I am no stranger to the "get rid of all your stuff" book genre. I mean that with a grain of salt (you can't literally get rid of all your stuff - public nudity is generally frowned upon and especially a bad idea in the snow) but I have read many books about simplifying possessions and realizing where you can live with less.
We have greatly simplified the number of items we own over the last ~6 years, although maybe not because we've certainly added clothes for the boys, toys (the number of Legos alone), and essentials (car seats, school backpack, etc.). BUT, overall I'd say our house has fewer things than it did at the beginning of our marriage. I didn't grow up in a home that was extreme either way - certainly not minimalist but not hoarding either.
I know I think and process better when my spaces are clear and reasonably neat. I don't like nagging tasks or nagging items sitting around to be dealt with. I don't like spending money on things I'll be donating within a year and I don't like filling up landfills. I am intrigued by real minimalist and am always looking for things to get rid of. I would expect to get tired of reading books with the same general thoughts and principles at some point but now I'm many years in, read a couple dozen, and I still eagerly pick up another. I like any book that makes me feel better and encourages me to get rid of the excess.
I'm still finishing up the whole house purge I started in January, my second annual one. It's amazing at how much I can find a year after I just did this! This month I read two books about this simplifying and both have given me a few new things to think about. I could probably find more to get rid of now!
First up was Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene & Stress-Free Life by Francine Jay. I had read her first book, The Joy of Less, many years ago! This book focused on living more lightly: fewer possessions, keeping organized what you do have, sending less to landfills, and keeping your schedule fairly clear. She starts by going over techniques - her process for sorting through your things. How to do it, what to do with all the things you've decided you no longer need. Then she talks about how to deal with specific categories: work clothes, gifts, kitchen items, books, sentimental items, etc. There's a section just on underwear and another just on flatware. She gets specific.
Then it's onto reducing what you are throwing away - buying quality items that will last, using green cleaning products, and generally not using more resources than necessary. Almost everyone I know will tell you I am obsessive about recycling and I'm really trying to extend that to just throwing things away in general. We still generate trash, obviously, but I'm really trying to make it less. And this section really spelled out why that's so important. I mean, have you seen Wall-E? It could happen.
I don't think I'm the intended audience for the "keeping your schedule" clear part because I do a pretty good job of that already! I say this not in an "I'm an expert at this" way but more "I like being home and try to be here as much as possible" way. (My sister told me she considered herself an introvert and then she talks to me and how much I like being home and that makes me rethink if she really is one.) BUT, there is more to it than that, it's also unplugging (another favorite topic of mine) and really savoring the contacts you do have: meaningful conversations with your spouse, kids, parents, etc. Not just keeping your schedule clear but also making the time you are with others mean more.
This was a short book (250 pages) with many little sections which made for perfect picking up and putting down (my ideal read for school pick-up line). I already agreed with pretty much everything she said; I don't need major convincing to go through my possessions. But it did give me another way to look at what we have and what we do. It was refreshing.
The second related book I read was Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen Rubin. I've read all of Gretchen's happiness books (and just recommended some of them in January) and I like her thinking on habits and how to make yourself happier. I've been listening to her podcast for a couple of years so I was going to read this book.
This one is more just a lot of little antidotes and advice, usually just a page each, on ways to clears your clutter and make better use of your space and time. Lightly was easy to pick up and put down but this one was even easier. It maybe only took 90 minutes to read the whole thing (again, a decent chunk in the pick-up line over a few days) but there are many worthwhile tidbits.
She is where I first heard "don't put off anything that takes less than a minute" tip and it really has made a difference in how ordered our house is. The book is filled with little "hacks" like that, just little things that make you think "maybe I could do that a little differently to save myself some work/stress".
I know "Outer Order, Inner Calm" is certainly true for me and probably is for most of us. But having a super organized home and minimalism definitely isn't for everyone. She's not trying to enforce her way of dealing with these things on you, but rather gives many suggestions of things to do that can help your life be a little more ordered. She talks about knowing yourself better, how to figure out what works best for you and your family. It's one of her favorite topics and has made me rethink some things that I didn't ever consider needing rethought!
This book didn't radically change my thinking in anyway but did give me many new things to think about, processes to consider modifying, and habits to implement. Our house has gotten slightly more ordered since I read this and I always appreciate that!
Spring is prime time to be thinking about simplifying not just belongings but also habits and how your household works. I wouldn't read these books back to back, you need a little time for one to set in before starting another!, but they are excellent starting points to getting things a little more tidied up, a little easier to handle, and keeping on good routines and habits. Don't we all want to live lighter and have more inner calm?
Lightly
Goodreads | Amazon
Outer Order, Inner Calm
Goodreads | Amazon
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