Clutterers Anonymous

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Clutterers Anonymous (CLA) is a twelve-step program for people who share a common problem with accumulation of clutter. CLA says that it focuses on the underlying issues made manifest by unnecessary physical and emotional clutter, rather than hints, tips and lectures. [1] CLA had active meetings in about 70 cities in 24 states in the US, and several in England, Germany, and Iceland, as of 2011. [2] [3] CLA Tradition 3 states, "The only requirement for CLA membership is a desire to stop cluttering." [2] [4] Clutterers Anonymous replaces "powerless over alcohol" in the First Step of the Twelve Steps originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with "powerless over our clutter." [5] CLA was founded in May 1989 in Simi Valley, California. [4] Some members of CLA describe the inability to let go of objects as a consequence of spiritual emptiness. [4]

Contents

CLA-approved literature

The CLA-approved literature includes the two fundamental texts of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Alcoholics Anonymous [6] (the so-called "Big Book") and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions [7] eight CLA-specific leaflets, and a 28-page booklet, "Is CLA for You? A Newcomer's Guide to Recovery. [8] At some meetings, CLA members read directly from both books and may replace the word "alcoholic" with "clutterer." [9]

Clutterers Anonymous is not associated with Messies Anonymous, a support group founded by Sandra Felton, which uses her copyrighted publications. [10]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "What CLA Offers". Clutterers Anonymous. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
  2. 1 2 http://www.clutterersanonymous.org Clutterers Anonymous
  3. ↑ Morford, Mark (2005-11-04). "Clutter cure begins with garbage bag". San Francisco Chronicle . Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  4. 1 2 3 Randazzo, Angela (1999-10-01). "Help Clearing Clutter is a Call Away". Los Angeles Daily News . Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  5. ↑ Nazario, Sonia (1999-08-08). "Self-help: We can't help it". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  6. ↑ Alcoholics Anonymous (1976). Alcoholics Anonymous . Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN   0-916856-59-3. OCLC   32014950.
  7. ↑ Alcoholics Anonymous (2002). Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Hazelden. ISBN   0-916856-01-1. OCLC   13572433.
  8. ↑ Clutterers Anonymous
  9. ↑ LaPeter, Lenora (2004-03-15). "12 steps lead to a support group for every human flaw". St. Petersburg Times . Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  10. ↑ Boodman, Sandra G. (2002-12-12). "The Hidden World of Hoarders; Those who suffer from this little-understood psychological problem distress families, confound therapists and frustrate public authorities". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
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