The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify - Updated and Revised (Minimalism Books, Home Organization Books, Decluttering Books House Cleaning Books)
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Friday, Oct 23
Format: Hardcover
Description
"An inspiring read for anyone wanting to downsize, finally park the car in the garage, or just clear out a few closets." —Rachel Jonat,Having less stuff is the key to happiness: Do you ever feel overwhelmed, instead of overjoyed, by all your possessions? Do you secretly wish a gale force wind would blow the clutter from your home? If so, it's time to simplify your life! The Joy of Less is a fun, lighthearted guide to minimalist living: Part One provides an inspirational pep talk on the joys and rewards of paring down.Part Two presents the STREAMLINE method: ten easy steps to rid your house of clutter.Part Three goes room by room, outlining specific ways to tackle each one.Part Four helps you get your family on board and live more lightly and gracefully on the earth.Ready to sweep away the clutter? Just open this book, and you'll be on your way to a simpler, more streamlined, and more serene life. Francine has helped hundreds of thousands of people declutter their homes and simplify their lives with her bestselling book, The Joy of Less. Her advice has been featured widely in the media, including on CNN, BBC, Today, and in The New York Times, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, The Financial Times, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Le Parisien, ELLE Espana, House Beautiful, Woman's World, Dr. Oz The Good Life, and others. The Joy of Less, a beautiful minimalism book, makes an ideal gift for any loved one on a mission to simplify their life. Read more
Publisher : Chronicle Books
Publication date : April 26, 2016
Language : English
Print length : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 1452155186
ISBN-13 : 80
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 6.63 x 1 x 8.38 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #78,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #169 in Home Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating
#169 in Home Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating:
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
I use to really struggle with keeping my house remotely clean. I tried FLY Lady and various apps and making a cleaning schedule but nothing helped. Then one day I was browsing a used bookstore and stumbled upon The Joy of Less by Francine Jay and it was exactly what I needed. It's about minimalism, but not rigid "100 items" minimalism. It's about having *enough*. What's enough for one person will look different than what's enough for another. Like a gourmet chef's "enough" in the kitchen will look different than the "enough" of a single guy who eats take-out all week. I have a lending library, so my "enough" looks different than someone who relies on an e-reader. The point is to have your needs and wants met but not to excess. Every book I own deserves its spot on my shelf, and I do cull my collection regularly because books do still sneak in. (That is the nature of books, haha) It's also about the value of space. If your table is full of clutter then you first have to clear it off before starting a project. That could deter you from getting started in the first place. But if your table is clear, if you have that *space*, you could start a project on a whim. Doesn't that sound like a more enjoyable way to live? Plus space just plain feels better. Clutter clogs the air flow but when the space is clear it's easier to breathe and there's less weighing on your mind. It's more relaxing. Spas aren't cluttered for a reason ;) The book also helps you reframe your relationship to your stuff. It makes you be honest about why you're hosting this stuff. Is your stuff serving you or are you serving it? Is your stuff worth the time and hassle of its upkeep, of maintaining it, of putting it away? Does it deserve the space it occupies? Where did it even come from? The book helps you deal with gifts and freebies and sentimental items and back-up items (if your coffee machine breaks are you really going to get and use your old one from the garage or go buy a new one?). It helps you evaluate every item. The book has practical suggestions on how to downsize too. For example, take items out of "their spot" when you're evaluating them. Like items in a junk drawer, they might trick you into thinking that they belong in that drawer because that's where they always are. But if you dump the drawer out to go through the contents, suddenly you realize that you don't need or want those seventeen ink pens that you never use. Empty your closet to go through your wardrobe, take books off the shelf, empty your pantry. Also in the book is how to keep the clutter from building up again. Be a gatekeeper, don't let new things in without an interview. Try the "one in, one out" rule. Don't accept freebies at conferences (yay... an advertising magnet, thaaanks....). The last chapters walk you through decluttering room by room. Do you really want all those expired cosmetics in your bathroom? What's that stuff in the back of your closet? The author wrote the book before she became a mother (she has one child last I heard - she has a blog, that's how I know), so her advice on kids' clutter is... well she wrote it before becoming a mom ;) One piece of advice is to ask for experiences vs things for their gifts. For example, my daughter is receiving ballet classes for her birthday. Her physical gift will be ballet shoes. That's from my parents. I'm giving her new pajamas (the girl loves pajamas, and she has a lot of sleepovers). The craft at her party will be an art project to