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10-Minute Declutter: Hundreds of Tips to Organize Every Room of Your House
Is clutter controlling you? You need this feng shui cure to declutter your space and transform your life!
If you think clutter is a fact of life, think again. Feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, can help you organize every aspect of your life, both at home and in the office. With the simple tips and tricks in this book, you can learn the secrets of this age-old clutter elimination system in no time. Best-selling 10-Minute Feng Shui author Skye Alexander shows you how to transform your environment, and in doing so, transform you life as well!
Designed with today's busy person in mind, 10 Minute Clutter-Free Home breaks down organization into easy tasks that take only minutes to perform, which provides both a sense of order and peace of mind.
Use plants to absorb emotional and mental clutter
Use a consistent color scheme throughout your home
Use a board instead of post-it notes to organize your life
And much more
With 10 Minute Clutter-Free Home, you can eliminate bad habits, develop new and better ones, and attract the new luck, love, and harmony that accompany a well-managed life.
If you think clutter is a fact of life, think again. Feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, can help you organize every aspect of your life, both at home and in the office. With the simple tips and tricks in this book, you can learn the secrets of this age-old clutter elimination system in no time. Best-selling 10-Minute Feng Shui author Skye Alexander shows you how to transform your environment, and in doing so, transform you life as well!
Designed with today's busy person in mind, 10 Minute Clutter-Free Home breaks down organization into easy tasks that take only minutes to perform, which provides both a sense of order and peace of mind.
Use plants to absorb emotional and mental clutter
Use a consistent color scheme throughout your home
Use a board instead of post-it notes to organize your life
And much more
With 10 Minute Clutter-Free Home, you can eliminate bad habits, develop new and better ones, and attract the new luck, love, and harmony that accompany a well-managed life.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2019
25 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 16, 2019
10-Minute Declutter aims to combine Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement with other simple tips and tricks to help you organize every aspect of your life, both at home and in the office. It also claims to eliminate bad habits, develop new and better ones, and attract the new luck, love, and harmony that accompany a well-managed life.
Separated into two parts, the first concentrates on understanding Feng Shui in your life and talks about the effect that clutter has on all areas of your life. The second concentrates on tips for organizing your life, including sections on Home, Workplace, outside the home, Personal life, etc.
On the face of it, the book sounds like a great idea and as you dig deeper you find it’s just a mishmash of Feng Shui concepts and general housekeeping tips. The “400+” tips were more or less common cleaning tips and many were repeated for each section. General tips like
- Clean your stove
- Throw out expired spices, medications, and food
- Mow the grass & weed the garden
- Organize your receipts
- Clean your basement and Attic etc....
The chapter on Bagua mapping was interesting but very basic. Some other tips in the books ranged from the sensible to the bizarre. Keeping bells by the bed and ringing it each time you enter the room (Really?), Consistent color scheme for all entire house, Remove photos of everyone except you and your partner from the bedroom (Why?)
There were some quick and easy tips as well for organizing your things which I thought were useful. The writing is simple and with small chapters, it was easy to get through the book quickly.
Many thanks to the publishers Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
Separated into two parts, the first concentrates on understanding Feng Shui in your life and talks about the effect that clutter has on all areas of your life. The second concentrates on tips for organizing your life, including sections on Home, Workplace, outside the home, Personal life, etc.
On the face of it, the book sounds like a great idea and as you dig deeper you find it’s just a mishmash of Feng Shui concepts and general housekeeping tips. The “400+” tips were more or less common cleaning tips and many were repeated for each section. General tips like
- Clean your stove
- Throw out expired spices, medications, and food
- Mow the grass & weed the garden
- Organize your receipts
- Clean your basement and Attic etc....
The chapter on Bagua mapping was interesting but very basic. Some other tips in the books ranged from the sensible to the bizarre. Keeping bells by the bed and ringing it each time you enter the room (Really?), Consistent color scheme for all entire house, Remove photos of everyone except you and your partner from the bedroom (Why?)
There were some quick and easy tips as well for organizing your things which I thought were useful. The writing is simple and with small chapters, it was easy to get through the book quickly.
