TV's Peter Walsh On Clutter
Clean Sweep Lead Looks at the Psychological Reasons For Messiness
In his new book, "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" Peter Walsh explores the psychological reasons behind the clutter compulsion.
In his years of de-cluttering families across the nation as the lead organizer on the TV show, "Clean Sweep," Peter Walsh began to notice a surprising tend-- as people did away with their old items, old behaviors were also done away with; Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? is Walsh's attempt to explain the connection and to offer a solution for readers who are looking for a life change that involves both their home and their health.
How To Rid Clutter From Your Life
In the introduction Peter Walsh states, "This is a book about the clutter around you and the clutter inside you that prevents you from living the life you want and being the person you wish to be." Rather than being a book strictly expounding on the virtues of protein and vilifying carbs, this book discusses the environmental factors that cause poor eating habits and offers practical advise to analyze your clutter and rid it from your house.
The book and the concept behind it were recently highlighted on "Oprah," where Walsh took one family through the process of de-cluttering their homes and lives. Walsh says, "I believe that the secret to successfully losing weight is to forget about calorie counting and weekly weigh-ins. Instead, you need to focus on how, why and where you eat. When it comes to clearing clutter (the fat in our homes) it isn't about the stuff itself, its about the life you want to live. The same is true for losing weight: its not about the pounds."
The Process
Walsh feels that often the reason that families eat food that is unhealthy is because their cooking and eating environment is not conducive to preparing healthy meals or eating in a healthy manner. One of Walsh’s quick tricks to understand the amount of cooking supplies in ones’ house that are un-necessary is an easily replicable task. Simply take all of your cooking utensils and place them in a box. As you use each item, replace them in the drawer they came from. After a week, each item that has not been used is likely an unnecessary tool that is cluttering your drawer and impeding the workflow of your home. This idea can be easily taken into other areas of your home and life.
Once your home is free of all of the excess tools, papers and other items taking up space then it is easier to create meals that are healthy and will encourage families to eat together rather than around the television. It is Walsh’s hope that readers of “Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Big?” will find themselves eating less fast food, and spending more time and thought on what is preventing them from living fully.
Published by:Free Press (February 5, 2008)
ISBN:1416560165
