and desires by decluttering the things that are keeping them stuck and feeling overwhelmed.”

Leanna Murphy of Organized For Discovery, LLC  and Annette Adamska of Behind the Scenes Organizing:
Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

“I recommended this book for her clever S.P.A.C.E. technique (Sort, Purge, Assign, Containerize and Equilibrium) as well as Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin to examine your relationship with “stuff” from a financial perspective.”

Lou Anne Dunn of Neatly Dunn:
Downsizing the Family Home, by Marni Jameson

“An excellent guide when you are facing downsizing for yourself or loved ones. This book gives excellent resources for all of the key players you may need during the process as well as thoughts on how to let go of those family items from your childhood that don’t fit into adulthood. All explained from the most compassionate and respectful place of sentiment, understanding, and logic.”

Deb Smulyan of FREESPACES, LLC.:
Real Simple – The Organized Home

From the Editors of Real Simple (written by Kendell Cronstrom)

Kathi Zung of Command Central Professional Organizing:
Conquering Chronic Disorganization, by Judith Kolberg

“Chronic disorganization undermines a person’s quality of life and recurs despite traditional self-help efforts. This book is filled with real-life stories of people who used simple, innovative and fun organizing methods proven in the field to end clutter, mismanaged time and paper pile-ups in the home or office.”

Gay Sparano of AAA Organizing, LLC:
Decluttering Your Home: Tips, Techniques and Trade Secrets by Geralin Thomas

“I feel this is a well done book by local author and professional author Geralin Thomas which features GREAT techniques, tips and trade secrets as described in the title!”