decorate her new bedroom. It'll be made with love and will remind her of her friends AND it's useful (because being beautiful IS a use). I get my kids involved in downsizing their possessions regularly too, but I never force it. I gently guide them and every decision about their stuff is theirs to make. We make it fun and they feel good about donating their things for other kids. I have a friend who said she's impressed by how little stuff we have. We haven't always been this way! Our walls use to be lined in furniture and clutter. Our closets were packed with clothes we never wore. The playroom was insane!!! We still have more than I'd like to have (that happens when you have three kids), but our house feels way better and is so much easier to maintain now. It's a constant effort though. Stuff still sneaks in, and if a clutter pile forms it can get out of hand (clutter attracts clutter. It does). Anyway, this book helped us improve our quality of life. We're sacrificing much less time to fussing with our stuff now that we have less stuff. And I don't miss the stuff! I now see stuff as a burden to an extent. We use to stop at a thrift store weekly and buy random crap. Now it's been months since we've been to one, and even then we went with a purpose! OH! And now that we have less stuff I no longer fail at housekeeping. I didn't need FLY Lady, I didn't need a cleaning schedule. I needed less stuff. That's it. Now it's easy and enjoyable to maintain my home. I just put a little bit away and suddenly my home is peaceful and serene. BTW, this book has earned a permanent spot on my shelf. I re-read it sometimes when our clutter starts sneaking back in. I loan it to others. It very much deserves the space which it occupies!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2014 by Molly
Format: Hardcover
I have been on a simplicity journey for a little over 15 years now, and a JOURNEY it is! Even though I am a strong believer in minimization and getting rid of the "stuff" in our lives, I still find myself needing a boost now and then (especially around the holidays). I picked this book up from the library - which is in line with wanting fewer material possessions - at the end of the year and found myself enjoying it immensely. The book is divided into four parts: 1 - Philosophy 2 - STREAMLINE 3 - Room by Room 4 - Lifestyle Part 1 addresses what the philosophy is behind minimalism. Seeing our material possessions for what they are, less stuff = less stress, less stuff = more freedom, etc. It is the 'why'. Parts 2 and 3 address the overall 'how' as well as a room by room approach for reducing our stuff. Part 4 addresses topics such as how to get our families to to embark on this same journey (including children) and then talks about how consuming less is helpful for the environment and how to be a thoughtful consumer of what we do chose to purchase. I found this to be an excellent book as it is so comprehensive. Not just a motivational book on why this is a good idea but it also includes a concrete, step-by-step guide on how to actually do it. The author also spends quite a bit of time addressing the need for maintenance and vigilance against slowly allowing the old habits to return which will result in finding yourself back in the same place you started. Some of the ideas you will find elsewhere, which is fine for me as hearing good ideas multiple times is helpful. If it's good to know, it bears repeating. The way the book is formatted allows the reader to go from beginning to end as well as to easily go back to specific topics for reference or clarification. If you are only going to own a single book on this topic, this is one of a handful I would highly recommend. Note: If you are an e-book reader, this book would be fine in that format (and no physical clutter added). As I said at the beginning, I have been working on this for over 15 years and still am not where I would like to be. However, we are moving sometime this year from our larger home to a condo that has 1/3 the current square footage and I don't know that we would be able to do that had I not started this eons ago. Books that proclaim "organize your home/life in a weekend' or 'one month to simplify your life' are often not that helpful in my opinion unless you are really ready to be draconian in your process and that can be difficult to do. In my experience, it takes time and dedication and this book is the perfect guide.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017 by Holly
Format: Audiobook
I have a problem with clutter. Not to hoarder levels, but I’m definitely a collector of: - Shelves upon shelves of unread books. - Plastic bins full of yarn, shoved in a closet. - Clothes that are put away but which I never wear. - Boxes upon boxes of shoes, despite the fact that I wear the same two pairs of shoes every week. - So. Many. Books. When it first hit the bestseller list, I read Marie Kondo’s treatise on sparking joy, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Did I agree with all of her ideas? Definitely not. I refused to dump all of my clothes in one big pile, handling them one by one. I did go through my closet and drawers and donate/trash a bunch of items, however. Did I ask myself if each item “sparked joy”? Not necessarily. But I got real with myself and decided what was worth keeping or not. I also refused to thank the items I was letting go of prior to them leaving the house—I just didn’t see the point of personifying my stinky old shoes that way, but hey, whatever works for people, right? The problem with becoming clutter-free is that it’s an ongoing process and that’s the part I have trouble with: keeping up with it. Keeping things tidy. The process. Try as I might, I struggle with “collecting” a little too enthusiastically and find myself needing to purge every few months when my book stash reaches critical mass (along with my other collections). I ran across Francine Jay’s book, Lightly, when it was the Audible Daily Deal recently. I saw that she had another book, The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify. Unlike Kondo’s book, Jay’s book seemed more straightforward and practical, so I bought the audiobook, put in my earbuds, and got to work. I don’t know if I was just in the perfect mood to declutter or if the book is solely responsible, but I decluttered SO much while I listened to this book. I’m talking three trash bags full of clothes and shoes for donation, not to mention A LOT of books (six bankers boxes worth). Plus a bag or two of things that just needed to be recycled or thrown away. As with Kondo’s method, I haven’t put everything in Jay’s book to practice. Jay emphasizes the importance of putting things away immediately after you’ve used them, rather than leaving them out. For example, not having a lot of random things on the coffee table or nightstand all the time. For me, that doesn’t quite work, because too often out of sight equals out of mind, which means if everything is put away I forget that certain things are there to begin with. But I get the concept and it’s part of that process I’ve always struggled with. I can definitely put certain things away immediately (dishes, clothes, mail) but my books are pretty non-negotiable in terms of being out in each room. Something else I love about Jay’s method is the idea of having a place for everything. Before, our mail would sit on the dining room table, piling up, when most of it was junk that could be recycled immediately anyway. It even got to the point where we had so much clutter on the dining room table that we stopped using it for its intended purpose. Now, the mail gets dealt with every day and the table is clear. We use it as an actual table again! For sitting at! And having meals on! What a concept! And any mail that needs to be looked at more closely or dealt with later goes in a small basket. Just thinking about that tidy basket versus the table, previously covered in junk, gives me joy. I still have a ton of work to do—while the closet is tidier, it’s not as clear as I’d like it to be. Next up are my plastic bins of knitwear, purses/bags, and who knows what else. I also have a second closet that’s stuffed with yarn I never use and things I’ve held onto for a decade or longer…but why? Just to sit in a dark closet? I cannot wait to tackle that space next. I’m not sure if the full minimalist lifestyle is for me. Jay, the self-proclaimed Miss Minimalist, shares that she and her husband live in a sparsely furnished bedroom. That’s fine for some, but personally I like having a big, comfy bed and lots of storage for clothes that I do actually wear. All this being said, Jay’s book really resonated with me because I love the idea of having fewer things with the intention of creating more space. There’s something freeing about that concept. My challenge is to resist the urge to fill that new space with more random stuff, but like I said—it’s a process. And the things that are worth keeping are the ones that are truly meaningful to me, which means that when I look around, I see things that—dare I say it?—spark joy, rather than panic or stress.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2019 by T. A.
Format: Paperback
While I have always thought of myself as being "organized", I still find myself looking for items I have misplaced, which is one of the reasons I bought this book (Kindle version). It did not disappoint. "The Joy of Less" is organized into 4 parts: Part One is on Philosophy, Part Two covers the STREAMLINE method with practical steps for putting the minimalist mindset into practice, Part Three goes into Room by Room suggestions, and Part Four offers some Lifestyle comments and thoughts. Part One made me realize that my attempts at organization are being sabotaged by the "stuff" in our house, and that I will never get organized until I declutter. The author made me aware that all this stuff is an emotional drain, and that for me to truly enjoy my house and reduce my stress level, I must pare my possessions down to a manageable level. I like that she does not have rigid ideas, and recognizes that what is "enough" for one person may not be the same as for another person. In Part Two, the author gives specific tools, steps and ideas for getting started. The chapter on Modules, a valuable organizational technique that helps achieve minimalist goals, is extremely helpful. I've already begun the Trash, Treasure or Transfer process, and I am feeling better already. The book made me think about things that should have been obvious to me but weren't -- real slap-the-head moments! I will give an example. We keep our photograph albums in a cabinet in our Great Room, while hobby-related items are strewn all over the house. We rarely look at the albums, but I do use the hobby-related items, so I am transferring the photo albums to the basement (ultimately for digitalizing, another one of her suggestions), to make room for the hobby items so that they will be handy. Why didn't I think of that before? I don't know, but I'm glad she pointed it out to me! In Part Three, she goes room-by-room and makes suggestions. I particularly liked her thoughts about the bedroom area. Specifically, if it does not relate to sleeping or dressing, it does not belong in the bedroom. After reading that, I immediately moved a stack of magazines from the bedside table to another room, and I honestly think I am sleeping better now! It doesn't mean I don't still read in bed, but now I take only what I'm currently reading into the bedroom. She ends Part Three with a discussion of gifts, heirlooms and sentimental items, which taught me to look at these types of items in a different way. I especially like the suggestions on the Donation Box and "miniaturizing". To summarize, if you are looking for a book to help you declutter your house and your life, get better organized and live simpler, I don't think you could find a better book than this.The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life