Many thanks to the publishers Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 15, 2019
I really wish I'd realized why this author's name was familiar to me before I took on this review copy. If I had, I surely would have passed it by. Skye Alexander already has another "10-Minute" decluttering-meets-feng-shui book, and it was also pretty unlikable for me, and it also has an extremely low Goodreads average, so... I think that says something about the situation at hand.
Anyways, this is not a book about decluttering. This is a mixture of a book about feng shui and a to-do list. The decluttering "tips" aren't ideas on things you might not have thought to do before, they're literally lists of things like "return phone calls" and "sweep off your ceiling fans". The entire section on feng shui is really poorly-crafted; Alexander tries hard to gloss over the minutiae and give you a quick guide, but feng shui is a practice that is ancient, in-depth, and if you're going to do it, I think it deserves the respect granted by actually learning what matters and why, rather than being only given these weird, bare-bones explanations.
Along a similar vein is my complaint about Alexander's incessant recommendations to "smudge" your home, yet no explanation for smudging is ever given beyond "buy a bundle of white sage and set it on fire". This is... disrespectful, to start. There's a big difference between smudging and a basic smoke cleanse — one of these is a cultural and spiritual ritual performed primarily by Native tribes, while the other is self-explanatory: using smoke to spiritually "cleanse" a place, thing, etc. I'm not even going to dive into the entire discussion regarding whether or not non-Native peoples should be smoke cleansing with white sage to begin with (and if you're looking for an argument about that, go elsewhere, because I'm not going to sit here and fuss with you over whether or not you believe in appropriation within paganism and craft). I just... there's a lot I want to say, but I frankly don't have the energy to lay it all out here right now, so I'll just leave it at this: a lot of what Alexander discusses is careless and not thoughtful in the slightest, and between this and the last book I tried to read from this author, I'm hoping I can now remember in the future to stop supporting their endeavors because their work clearly is incredibly Not For Me.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Anyways, this is not a book about decluttering. This is a mixture of a book about feng shui and a to-do list. The decluttering "tips" aren't ideas on things you might not have thought to do before, they're literally lists of things like "return phone calls" and "sweep off your ceiling fans". The entire section on feng shui is really poorly-crafted; Alexander tries hard to gloss over the minutiae and give you a quick guide, but feng shui is a practice that is ancient, in-depth, and if you're going to do it, I think it deserves the respect granted by actually learning what matters and why, rather than being only given these weird, bare-bones explanations.
Along a similar vein is my complaint about Alexander's incessant recommendations to "smudge" your home, yet no explanation for smudging is ever given beyond "buy a bundle of white sage and set it on fire". This is... disrespectful, to start. There's a big difference between smudging and a basic smoke cleanse — one of these is a cultural and spiritual ritual performed primarily by Native tribes, while the other is self-explanatory: using smoke to spiritually "cleanse" a place, thing, etc. I'm not even going to dive into the entire discussion regarding whether or not non-Native peoples should be smoke cleansing with white sage to begin with (and if you're looking for an argument about that, go elsewhere, because I'm not going to sit here and fuss with you over whether or not you believe in appropriation within paganism and craft). I just... there's a lot I want to say, but I frankly don't have the energy to lay it all out here right now, so I'll just leave it at this: a lot of what Alexander discusses is careless and not thoughtful in the slightest, and between this and the last book I tried to read from this author, I'm hoping I can now remember in the future to stop supporting their endeavors because their work clearly is incredibly Not For Me.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 13, 2025
Oh, what to say. This book had a GREAT concept. I am definitely bad with clutter, and I really wanted to find something that would TRULY take 10 minutes at a time since I am always stressed and swamped with a billion things to do other than tackle each cluttery moment in life.
This book tried to start out with WAY too much about decluttering your life. Is this important, absolutely. But the book title is about organizing your HOUSE. So... there was actually VERY little to do with any actual house cleaning other than intense feng shui methods that were obviously done by someone with no clutter and still would take a LOT more than 10 minutes.
I feel very misled.
2 stars for misleading, should have a title about decluttering your life using feng shui instead.
This book tried to start out with WAY too much about decluttering your life. Is this important, absolutely. But the book title is about organizing your HOUSE. So... there was actually VERY little to do with any actual house cleaning other than intense feng shui methods that were obviously done by someone with no clutter and still would take a LOT more than 10 minutes.
I feel very misled.
