AWRW Book Review: How To Be A Happy Slob: A Manifesto For Those Who Don’t Aspire To Perfection, by Author Anne Kelleher @AKelleherAuthor

Novelist, mother, grandmother and psychic medium, Annie Kelleher has been a happy and productive slob for over 35 years. Here, she shares her tips and techniques for keeping your house while keeping your sanity, as well as making time for the things you love – and want to love – to do. Annie’s first novel was chosen to be part of Warner Aspect’s inaugural releases, and she’s gone on to publish over thirty titles with both traditional and small presses. She became a true hybrid author with the release of her collection of short stories, Free to Good Home. How to be a Happy Slob is Annie’s first non-fiction title.

Kindle Edition, 25 pages

Published April 23rd 2016 by Pond House Press

Genre: Self Help, How-To, Home Improvement

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Photo Credit: April L Wood

So why would someone like me, the self-appointed ‘domestic goddess extraordinaire’, (who color codes her books (see above) and her clothes), read a manifesto to embrace my inner ‘slob’? (Oh, it just makes my skin crawl to think of it!)

Because I need to learn how to let go.

I need to learn how to not feel anxious when I look at the book cover for How To Be A Happy Slob – I seriously want to organize everything in that room (on the photo).

And because I’m a huge fan of Anne Kelleher’s fiction writing, so I wanted to give her first non-fiction a shot.

And I’m glad I did. 🙂

Truly, the cover and title are incredibly misleading, because Anne Kelleher advocates balance and a happy medium, stressing the concepts of “enough” and organization. She also offers tips for those who have children and pets, and how to keep their toys, etc under control. I also gained a better understanding of myself, because Annie claims that messes nag at creative people. – YES, YES, and YES. Annie gets me!

This book does not encourage one to hoard items and throw out your vacuum cleaner. Rather, it teaches setting limits and boundaries, identifying your weaknesses, and divisions of labor, as well as other informative information.

I always thought my obsessive organization and need to get things done, (before I dare even think about relaxing), was a symptom of OCD. Turns out, I was diagnosed as manic bipolar. So all that running around cleaning/organizing/ripping plants out of the ground and rearranging my gardens/color coding items/random pantry reorganization at 2 am/random bookshelf reorganization at 3 am, was my (manic) mind giving myself something to do so that I don’t jump out of my skin, (as opposed to stifling anxiety with compulsive behavior – OCD).

And yes, I’m one of those kind of people who make you take off your shoes when you enter my house. (Unless you have a physical disability and taking off your shoes is like a big Olympic event – I’m not a monster!)

I also feel more under control of my life when my house and yard look good. If my house is a mess, I feel like I’m a mess. Cleaning is my way of controlling things when my mind feels out of control (manic). Reading this self-help book, How To Be A Happy Slob,  gave me a lot to think about. Perhaps I should just let go. After all, I want people to remember me for my books and my writing, not my shiny oak floors and superb decorating skills.

I will leave you with the following quote. It made me laugh and I hope it will make you smile, too!

“I don’t clean my house for medical procedures. I clean my house to keep myself and my family healthy and to maintain my own personal standard of comfort.”

E-Copy provided in exchange for a fair, honest, and thoughtful book review. This in no way swayed my opinion, nor rating.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

From the Author

“I’m the author of over thirty titles and the mother of four, as well a psychic medium with a national clientele.  I didn’t get to be any of those things with organized closets, neatly folded drawers or a basement that brought me joy.  I wrote this little book for all the people who think that they have to get organized, decluttered and deep cleaned before they start to do the things they want to do, and all the people who feel guilty because their housekeeping standards aren’t quite up to what they “should” be.”