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The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life
 
 
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The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life [Kindle Edition]

Francine Jay (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews) |
Digital List Price: £6.41 What's this?
Print List Price: £8.99
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Product Description

Product Description

Having less stuff is the key to happiness.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed, instead of overjoyed, by all your possessions? Do you secretly wish a gale force wind would blow the clutter from your home? If so, it's time to simplify your life!

The Joy of Less is a fun, lighthearted guide to minimalist living. Part One provides an inspirational pep talk on the joys and rewards of paring down. Part Two presents the STREAMLINE method: ten easy steps to rid your house of clutter. Part Three goes room by room, outlining specific ways to tackle each one. Part Four helps you trim your to-do list and free up your time, and explains how saving space in your closets can save the planet.

Ready to sweep away the clutter? Just open this book, and you'll be on your way to a simpler, more streamlined, and more serene life.

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 377 KB
  • Print Length: 298 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0984087311
  • Publisher: Anja Press (25 Jun 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B003UNJX4S
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #17,144 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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More About the Author

Francine Jay
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By Jens
Format:Kindle Edition
In these times of economic uncertainty, downsizing may bring an emotional upheaval when trying to get by on fewer things. Fortunately, Francine Jay makes this journey a trip to genuinely cherish in "The Joy of Less". She presents minimalism not as something barren and empty but as freedom and space that makes our lives more enjoyable. And where can this make more of a personal impact than our homes?

This book is in four parts: Philosophy, Streamline, Room by Room and Lifestyle. In Philosophy, she introduces the concept of minimalism and asks the reader to think about our possessions and the value we attach to them: Are we defined by what we own? How much is enough to possess and actually use? And how clutter keeps us back in several ways, not just physically but at the very core of our lifestyle.

In Streamline, she lays out a methodical and clear strategy of de-cluttering our homes. In fact, `Streamline' itself is a handy ten-word mnemonic to guide the process of, well, streamlining! Separating our possessions into Trash, Treasure or Transfer helps to identify what we need to keep and what we can let go - either to the dump or to sell or donate to charity. And everything we keep must make a strong case to remain and have a place it can stay. Which is not on a surface like a table or even the floor, that must remain clear of objects lest it attracts stray items like a magnet. Her concept of storage cuts across three realms: Inner circle, outer circle and deep storage for items used often, sometimes and rarely respectively. `Room by Room' takes the streamline concept and applies it to each room in your home, taking into account the different and unique purpose of them all. She goes into detail how each space can be overhauled into peaceful, calm and de-cluttered oasises.

She closes in her `Lifestyle' section with a homily to expanding minimalism from de-cluttering to saving time from our busy schedules and even to a concept of `minsumerism', a means of reducing our consumption by the Three Rs of reduce, re-use and recycle. This is not an eco-rant on the sly but an instructive exploration of how a life of `enough' can pay dividends on the resources of the planet. She sums this up by comparing an ever-seeking, never-satisfied hunger for material acquisition as akin to a bull in a china shop, when in fact a more considerate approach is more like a butterfly, moving gracefully and lightly without leaving nary a footprint behind!

This is a great book from the writer of the `Miss Minimalist' blog (and NOT a reprint of what appears online). As we all face potentially stark choices of doing more with less in these trying times, we could all embrace `The Joy of Less'!
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a fairly relaxed person who has always had lots of "stuff." I found it difficult to let go of things," they might be useful", "it s a waste to get rid of it as it hasn t been used!" So things piled up around the house and when you wanted to find something it became a nightmare. I tried getting organised,boxes to store the stuff I didn t use appeared and then where to store the boxes..

This book is amazing-it has allowed me to clear clutter,store sensibly(modules- you can find what you want)but most importantly let go of things I don t need.Now when I walk into a room I see clear surfaces,everything in it own place (well, most of the time)and when I tidy I know where things "belong." I have given to charity "family" items, that were in storage, without guilt and the whole process has made me feel good.I still have a long way to go but I will continue.

If you want to get organised and feel in control of the stuff in your home,read this book.

Oct 30, 2011- Still getting rid of stuff, but life is so much easier- I cannot reccommend this book highly enough.

Buy it, it really will change your life!
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Excellent book 15 Feb 2011
Format:Paperback
This book is well written, easy to read and very useful. I have read many books about minimalism but I found this one to be outstanding.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
If you only bought one decluttering guide, this might be the best of...
I bought Joy of Less when on a decluttering kick and found myself underlining large parts of it as worthwhile. Read more
Published 18 days ago by SecondCherry
Thought provoking book
I have read some 'clutter-clearing' books in my time,but this one ! Boy, it makes soo much sense. It looks at clutter-clearing as I've never read before. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Lou
Clear, instructional and informative.
The book is a very thorough instructional guide on how to de-clutter your home, minimise your possessions and live a simple and more meaningful existence. Read more
Published 4 months ago by May Kasahara
Excellent guide on how to...
I had already started a minimalist movement in my home and lifestyle, and this book seemed like a perfect guide to continue with it. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Luisa Agante
A good little read.
This book will not make you a minimalist overnight, but it will make you think,really think about the stuff you own, and why you own it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by bebebelle
A sound read
Overall, I enjoyed this book and found the contents/processes useful. That said, it does - for me - become a little repetitive when Ms Jay goes through her room-by-room analysis. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Brian
Basically a de-cluttering book
While it's true that there are four main sections of this book, the bulk of it is a room-by-room de-cluttering guide using the acronym STREAMLINE for each room. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dr. K. E. Patrick
Great, inspiring book!
I especially liked the first part of the book. In the second part, where Francine explains decluttering room by room, she sometimes repeats herself. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ellen M
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Popular Highlights

 (What's this?)
&quote;
Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. &quote;
Highlighted by 821 Kindle users
&quote;
surfaces are not for storage. Rather, surfaces are for activity, and should be kept clear at all other times. &quote;
Highlighted by 723 Kindle users
&quote;
Decluttering is infinitely easier when you think of it as deciding what to keep, rather than deciding what to throw away. &quote;
Highlighted by 720 Kindle users

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