*I preordered this book, but also got to read an advance copy as part of the launch team.*

I am still reading this book, but so far am loving it - here's why:

1. I have followed Dana White's blog for a couple of months and her podcast for a couple years now, so a lot of the mindset ideas aren't new. That said, I still connect to many of them in a deep way. And it is so vital for me to hear again and again - because changing the way I think and perceive the world around me takes time. And it takes effort. And it takes intentionality on my part - intentionality as I immerse myself in materials that help me to change my mindset. And this book is one of those materials for me.

Some parts I connected to:

"When I tried to declutter, I examined each item, attempting to assess its value to my current life, my family’s current life, and our future life as a whole. I analyzed the importance of each and every item, trying to predict how much I’d use it if I kept it or how much regret I’d feel if I purged it."

Yep. Definitely have done that. And felt so frustrated at how draining it is to go through, item by item, trying to assess that value before deciding whether I can possibly live without it.

"I can successfully not see a mess, even a fairly horrific one, until the doorbell rings. But, strangely, I do see clear spaces. Clear spaces make me happy every time I walk past them, and that is the biggest reason I have to follow the Visibility Rule."

So true! It's amazing how easy it is to ignore the messes. And yet, when it's clean, it feels so good!

"Every time I decluttered kids’ clothing, I ended up with an entire bed covered in piles. And no one could help me because I was the only one who understood my nuanced system...Worst of all, my effort often made my home look worse. Piles and stacks sat in the open, waiting for their Ideal Decluttering Method to happen."

And once again, it's like she's lived my life.

2. Also, I love Dana's humor. Here are some examples of parts that made me smile, or even laugh out loud:

"Some data is real, but most is experiential...Unless I specifically say where I got that number, I probably made it up...I taught theatre arts, so numbers mostly serve as dramatic effect for me."

"Here’s how it works. The only supplies you need to start decluttering are a black trash bag (black, so people living in your house won’t be able to see what’s inside and suddenly remember why they totally need it), a donatable Donate Box (the box itself has to leave the house along with the stuff inside), and your feet (in most cases, attached to the ends of your legs)."

3. Finally - and most importantly - her tips just make sense. They are practical. And they actually help me get stuff out of my home.

"The decision became, “Do I like this more than that?” Favorite things got first dibs at container space. Things I liked (but weren’t favorites) could totally stay, guilt-free, as long as there was space. Things that didn’t have a current purpose or need didn’t get to stay, and I didn’t even feel bad about that. There simply wasn’t space."

"Shouldn’t I use my decluttering energy on real decluttering instead of on these tedious daily things?
Yes, except this daily stuff is clutter because you haven’t been dealing with it daily. If you dive into the tough decluttering stuff and ignore the procrasticlutter, you’ll feel like your efforts were wasted even though you worked all day. The room will still look messy."

"Here’s the thing I’ve realized as I have decided to use things instead of store them: once I use things, I use them up, and then the pain of decluttering isn’t so harsh."

Like I said above, I haven't finished the book yet. But I would still wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has felt like they've tried to declutter, tried to organize, tried to get their home looking presentable, and just haven't felt like their efforts have made a lasting difference.

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.7 (5445 ratings)
Price	$0.99
Category	Art Therapy & Relaxation

Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff