Cover Image: The Holistic Guide to Decluttering

The Holistic Guide to Decluttering

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Member Reviews

This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!! This book was unputdownable.

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While we have all been dealing with Covid, we are spending more time at home. If you are like me, you look around and think, this place could use some work and so could I in terms of mindfulness and awareness. This title addresses these topics from a number of perspectives.

Many people have been exposed to Marie Kondo by now; this book provides an additional perspective. There are many practical tips here as well as a good linking between physical clutter and mental/emotional overload as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

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I enjoyed reading this book and all the tips. I found this book very helpful and it's a great gift for first time home owners. I'm obsessed with organization and simplicity. This book has lots of informations, tips and advices like for example, sometimes we don't throw things away because someone special gave it to us and we're scared about hurting their feelings but if the item doesn't fit our lifestyle anymore they should support you in the decision of not keeping it. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

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The Holistic Guide to Decluttering has a holistic approach to getting rid of clutter. Which means, it's not only about those extra shirts in your closet, or the twenty-three vases on your shelf. The idea behind this book is to declutter your mind, your time and your rooms and closets.

Michele Vig has a lot of experience as a professional 'declutterer' and shares a lot of practical tips in her book.

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"The Holistic Guide to Decluttering" by Michele Vig covers the three types of clutter and how to realistically remove them for good. Vig covers clutter of the mind, time, and space. With practical tips and solutions, this book is a must read for anyone looking to minimize clutter and live their best life!

I loved the simplicity of this book. Filled with calming images and tones, Vig's book allows readers comfort and grace as they declutter their world. In it, Vig recommends finding the why for your declutter. This part is often missing in other organization books, but it brings true purpose to any clean out. A why will help you press on even when you are unmotivated or considering quitting.

Vig breaks down the three points of clutter and provides an in depth look at each one. I especially loved her thoughts on how to declutter time and the mind. These feel like the root of physical clutter, so learning to eliminate clutter in these areas becomes crucial.

Overall, I felt this book to be informative and helpful, earning it 4 stars from me! It hits the shelves September 22nd, right in time for a good fall clean out (because let's be honest spring cleaning probs didn't happen during quarantine). I definitely recommend everyone give this book a read! Thank you to NetGalley and Fair Winds Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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Such an interesting read, which tells you all about the reasons as to how we got cluttered in the first place. I found this book really helpful, it also helped you organise things to, as well as getting rid of things.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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As an aspiring minimalist, I enjoyed this book! There were some great, practical ideas that I plan on implementing in my home.

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An amazing examination of consumerism, energy and distraction that helps the reader to declutter their habits and their lives in order to declutter their spaces. Wonderful!

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It was basically Marie Kondo rewritten for the American market, with some added mindfulness. I still quite enjoyed it, and there were some useful tips. I definitely felt like it's aimed at an American audience, and probably people with large homes - Vig talks about creating a laundry space with room to hang clothes and store washing (kind of hard when your washing machine lives in a kitchen corner!) and there's a lot of stuff about wardrobe organisation that probably isn't suitable for most British readers.

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I really didn’t find this book interesting at all. I felt it was out of reach of normal everyday people. The very people in need of the help to declutter

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Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unfortunately, I do not have the capability to read it in the protected pdf format. Thank you.

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This is a good book about decluttering your home, day and mind. I have been doing this for years. I just decided one day it was time, and I did it. I am a very good organizer, so it comes naturally to me. This is the first book I’ve read about the subject. I’m happy to see I’m doing most of these things. I do need to work on my walk-in closet though, but that is due to laziness at the moment.

I do believe this book is useful for many people. So many simply have too much stuff, too many things on their mind, and they are late for everything or can’t keep up with what they should be doing. I think I became a better and calmer person when I decided it’s time to make changes. I know many who should read this book, and I think this could be a good gift for people who are not sensitive, and immediately think badly of you for trying to help.

I like the short personal anecdotes about helping a person by telling them a story, a reason or something else so that they can realize for themselves where the problem lies. It might take awhile for people to actually accept the fact, but usually they get there. Emotional attachment to things really can be a big thing for many.

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I honestly was not expecting much from this book. I thought if I could read some of it and feel the slightest bit motivated to clean and organize this week, I would be happy. The beginning of the book was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. I overall enjoyed it, but there were a few short parts that I thought "Oh, this is where it will start going downhill." (Like when she starts to mention different studies, but this author knows her stuff because she actually -GASP- referenced each one at the end of the book rather than leave you feeling like she made them all up?!) Glad to say that I was wrong! I actually really love this book, and I cannot wait to purchase for *ahem* my partner whom I live with.

"Once you know what you need to do, taking action at a time when you will be most productive will create wonderful flow."

While her methods aren't exactly new, there was something so refreshing about the way she explains them that make them feel new. I had to stop myself from putting down the book so I could start to declutter our home! I really appreciate the way the book was broken down into the different rooms and categories. She goes into just enough detail to get you on track and motivated, but it's simplified enough to where you can use it as a reference to refer back to over and over.

"Until you learn to organize your time, you'll struggle to organize other areas of your life."

