Clutter Busting

Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer (2009) 219 pages

Clutter Busting is yet another good book on letting go of all the things that one does not need. Palmer emphasizes enjoying now and not living in the past. He tells us we don't need to have more things to be better. Indeed, it's all the stuff we have that keeps us from being happy. To this point, Palmer shares interactions he has had with several clients.

Palmer delves into the psychological aspects of why we collect stuff as much as he gets into making decisions on what to get rid of. There's a nice five-page "Summary of Clutter-Busting Principles" at the end of the book that sums up his methods nicely.

New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living (2018) 195 pages

New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living by Cary Telander Fortin and Kyle Louise Quilici

I am always on the lookout for books to help me declutter my home and turn it into the kind of tranquil oasis I dream about. This book has done more to make me feel that I could be within reach of that goal than any other book of its kind so far.

The authors share their own backgrounds, and how they met and found their synergy. Fortin has a degree in psychology and Quilici has a degree in organizational behavior, with extra studies in interior design and sustainable design. The first part of the book goes into their philosophy of decluttering (bridging a middle path between "less is better" and "our consumer-based lifestyle [which] constricts us and harms our planet"), helping us find our own path, rather than using some formula that dictates how many dishes or bath towels we should own. The second part of the book shows us how to put their ideas into action. I'll be studying this book!