Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All views expressed in this post are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through these links will result in a small commission being paid to me.
Recently I read 50 Things to Know to Downsize Your Life: How To Downsize, Organize, And Get Back to Basics (50 Things to Know Healthy Living Series) by Lisa M. Rusczyk M. Ed.. I will be honest, in the first few minutes I stumbled over poor editing and what I believe may be my own hoarding issues. I plugged on and am glad I did. This book gives some great ideas about how to downsize or really streamline your lifestyle. This goes deeper than just the decluttering of the home and focuses also on learning to relax and live life simply and fully. It is written in an easy to read format using numbered bullet points. The book which reads much like a magazine article does give reason to pause, think, and analyze one's own life. There is plenty of good content to put into practice.
Rusczyk offers some great organizational ideas. Going room by room, she highlights the areas that often create chaos in our homes and gives some great suggestions to rectify it. As I mentioned, I found myself dealing with some serious hoarding issues. One suggestion that is brilliant, but really highlighted my need to hoard, was to take pictures of sentimental items that you don't use. This way you can get rid of the item, but still have something to remember it by. It is a great idea, but the thought of giving away that antique quilt that just sits in the linen closet about made me cry. I think I will be hanging on to it for a while yet. ;)
Other suggestions may be seen as downright controversial such as getting rid of your guest room and asking overnight guest to stay at a hotel. While I completely understood her reasoning for this, I struggled with the idea of not playing hostess for our out of town guests. We don't currently have a guest room at our house, but I still wouldn't ask our guest to stay at a hotel. Move the kids all into one room or let the guest sleep on an air mattress in the living room, but don't send them to a hotel.
Each of Rusczyk's ideas are briefly explained and she uses pictures to break up the text and illustrate what she is describing. Her ideas are very budget friendly and many of her suggestions are even based on reducing your budget which I did like. While I will not use all 50 ideas that she gives, I did come up with a pretty long list that I can implement in my home and life.
You can read more at 50thingstoknow.com.
Have you read the book yet? What did you think of it?
by Lisa M. Rusczyk M. Ed.. I will be honest, in the first few minutes I stumbled over poor editing and what I believe may be my own hoarding issues. I plugged on and am glad I did. This book gives some great ideas about how to downsize or really streamline your lifestyle. This goes deeper than just the decluttering of the home and focuses also on learning to relax and live life simply and fully. It is written in an easy to read format using numbered bullet points. The book which reads much like a magazine article does give reason to pause, think, and analyze one's own life. There is plenty of good content to put into practice.Rusczyk offers some great organizational ideas. Going room by room, she highlights the areas that often create chaos in our homes and gives some great suggestions to rectify it. As I mentioned, I found myself dealing with some serious hoarding issues. One suggestion that is brilliant, but really highlighted my need to hoard, was to take pictures of sentimental items that you don't use. This way you can get rid of the item, but still have something to remember it by. It is a great idea, but the thought of giving away that antique quilt that just sits in the linen closet about made me cry. I think I will be hanging on to it for a while yet. ;)
Other suggestions may be seen as downright controversial such as getting rid of your guest room and asking overnight guest to stay at a hotel. While I completely understood her reasoning for this, I struggled with the idea of not playing hostess for our out of town guests. We don't currently have a guest room at our house, but I still wouldn't ask our guest to stay at a hotel. Move the kids all into one room or let the guest sleep on an air mattress in the living room, but don't send them to a hotel.
Each of Rusczyk's ideas are briefly explained and she uses pictures to break up the text and illustrate what she is describing. Her ideas are very budget friendly and many of her suggestions are even based on reducing your budget which I did like. While I will not use all 50 ideas that she gives, I did come up with a pretty long list that I can implement in my home and life.
You can read more at 50thingstoknow.com.
Have you read the book yet? What did you think of it?
Thanks for an amazing review!
ReplyDeleteYour welcome, Lisa. :)
DeleteI should probably also say thanks for letting me read it!
DeleteThis sounds good. We have too many catch-alls. :) And too much stuff all around.
ReplyDeleteAgreed Annette! Anytime I can take 8 boxes full of toys to Goodwill and still not have made a dent... lol...uh huh...we have too much!
DeleteI am big hoarder.. and wonder why I keep some of things that I do... I have a sweater that my grandfather gave me about 35 years ago.. just before he died.. Never like it then and still really don't but it hangs in my closet... I don't like the idea of no guest room.. for one thing that is usually the cleanest room in my house and has the least in it...
ReplyDeleteHAHA Marlys that sweater comment made me laugh! I have a oriental dress that was given too me and I can't wear it and it has never ever left my closet....not sure why I can't seem to part with it!
DeleteI am thinking this is a must read for me... going to check it out for sure....
ReplyDeleteHope you like it Cathy! :)
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