2 stars for misleading, should have a title about decluttering your life using feng shui instead.
October 1, 2019
This is not a book about decluttering, this is a book about feng shui and has a bit of a side deal in practical tips for decluttering. Thanks, I would have never known about CLEANING MY STOVE. Sigh
October 16, 2019
The title of this book is a little deceiving, as it's less about decluttering as it is about Feng shui, and I didn't really see much that had to do with 10 minute increments at all. The first half of the book is basics of Feng shui, and the second half is assorted tips for all different areas of life (computer files at work, relationships, etc.).
The author does not seem to have training in Feng shui and seems to write quick books on all sorts of subjects from tarot to witchcraft to sex to unicorns. As such, I don't know that this is the best place to get basic information on Feng shui or decluttering. The tips are pretty standard and borrowed heavily from other sources like Marie Kondo. You may pick up a couple of new ideas but not much is new here. As other reviewers have noted, there seems to be quite a bit of cultural appropriation here too, from Native American traditions (there's lots of emphasis on smudging, though she seems to think burning incense is the same thing) and Chinese Feng shui traditions.
Ultimately, I didn't get as much from the book as I hoped to.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
The author does not seem to have training in Feng shui and seems to write quick books on all sorts of subjects from tarot to witchcraft to sex to unicorns. As such, I don't know that this is the best place to get basic information on Feng shui or decluttering. The tips are pretty standard and borrowed heavily from other sources like Marie Kondo. You may pick up a couple of new ideas but not much is new here. As other reviewers have noted, there seems to be quite a bit of cultural appropriation here too, from Native American traditions (there's lots of emphasis on smudging, though she seems to think burning incense is the same thing) and Chinese Feng shui traditions.
Ultimately, I didn't get as much from the book as I hoped to.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
September 19, 2019
Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press and NetGalley for an electronic advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Like many, I struggle with some clutter so this title caught my attention, offering 400+ tips to declutter.
I found the list of tips completely overwhelming. In my opinion, some were obvious: Return phone calls. Change burned out light bulbs. Some were ridiculous: Ring a Dinner Gong Before Eating. And not all were created equal: Clean the Garage vs Dust Lampshades.
This book would be best for someone that practices feng shui, who understands bagua and gua. This isn’t me.
Like many, I struggle with some clutter so this title caught my attention, offering 400+ tips to declutter.
I found the list of tips completely overwhelming. In my opinion, some were obvious: Return phone calls. Change burned out light bulbs. Some were ridiculous: Ring a Dinner Gong Before Eating. And not all were created equal: Clean the Garage vs Dust Lampshades.
This book would be best for someone that practices feng shui, who understands bagua and gua. This isn’t me.
September 16, 2019
I really did not like this book. I went into it hoping for some lists and ways to organize my home, with idk recycled cans or something. However, I did not get that, I was told instead what my pile of clutter means about me. For real? All my clutter means to me is that my house looks lived in, not like a home in a magazine where everything is staged. So suffice to say, this was not my type of book.
#10minutedeclutter #Netgalley
#10minutedeclutter #Netgalley
November 8, 2019
There is a lot about feng shui before you get to any decluttering and I can't see any of it taking 10 minutes!
September 28, 2019
10-Minute Declutter is a book I was intrigued to read as it claims to offer lots of tips and tricks that will change your life. What you actually get is far from that! I was really disappointed with this book and find even the title deceiving, I am not sure where the 10 minutes comes in as the book is very lengthy and not 10 minute chunks and if it's the tidying that takes 10 minutes I think that's highly unlikely also.
When starting the book it takes sixty pages of lengthy Feng Shui descriptions before any of the decluttering even begins. I understand that the book does use Feng Shui from the descriptions I'd read previously but I didn't expect it could go on that long and even the quotes from famous people regarding clutter are not necessary and just seem to be placed in the book to prove that there is a point to all of the Feng Shui discussions.
From page 60 on the decluttering tips and tricks begin with them being sorted into chapters on home, work, children and clutter outside your home. I was quite surprised to see not only tips for physical clutter but also mental and digital clutter too. I didn't find the tips in this book very useful at all, they were just common sense, but somehow each tip managed to have a couple of lines on why you should (often because of Feng Shui of course!)
