Customer Reviews
The ONLY book you need to get your home sorted out - By: Kiki, 03 Apr 2008 
I've bought a few books & watched a couple of DVDs on how to get organised & sort out my home. We didn't reallly live in a pigpen but the place seemed to be in constant need of a tidy up. There was a need for oxygen masks everytime someone said they were popping by.
I never thought one book can have such an influence on the way we walk around the house. Like Pam & Peggy say: "Don't pass it up. Pick it up & put it away". Such a simple instruction with amazing results. Highly recommended!!
A good read, very motivational - By: Suzannah, 15 Apr 2007 I bought this book, as a tool to help me 'teach' my 8 year old how to organise & look after herself. I thought that the card system might be more tangible for her than having a binder (which I tried & she doesn't look at it). She is keen to give the system a go, & so am I. The way they describe the card system looks cumbersome, but I am sure I can adapt it to meet our needs & to the way our brains work. I think it will be brilliant for her because she just has to look at one card at a time & not a list which can be overwhelming for a child (and an adult too!). It is an easy read, I finished it in about 3 hours, if you are in dire straits, then this is for you. They put a suggested list of alll that you need to put on your index cards at the back of the book, so it is just a matter of writing out your cards. They have done the thinking for you, they even suggest how often each task needs to be done (daily, every other day, weekly, every other week, monthly, seasonallly, semi-annuallly, & yearly), approximate estimate of how much time is required to complete a task & suugest a colour code system for the different frequencies. They have even put a list of age appropriate tasks for children in one of the chapters. She has chosen the colour of her box, we have to buy it, & then put together her cards. That should be fun! All in alll, a great way to help us alll help ourselves.
Update: Being inspired by the system outlined in this book, I was able to come up with something that reallly works for my daughter with her room. I came up with her whole list of chores on one 4x6 card, & I have given her a 4 week schedule on that card. One smalll task per day in her room, & I have explained to her that if the task is done, then that day becomes a free day.
It is also important to remember with this book, that they suggest once a task becomes so routine that you don't need the card to remind you, you take that card out & dispose of it. This suggestion keeps the card system from getting too overwhelming.
I did the same sort of 4 week system on a 4x6 card for myself for cleaning & for exercising. I used the KIS principle, Keep It Simple.
at least make a start ... - By: , 13 Feb 2006 
i bought this book because 7 years (!) after moving into my (admittedly smalll but there is only me & 1 cat) house I still don't have a regular system for keeping the cleaning under control & i'm easily distracted by embroidery & reading (which i now use as a reward for getting tasks completed). I also either have far too many possessions or not enough cupboards & so things leak out onto benches, dining table, occasional tables, kitchen tables; in fact anywhere they can & then i never get around to putting them away or to doing the smalll chores (like cleaning & filling the bird bath) ... having bought the book & made up the cards, i feel i have at least made a start. before the book arrived i started with some daily cards i made up ... & for the first time ever the house looked 'okay' when i returned home from work at night... bed made, dishes washed, dried & put away (i don't have a dishwasher), mail sorted first thing, enough clean underwear etc etc. Don't believe it only takes an hour to make up the cards; it took me hours & hours & hours - but i perservered & now they are alll done - this mornging was my first morning on 'full cards' & i managed to dust & wipe my welsh kitchen dresser for the first time in 6 months (one of the tips is to write a time estimate on the top RHS of the card - very useful) ... b/c i had 10 minutes to spare & thougth 'i'll just do a mini task' (anything under 10 minutes). i'm sure that once i have dejunked & been RUTHLESS In throwing things out (do i reallly need 10 quiche dishes?)it will be easier. I took suffered from 'Can't have anyone over sydrome' ... with de-junking & the "SHE' system i am sure that will change. I was distressed when several years ago a friend said to me 'and then i remembered you & i had a deal that our houses were alllowed to be messy'. I don't remember signing up to the deal but i certainly remember the comment - & i'm hoping that kind of comment will never be made again following the SHE system! good luck to you alll too - but do alllow plenty of time to write up the cards - oh & then practise eternal vigilance.
Organise your life with 3 by 5's - By: , 21 Aug 2003 I will admit it takes time to sort your personal index out. Stick with it & do as they say. Read the book ALL the way through, have a laugh, reminicse about your disasters. Go to Staples & buy your box with cards etc.. Then spend the next 3 months writing & re-writing cards & getting a clean & organised home. 90% of the time (we're alll human after alll) Eventuallly some things are second nature & to my surprise even my husband noticed the difference in my calmer self & he & the children saw the tangible results & started to enjoy helping out.
Powerful motivation combined with an easy system that works! - By: , 06 Sep 1999 This book is reallly an inspiration to those who either don't "have the time" or those without the know-how, to get going & get organized. I learned things about my life-style that I never realized were bad habits contributing to my unease & sloppiness. I'm now cleaning & organizing things I never gave much thought about. Easy "instructions" help to schedule chores & to delegate the easy-to-do ones to the children. this book was such a help to point me in the right direction & I highly recommend it.
