In Tidying the Abyss, it’s like the author has snuck around in my house at night while I was sleeping. Otherwise, how does she know that I have an unopened mop box (she must have missed the still boxed Roomba, vacuum and generic swift jet in my garage)? She even mentioned my tower of plastic bins holding who knows what stored in the corner of my family room. I admit I have bought duplicate items rather than look for them in those bins.
Seriously, the first third of this book, it seemed the author knew exactly who I was. That alone made me feel better—knowing I wasn’t alone with my decluttering/cleaning issues. Most of the remaining chapters give decluttering/cleaning tips for cleaning each room of your home. There are even extra tips for those with physical or mental challenges to help them cope better. The last few chapters deal with how to make cleaning and decluttering a habit and how to avoid backsliding.
Overall, Tidying the Abyss was the best motivation I’ve read to, well, tidy the abyss. The tips are good but the explanations for the root causes were even better. If you have some issues with keeping your place tidy, this is the book for you. 5 stars and a favorite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Balance for providing me with an advanced review copy.