I’m an audio book devotee because I love listening to “edutainment” while I get my house in order. I’ve learned life-changing concepts and helpful tips from these favorite authors:
The Happiness Project, Better than Before, and Outer Order, Inner Calm
I’m a Gretchen Rubin super fan. Namely, for discovering The Four Tendencies Quiz. The free quiz, her New York Times bestselling books, and companion podcast have helped me understand that one way to have a happier life is to become more aware of how you respond to inner and outer expectations, a.k.a. your “tendency.” Thanks to Gretchen, I discovered that I am an “Obliger” which means that I am more successful at making my inner goals a priority if I bake in outer accountability. Gretchen’s framework has also helped me understand how to better communicate with loved ones, like my “Rebel” husband, Jaime. Your tendency can help you unlock the best way to approach organizing as well. In addition to her blockbuster hit, The Happiness Project, I highly recommend her books Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits (goes deeper into the four tendencies) and Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness.
Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff
Matt Paxton is a featured cleaner on the show, Hoarders and is the host of PBS’s Emmy-nominated show, Legacy List with Matt Paxton. His book walks you through the psychological roadblocks that keep us from lightening our material possessions. If you overwhelmed by your own possessions or by helping a loved one, I recommend Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: How to Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life.
Declutter like a Mother
In Declutter Like a Mother: The Guilt Free No Stress Way to Transform your Home and Your Life, Allie Casazza explores decluttering through the lens of a typical American mom. She’s not about being perfect, she’s about creating a home that’s lighter and more peaceful. Her goal is to help you “make room for what matters.” It’s a very funny, yet practical book that gives parents permission to make tough decisions when it comes to decluttering.
Laundry Love
Like my own mother, I think that the act of doing laundry for my family is one of my love languages. I take a lot of care in laundering, mending, and storing clothing and linens in my home. I love that my mom saved clothes from when my sister and I were young so that I could dress my own daughters in these sentimental items. Before discovering Patric Richardson’s book, Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore, I felt incredibly frustrated by the endless challenge of stains on my family’s clothes. I was also annoyed at the cost of dry cleaning and concerned about its environmental impact. The cure was Laundry Love! Patric is a passionate (and very funny) textile and laundry expert who grew up with women who also showed their love through the care they took with laundry. It is not an exaggeration to say that he has overhauled how I do laundry. Stains no longer scare me and now I rarely dry-clean because it turns out that most dry-clean only clothing can be easily handwashed in just minutes. The audiobook is hysterical, but I also recommend keeping a hard copy handy for your own laundry predicaments.