I have too much stuff; this kind of book always draws me in. Author Matt Paxton, who has a business emptying houses, also has a presence on television, with an A&E series called Hoarders and a show on PBS called Legacy List with Matt Paxton. He tells stories of real people he has helped, starting with his own when he was a young man tasked with cleaning out his father's and grandparents' homes. He thinks it's critical for us to tell the stories of why we have trouble letting a particular item go, and he believes that if we can tell the story of what it means to us, then it will be easier to give the item away.
In addition to the psychological aspects to decluttering or preparing to move, he also has many practical guidebook-type suggestions on how to start and what to do with the things that we're relinquishing. He also tells us what supplies and precautions we should take when physically cleaning a house. The book has a resource section at the end, along with a thorough index.
The section I need most is his section on dealing with documents and photographs. He thinks we should be able to pare away 80-90% of our photos. He also suggests using digital photo managers and making sure to back up anything that we digitize.
I liked the way the author's own story, and those of several of his clients, were woven into this helpful guide.
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