What I was not expecting was the time and mental declutter sections. I am so used to people just mentioning how to fold your clothes or where exactly things should go. I love that she took the time to help you examine other areas of life that are the root issues of cluttered mess.

"If you're constantly on overdrive your mind can rush and make your body feel out of control."

This book feels like it could have been written for me. I feel like the author has absolutely been in my shoes throughout various stages of life and clutter. Because of her ability to relate, as well as great examples from her own clientele, I feel like she hit every mark I would need to consider to be more successful in keeping my home a decluttered and happy space. I love that she has simplified checklist at the end of the sections to not only recap, but utilize as a quick reference in the future.

"Learn when it's time to give your mind a break."

Again, I am so glad to see that she took the time to try and give some advice on managing your day and stress levels. It's nothing new, but so relevant and a much needed reminder for anyone.

I have nothing but great things to say about this book. It is definitely worth looking at if you are struggling to keep not only your space but yourself in check!

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Author Michele Vig “ The Holistic Guide to Decluttering”. This book is full of little gems for You and organization.
A slow deep breath is POWERFUL!
It’s OK to get help.
Embrace simplicity.
Value progress over perfection.
Remove the the store packaging store in bins, glass so they can be easy to inventory.
For many clutter is a source of anxiety and stress because the accumulation is hidden behind closed doors”.
The photos are beautiful and show great examples of organization and simplicity.
As you clear the clutter from your space, your time and your mind, you will feel different.
Choose your people, Choose your TRIBE.
*** I really appreciate the RESOURCES page that will give you additional support and encouragement on your Holistic Journey to decluttering mind, your life and your home.

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I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't feel like it was anything original.
I have read many books about decluttering/organising and it just felt like any other book.

A couple of things I really liked about this book - The photography was beautiful, and I loved seeing into other homes for inspiration. I also liked the section on folding clothes. I know it sounds patronising or ridiculous to have a short section on clothes folding, but it really does make a difference when you can see everything you have in your drawer. I found the photographs in this section very useful too.
Another thing that lets this book down is that I don't think it caters for smaller homes. All of the images are of luxurious large properties, and the ideas in the book cater for those spaces too. I live in a flat and would struggle to implement some of the ideas mentioned. I also personally cannot relate to having a larder or utility room in the home I have.

Overall this book felt far too serious - I think a book like this that takes itself too seriously can come across as patronising or stuck-up, so i feel that it should come with a but of humour. This book was massively lacking in that department. Far too 'high-brow' for its own good.

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This is a different "decluttering book" because it tackle also the psychological reasons to hoard, to begin with, and gives also psychological solution to free your mind and not only your space. I liked it.

Questo non é il solito libro sul decluttering, fondamentalmente perché fornisce anche delle spiegazioni psicologiche al bisogno di accumulare, o all'incapacità di buttare, e a seguire anche soluzioni psicologiche per liberare prima di tutto la mente e poi lo spazio che ci circonda. Mi é piaciuto.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

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This book is an essential for decluttering your home and your life! I am big fan of Marie Kondo, though admittedly find that I am not near as minimalist as she is. We have a house full of kiddos and are homebodies who like to be able to do most stuff from home so we inherently have more stuff. Michele's approach seemed to resonate with me more as I feel like her plan is more detailed and family friendly while allowing for more stuff if your lifestyle necessitates it. I love the emphasis on organizing well too. The book has beautiful pictures and while it looks very minimalist, it still looks lived in as well. She shows how to organize and fold many items (including pictures!) and even has adorable planner sheets and checklists to help you stay on task. I love the application of the principle that less is more here to show how living with less stuff can equate to living a life with more experiences and more bonding. Less stress, more simplicity. This book will definitely be one I go back to again and again!!!

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This is a splendid guide to decluttering, with a unique focus on mind, space and time. I wish I’d read this before reorganizing our home this spring, when we went through every nook and cranny, shredding reams of paper and donating 25 bags of clothing to Goodwill.

Using Michele Vig’s strategy for decluttering, we could have done our spring clean faster, with less angst and more peace.

I find her process cleansing, both to space and mind. Our method was onerous, and while the end result is pleasing, the effort was enormous.

If I’d had Michele’s step-by-step directions, worksheets, and reflection tools, the task would have flowed more organically.

Also includes success stories and lovely photos for inspiration.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 22 Sep 2020

Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheHolisticGuidetoDecluttering #NetGalley

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Even as I opened the book I was wondering if it would be just a rehashed version of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.

I should not have worried.

Michele Vig's book stays true to the title of the book - holistic guide - and delivers a lesson not just on decluttering your possessions, but also your day and your mind. The "holistic" in the title does not just refer to the three types of clutter that Michele addresses, but also the before, during, and after process that she asks us to consider. "Why do you have so much clutter in the first place? How should you declutter and organise? And how can you continue living in this clutter-free & organised space?" - Those are the kind of essential questions that the book dives deeper into.

I love that Michele goes beyond the "spark joy" criteria to include "service" as a consideration - when you read that, it just makes so much sense!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a more holistic approach to decluttering your home and your life, you should definitely pick this up.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book to review.

#TheHolisticGuidetoDecluttering #NetGalley

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