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8 of the Best Books on Decluttering

Jon Fesmire | May 6, 2021 @ 10:14 AM

When you plan to get a self storage unit, move, or just get your place clean and organized, the first step is decluttering. You don’t have to be a minimalist, someone who lives with just the essentials, but we all wind up with more than we need. Things we used to enjoy get set aside for new things, our hobbies and interests shift, and yet the old stuff remains, taking up space.

Wherever you fall on the clutter to minimalist spectrum, keep in mind that less is more. Less clutter means more space, more enjoyment of the things you have, and more peace of mind.

There are various approaches to decluttering, so we’ve picked our eight favorite books on the topic.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō

This book belongs on the top of every book organizing list. The KonMari method covered in this book encourages you to go through all your stuff and get rid of things that don’t bring joy to your life. The book is so popular there’s even a Netflix show based on it, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

This method isn’t for everyone. There may be ideas you disagree with, or that won’t work for you. Then again, you might find Marie Kondo’s transformative method exactly what you need to simplify your life and transform your home.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson

There’s a title that will get your attention!

The idea behind döstädning, Swedish for “death cleaning,” is to treat your decluttering as though you’re going through the things of someone who’s passed away. It may sound morbid, but it’s meant to help you focus on what you really don’t need so you can clear it out.

If someone you love has passed away, you’ll want to keep their old photographs and other nostalgic items. This method helps you do this for yourself. The things you need, or very much want, like a certain set of dishes or your newer clothes, will also stand out.

The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Here’s another book so popular it got its own Netflix show. The book and the show it inspired, Get Organized with The Home Edit, help you not only declutter, but arrange what you keep as well.

The photographs in the book will inspire you, and the tips will guide you through the process. They cover labeling items, categorizing by color, and much more.

Start with Your Sock Drawer: The Simple Guide to Living a Less Cluttered Life by Vicky Silverthorn

We like how the title of this book quickly gets to the heart of how to declutter from the very first step. You have to start somewhere and don’t overwhelm yourself.

A cluttered house is intimidating. Instead of trying to do everything at once, focus on one task at a time.

This book helps you pick minor tasks. You start small and then progressively move on to larger parts of the house. The methods in this book will allow you to clean at a comfortable pace and before you know it, you’ll have transformed your home.

Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. White

This book is all about getting rid of clutter for good by changing your mindset with tackling a messy home. We all know that it’s hard to maintain a cluttered house or apartment. Just thinking about it can bring up stress. So, in this book, author Dana White helps change the way you think about decluttering and organizing.

The idea is to look at the act of decluttering in a positive light. White offers practical steps for decluttering and dealing with emotional resistance. Even with our best efforts, over time, we end up with new clutter. With this book, you’ll learn how to make decluttering easier.

New Order: A Decluttering Handbook for Creative Folks (and Everyone Else) by Fay Wolf

Thinking back on times you’ve cleaned and decluttered, have you ever felt creative? If so, it’s an exciting feeling. You suddenly see the possibilities of how you can organize what you have in a functional and stylish way. That’s what New Order: A Decluttering Workbook for Creative Folks is about.

This book gives simple rules for freeing up your space and building new habits. You’ll use to-do lists, arrange your space to maximise your creativity, and even clear out your digital and social media clutter.

Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter: Simplify Your Life One Minute at a Time by Erin Rooney Doland

When was the last time you looked at a messy area of your home and said to yourself, “I’ll clean this tomorrow.” It’s easy to put off even a relatively simple task, like cleaning a kitchen counter or one shelf in a closet.

This book encourages you to clean a little at a time in your spare moments. Maybe you can’t make a sizable chunk of time to clean today. That’s Okay. Erin Rooney Doland says that even if you have a single minute, you can get something done. In time, those small chunks of time add up.

To help, she offers many tips, including checklists, quizzes, and weekend projects.

Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff by Myquillyn Smith

What should you focus on when decluttering your home and working toward a minimalist lifestyle? Author Myquillyn Smith suggests you see yourself as the curator of your home, bringing in things that will add value to your life. She encourages you to always think before you buy something so you can create a clean, happy home.

Cozy Minimalist Home is the book to turn to after you’ve decluttered and you want to maintain your place while saving money.

Even after you’ve finished decluttering and organizing your home, you may find that you have extra stuff you don’t use all the time.

That’s where self storage excels.

A storage unit is ideal for your off-season wardrobe or sports gear, your stuff in the summer if you’re a college student, your overstock business inventory, and more. Check our listings for great deals in your area.

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