Clutterfree with Kids by Joshua Becker is a practical guide which will inspire you to think differently about the items in your home. Joshua writes at the blog Becoming Minimalist and authored this book to inspire parents that it is possible to live a clutter-free life with children.
After an opening section providing background on the Becker family’s journey to minimalism, the second section covers common topics of kid clutter such as artwork, toys, clothes, and even non tangible items such as schedules. The final section provides information on maintaining momentum as well as covering unique circumstances such as becoming a one-income family, and dealing with a partner reluctant to becoming clutter free.
Each chapter follows the same format, first providing context with a “story of change” from someone who has dealt with the topic. This is followed by the “change your thinking” section which provides the author’s thoughts on the issue. The “develop new habits” section provides 10 to 20 ideas to solve the problem. Finally, the last section “free your home” provides questions to get you thinking about how to create change in your own home. I enjoyed that each chapter told a different person’s story of struggle with the topic, instead of always being from the author’s perspective. Also, each chapter stands alone, so you can easily read only the topics that interest you and get ideas that you will immediately be able to put into practice.
Even though the book is called “Clutterfree with Kids” you don’t need to be a parent to read this book. The first section provides a basic overview on minimalism and is applicable to people in all stages of life. Additionally, a few of the chapters handle topics such as collections, dealing with a reluctant partner, photos, gifts, and schedules, all of which would be relevant to anyone.
The chapters on toys and clothes really resonated with me and caused me to pare down my own closet, as well as both my daughter’s closets. The most radical change I made as a result of reading this book was to declutter our toys and implement a toy rotation system. We’re three weeks into the system and the benefits have been incredible. Not only are my daughters playing more with their toys, less toys means it is easier to clean up at night and we’re more inclined to do so, resulting in a much tidier house.
During my decluttering spree I took advantage of times when my 4 year old was away and my 2 year old was napping, so they were not involved in the process. However, in the next year I would like to begin involving my older daughter in organizing her spaces and I know Aby’s Organizing with Your Kids class will be a tremendous help when I’m ready to begin. This is the one simplify 101 class I haven’t taken yet, but from the description I know it helps parents learn to get their child involved in the process. This will be a huge help to me since I’ve only ever organized by myself.
Hopefully, “Clutterfree with Kids” and Aby’s “Organizing with Kids” online class will inspire you to tackle some of your family’s clutter hot spots.
Happy Reading!
Alissa
