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Less: Minimalism, For Real
In Less, Rose Lounsbury, a minimalist-minded professional organizer and still-sane mother of triplets, takes a practical, hands-on approach to decluttering your home and simplifying your life. Based on her own life-changing experiment of “going minimalist,” Rose provides a realistic guide to reducing your excess stuff and reclaiming your hard-earned free time. Less offers attainable steps that you can take to achieve the clutter-free, functional home you crave. Through candid stories from her life as a minimalist blogger-turned-businesswoman, Rose will inspire you to stop spending your time dealing with your stuff and start living a better life with less.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2017
80 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 19, 2020
Practical tips and funny writing!
I have been living a minimalist lifestyle for almost a year now and while I practice many of the methods in Rose’s book, she still managed to shed light on several areas where I can make major improvements on clutter. I enjoyed reading this book and definitely enjoyed her humorous and witty writing style. If you’re new to minimalism, this book is so practical and doesn’t involve any of the “scary” or more extreme parts of minimalism. Simply put, this book is as practical as it gets for wanting to live with less: it delivers the application and keeps you entertained!
I have been living a minimalist lifestyle for almost a year now and while I practice many of the methods in Rose’s book, she still managed to shed light on several areas where I can make major improvements on clutter. I enjoyed reading this book and definitely enjoyed her humorous and witty writing style. If you’re new to minimalism, this book is so practical and doesn’t involve any of the “scary” or more extreme parts of minimalism. Simply put, this book is as practical as it gets for wanting to live with less: it delivers the application and keeps you entertained!
October 11, 2017
A very quick read; excellent first book on how to minimize, and how to change your thinking to a minimalist mindset. Maybe the only book you'll need to get you started!
May 24, 2020
A Solid Book to Get You Started
It's a book about getting rid of stuff...there are a million of them out there, thus...three stars. But that doesn't make it a bad book! It just means that there was a lot of good information in it...that wasn't particularly earth shattering. But it was well written, made me chuckle, and gave me a couple of moments of pause (especially when she touched on the kids memory boxes...guilty!!). If you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start, I like Rose's style and voice, and her practical advice about where to start and what to do. If you already clean out regularly and think about what you bring in and what will leave...then this is just a nice, easy book to read on a weekend that will give you a virtual pat on the back.
It's a book about getting rid of stuff...there are a million of them out there, thus...three stars. But that doesn't make it a bad book! It just means that there was a lot of good information in it...that wasn't particularly earth shattering. But it was well written, made me chuckle, and gave me a couple of moments of pause (especially when she touched on the kids memory boxes...guilty!!). If you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start, I like Rose's style and voice, and her practical advice about where to start and what to do. If you already clean out regularly and think about what you bring in and what will leave...then this is just a nice, easy book to read on a weekend that will give you a virtual pat on the back.
October 23, 2022
I've been pretty good at letting go of "stuff" over the years as well as finding clever ways to keep organized, so I didn't come into this book as a newbie, though I still don't call myself a minimalist. I did I pick up some new insights amid Loundbury's easy to digest breezy style. I appreciated that she wasn't preaching so much as cheerleading with a dose of humor. I particularly liked the chapter on memorabilia and the great questions to employ to make decisions about it. One beef with the book is that it doesn't address her privilege, and I wonder if it would resonate with folks from other socio-economic backgrounds. I'm sure many of the concepts are still relatable, but not everybody has attics and basements and bins and a barrage of incoming gifts.
April 26, 2018
Less has a lot of great tips to initially minimize and how to keep everything minimal. I’ve actually used some of these before, but it was great to see these steps and techniques laid out in a formalized plan or action. I would highly recommend this book (in fact, I already have recommended it) to others who want to reduce the amount of stuff in their homes.
My only criticism is the writing style is a bit too informal for a book in my taste. However, if that’s my only critique - it’s a pretty good book.
My only criticism is the writing style is a bit too informal for a book in my taste. However, if that’s my only critique - it’s a pretty good book.
October 7, 2020
6 stars if possible! Fresh ideas on dealing with the “loss” of clutter!
Read this entire book! The start of this book was a little uninspiring in that I thought it was going to be anecdotal more than helpful. Boy was I wrong! Suddenly this read turned into the best, most logical and easy to follow process to peacefully downsize your stuff without losing your fondness for the memories they hold. Read this book all the way through. Then read it again and follow through with confidence while not sacrificing your heart.
Read this entire book! The start of this book was a little uninspiring in that I thought it was going to be anecdotal more than helpful. Boy was I wrong! Suddenly this read turned into the best, most logical and easy to follow process to peacefully downsize your stuff without losing your fondness for the memories they hold. Read this book all the way through. Then read it again and follow through with confidence while not sacrificing your heart.
September 8, 2017
A well-thought-guide for regular people
The writing is enjoyable and includes many anecdotes that illustrate applications of minimalism to everyday life. I found myself looking forward to the next personal story as I made my way through the chapters.
If you are looking for a guide to introducing minimalist principles into your busy and full life, this is an excellent choice.
The writing is enjoyable and includes many anecdotes that illustrate applications of minimalism to everyday life. I found myself looking forward to the next personal story as I made my way through the chapters.
If you are looking for a guide to introducing minimalist principles into your busy and full life, this is an excellent choice.
August 10, 2019
Be inspired with Rose Lounsbury’s entertaining and thought provoking TedTalks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlA7q..., buy her book that is equally entertaining yet further details her in-depth approach to minimalism, then begin your own discovery of how many towels you really need for your home. Do the work, feel the results, be happy.
September 13, 2017
Now excited about decluttering!
This is an excellent book filled with lots of do it now ideas! I immediately started the paper sort with the RAFT trick and the in boxes. Now on to room by room starting with my stuff!!
This is an excellent book filled with lots of do it now ideas! I immediately started the paper sort with the RAFT trick and the in boxes. Now on to room by room starting with my stuff!!
September 18, 2017
Real life home organizing and minimalism for beginners
I really enjoyed reading this. It's jam packed with real home examples, simple guidelines and written in a fun to read girlfriend style. You feel as though she is right there taking you room by room.
I really enjoyed reading this. It's jam packed with real home examples, simple guidelines and written in a fun to read girlfriend style. You feel as though she is right there taking you room by room.
August 21, 2018
Practical and fun to read
I loved this approach to Minimalism. The ideas in this book were practical. The examples were inspiring. The author has a light and fun style that makes reading easy and enjoyable. I hope she writes another!
I loved this approach to Minimalism. The ideas in this book were practical. The examples were inspiring. The author has a light and fun style that makes reading easy and enjoyable. I hope she writes another!
February 12, 2019
A lot of good information presented clearly and concisely- its such a quick read you might as well give it a try. I also found the author very relatable, possibly because she’s also a mother of young children living in the same city as me 🙂
January 1, 2021
engaging
Even as a long time blog reader and follower of the minimalism movement, I found this book very articulate, engaging and practical.
New ideas and ways to approach or lenses to view the stuff we keep abound in every chapter. I have zero regrets buying this book.
Even as a long time blog reader and follower of the minimalism movement, I found this book very articulate, engaging and practical.
New ideas and ways to approach or lenses to view the stuff we keep abound in every chapter. I have zero regrets buying this book.
January 16, 2023
Corny as it was, this book is helpful for attacking the clutter in different parts of your house. Best question to ask yourself: if you didn’t have it already, would you buy it again? How much would you spend on it?
Just cleaned out some junk drawers!
Just cleaned out some junk drawers!
January 1, 2018
Full disclosure: we published this one too!
March 21, 2018
NOTE: I read the book in print, not as an e-book.
I've read many books about clutter-busting and organizing. Rose Lounsbury's "Less" may well be the best. It's short, to the point, and nicely (not annoyingly) personalized. Her advice about dealing with "memorabilia" (photos and other mementos) will be especially useful.
I've read many books about clutter-busting and organizing. Rose Lounsbury's "Less" may well be the best. It's short, to the point, and nicely (not annoyingly) personalized. Her advice about dealing with "memorabilia" (photos and other mementos) will be especially useful.
October 13, 2018
Step by step.
Step by step. Room by room. Helpful and purposeful tips for every book and cranny. Including the elephant in the room. (For me its gifts)
Step by step. Room by room. Helpful and purposeful tips for every book and cranny. Including the elephant in the room. (For me its gifts)
March 7, 2019
Very helpful and motivating, as well as relatable and funny.
March 15, 2019
Full of practical tips for minimizing. Was able to hear her present and she's very engaging speaker.
January 3, 2021
Good advice. Fun quick read
December 31, 2022
This book is worth it for the memorabilia and gifts chapters alone.
March 23, 2020
Picked this up at the library and I'm enjoying reading this! Hoping to implement it :)....krb 3/9/20
September 2, 2025
Love the concept and idea. This has been what I've been trying to do for the year now. I find her strategies and ideas to be easy to understand and follow. This book really jumpstarted my journey with less. I realized how much stuff we had just because. Rose opened my eyes about how we don't need more just because others do. She gives some really good practical advice on how to get rid of things. For example, how many burnere do you have on your stove? Four? Five? Do you need more pots and pans then that?
August 20, 2020
The premise is sound and has proven true in my life (I was happier when I had less but DID MORE)..
In manufacturing we use 5S'ing...Sort, Set-in-place, shine, standardize, sustain to gain real results as people do not search for tools and what -not and an organized work-space = organized mind.
+
There are countless copies of the originator:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and OrganizingJan 6, 2015 | Unabridged
by Marie Kondo
In manufacturing we use 5S'ing...Sort, Set-in-place, shine, standardize, sustain to gain real results as people do not search for tools and what -not and an organized work-space = organized mind.
+
There are countless copies of the originator:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and OrganizingJan 6, 2015 | Unabridged
by Marie Kondo
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews