My house is full of clutter. So much so, that I have lived in my home for two years and there are still unopened boxes. My husband even tells me that we have a house full of “Monica Closets” (if you love ‘Friends’ as much as we do, then you will get the reference). This book put the fire under my booty to finally get up and make some changes rather than just looking at it and getting overwhelmed. Dana hilariously takes you through her thought process and truthfully makes throwing things out fun! She shows you the steps it takes to stop getting emotional about stuff and start living in the now with only what you need. And better yet, she makes the steps seem small and manageable.

However, I don’t feel like this is a book I can go up to my friends and say “You have to read this book!” because truthfully, decluttering your home is something that has to be your own idea otherwise I don’t think it is something that your whole heart is into. This is a book where you brag to your friends that you read it and it changed your life and then they get their own idea that they want to do it too. See the difference?

A must read for anyone tired of the clutter and ready to get off the couch and do the work!!

Title: Decluttering at the Speed of Life



Author: Dana K. White



Genre: Nonfiction, Organization, Self-Help, Inspirational, Cleaning



Plot: Minimalism is the trend right now and many of us can clearly see why. But for the rest of us, all that open space and lack of stuff feels intimidating, hard to achieve and discouraging when we are surrounded by our clutter. Maybe we've read the books, bought the shiny new containers and thrown out a bag or two of unwanted items but still find ourselves stuck with no floor space and a sense of overwhelming stuff. Maybe we have kids or a shopping addiction.



Regardless of why we have so much stuff, we can agree that we'd like to be a bit more organized and could probably use some tips on how to get to the point in our head where we can actually use the dining table for eating instead of laundry storage. But we don't necessarily want to live on the bare minimum of stuff either. This book is the answer to our struggle. So settle down and start realistically decluttering your life today.



Likes/Dislikes: I read a lot of organizational books, including The Magic of Tidying Up and this particular book held potential for being neat and unique but fell flat, sadly. The only real revolutionary idea it contained was the idea that a container sets a limit on just how much of something you can actually own. Beyond that, it was excruciatingly painful to read because it was so incredibly repetitive. We understand that you had so much stuff that you couldn't live in your house and probably should've been on the hoarders show. Now please stop reminding us every paragraph.



Rating: PG-13 and up, mainly for reading level. It's a nonfiction book on organizing so very clean.



Date Review Written: August 27th, 2018



I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions in the above review are my own.

A practical guide for those who feel overwhelmed by clutter in their home and want to make a change. White offers concrete steps that, if followed, will make a difference in their lives and comfort levels. Note that this book will only help those who have already decided to make a change.

This book strives to make decluttering really simple by establishing basic boundaries and practices. For example, if you have a sock drawer, you're limited to the number of socks that will fit in that drawer. Seems obvious, but how many of us have tons of "homeless" objects because we have more than will fit into their designated space? Her methods remove most of the emotion from decluttering. Rather than "does this pair of socks bring joy to my heart?", it's more, "Okay, my sock drawer holds 20 pairs of socks, so which 20 do I use most often or like the most?"

You know how there are a lot of Self Help books that don't really have revolutionary new ideas, but they still motivate you to change by whacking you over the head with basic things you already know (at least on some level) until they sink in? That's where this book falls. It's hard not to read a page about cleaning out your pantry without wanting to go check for expired food that might be lurking in yours.

I do wish they had included checklists in each section. Most chapters follow the structure of following a de-cluttering process in a specific room or area of your home. While the steps of the process are firmly stuck in your head by the end of the book, it would have been useful to have something to glance at as you worked on that room when you get overwhelmed and need a nudge in the right direction.

I did love the quote, "There's a difference between something being useful and actually using something." I also liked when she addressed people who may be dealing with physical limitations (from mobility disabilities to anxiety that makes things like decluttering super hard) with "Do what you can, whenever you can, as often as you can." I can sometimes only handle 5 minutes at a time without getting overwhelmed and exhausted, but if I do those five minutes as often as possible, real progress happens.

I think that with this kind of book, it's all about finding the one that offers a method that really speaks to you. If other decluttering books haven't worked for you, this one is worth picking up - it might be the one that finally hits home. I liked it well enough, but it wasn't one that resonated strongly with me. (I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if possible, but the system doesn't allow for halves, so bumping up to 4.)

(Complimentary review copy via NetGalley)

This book is enjoyable to read and clear and concise with it's advice and steps to help a person declutter. It also helps by distinguishing that decluttering is not cleaning and that it helps in the long run. I also thought that the writing about emotional attachments was well thought and clearly shared. I will be suggesting this book to people because it is respectful and helpful towards decluttering.

This book actually made me think differently about decluttering, which is a success because I'm very into minimalism and getting rid of clutter, and I've consumed a lot of information about this topic. The method of the decluttering process is very different from the Konmari method (which I like but it's definitely not all-encompassing and practical in all situations) - it works with the concept that your home and all its individual storage units (like the closet or pantry) are containers.

The job of a container is to contain your stuff and prevent them from spreading everywhere, and your job is not to put more stuff in the container than it can hold. This may seem trivial but I think it's a clever approach. The author talked about her own experience with accumulating more and more stuff and thinking that her problem would be solved after moving into a bigger house, but unsurprisingly, it didn't help and made things only worse because she had more space to bring or keep more clutter.

The decluttering process introduced in this book is done by room (not by category as Marie Kondo does) and it consists of several steps and a few decluttering questions and principles. The author also talks about how to handle decluttering with other people (including kids). The steps made sense to me, although their names could have been more specific as they were a bit confusing at first - "easy stuff" (stuff that belongs elsewhere) and "duh" (stuff that is clearly to be decluttered) may sound similar. Apart from the actual steps, there were some other interesting concepts and terms introduced, like procrasticlutter (which is the bane of my existence) or the visibility rule.

The decluttering questions (which are used later in the process, once you've got rid of the obvious stuff) are:
1) If I needed this item, where would I look for it first?
2) If I needed this item, would it ever occur to me that I already had one?
I'm not sure about the practical use of these questions to me, especially the second one, because I'm at a stage where I have a pretty good grasp on what I actually own.

It was a fun read and some of the stories and examples from the author's life were hilarious. It was definitely inspiring and motivating (I did a few decluttering sessions while reading it) and there's a good chance you will benefit from this book whether you're a decluttering newbie or an enthusiast like me.

This book is so incredibly simple and helpful. I have read a LOT about decluttering and organizing so I put this one off assuming it was the same. Wow, I wish I had read it sooner (I have already recommended it to 3 people TODAY!)

Dana's perspective and insight is so logical and helpful. The writing is easy to read and easier to implement!

Fantastic book! My donation pile thanks you, Dana. :)

I have received this from NetGalley for a honest review.

This book has really great ideas in how to see the many objects that clutter anyone's house. Looking forward to try to use these tips.

This book is exactly what I needed to help me curb my packrat tendencies. Full of practical and useful advice for decluttering one’s life and home. Easy to read and explained well. A definite recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for practical ways to help organize and minimize your clutter and not necessarily become a highly organized and anal this book is for your normal everyday person. It gives you practical advise in a conversational tone that is not off putting as some self helps books can be. I would get this book if you need a gentle nudge to help get you going in the right direction in Minimizing not getting rid of all clutter as just not practical.

In this book you find simple and useful tips to declutter your home, beginning by a mindset shift. A push to begin the process of decluttering. You don’t discover something new but you recognize what you have to do.

This author’s journey starts when she was a hoarder: “My excess stuff was ruining my ability to enjoy and function in my home”.
Then she decided to view her “home as a place to live instead of a place to store”. Out of necessity, she created specific steps to help her “breakthrough that all-too-familiar feeling of being totally overwhelmed by clutter”.

She defines the main concepts:

Decluttering
Decluttering isn’t Stuff Shifting. It isn’t rearranging or buying a new shelving unit, isn’t organizing or cleaning (cleaning comes after decluttering).
Decluttering is achieving less. Pure purging.

Clutter
“I define clutter as anything I can’t keep under control. If a space in my home consistently gets out of control, I have too much stuff in that space. I have clutter”.

Decluttering Paralysis
“…a real phenomenon that makes me unable to move when facing an overwhelming mess”.

Procrasticlutter
“The stuff that will get done eventually so it doesn’t seem urgent”.

Decluttering Regret
“the realization that I need something after I declutter it”.

Decluttering Momentum
“By starting with easy stuff and working through the steps I’m sharing in this book, I saw visible, measurable improvement in my home. As my home changed, I changed. And decluttering got easier and easier”.

The Container Concept
“The purpose of a container is to contain…Accept the limitations of the space you have, and declutter enough that your stuff fits comfortably in that space”.
“I didn’t decide anything. I didn’t figure out anything. I just accepted that limits were limits. (…) I just picked out my favorites, put them in the container, and knew that when the container was full, anything left wasn’t as loved as the ones in the container. This made decluttering easy, or at least doable”.

She talks about decluttering books, a subject particularly like.

Space over stuff
The author starts valuing space over stuff. Space for living, for her family.

I particularly like her visibility rule:
“…when I declutter, I start with the most visible spaces first. This ensures the results of my efforts will be visible, which will inspire me to keep going, and my decluttering energy will increase...”.

Dana proceeds to show the steps for “Working Through an Overwhelming Mess”. She describes as she declutters room by room.
Then she talks about how you can help others declutter (like decluttering with kids; hey, moms out there, take a look) and how to declutter under special circumstances (like when you are moving into a new house).

I like her quote: “IMPERFECT DECLUTTERING IS BETTER THAN NOT DECLUTTERING”

This book presents a reliable method in all its simplicity. Decluttering is presented as a continuous endeavor, set at a gradual pace.
An unvarnished, matter-of-fact, good book.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A very sensible and down to earth approach to decluttering, it was easy to read and written with a non- recriminating approach. Since both my parents died and my children left home, I have collected so much memories in the form of objects, that reading this book has put into prospective, not quite ready to get rid a lot of things but am looking at things in a different light.

