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Tidy Up or Simplify: The Difference Is What Will Change Your Life
Many of us clean, purge, or “tidy up” in efforts to rid ourselves of the excess in our lives. Despite our best efforts, it doesn’t take long for us to find ourselves surrounded by clutter again. It’s never about the stuff. In fact, our attachment to things has nothing to do with the actual items. After years of struggling to remove the clutter in her life, Brita Long changed her relationship with “things” through self-examination, introspection, and hard work. As a life coach and attorney, Brita has helped clients with the same struggle, and now she's sharing her insight in Tidy Up or Simplify.In this step-by-step guide, Brita discusses how you the real causes of clutterRecognize when excess is damagingRid yourself of things you don’t needUltimately, she shows you how to change your relationship with your possessions to simplify your life—once and for all.
130 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2020
9 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 17, 2020
This was a very helpful book that looked at the underlying reasons people acquire too much stuff and how to change. It isn't about spending a weekend putting all of your clothes on your bed and touching each one to determine whether you get rid of it or not, or spending a lot of time folding each piece of clothing a certain way or organizing all your stuff a certain way. It is more psychological and asks what your reason is for acquiring and holding onto these things in the first place. It asks you to envision the kind of life you want, the kind of person you want to be, and to get rid of anything that is holding you back from becoming that kind of person with that kind of life.
In a way it's a book about becoming a minimalist but it's not extreme in that regard- it doesn't say to save only 100 things or teach you how to downsize. Instead it is a practical book about only keeping things you use and love and can easily find, and getting rid of all the unnecessary clutter that stands in your way of meeting that goal. In this way, you don't just spend a weekend or a month purging your stuff but you learn how to think differently about it so that you don't end up bringing more in and having to do it all over again in the future. You learn a new way to live and be and a new way to think about "things."
For me, it became easier to get rid of things when I didn't have to ponder over each and every thing but instead look at my overall mindset and whether these things were useful or whether they were holding me back. I almost took on the perspective of a neutral observer. You know, when you see OTHER people's stuff (such as on the show "Hoarders"), you can easily think, "Why are they holding onto all of that?? It's just junk!" But when it's your own stuff, you feel more sentimentally attached to it. But this book helped me see which items I'm ACTUALLY sentimentally attached to and which ones are just junk that have been too long entwined with the good stuff.
I enjoyed this book, which was an easy read, and would recommend it. There is journaling to do after most of the chapters and ways to dig in deeper to learn to change. For me it was more about changing my mindset and continuing to think about keeping it changed- setting goals and trying to keep them, journaling as I go as part of my overall life goals, but not necessarily answering each question because I got the point and was excited to put them into practice. However, if diving deep into each section or question helps you then you will get even more out of this book! It has helped me already and I think it will continue to do so. In short, it is a practical guide to letting go of the stuff that brings you down and keeping it out of your life for good.
In a way it's a book about becoming a minimalist but it's not extreme in that regard- it doesn't say to save only 100 things or teach you how to downsize. Instead it is a practical book about only keeping things you use and love and can easily find, and getting rid of all the unnecessary clutter that stands in your way of meeting that goal. In this way, you don't just spend a weekend or a month purging your stuff but you learn how to think differently about it so that you don't end up bringing more in and having to do it all over again in the future. You learn a new way to live and be and a new way to think about "things."
For me, it became easier to get rid of things when I didn't have to ponder over each and every thing but instead look at my overall mindset and whether these things were useful or whether they were holding me back. I almost took on the perspective of a neutral observer. You know, when you see OTHER people's stuff (such as on the show "Hoarders"), you can easily think, "Why are they holding onto all of that?? It's just junk!" But when it's your own stuff, you feel more sentimentally attached to it. But this book helped me see which items I'm ACTUALLY sentimentally attached to and which ones are just junk that have been too long entwined with the good stuff.
I enjoyed this book, which was an easy read, and would recommend it. There is journaling to do after most of the chapters and ways to dig in deeper to learn to change. For me it was more about changing my mindset and continuing to think about keeping it changed- setting goals and trying to keep them, journaling as I go as part of my overall life goals, but not necessarily answering each question because I got the point and was excited to put them into practice. However, if diving deep into each section or question helps you then you will get even more out of this book! It has helped me already and I think it will continue to do so. In short, it is a practical guide to letting go of the stuff that brings you down and keeping it out of your life for good.
August 20, 2020
Great Book Gets to the Heart of the Problem
Brita takes you by the hand and gently but firmly guides you through some deep work that helps cut through the emotional clutter so you can be free of the physical stuff weighing you down. Rather than a mere step-by-step guide, she helps you figure out why you have so much excess in your life. She is vulnerable and shares her own journey, and makes you believe you have the strength to take your own. Now, if she would just write about how to simplify the systems and tools in our lives!
Brita takes you by the hand and gently but firmly guides you through some deep work that helps cut through the emotional clutter so you can be free of the physical stuff weighing you down. Rather than a mere step-by-step guide, she helps you figure out why you have so much excess in your life. She is vulnerable and shares her own journey, and makes you believe you have the strength to take your own. Now, if she would just write about how to simplify the systems and tools in our lives!
May 25, 2021
The meaning behind simplicity, including past hardship
I got a lot of meaning from this book. It touched on some things I'm a little accustomed to and am still processing. There is a definite unique approach to the topic here, and I think you should read it.
I got a lot of meaning from this book. It touched on some things I'm a little accustomed to and am still processing. There is a definite unique approach to the topic here, and I think you should read it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews