Ah, summer. We love it because it means warmer temps, pool lounging, bbq, and vacations. The pace of life slows down a bit, and what better time is there to relax with a great book?
Our team was ready to read this summer, but we weren’t diving into just any old books. Of course, we had to choose books about our passions: decluttering, home organization, tidying, and minimalism (to name a few)!
Today, our team members are sharing their thoughts on the books they chose. We hope one of them catches your eye and inspires you to learn more!
Sara || Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston
I read this book at the very beginning of my organizing career. Reading it again 5 years later, I see I still value and use her principles just as much, if not more, than when I first read it. This book speaks less about how to organize and more about how organizing affects you. If Feng Shui makes you queasy, don’t worry — it’s not Feng Shui heavy, though you’ll find a basic explanation here. She focuses mostly on clutter; what it is (sticky and stagnant), why it exists (hello, therapy!), and what you can expect when you deal with it (good news: results are *very practical*). This book is great for anyone who’s curious about getting to the bottom of their clutter struggles. As Karen says, “What I am teaching in this book is a new approach — sorting out your life by sorting out your junk.”
Tarah || Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
This book title caught my eye because, while I’m very organized, clutter tends to be a problem for me. In this book, the author really breaks down the symptoms leading up to clutter as well as the mindset that gets us there. If you are someone with a lot of stuff, this book is for you!
Dana really drives home the importance of only having as much stuff as the container can hold, i.e. your dresser, cupboards, drawers, most importantly, your house. If your stuff doesn’t fit, it’s time to get rid of some things. It has helped me to purge and get my space to a place where I feel de-cluttered and in control. I would highly recommend this quick and easy read!
Megan || The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker
I read Joshua Becker’s first book, The More of Less, and really enjoyed it. So, I was excited to read his next book, The Minimalist Home. In this book, Becker continues to describe the many benefits of minimalism. I like that he debunks the thought that being a minimalist means you have to live in a house with white walls with no decorations and small uncomfortable furniture. He says minimalism can be very individualistic and doesn’t mean you have to change your decorating style or look. It’s just about getting rid of the excess stuff that you don’t need. This book lays out a very practical room by room guide to doing just that. I love that he has different advice for the kitchen than he does for the bathroom, etc. Becker says this whole process will help us become content with our homes and lead to more fulfilled lives. He goes as far as to say that there is a kind of “magic” that happens when people “right size” the quantity of their possessions. When we can use the time and energy that we would normally have to spend on managing our stuff doing the things we really want for our lives, we can experience more fulfilled lives. I used Becker’s guide to do a great deal of decluttering in my own home and am greatly enjoying the benefits. I highly recommend this practical guide to pairing down your stuff and exploring a minimalistic lifestyle.
Breanna || The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less by Christine Platt
I’ve been following Christine Platt on Instagram for a while, and I started my own journey of living with less more than a decade ago. I was so excited to learn more about Christine’s perspective, how she became the Afrominimalist, and what minimalism means to her. I also really appreciate her kind and practical approach to dealing with clutter (aka stuff you don’t need, use, and love!). When it comes to our consumer habits, she focuses first on acknowledgment and forgiveness so that we’re more likely to make sustainable changes. This book is a wonderful guide for anyone who is thinking about living more authentically with less stuff and more intention!
Sarah || The Paper Solution by Lisa Woodruff
Dealing with paper can be really challenging. Whether it’s your own papers or papers that belonged to a loved one, we’re all confronted with the difficult task of deciding what to do with piles of paper at some point in our lives. In her book, The Paper Solution, Lisa Woodruff offers a step-by-step guide on how to transform the way you deal with all the papers that enter your home (spoiler alert: it’s not a filing cabinet!). Lisa covers what to keep, what to shred, and offers practical solutions for short term/“active” papers and long term files. My favorite thing about this book is that is so detailed and leaves nothing out, yet it’s easy to follow and understand. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone drowning in paper!