I've been reading Unclutter Your Life: Transforming your Physical, Mental and Emotional Space by Katherine Gibson for a few weeks now. I picked it up from the library on a whim. I always browse around the 100's (Philosophy and Psychology) because I'm interested in that sort of thing. I saw the title and thought, "Hmmm...I could do with that!" and brought it home with me.
I don't think I'm alone in feeling that I simply have too much stuff. Not just the physical clutter that I suffocate under in my house (and have to move around to vacuum!), but also the "should do" guilty mental clutter. I think in our fast paced lives many of us are quite desperate for some space to just breathe.
I learned two important things while reading this book.
1. This is not the right kind of book to borrow from the library. It's really better to own this kind of book. Why? It's not a book that you read from start to finish. Each chapter deals with a different sort of clutter and has a list of practical actions that help the reader to address that particular issue in their own home and life. This book is therefore more suitable to use as a reference to dip into from time to time as the need arises.
2. I'm not quite in the right place at the moment to deal with the clutter in my life. In order to make real changes in your life and deal with clutter once and for all, you have to make a determined decision to do so. Like quitting smoking, or losing weight, de-cluttering takes commitment and self-discipline, and it must be a high priority in your life. The benefits are great, but it takes work to get there. I've realised that at the moment job-hunting is my main priority beyond my regular daily duties as wife and mother. I don't have the additional time and energy required to undertake de-cluttering right now, especially as this time of year is particularly busy in the run up to Christmas.
I plan to buy this book or a similar one to own at home. That way, when I'm in the right space to undertake this sort of project, I'll have the tools I need to make it work.
How about you? Do you live a life of simplicity? Organised chaos? Just plain chaos?!?
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