30 Days to a Simpler Life

This is an excellent resource for step-by-step ideas on getting organized and eliminating “stuff” from our lives. It’s a pretty radical book that will challenge ones thinking and help to break the bonds of attachment for accumulating more things. The authors walk through all areas of household living including bathrooms, clothes, bedrooms, kitchens, offices, garden sheds and garages. They present very practical and achievable ideas. For example, one of their suggestions is to avoid the use of table lamps which clutter flat surfaces. They prefer ceiling fan lights or floor lamps — so do we. They also recommend minimizing what we purchase, “if you don’t need it, don’t buy it.” This is a good idea. We disagree with a few of their philosophies. One is, “If you don’t use it, throw it out.” We prefer to sell it or donate it. The other is their implication that children complicate life and you should consider not having them. This book makes many references to various New Age concepts including Feng Shui, yoga and meditation.