“Clutter: (noun) A collection of things lying about in an untidy state.”
The writer of this definition could well have walked around our flat for inspiration – and I’m ok with that, sort of – but when does our ‘stuff’ transform into something darker and perhaps more worrying?
Eve O. Schaub had an entire room taken over by clutter, which was gradually seeping into other areas of her home in Vermont, USA.
In her new memoir, Year of No Clutter, she doesn’t just take on the mammoth task of clearing out the ominously, yet appropriately, named Hell Room, she looks at how it got into that state in the first place.
Here’s the blurb:
From Hoarders to The Life- Changing Magic of Tidying Up, the question of what to do with all of our stuff seems to be on everyone’s mind.
Eve Schaub’s new memoir is the tale of how one woman organized an entire room in her house that had been overtaken by pointless items.
It’s also a deeply inspiring and frequently hilarious examination of why we keep stuff in the first place—and how to let it all go.
I was slightly dubious about how a book that, on the surface, seems to be about cleaning one room could keep me interested but actually it is so much more than that.
We seem to have a preoccupation with ‘stuff’ at the moment – from popular hoarder programmes to best-selling books that teach you the right way to tidy up.
What this well-researched title does is look at the psychology behind our attachments and, while it is about Eve (and her family), I certainly saw elements of myself in her.
Just like her previous memoir, Year Of No Sugar, her latest is inspiring and humorous – along with the odd ‘wait, what?’ moment (the story of the mouse, that’s all I’ll say).
Format: Kindle.
Price: £8.
My rating: Three stars.
Thank you to Sourcebooks (via NetGalley) for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
After The Rain 
Clutter makes me shudder and is accumulating in our house, time to act! Maybe I should buy this and hope the chief clutter’s see it
LikeLike
It’s worth a try! Hehe. I’m quite good at ignoring it all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds good, I like personal accounts of how these things affect people; I am rather nosy! Seriously though, the why is so important whenever you look at behaviour. Currently in the throes of builders, I can’t wait to get stuff out of boxes, but I’m sure some of it will be destined not to remain in the house – if I haven’t needed it for the last six months then do I really need it at all?!?
LikeLike
That’s a good point. I have loads of stuff that’s been in the loft for years and I keep thinking that if I’ve not needed it yet I should just get rid of it all. I hope your work will be finished soon.
LikeLike
I am the queen of clutter. I hate it but I really have a serious problem in throwing things away…anything…even if it’s broken. I adopted a rule that I could keep something for a month (or sometimes three, but no longer) then it has to go. Maybe this book would give me some insight into why I do this?
#MMBC
LikeLike
That’s a good rule! This book is more about her quest to get rid of her clutter but there are certainly elements you can apply to your own situation. I’m very good at ignoring clutter 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Tara, I really could do with reading this book myself. but it will just send me into a downward spiral of denial. I’m not a hoarder, I like to keep things ‘just in case’!… MmMMmmm I think that makes me a hoarder doesn’t it?
xx
LikeLike
I don’t want to be the one to break it to you, Debbie, but I think it probably does make you a hoarder. Welcome to the club 😀
LikeLike