From throwing out broken jewellery to cleaning plant leaves and everything else in between this book reads like one long list of things to do. I think in this way it would be helpful as a reminder of what could or should be done for a thorough house clean but I didn't find it inspiring to clear clutter, it just seemed to make you want to make up a reason to make yourself feel better about the clutter which is contrary to the purpose of the book, e.g. if you have a cluttered office you don't like work, if you have a cluttered living room you don't like guests, well actually I don't have storage space!
To finish the book off you are left with a resource page of four books, I'm amazed that she needed four books to refer to to find the simplest of tips and disappointed that a book is allowed to be published which now seems to be put together with help or tips from other similar books. If the author wants me to trust anything she says maybe it would be best for original ideas and something that makes this book different and stand out from others but sadly this doesn't seem to. I wanted to like this book but found it most unhelpful, it's only purpose could be a checklist for a big spring clean!
When starting the book it takes sixty pages of lengthy Feng Shui descriptions before any of the decluttering even begins. I understand that the book does use Feng Shui from the descriptions I'd read previously but I didn't expect it could go on that long and even the quotes from famous people regarding clutter are not necessary and just seem to be placed in the book to prove that there is a point to all of the Feng Shui discussions.
From page 60 on the decluttering tips and tricks begin with them being sorted into chapters on home, work, children and clutter outside your home. I was quite surprised to see not only tips for physical clutter but also mental and digital clutter too. I didn't find the tips in this book very useful at all, they were just common sense, but somehow each tip managed to have a couple of lines on why you should (often because of Feng Shui of course!)
From throwing out broken jewellery to cleaning plant leaves and everything else in between this book reads like one long list of things to do. I think in this way it would be helpful as a reminder of what could or should be done for a thorough house clean but I didn't find it inspiring to clear clutter, it just seemed to make you want to make up a reason to make yourself feel better about the clutter which is contrary to the purpose of the book, e.g. if you have a cluttered office you don't like work, if you have a cluttered living room you don't like guests, well actually I don't have storage space!
To finish the book off you are left with a resource page of four books, I'm amazed that she needed four books to refer to to find the simplest of tips and disappointed that a book is allowed to be published which now seems to be put together with help or tips from other similar books. If the author wants me to trust anything she says maybe it would be best for original ideas and something that makes this book different and stand out from others but sadly this doesn't seem to. I wanted to like this book but found it most unhelpful, it's only purpose could be a checklist for a big spring clean!
August 17, 2019
I wanted to feel motivated when done reading this book. Great correlations of clutter, dirt, disrepair, with underlying traits and habits. First couple of chapters were ok however it quickly went downhill from there. I was expecting to learn new tools for decluttering and feel motivated to make changes. The “400+” tips were more or less common sense and many were repeated between home and work. Unless you have no clue how to clean or are newly living on your own after living with your parents this is not a helpful book. Clean your stove of spills before it gets baked on, throw out expired spices, medications, and food, mow the grass, put clean clothes away, etc....all basic knowledge. I was hopeful this would have more in-depth ideas and tips, like an actual system for organizing receipts instead of “organize your receipts”. The chapter on Bagua mapping was a very basic introduction and didn’t give enough detail to be able to implement any part of this practice. For example what if your house, room, or yard layout doesn’t fit within the map without major reconstruction? Does the map have to flow in this direction? This chapter left me with more questions than answers and researching further. It would have been nice to see a example sketches of a bedroom, living room, and kitchen. More examples of what types of items, materials, or how to coordinate a Gua would be helpful instead of “place items in two’s in your romance gua or don’t place trash in your wealth Gua.
Other than the basic content, the book is well organized and an easy read.
Other than the basic content, the book is well organized and an easy read.
September 21, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and Fair Winds Press for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review.
If you have read a handful of these decluttering /organising type books then you will know that it's rare to find one that reveals something ground breaking. Most of them churn out the same information as others before them, just presented slightly differently. And unfortunately this book is one of those types.
I personally feel that the title of the book is misleading. 10 Minute Declutter it is not. I really wouldn't say that rearranging all the furniture in the room or ensuring all the bedrooms have the same size bed is achievable in 10 minutes.
From the title I was expecting small quick blasts of decluttering that would show results (albeit small ones) in 10 minutes. However, this book is more about implementing Feng Shui in your home which I feel is a far larger project to undertake.
Readers have to wait until page 78 for the actual decluttering advice to begin. Before that is a rather long winded, and at times repetitive, explanation of Feng Shui.
The decluttering ideas ranged from the banal common sense (throw away out of date food) to the silly (ringing a bell before eating a meal).
Overall I found this book underwhelming and disappointing.
For those wanting to learn more about Feng Shui then go ahead and dive right in. For those looking for practical tips on how to declutter in bite size chunks in a busy world then steer clear.
If you have read a handful of these decluttering /organising type books then you will know that it's rare to find one that reveals something ground breaking. Most of them churn out the same information as others before them, just presented slightly differently. And unfortunately this book is one of those types.
I personally feel that the title of the book is misleading. 10 Minute Declutter it is not. I really wouldn't say that rearranging all the furniture in the room or ensuring all the bedrooms have the same size bed is achievable in 10 minutes.
From the title I was expecting small quick blasts of decluttering that would show results (albeit small ones) in 10 minutes. However, this book is more about implementing Feng Shui in your home which I feel is a far larger project to undertake.
Readers have to wait until page 78 for the actual decluttering advice to begin. Before that is a rather long winded, and at times repetitive, explanation of Feng Shui.
The decluttering ideas ranged from the banal common sense (throw away out of date food) to the silly (ringing a bell before eating a meal).
Overall I found this book underwhelming and disappointing.
For those wanting to learn more about Feng Shui then go ahead and dive right in. For those looking for practical tips on how to declutter in bite size chunks in a busy world then steer clear.
September 7, 2019
This book has a beautiful design--kind of Art Deco and minimalist, with a striking color palette of black, grey, and red. It is an expansion of the author's earlier book about feng shui, and it starts with an overview of feng shui principles, before switching over to a focus on clutter. The author believes clutter comes as a result of confusion, old baggage, or obstacles. Part 2 (starting in chapter 4) contains tips for decluttering based on feng shui principles--if you don't believe ch'i can get stuck in your house, this may not be the book for you. If, though, you are feeling stuck with too much clutter and/or unresolved issues in your personal life, you may enjoy thinking about your space from a new perspective.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC!
October 2, 2019
This book is not what I was expecting. It was common sense and not really a 10 minute declutter book. Very long winded and nothing that was earth shattering.
June 6, 2022
Just seemed like a random compilation of decluttering tips- nothing really uniform or organized.
April 7, 2024
I really liked the declutter suggestions for your mind and relationships.
Some of the ideas were way too far fetched for me.
Some of the ideas were way too far fetched for me.
November 27, 2019
What do you do when you need to declutter your home, but you want more than just a cleaning plan? For that you can pick up 10-Minute Declutter, which offers lots of quick tips for ridding your house (and your mind, and your spirit) of clutter while also adding more to your life by using author Skye Alexander’s tips for incorporating Feng Shui into your rooms.
Alexander starts by explaining some basics of Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art of placement that offers up “cures” for an area that can help restore balance, create harmony, and attract health, wealth, and happiness. Many of these cures can be symbolic as well as practical, and as clutter is often seen not just as the physical stuff around us but also the blocks we set up for ourselves, then using Feng Shui to help declutter adds an extra dimension to the finished rooms.
After the primer on Feng Shui (which you can skip over if you want to, and come back to that later after you’ve decluttered), Alexander goes room by room with ideas to declutter and add warmth and harmony. And as each tip is a quick, simple idea, you can take 10 minutes a day to use one tip, and slowly uncover the comfortable, clean home that you’ve been wanting.
Alphabetize your spices. Organize your fridge. Rethink your small appliances. Clean the fireplace. Use coat trees. Get rid of objects that have unpleasant associations. Group photos on walls. Organize hobby items in your creativity area. Wash plant leaves. Pare down holiday decorations. Give away books you’re done reading.
Discard old medications and cosmetics. Keep your entrances free of obstacles. Clear passageways. Replace light bulbs. Backup your computer. Delete old files. Rearrange items on your desk occasionally. Recycle what you can. Fix cracked and broken pavement outside. Trim shrubs and tress near entrances.
Get your kids involved in putting things away. Keep screens out of the playroom. Give each kid towels of different colors. Rotate chores. Allow each child one idiosyncratic collection they never have to prune (what a great idea is that?!).
