Book Review: Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White

This morning, I came across a really interesting article on Business Insider: "A family of 5 downsized to a one-bedroom apartment to escape feeling 'house poor.' Saving money hasn't been the only benefit." (In short, the Hawkins family with three kids downsized from a 5-bedroom house to a one-bedroom apartment, renting out their house. They found it reduced their financial stress, brought them closer as a family, and made cleaning much easier.)

Book cover: "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" by Dana K. White, with messy closet background.

Reading their story really took me back to our old flat. It was just two rooms on the first floor, but honestly, everything we needed was there, and everything had its place. Our little family of five was so happy there! We even managed to have a little indoor garden, can you imagine? Then we moved to our current place – a super big two-story house with four rooms and a much larger garden (which I barely have time to glance at these days!).

Like Megan in the article, with four boys, work, and all the other things life throws my way, it feels like I'm constantly cleaning. It's a never-ending cycle! This whole "house poor" feeling they described? I can totally relate to the "constantly cleaning" part of it, even if our situation is a little different.

It made me think about what I've been learning from the book "Decluttering at the Speed of Life." It's funny how sometimes we think a bigger house will solve all our problems, but maybe the answer lies in having less stuff and a better system. Here are some of the points that have really stuck with me:

  1. A tidy home isn't about having loads of spare time; it's about having a system that works.
  2. If your house feels cramped, the solution isn't buying more storage – it's getting rid of things you don't need.
  3. Buying boxes and containers isn't the ultimate answer. They just become homes for more stuff.
  4. It's not that your belongings are inherently bad, but having too much of them becomes a real burden.
  5. Sometimes, having a bit of empty space brings more peace than filling every corner with decor.
  6. If you've completely forgotten you own something, chances are it's not really important to you.
  7. Adopt the "one in, one out" rule to prevent your belongings from overwhelming your space.
  8. Storage containers aren't meant to hold everything; they should help you limit how much you actually keep.
  9. The most logical place to store something is the first place you'd look for it. Keep it simple!
  10. Doing just 5 minutes of tidying each day is way more effective than waiting for a massive cleaning spree.
  11. Don't hold onto things out of guilt, especially gifts. If they're not being used, someone else might need them more, and the good vibes go to the giver.
  12. If you have to spend a long time thinking about whether you need something, you probably don't.
  13. Not every item needs a new storage solution; sometimes, it just needs to leave the house.
  14. Too many possessions can make your space feel like it can't breathe.
  15. If the kids' stuff is always a mess, maybe the system needs to be adjusted, not just the kids.
  16. A small house isn't an excuse for clutter; it just means you have to be more intentional with what you keep.
  17. Don't wait until you have a bigger house to start decluttering. Start now!
  18. Expired items are for the bin, not for a trip down memory lane. Let go of the expired stuff.
  19. Keeping things just because they were "expensive" means you're just storing expensive clutter. Consider selling them.
  20. It's usually not a lack of storage space; it's having too much stuff in the first place.
  21. Remember, your house is for living, not for being a storage unit.
  22. Not every picture-perfect Pinterest organizing system will actually work for your real life.
  23. Anything that makes you feel stressed just by looking at it is likely not a necessity.
  24. Things don't have legs! If there's a mess, a human is usually the cause.
  25. When your home feels spacious, your mind often feels more at peace too.
  26. The more things you own, the more time you'll spend cleaning and organizing them.
  27. Decluttering your home can often feel like decluttering your life in general.

The Hawkins family's story really highlights that we don't necessarily need a huge house to live comfortably and happily. What we truly need is a space that suits our lifestyle and the needs of our family kan?

P/S: Thinking about downsizing to our Scientex house (smaller, less stuff!), but the big hurdle is moving the kids to a new school again after they've settled in here. Tough decision betul ek jadi mak-mak ni? Kalau single mingle, pack my bag and terus gerak.

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