Books

More Books That Will Help You 'Tidy Up' Your Life

by Maria Ribas

Are you overwhelmed by your to-do list? Do you feel like you’re always busy, but you never seem to get anything done? Are you dissatisfied with your job, your apartment, or even your life? Do I sound like a cheesy infomercial yet?

If so, c’mon down and try our miraculous new product: Minimalism! With just zero payments of zero dollars a month, you can get out of debt, declutter your apartment, find work you love, spend more time with friends and family, and actually start living a meaningful, intentional life.

Sound too good to be true? Well, it actually isn’t. If the breakout success of Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up has taught us anything, it’s that we really can change our lives by simplifying them. So if you’ve finally thrown out those weird headbands from sixth grade, given away that waffle maker you never touched, and turned your home into the magazine-worthy retreat you’ve always dreamed of, why not bring that same peace and order to the rest of your life? At its root, simple living is about living in alignment with your life’s purpose — as in, making sure that the way you spend your time, energy, and money reflects your values. It’s definitely not about selling everything you own, moving into a tiny house, and growing your own food. If that’s your jam, then go for it (and send me produce!), but make sure you’re following your purpose, not somebody else’s.

With these 6 books, you’ll learn how to pare your to-do list to just one item, simplify and automate your finances, figure out how to get paid for the work you actually love to do, stop saying “yes” to everything, and finally make your life yours.

Do Less: A Minimalist Guide to a Simplified, Organized, and Happy Life by Rachel Jonat

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In our world of always feeling like we’re not doing enough and we’re not good enough, wouldn’t it be a relief to just do less for once? Then pick up this book — at just 176 pages, it’s the simplest guide to simple living out there. Start here if you’re totally overwhelmed by to-dos and totally underwhelmed by your life.

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider

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Finally got your house spic and span using The KonMari Method? Now it’s time to simplify your other day-to-day tasks. This book will show you how to create a purpose statement for your life, so you can figure out what the heck you’re really on this planet for. From there, you can start reimagining how your personal finances, your work, your social life, and even each room in your apartment can be a support system for your life purpose, and therefore, your happiness.

The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential... in Business and in Life by Leo Babuata

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Leo Babuata, known to his millions of readers as the voice behind the wildly popular site Zen Habits, shares some of the minimalism principles that made him successful. He’s a master of the art and science of making habits stick, and this book will give you practical tips for changing your life for good. After all, who doesn’t want to make simplifying and decluttering their go-to move rather than just a passing phase?

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

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This New York Times bestseller is all about paring down your to-dos so you can actually get the important things done. It’s not a new productivity technique that insists you multitask and schedule every minute of your day — it’s about figuring out which tasks are unnecessary and which are... you guessed it: essential.

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

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You know that long list of to-dos you carry around from day to day like a ball and chain? Well, go ahead and throw it right out. Instead, ask yourself: What is the one thing I need to do that will make everything else easier or superfluous? Once you figure out what your one thing is, get at it. Make sure it’s the very first thing you do when you sit down to work for the day, even if it means shifting other tasks to later in the day.

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D.

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This classic guide to living a happy life has sold millions of copies for a reason — it cuts through the trendy happiness science to get to the root of what makes us human. Cap off your minimalism reading with this book, so you can remind yourself why it’s all worth it.

Image: Rubbermaid Products/flickr