Decluttered: Mindful Organizing for Health, Home, and Beyond

by Jenny Albertini

Have you ever wondered why you can't summon the energy to declutter those piles of clothes on the floor? Do you wish you knew what policies your workplace could offer so everyone can think more clearly and feel better at work? Or maybe you've felt confused about which ideas even deserve your attention right now? You're not alone. And if you are ready for a change, this book is for you.

Coming from a public health expert who spent over two decades designing health initiatives around the world, Decluttered is a mindful exploration of how and why clutter manifests in our lives–and what we can do about it. Jenny Albertini invites readers to explore decluttering from personal and empathetic angles while acknowledging how clutter does not only manifest as "stuff" in our homes, but also in our relationships and in our everyday lives.

Blending stories and science with writing prompts and creativity exercises, this book will motivate readers to examine their relationship to their surroundings while reducing clutter for their health, in their homes, in their workplaces, and beyond. Jenny shares her own transformative journey of working in clinics in Africa and training under Marie Kondo, along with inspirational moments with clients from her years as professional organizer.

Decluttered will leave its readers
•Enlightened about underlying health issues related to clutter;
•Aware of what to prioritize for their decluttering journey; and
•Ready to take tangible steps that improve their work lives, home environments, and relationships.

A refreshing addition to the well-being and home genres, Decluttered helps to reduce shame and supports readers to transform their cluttered lives and spaces into foundations for healthy, balanced and intentional living.

Welcome to your world, decluttered.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

168 pages, Hardcover

Published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the book is about and what I expected it to be about were two different things. After reading, I feel like I know more about the author's journey to becoming a professional organizer and her personal life than how to declutter. The mindful organizing seems to mean think about the underlying root causes that lead to cluttering and with this new-found knowledge, well, this is where the disconnect is.

While the book was interesting at times, it is not for those seeking quick or simple tips to tidy up clutter. If you enjoy self-introspection and completing writing exercises to help you figure out why you might have clutter in some areas of your life, how this clutter makes you feel, and how to remain clutter-free after decluttering, then yes, this is a book for you.

For the actual decluttering, about halfway through the book the author refers you to Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, so start there if you just want to get rid of clutter around your home.

[Althea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've long been intrigued by the idea of decluttering as a foundation step of overall wellness, so I'm always looking for ways to implement it in my own life. I was excited to try this one, but honestly? Except for a few handy exercises, this felt more like just the author's way to humble brag about how important she is and how much she gave up just to bring organizing to the masses. I mean, really... The section on helping someone sort through their "impeachment files" and talking about speeches and unsealed files? The only thing learned from that is she's so important that she only has clients that are equally important. And since I'm not nearly as important, I guess I'll be finding other ways to manage my low-security-level clutter...

[C.G. Twiles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading decluttering and minimalism books but this was just not for me. It was really more about mental health, which is fine, just not at all what I was looking for. It was also heavily rooted in the victim Olympics popular now, i.e., you can't declutter because you don't have health insurance, etc. I mean... ?? I realize that mental health and issues like depression can wreak havoc with your ability to do chores or something simple like open and deal with the mail (ask me how I know) but we've got to get back to some middle ground where people ALSO have agency over their lives and actions. If everyone is just doomed because of their lack of privilege or whatever else, then why read self-improvement books? Why do anything?

[Lilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of the book contained “nuggets of truth” that made me think about my various forms of clutter. Other parts, I felt, kind of veered off the path more than I wanted. It wasn’t the book I was expecting when I put a hold on it at the library, but it was worth reading over the parts that I felt were personally relevant.

[Shebbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really had some helpful information about the emotional and mental part of decluttering. It could have been 4 stars had the author decided not to add a few unnecessary political jabs in there. Politics has no place in a book about decluttering, in my opinion.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful reading of how clutter affects our health and our health affects clutter. If you want a book about pore than just color coding and really gets at how we interact with our spaces this is for you. Jenny weaves in great stories about clients and herself to illuminate (and humor) the ways in which we take up space and our space takes up us. Brava!