The Organizing Bible?

Julie Morgenstern is widely considered to be an organizing authority.  She founded and runs a professional organizing company serving both individuals and companies, and her stellar work has made her a regular on the morning show circuit, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America.  She is a sought-after speaker on organizing and time management, and an author of multiple books on organizing.  So of course, I had to read the book that first made her famous as an author: Organizing From The Inside Out.

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Morgenstern’s system is simple, logical, and not difficult to follow.  She spends the entire second section of the book laying out her system step by step, so that when she moves on to practical applications you’re already well versed in her terminology and tactics.  And of course, she counsels purging first before purchasing organizing tools – an organizer after my own heart!

Unlike Melanie Charlton, who is renowned for her closet organizing, Julie Morgenstern takes a more holistic view of organizing and focuses more on functionality than form (although she wisely counsels to make sure that your organizational solutions match your personal aesthetic).  And unlike Marie Kondo, who advises ruthless purging, Morgenstern’s strategy is more accommodating of multiple household members with different organizing priorities as well as a greater desire for memorabilia and long term storage.

The major drawback of Organizing From The Inside Out is that it’s a long, dense read.  I’m a fast reader, and it probably took me 4-5 hours to get through with some skimming.  There’s also quite a bit of repetition, which works if you’re really trying to drum this stuff into your head, but gets a bit dull for the casual reader.

I’d recommend you read Morgenstern’s book if you:

·      Intend to do a major reorganization of a large part of your home

·      are committed to completing your project without the help of a professional organizer

·      enjoy fully researching things before you dive in, and usually annotate as you go

·      like to have a complete grasp of subject matter

On the other hand, pass on her book and perhaps skim some articles from her website if:

·      you’re short on time

·      you’re just looking for a few quick organizing tips

·      you tend to have a short attention span

Either way, check out Julie Morgenstern's website for more about her company and career!

LMW