Summer Reading List: Organizing Addition
I’ve got a line-up of my favourite books about organizing, just in time to add them to your summer reading list. If you enjoyed a book recommendation, I’ve shared a similar book you can check out next.
The “Philosophical” Read
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo: The Book Collection
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Spark Joy: An illustrated master class on the art of organizing and tidying up
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life
If you liked these try: The art of discarding: how to get rid of clutter and find joy by Nags Tatsumi
Marie Kondo was my very first book about organizing. Her first book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up offers a unique philosophy on organizing. Through Marie’s own experience and her client’s experience, she offers specific directions on how to organize. Her process has been critiqued for being too specific, like how to fold socks, but like any organizing philosophy, I suggest taking what works for you! For me, I often reflect on Marie’s philosophy about items we just aren’t sure about keeping. In her master class book, she explains that “when you decide to keep something that falls into the grey zone, treat it as though it were precious rather than giving it a half-hearted three-month grace period. This will free you from feelings of guilt or ambivalence. Put it where you can see it so that you won’t forget its existence.”
Marie credits Nagisa Tatsumi to helping her find her philosophy on Organizing, so if you enjoyed and got through all of Marie’s book collection, check out: The art of discarding: how to get rid of clutter and find joy.
The “Mental Shift” Read
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
If you liked those try: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Greg uses the analogy of decluttering your closet to explain the mindset shift required to also determine the vital few from the many. He explains that “essentialism is about creating a system for handling the wardrobe of our lives. [...] It is a discipline you apply each and every time you are faced with a decision about whether to say yes or whether to politely decline”. Greg acknowledges that this type of selection requires serious consideration of trade-offs (we actually can’t and shouldn’t do it all), but through interesting examples of successful and non-successful business case studies, he provides thought provoking questions we can ask ourselves to ensure we are focusing on what really matters to us.
If you enjoyed this book, also check out Mark Manson’s book, The Subtle Art of not giving a F*ck, for a humorous attempt at freeing yourself from opinion and focus your attention on the vital few things that deserve your attention.
The “Downsizing” Read
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson
If you liked this try: Let it Go by Peter Walsh
I think if I could pick anyone dead or alive to sit down and have a meal with, Margareta would be up there on my list! Such a short and easy read, the book leaves you with a few Swedish philosophies about decluttering your life’s possessions so that someone else doesn’t have to. Her comical stories leave you feeling like you just had an afternoon tea with your neighbour and wanting to rethink your memory box.
If you enjoyed Margareta, Peter Walsh’s, Let It Go, will give you a more practical, Western perspective on downsizing. Through his own experience downsizing his childhood home, as well as stories from others, he gets into the psychology behind dividing up family heirlooms and getting passed the emotion to, well, let it go.
The “Visual Inspiration” Read
The Home Edit Life by Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin
If you liked this try: Minimalista by Shira Gill
If Pinterest perfect, colour coded books will inspire your next project, The Home Edit Life is the book for you. Each turn of the page leaves you with beautifully photographed home organizing solutions sure to make a mark on your next credit card statement. Between the photos, are mini quizzes, checklists and design tips. It’s not the realistic organizing book we need, but it’s the pretty book we flip through!
If you enjoyed the Home Edit’s books, check out Minimalista by Shira Gill. This last one is on my summer reading list, so I can’t say too much yet. However, similar to the Home Edit, Shira offers lots of inspiration pictures, with a twist of minimalism. Her calming aesthetic is far from the rainbow colour coding of the Home Edit, but from what I’ve seen so far, offers more practical advice to getting organized.
Cheers to a great summer!