Meditate. Find a centering ritual. Use a bell to focus yourself. Organize your schedule to fit your own rhythms. Think positive thoughts while cooking. Fight fair. Pay bills as they arrive. Clean out your bag or wallet. Use calming scents. Don’t put things off. Take time out. Learn to say no.
As you use these ideas to declutter your rooms and your spirit, you can add in some of the Feng Shui cures to help you make your home cozier and more personal. Use plants and mirrors in your spaces. Choose colors and shapes that create the feelings you want. Live intentionally and with focus, and you can discover a life beyond clutter and all the stress it brings.
While I probably won’t use all these ideas, there are more than enough to get me started and to give me inspiration to clean out a bunch of the obstacles that are holding me back from feeling more free and calm. And while I’m not a hardcore Feng Shui proponent now, I do like the idea of there being “cures” for what’s holding me back, that there is hope for me yet.
I do wish that there had been more focus on the decluttering and less on the Feng Shui, but I still found a lot of ideas I can incorporate into my home. 10-Minute Declutter is a great jumping off point for creating a warm, comforting, safe home without all the clutter that’s been holding you back.
Galleys for 10-Minute Declutter were provided by Quarto Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.
Alexander starts by explaining some basics of Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art of placement that offers up “cures” for an area that can help restore balance, create harmony, and attract health, wealth, and happiness. Many of these cures can be symbolic as well as practical, and as clutter is often seen not just as the physical stuff around us but also the blocks we set up for ourselves, then using Feng Shui to help declutter adds an extra dimension to the finished rooms.
After the primer on Feng Shui (which you can skip over if you want to, and come back to that later after you’ve decluttered), Alexander goes room by room with ideas to declutter and add warmth and harmony. And as each tip is a quick, simple idea, you can take 10 minutes a day to use one tip, and slowly uncover the comfortable, clean home that you’ve been wanting.
Alphabetize your spices. Organize your fridge. Rethink your small appliances. Clean the fireplace. Use coat trees. Get rid of objects that have unpleasant associations. Group photos on walls. Organize hobby items in your creativity area. Wash plant leaves. Pare down holiday decorations. Give away books you’re done reading.
Discard old medications and cosmetics. Keep your entrances free of obstacles. Clear passageways. Replace light bulbs. Backup your computer. Delete old files. Rearrange items on your desk occasionally. Recycle what you can. Fix cracked and broken pavement outside. Trim shrubs and tress near entrances.
Get your kids involved in putting things away. Keep screens out of the playroom. Give each kid towels of different colors. Rotate chores. Allow each child one idiosyncratic collection they never have to prune (what a great idea is that?!).
Meditate. Find a centering ritual. Use a bell to focus yourself. Organize your schedule to fit your own rhythms. Think positive thoughts while cooking. Fight fair. Pay bills as they arrive. Clean out your bag or wallet. Use calming scents. Don’t put things off. Take time out. Learn to say no.
As you use these ideas to declutter your rooms and your spirit, you can add in some of the Feng Shui cures to help you make your home cozier and more personal. Use plants and mirrors in your spaces. Choose colors and shapes that create the feelings you want. Live intentionally and with focus, and you can discover a life beyond clutter and all the stress it brings.
While I probably won’t use all these ideas, there are more than enough to get me started and to give me inspiration to clean out a bunch of the obstacles that are holding me back from feeling more free and calm. And while I’m not a hardcore Feng Shui proponent now, I do like the idea of there being “cures” for what’s holding me back, that there is hope for me yet.
I do wish that there had been more focus on the decluttering and less on the Feng Shui, but I still found a lot of ideas I can incorporate into my home. 10-Minute Declutter is a great jumping off point for creating a warm, comforting, safe home without all the clutter that’s been holding you back.
Galleys for 10-Minute Declutter were provided by Quarto Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.
September 28, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
10-Minute Declutter is a new release in a series of how-to books (10-minute series). This content was previously released in 2004 as 10-minute Clutter Control by Skye Alexander. This re-format and re-release by Quarto on their Fair Winds Press imprint came out 17th Sept 2019, is 208 pages and is available in ebook and hardcover formats.
The author is well known for her alternate philosophy books and readers should expect a book in accord with those alternative thoughts. There -are- a number of common sense reasonable bits of advice to glean here which will help all readers with streamlining and simplifying their day to day lives; keeping track of tools and supplies, throwing away outdated medicines and food items, keeping the house and yard tidy and other similar good habits to cultivate. There is also a fair bit of 'woo-woo' which can be implemented or selectively ignored for some readers.
I am a fairly logical, rational, 'left-brain' engineer and despite that, I found the first section of the book describing and explaining some basic feng shui concepts interesting. I don't expect to be ringing a bell every time I come into my lab at work, or rebuilding my house (even symbolically) to acquire a better bagua profile, but reading about the concepts was informational. Some readers will enjoy and implement the suggestions from this section, but there are also other good bits of common sense advice to be gleaned here.
The author's style of writing is chatty and conversational. She's easy to follow and has a very upbeat, positive style. If I can be forgiven for saying so, the book has a good 'vibe', and I enjoyed reading it. There are some high-contrast simplified graphics and illustrations, but no photography. It's word-dense with a simple layout.
Three stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
10-Minute Declutter is a new release in a series of how-to books (10-minute series). This content was previously released in 2004 as 10-minute Clutter Control by Skye Alexander. This re-format and re-release by Quarto on their Fair Winds Press imprint came out 17th Sept 2019, is 208 pages and is available in ebook and hardcover formats.
The author is well known for her alternate philosophy books and readers should expect a book in accord with those alternative thoughts. There -are- a number of common sense reasonable bits of advice to glean here which will help all readers with streamlining and simplifying their day to day lives; keeping track of tools and supplies, throwing away outdated medicines and food items, keeping the house and yard tidy and other similar good habits to cultivate. There is also a fair bit of 'woo-woo' which can be implemented or selectively ignored for some readers.
I am a fairly logical, rational, 'left-brain' engineer and despite that, I found the first section of the book describing and explaining some basic feng shui concepts interesting. I don't expect to be ringing a bell every time I come into my lab at work, or rebuilding my house (even symbolically) to acquire a better bagua profile, but reading about the concepts was informational. Some readers will enjoy and implement the suggestions from this section, but there are also other good bits of common sense advice to be gleaned here.
The author's style of writing is chatty and conversational. She's easy to follow and has a very upbeat, positive style. If I can be forgiven for saying so, the book has a good 'vibe', and I enjoyed reading it. There are some high-contrast simplified graphics and illustrations, but no photography. It's word-dense with a simple layout.
Three stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
December 31, 2019
This book is not what I thought it would be to be honest. It gives a reasonably interesting overview of the ancient Chinese art of dengue shui, although there isn’t anything new or particularly interesting there. The decluttering however, I had hoped to find some nuggets of inspiration, of new hints and tips to organise my home...but sadly it was all a bit lacklustre and felt like so much other stuff already out there.
This book is easy enough to read and if you haven’t looked at other books/articles about fend shui then you will probably find it interesting. But if you have read other books in a similar vein then this is unlikely to give you anything new.
My thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.
This book is easy enough to read and if you haven’t looked at other books/articles about fend shui then you will probably find it interesting. But if you have read other books in a similar vein then this is unlikely to give you anything new.
My thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.
September 3, 2019
I requested Skye Alexander’s 10-minute declutter as I am currently doing my best to live with less. It’s a cute book. Very informative in regards to Feng Shui. I’m going to implement the get rid of one thing a day(remember to rehome, or recycle whenever possible) that Skye suggested. Overall a really neat book.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
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I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
#read #reader #book #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookreview #greatreads #alwaysreading #reading #ilovebooks #currentreads #bookaddict #booknerd #bookish #bibliophile #goodreads #readerlife #booklife #readandreview
September 9, 2019
This is a nice little guide for anyone looking for quick tips for decluttering. The guidance throughout the book is based on the principles of feng shui, which should have been in the title/subtitle.
I appreciate that the author includes non-physical clutter such as mental and relationships. She walks you through how to identify not only cluttered areas of your home, but to look at how they may be affecting other parts of your life.
The writing is simple and straightforward, with the content split into practical chunks. It was easy to get through the book quickly.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I appreciate that the author includes non-physical clutter such as mental and relationships. She walks you through how to identify not only cluttered areas of your home, but to look at how they may be affecting other parts of your life.