I’ve been thinking (and reading) a lot lately about clutter, habits, and happiness. Decluttering at the Speed of Life is a good pep talk for getting started on lightening up your home or office space. It is far less intimidating than some other similar books out there. Dana White acknowledges this can be hard stuff for many people but is encouraging, too. There was a weird stretch in the middle with several unnecessary “y’all’s”, but I would highly recommend this book!

3.5 stars. The author has a good approach to conquering clutter that she developed from her own real life needs. This is not a book about organizing but about how to balance what you have with the space that you have and get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit. It's written in a down-to-earth style with a touch of humor. The only reason I didn't rate it higher is that much of the material is repetitive after awhile. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

You probably won't become a neat freak overnight, but I guarantee you'll come away with some new ideas about clutter. Dana White writes quite conversationally, it feels like a discussion with a friend that's been there done that. I wasn't looking for an organizing book, and Decluttering is definitely not that type pf book. I will keep it for reference when I nee a spur to tackle the clutter, but I have already put some ideas into practice and feel quite successful. It's actually a good experience!

This ultra-practical book is written in a girlfriend’s friendly, non-judgmental voice. Dana White offers great tips while admitting they may be hard for you to implement, since clutter habits are deeply ingrained. But her kicks-in-the-pants are tempered very well with humor and real-life examples.

Here are just a few of the myriad practical tips Dana offers in this helpful book:
Look at your house and each room as a container. Fit only what is comfortable in those “containers.”
Think of a bookshelf as a book container. If it’s overflowing, give some away. (I so need to hear this!)
Learn to take delight in open spaces and protect them, and you’ll start feeling more peaceful.
Frugality is a great trait, but it can defeat you if you collect clutter. Only buy what you need and what will fit in your containers. I’ve decided not to go to any more library book sales or garage sales until the clutter is cleaned up.
Use the visibility rule: declutter the most visible spaces first to gain momentum (such as kitchen counters, tabletops, bathrooms, etc.).
Re-decluttering is easier than decluttering–you need to develop a daily habit of decluttering rather than waiting for one big, exhausting day to do it all. I’m starting to use this method and enjoying the results already after only one week.
My big downfall is paper. I’m mulling over Dana’s tips so I can tame the paper monster and feel better about myself. My husband is a neat freak, and my messes bother him a lot more than he lets on. I want to make decluttering a priority so our relationship improves, and this book will help me simplify the process.

Looking to clean up your home this summer? You’ll find tons of great ideas in this helpful book!

#Declutter your home for greater #peace with Decluttering at the Speed of Life. CLICK TO TWEET
The BookLook Bloggers Program and Netgalley graciously provided me a review copy.

I am a terrible housekeeper, so I'm always looking for tips and tricks to make it easier. Unfortunately, this one didn't do it for me. The text was a bit too wordy, and the ideas within didn't feel much different from all the other decluttering books I've tried. I'll keep looking for the magic bullet to keep my house clean!

Clutter is a problem for me. I frequently worry that it could get out of control, which would make me a second generation hoarder. I've read all the popular organization manuals and while I get inspired in the moment, the changes never last.

White's book, however, caused a shift in my thinking. If all I got out of it was her statement about containers, it was still worth it to purchase and read. But I learned so much on top of that. Her instructions on how to declutter whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours to spend were also invaluable.

Over the course of reading, I found myself following her steps and making a difference in the appearance and comfort level of my home. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who struggles to conquer clutter.

I was given a digital copy of this book by #NetGalley for an honest opinion.

Where has this book been all of my life?!? Seriously, I could have written this book. Dana sounds just like me with her predisposition to frugality and trying to fit everything!

I have known I have had a problem for awhile. It started out with books. I love books. I have way too many books. I justify my book buying addiction since our library is quite small. However, the books overtake our house. I love them, but they are so stressful for me. In fact, as I got married and my husband and I started having children, it became more than books, though the books keep coming. Then it was also kitchen appliances, food storage, toys, clothes for the kids in big and smaller sizes for the next child of that gender, gifts a year or more in advance.

The other problem is that I am obsessive about cleaning and organization. So I bring all of these things into our home. Oh how can I resist more baby clothes for $0.25 a piece at a yard sale? Or books? But there is no room for them. So I find myself stressed and in tears as I try to find a way to organize the new stuff into our already bursting home.

Dana put a great perspective on this and really has helped motivate me to change. I now have had a mind shift as well as plan in order to declutter and make my home more livable for my family. This book can seriously be life changing if you are hoarder or have problems with trying to fit too much but are not able to let things go. I am so excited to utilize the knowledge I have learned from her book in my life so I can improve the quality of living for my whole family! Thank you so much for this amazing book!!

I found this book to be very informative. I am a pack rat and this book has been very helpful to me.