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Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2010 by Pam M Atlanta
Format: Paperback
This book is what it is. It's not fantastic literature, it's not a scientific inquiry into the psychology of possession, it's not verbatim compliance requiring instructions on how to live like a buddhist monk. Some reviewers seemed a little confused, so I thought I'd clarify. It's a series of clear and helpful guidelines, with convincing reasoning, to help people get rid of their excess STUFF. The first part covers the "philosophy" of "minimalist living". What it did for me was indicate that simply because I love my dearly departed grandfather, and respect my still living grandmother, does not mean that I have to keep their collection of wine bottles on the off chance that, for the first time in the 10 years since I acquired them, I might ferment up a batch of home made wine. This is obvious to anybody who reads it, but the point is it was not obvious to me until I read the first section in the book. The other "kick in the butt" for me was my horrible "just in case" collections. Because a time could come when I may never be able to buy a regular sized bottle of shampoo, I had to hoard the hotel samples from business trips. Again, written down this is obvious - to everybody but me until now. I also don't have to keep thinks I bought just because I spent money on them, and don't have to keep things I was given out of respect for the givers, and don't have to keep... Really, anything. The "philosophy" section in a way gave me permission to purge, dump, donate, sell all that which does not totally delight me. Purging STUFF from my house does not mean I have less love for the giver, less money in the bank, fewer memories of my past, or fewer opportunities in the future. Thank god. It just means I'll have less STUFF. The second part is a room by room set of guidelines using 10 "steps" (more like ideas) to eliminate clutter, hopefully permanently. She uses the acronym STREAMLINE, which is cute and apt, but I find it hard to remember them all. Though I do like the itemized and very clear guidelines, I'm finding that the inertia alone from the epiphany of the first part is keeping me going on this spring purging. While not all the suggestions will work for everybody, I find the suggestions like to ditch the highschool/college yearbooks fantastic. The problem I've had is that for all my STUFF, the only voices in my life (and head), have said "oh, you have to keep THAT, you can't get rid of THAT, of course not!". This book is a gleaming beacon of light in that dark chorus of packrats (it's easy to require hoarding when it's not your own space that's filling). Purge. Dump. Eliminate. It's ok. The environmental section was all old news to me (live simply that others may simply live? yup), the schedule section was interesting (eliminating clutter in the To Do list is not so that one can accomplish MORE, it's to create completely free time, in which one may just BE - that's very zen, and helpful to me). I would like to warn people - the battle to eliminate stuff is not an instant win, even with such clear directions. The weekend after purchasing and reading (cover to cover) this book, I dove in, hauling away three packed carloads of things to donation, recycle, and sell. Arrived back at the house to find very little visible change. I think once we donate the increasingly empty furniture that used to house the STUFF, it will feel a little better, but that Sunday night was rough. Perusing the philosophy section of the book helped recover the positive momentum though, and the purging continues. For us, this is not a sprint but a distance race, and this book is helping tremendously.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2011 by ejw2010
Format: Hardcover
This item arrived quickly Via Amazon prime. As a long-time minimalist, I've wanted to read this book for some time. The first portion of the book deals with the philosophy of minimalist living. This was personally my favorite section, and I felt that it did an excellent job of explaining the overall benefits and purpose of the lifestyle to people who are not overly familiar with the subject. As the book went on and introduced the STREAMLINE method, it somewhat lost my attention. This (of course) is most likely due to the fact that I have been a minimalist for many years now, and I'm no longer new to the concept. For newcomers to the lifestyle, having a step by step guide for approaching and addressing the clutter in each area of the house is certainly useful. The author does an excellent job of balancing humor and common sense while addressing some rather sticky subjects. Whether it's family heirlooms, holiday traditions, or the overall effect of our spending habits on families and society, this book has it covered. The beautiful thing about is that it's not some moral or political sermon. I never once found myself feeling as though I was being preached to, or being pressed into accepting the political and social values of the author. The only negative I can find with this book personally, is that some of the information becomes repetitive at certain points. There were a few instances where I found sentences and ideas being reused unnecessarily. It wouldn't be an issue, if the sentences didn't seem almost Word for Word copies. This can be quite jarring for a moment, but the author quickly moves on. All things considered, I found it to be a very stirring and satisfying read. Long-time minimalists will still find helpful ideas and information, and those individuals looking to explore a more minimalist lifestyle will find adequate motivation. Most of all, it serves as a reminder that minimalist living is not about depriving yourself and your family of things that are needed and loved. Nor is it about living a poor, bland, sterile and unsatisfying life. It's quite the opposite, actually.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019 by Bare Bones
Format: Paperback
There are lots of books out there on living the minimalist life, but this book is different. It makes you want to run to your kitchen and start throwing out all those silver party trays you've had since you got married but never use. You suddenly feel inspired to get rid of your skinny clothes because the chances of fitting into a size 4 again are pretty slim (yes, pun intended!) I for one could not wait to hit my make-up drawer. I thought I was down-sized with my eleven compacts of eye make-up, five mascaras, 6 tubes of lipstick and various odds n ends that I haven't touched in years much less put on my face. It was so liberating to throw out all those beauty supplies that I will never get around to using. The whole premise of this book is that having less stuff is the key to happiness. I couldn't agree more. The thing I like most about this book is it doesn't just tell you to start purging your possessions willy-nilly but it poses questions to ask yourself about everything that you own. The reader decides what gives their life value not the author. She guides you through the process and you come up with the answers. Contrary to what the status quo would have us believe, having a lot of material possessions does not make us rich. Most of us have way too much stuff but not enough time to enjoy it all. This book is about the power of minimalist living. It's about getting rid of the excess so we can make room for new experiences and the things we truly love. Her musings on how to handle gifts and sentimental items is especially valuable. She reminds us that gifts are symbols of the giver's love. It's the intention of the giver that matters not the gift. Relish the intention and if you don't need it or want it, pass that gift along to someone else who can use it. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was about this book that inspired me to go even deeper in my simplifying journey, but it did. Maybe it's the fact that the author takes the subject seriously but not in a judgmental way. We've all read those books that make you feel like a loser because you can't just tear through your house like a Kansas tornado and rid yourself of all the excess in one quick swoop. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is supportive and kind. Francine Jay is likable and you wish she could personally visit your home and help you go through all your junk. But since she probably can't visit each of us personally, her book is the next best thing.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2010 by Paige
Format: Paperback
I would venture a guess that most people interested in this book know that they are minimalists inside, but don't really know how to be one. If this describes you, then I have no doubt you will enjoy this book. Francine Jay goes into how to cut down on the things you own (i.e. junk) while preserving the memories in digital or minimized form. The mentality throughout the book is to live on only the necessities, while cherishing the empty space that your clutter used to occupy. Ms. Jay then goes into decluttering your home room by room using the STREAMLINE method (STREAMLINE is an acronym that helps you remember a step-by-step process to help you declutter), and concludes with a short portion on helping the environment while being a minimalist. The upsides to this book is that it gives sound advice to decluttering your house, from your home office to your bathrooms. It helps you get in the mindset that you may want to reconsider owning your possessions that only contain sentimental value. Ms. Jay introduces several techniques to decluttering, such as sorting your items into Trash, Treasure, and Transfer piles. Also what I found particularly useful is arranging your necessities into your Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Deep Storage locations. I can honestly say this book turned me from a minimalist who didn't really know what he was doing, into a minimalist who now knows immediately what to do with his belongings. On the downside, some of the advice Ms. Jay gives doesn't really fit everyone's lifestyle. She actually suggests getting rid of your high school yearbook at one point. I don't know about other people, but I believe high school yearbooks are simply irreplaceable. Unless you spend the time scanning every page of your yearbook into digitized form, there is no way I'm letting those things go. In another part of the book, she goes into the joy of flying on trips with just a backpack to experience the feeling of being "light." I'm sure it's great and all, but seeing that I regularly carry a firearm, that probably won't work out so well. Near the end of the book, she then changes her main focus from minimalism to environmentalism. I felt like that portion didn't really belong in the book, as I never really equated minimalism with environmentalism. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. I know firsthand what it's like to be a natural minimalist, but this book gives you the knowledge to become an expert at it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2011 by Eliezer