The writing is simple and straightforward, with the content split into practical chunks. It was easy to get through the book quickly.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 21, 2019
A big thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Ok I admit it, I am a hoarder. I have the.last letter my mom wrote to me. So I thought this would be an I interesting book to give me tips on how to be less cluttered. I couldn't connect. Really keep a bell by your bed and ring it each time you enter the room??? What??? That's clutter to me. So I can't say that this was helpful. The tips were common sense. Throw away old makeup stuff like that. I rate it a 2.5 as I just couldn't wrap my head around the feng shui stuff.
September 10, 2019
I'm not sure how much of the description I read before starting this because it was not what I was expecting. I was hoping more along the lines of "get rid of things you forgot you owned;" not "get rid of everything but the light bulb and windchimes."
I've also been left with the question of where my trash bin is suppose to go, because apparently that little blue bucket is screwing me in all aspects of my life.
I can't say my level of belief, though apparently it's not too high, but it didn't do much for me. That and as I realized my space is so small it's only cluttered because there's no where else to put anything.
I've also been left with the question of where my trash bin is suppose to go, because apparently that little blue bucket is screwing me in all aspects of my life.
I can't say my level of belief, though apparently it's not too high, but it didn't do much for me. That and as I realized my space is so small it's only cluttered because there's no where else to put anything.
September 3, 2019
There are multiple books on decluttering or how to stop hoarding. This book is based on Feng Shui. I think it would be helpful if this was included on cover page and added to the title. Author explains clearly what Feng Shui is and how to apply the principles in every aspect of your life, whether home, work, personal and more.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
September 9, 2019
While marketed as a decluttering book, it's basically about Feng Shui. The author includes clutter info but gives you basic Feng Shui practices. In fact, I'd say skip this book and go straight to the author's 10-Minute Feng Shui. It really bs down the philosophy so it can be treated with respect and walks you through basically the same techniques and tips.
I received an ARC through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
I received an ARC through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
September 28, 2019
This book is chock full of information about decluttering. The basics are grounded in Feng Shui and followed through by effort and common sense. You will definitely want to refer this book time and again. I appreciated the style of writing, how the book is organized. It's very useful and interesting.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2020
Actually 1.5 stars
I'm not sure how to feel about this one.
I was expecting something completely different, focused on decluttering. A new version of Marie Kondo.
Instead I read about feng shui and its mystical powers. I do believe arranging your house following some feng shui tips might help in life. But when I got to the suggestion of not shopping on a full moon to avoid impulse purchases, they kinda lost me.
I'm not sure how to feel about this one.
I was expecting something completely different, focused on decluttering. A new version of Marie Kondo.
Instead I read about feng shui and its mystical powers. I do believe arranging your house following some feng shui tips might help in life. But when I got to the suggestion of not shopping on a full moon to avoid impulse purchases, they kinda lost me.
October 21, 2019
Nah. The book didn't meet my expectations. I was expecting a book to teach me about declutter tips, instead it threw me into feng shui ideology.
It is not bad per se, it just didn't meet expectations. I'm sure the concepts of feng shui are interesting and informative, however, I am not ready to learn about it yet.
It is not bad per se, it just didn't meet expectations. I'm sure the concepts of feng shui are interesting and informative, however, I am not ready to learn about it yet.
January 13, 2024
Few actual tips. They existed of “clean out your closet to increase your Ch’i.”
People who buy these types of books want to know *how* to get rid of crap in their lives without worrying that in a month they will suddenly need that item they’ve not looked for in 7 years. Lots of woo-woo. Zero practical advice.
People who buy these types of books want to know *how* to get rid of crap in their lives without worrying that in a month they will suddenly need that item they’ve not looked for in 7 years. Lots of woo-woo. Zero practical advice.
January 13, 2024
Even though I didn’t realize this about about feng shui and the title is a little misleading, those were the most interesting chapters. The tips were redundant and I skimmed the rest of the book after the first two sections. I did get some valuable nuggets out of it but would not recommend to a friend.
August 26, 2019
10-minute declutter by Skye Alexander is a quick, easy to read book that can give pointers and tips to de clutter the cluttered lives!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
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