Living Clutter Free

I started following Joshua Becker's blog Becoming Minimalist earlier this year after a friend posted a link on facebook to one of his posts.  The idea of living with less was very intriguing.  I was pleasantly surprised as I started digging into his blog that this was a way of thinking and living that I could grab a hold of.

I received a copy of his new book Clutter Free with Kids to review and really enjoyed it.  I read his other book Simplify and wanted to see how he would expand on the topic to include those of us with children.  As some of you know, children tend to cause us to gain clutter exponentially as they get older. 

I think anyone, even those without kids, could gain new knowledge or momentum for their clutter free lifestyle from this book.  The book is split up into 3 sections.  The first is a great introduction for anyone on the meaning of a clutter free, minimalist lifestyle.  The second section is a starting place for a journey toward minimalism.  Each chapter in this section spends time talking about different things that tend to clutter our minds and spaces, such as clothes, toys, and sentimental items.  The final section is about overcoming the hurdles that can get in the way of your minimalist journey. 
One idea that stuck with me through my first reading of the book is that we have so much more to offer our kids than things we can buy at a store.  I don't think anyone can argue with that.  The other thing that resonated with me was his comparison of de-cluttering with running a marathon.  You have to start with something easy first.  When running, you aren't expected to go out and run 20 miles on the first day.  Just start somewhere.  Most often, you have to start with yourself and your possessions.  I can't declutter for my husband or my kids without being a role model.  Every little thing will give you momentum to keep going.
 
This is not your typical organizational book, it does not include a checklist of things to do to become clutter free.  The book is a reference guide for finding and living a minimalist life that works for you.  Becker makes it clear that everyone's journey and clutter free lifestyle will look different.  There is joy to be found in owning and organizing less.  That joy comes in living life.  It comes in living a life where you have more time for what really matters because you spend less time fixated on your "things".  The term minimalist might seem scary at first, but it is far from scary, it is a freedom.

Guess what?!?!  The digital version of this book is being offered for an introductory price of $2.99 for this first week only!  I would grab it. 

I was given this book to review!  All opinions expressed are mine!