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Declutter: The Japanese Art of Minimalism
Minimalism is not about decluttering your possessions. It’s about decluttering your life! Is your life a chaos , or at least does it feel like it? Are you having a hard time keeping up with schedules, sticking to a routine or making some time for yourself? Are your life and house full of ‘stuff’? Do you feel life is consuming you ? Are you drawn to the idea of minimalism but the fear of missing out and letting go hold you back? The first thing you need to understand is that minimalism isn’t about less, it’s about more. More freedom , more space , more clarity , more room in your life for the things that give you joy. It does not make sense working hard to buy stuff that will only make you work more. And most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter distracting us from the very life we wish we were living. The purpose of this book is Empower you to Live More, by Owning Less. If you’re looking to become a minimalist but can’t quite find the motivation , then this book is for you. The reflections within its pages will inspire you to simplify your own space and life. A breath of fresh air, showing you the path of a new beginning… a fresh start . In Declutter you won’t find any drastic measures or specific rules you must follow. But rather, a comprehensive and practical read that will guide you on Why and How to let go, so you find your own balance. Go grab your copy now and get ready for a fresh start! * SPECIAL FREE BONUS INSIDE
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 2, 2018
165 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book. I liked the different types of minimalist personalities described. The first time I have seen it.
July 31, 2018
goodbye things is far better
this is a skim the surface overview. it is thin and topical. it fails to touch the root issues. goodbye things is far deeper and more convincing.
this is a skim the surface overview. it is thin and topical. it fails to touch the root issues. goodbye things is far deeper and more convincing.
December 15, 2019
First, there was essentially nothing specifically Japanese about the minimalism described in this book. I’m guessing that was just a marketing tool. My sense is that the author read a bunch of books on minimalism, combined all the tips he read, and then strung them together in a somewhat disjointed way. I’ll just give a few examples of the oddness of this book and you can judge for yourself.
1. In the beginning of the book, the author lists “misconceptions about minimalism” and then phrases some negatively “you do not have to...” and some positively “minimalism is about reducing what’s causing you stress.” He does that sort of thing throughout the book, making it hard to follow his line of thinking at times.
2. He writes, “The law of averages says that a person who rushes into decisions will falter at some point in the process.” Well, no. I’m sure he was using the lay expression rather than Bernoulli’s mathematical law, but even that he got wrong. The law of averages used in that way is the (erroneous) belief that events will average out over time and that a particular outcome is inevitable because it is statistically probable.
3. “Psychologists believe that it takes 21 days to establish a habit.” Again, no. If he had asked this psychologist, I could have told him he was wrong. The research on habit formation shows clearly that it varies wildly and is influenced by factors such as how difficult the habit change is. The average is closer to over two months and can be as long as eight months.
4. Maybe this is an editing problem, but “the children lost a father too early due to onset dementia” made no sense.
5. On the section on garage cleanup, he suggests that with items you want to sell, you “post them while you soak in the hot tub.” Water and electronics - great idea!
6. And finally, in the section on minimalism and your job, he suggests saying to coworkers, “‘Hey, how are you and the family? I want to know but give me the short version as I have a million things to do.” Yeah, that won’t be perceived as rude AT ALL. He also recommends pausing to say to yourself as you enter work, “I am going to clock in, and that means no more personal thoughts.” Good luck with that, unless you’re a robot.
In sum, there are many MUCH better books out there on minimalism, Read one of them instead.
1. In the beginning of the book, the author lists “misconceptions about minimalism” and then phrases some negatively “you do not have to...” and some positively “minimalism is about reducing what’s causing you stress.” He does that sort of thing throughout the book, making it hard to follow his line of thinking at times.
2. He writes, “The law of averages says that a person who rushes into decisions will falter at some point in the process.” Well, no. I’m sure he was using the lay expression rather than Bernoulli’s mathematical law, but even that he got wrong. The law of averages used in that way is the (erroneous) belief that events will average out over time and that a particular outcome is inevitable because it is statistically probable.
3. “Psychologists believe that it takes 21 days to establish a habit.” Again, no. If he had asked this psychologist, I could have told him he was wrong. The research on habit formation shows clearly that it varies wildly and is influenced by factors such as how difficult the habit change is. The average is closer to over two months and can be as long as eight months.
4. Maybe this is an editing problem, but “the children lost a father too early due to onset dementia” made no sense.
5. On the section on garage cleanup, he suggests that with items you want to sell, you “post them while you soak in the hot tub.” Water and electronics - great idea!
6. And finally, in the section on minimalism and your job, he suggests saying to coworkers, “‘Hey, how are you and the family? I want to know but give me the short version as I have a million things to do.” Yeah, that won’t be perceived as rude AT ALL. He also recommends pausing to say to yourself as you enter work, “I am going to clock in, and that means no more personal thoughts.” Good luck with that, unless you’re a robot.
In sum, there are many MUCH better books out there on minimalism, Read one of them instead.
October 13, 2018
The author truly discussing the value of decluttering. It is not a very easy thing to do. Perhaps nothing in this world is free. It takes hard work. There is lots of difficulties along the way. There are all kinds of clutter in all areas of the home as well as you life in general. It is more than physical, it can be mental as well. It can be a job that does not appreciate you, it can be a bad relationship. You have to clutter for a happier life.
The author gets this rating. For he generally categorized the different areas of your home and your life. The different things you can do.
The author gets this rating. For he generally categorized the different areas of your home and your life. The different things you can do.
April 23, 2018
Interesting Pointers
This book is feels as if it is shortened version of other books on Minimalistic living. A few new objective points and topics were added.
This book is feels as if it is shortened version of other books on Minimalistic living. A few new objective points and topics were added.
May 2, 2018
Helpful
I feel like this book has really helped me get a better understanding of minimalism and to begin my journey to a clutter free and less stressful lifestyle.
I feel like this book has really helped me get a better understanding of minimalism and to begin my journey to a clutter free and less stressful lifestyle.
June 7, 2018
Useful book with some good ways for strategizing about how to declutter your life and why you should. Short Read
July 12, 2018
Simple, yet useful
Short and to the point. Summaries the key concepts, and walks you through the decluttering process with clear and relatable examples.
Short and to the point. Summaries the key concepts, and walks you through the decluttering process with clear and relatable examples.
January 3, 2019
Great book, very actionable insights on minimalism.
I would say pick this up if you're looking to compose a checklist based on minimalism.
I would say pick this up if you're looking to compose a checklist based on minimalism.
June 16, 2020
I didn’t like it so much this book, it has a lot of valuable things but is not a so much pleasant reading, is not the best book of minimalism but it’s ok.
August 13, 2022
Overall, meh.
Poorly written. Common sense ideas, but has a condescending tone toward certain ideas and actions. Overall, meh. I wouldn't stand in line for this one.
Poorly written. Common sense ideas, but has a condescending tone toward certain ideas and actions. Overall, meh. I wouldn't stand in line for this one.
January 10, 2022
I loved listening to this while downsizing out of a four bedroom house into a 24 ft Silver Streak 1961.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews