Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Anja Press (2010), 296 pages
Description
"The Joy of Less is a fun, easy-to-follow guide to minimalist living from bestselling decluttering expert Francine Jay,"--page [4] of cover. Jay introduces a five-step family program that will help you downsize, declutter, and maintain a streamlined life. Her minimalist lifestyle techniques will help you maximize space, free up time and energy, and keep things organized. Start living your life!
User reviews
LibraryThing member LoisCK
The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize and Simplify by Francine Jay is all about taking stock of your belongings, your life and how they interconnect. She urges letting go of most of our "stuff" because it isn't used, needs to be taken care of, or just adds too much to look at
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in our minimalist home. The book is well set up with sections entitled Philosophy, Streamline, Room by Room and Lifestyle; starting with the why, the general how, the specific how for each room in your home and the how-to-keep-it-going pep talk. If you are thinking of cutting way back on your "stuff" and living minimalistically this is the book for you. But I found some of her desire to have everything look like pictures in magazines (no clutter) or a desire to live carefree like we did as young adults (no responsibilities) somewhat off-putting. I want my home to look warm and inviting and like someone actually lives there. Lots of books on the shelves, fruit in a bowl and coffee at the ready. So, I don't think I am a minimalist. If you just want to do some Spring or Fall cleaning out the closets in order to get rid of some things you've been hanging onto way too long and your kids will definitely not want, try another book. This one is very serious: nothing on the counters in your bathroom! Really? Show Less
LibraryThing member Clara53
This is certainly a very useful book. I have encountered similar ideas in Marie Kondo's writing, though in this book they are not as extreme as those of the Japanese decluttering guru. I do agree with Ms. Jay (known as Miss Minimalist) that "a cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind". And I
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applaud her for quoting Lao Tzu: "He who knows he has enough is rich". As a result of reading this book, I do look at my house with different eyes, it has inspired me to declutter, which was already somewhat in the process - but the extra impetus was certainly a plus. Simple yet often disregarded ideas like "A place for everything, and everything in its place" are a refreshing reminder. The notions of "one in, one out", "one-a-day declutter", and being "good gatekeepers" to our homes are worth thinking about. There are things that don't appeal to me as much, such as storing all the photos digitally... but the majority of the ideas are quite valuable. I do appreciate the way the author looks ahead in the sense of not being a burden to those who will have to face our estate when we are gone: decluttering now is a great favor to them, a very compassionate idea, which often enters my mind these days... Show Less
LibraryThing member mckzlve
I thought it was useful. Nothing amazing or extremely life-changing, but I thought it was worth the read
LibraryThing member scenik1
Reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewers
It is not so easy to review a "how-to" book like THE JOY OF LESS. There are so many ways to approach one's assessment of such a book. Was it helpful to me, personally? (In this case, did it result in a decluttered, organized, simplified home?). Does it stand
Okay. So, anyone out there even remotely interested in a minimalist lifestyle is aware of Marie Kondo and the KonMari Method. She's out there. As I read THE JOY OF LESS, I kept thinking of her approach as it differed or resembled that of Francine Jay. There are similarities. Quite a few of them. At moments, I wondered if they had attended the same conference or something. Nonetheless, there is plenty that is different between the two approaches, and in ways that should make THE JOY OF LESS attractive to anyone pursuing simplifying their lifestyle and who might get results from Francine Jay's approach where the KonMari method wouldn't work for them.
There were some things about this edition of THE JOY OF LESS that really bugged me. They may be remedied in a future edition, but I was sent the Advance Reader's Copy to review so I must mention them. The book really needs an index! Particularly because what is being proffered is an approach that gives the option of going about decluttering room by room or drawer by drawer without a time limit or major philosophy overall, there needs to be an index that can send one to just the subject one is trying to organize. As I say, that may be coming. Another thing is the font. It's a small thing; some might say an inconsequential thing, but I detest sans-serif fonts for books or essays or anything but lists. They stop up the flow of reading. They do! They lack the necessary elements to visually guide the eye to the next letter, word, sentence or concept. I really dislike them, and that's what we have here in this edition of THE JOY OF LESS.
There is a good deal of repetition. There is, so I'm not going to say that again.
In all the books I've read on developing a minimalist approach to our stuff, including this one, I have gotten the impression of it all amounting to a vain effort to preach to the choir. The people who want to achieve this will get there and don't need such books, and the one's who aren't interested (like one's spouse) don't want them. There is also the sneaking suspicion that all these good suggestions on tweaking your perspective on materialism and acquisition and decluttering your life are not really workable, on the whole. It is true that the book is loaded with good tips, and Jay goes into plenty of detail on how to handle it all. I suppose if you pick and choose what you need or what inspires you, some good will come of it and you can avoid becoming overwhelmed. I am glad to have the book in my hands, and it's a big help in tandem with KonMari, especially if you're not into talking to your clothes. I am not trying to dis KonMari. In fact, there were times while reading THE JOY OF LESS that had me running back to KonMari, so keep your SPARK JOY handy.
All that snarkiness aside, reading THE JOY OF LESS was fun. Francine Jay is an entertaining writer which helps explain the success of her blog. That, and all the stuff we all have that we want to make sense of. She engages the reader in visualizing exercises that may, at times, even entertain your neighbors. (You'll just have to read the book!). And if she is preaching to the choir, sometimes it's a sermon that bears repeating. It is, after all, an important message. I found myself relieved to find permission to sort through my stuff by room or by closet, or even by drawer, without having to track down every single little hotel pen throughout the house when it was time to hug my desk accessories. Yes, hug. Sometimes I guess the KonMari thing goes a little far for me. Francine Jay gives lots of very good advice in a very entertaining way, and in such a way that it becomes personal very quickly. Whatever drawer she's in, we've all been there! She (and I love her for this) offers multiple options for approaching decluttering. For example, she has an approach for decluttering your wardrobe that involves three colors of ribbon that is unique and sounds so fun and colorful, I just want to try it out because.
So, in the end, while THE JOY OF LESS has its flaws, I would still heartily recommend it and plan to use it. In fact, I have already begun to. It addresses a real need and in a very entertaining way.
It is not so easy to review a "how-to" book like THE JOY OF LESS. There are so many ways to approach one's assessment of such a book. Was it helpful to me, personally? (In this case, did it result in a decluttered, organized, simplified home?). Does it stand
Show More
on its own as well done/entertaining/informative, irrespective of any personal application? At a time when notable competition on the same subject exists, how does this book hold up? Well, tough as it may be, I shall jump in.Okay. So, anyone out there even remotely interested in a minimalist lifestyle is aware of Marie Kondo and the KonMari Method. She's out there. As I read THE JOY OF LESS, I kept thinking of her approach as it differed or resembled that of Francine Jay. There are similarities. Quite a few of them. At moments, I wondered if they had attended the same conference or something. Nonetheless, there is plenty that is different between the two approaches, and in ways that should make THE JOY OF LESS attractive to anyone pursuing simplifying their lifestyle and who might get results from Francine Jay's approach where the KonMari method wouldn't work for them.
There were some things about this edition of THE JOY OF LESS that really bugged me. They may be remedied in a future edition, but I was sent the Advance Reader's Copy to review so I must mention them. The book really needs an index! Particularly because what is being proffered is an approach that gives the option of going about decluttering room by room or drawer by drawer without a time limit or major philosophy overall, there needs to be an index that can send one to just the subject one is trying to organize. As I say, that may be coming. Another thing is the font. It's a small thing; some might say an inconsequential thing, but I detest sans-serif fonts for books or essays or anything but lists. They stop up the flow of reading. They do! They lack the necessary elements to visually guide the eye to the next letter, word, sentence or concept. I really dislike them, and that's what we have here in this edition of THE JOY OF LESS.
There is a good deal of repetition. There is, so I'm not going to say that again.
In all the books I've read on developing a minimalist approach to our stuff, including this one, I have gotten the impression of it all amounting to a vain effort to preach to the choir. The people who want to achieve this will get there and don't need such books, and the one's who aren't interested (like one's spouse) don't want them. There is also the sneaking suspicion that all these good suggestions on tweaking your perspective on materialism and acquisition and decluttering your life are not really workable, on the whole. It is true that the book is loaded with good tips, and Jay goes into plenty of detail on how to handle it all. I suppose if you pick and choose what you need or what inspires you, some good will come of it and you can avoid becoming overwhelmed. I am glad to have the book in my hands, and it's a big help in tandem with KonMari, especially if you're not into talking to your clothes. I am not trying to dis KonMari. In fact, there were times while reading THE JOY OF LESS that had me running back to KonMari, so keep your SPARK JOY handy.
All that snarkiness aside, reading THE JOY OF LESS was fun. Francine Jay is an entertaining writer which helps explain the success of her blog. That, and all the stuff we all have that we want to make sense of. She engages the reader in visualizing exercises that may, at times, even entertain your neighbors. (You'll just have to read the book!). And if she is preaching to the choir, sometimes it's a sermon that bears repeating. It is, after all, an important message. I found myself relieved to find permission to sort through my stuff by room or by closet, or even by drawer, without having to track down every single little hotel pen throughout the house when it was time to hug my desk accessories. Yes, hug. Sometimes I guess the KonMari thing goes a little far for me. Francine Jay gives lots of very good advice in a very entertaining way, and in such a way that it becomes personal very quickly. Whatever drawer she's in, we've all been there! She (and I love her for this) offers multiple options for approaching decluttering. For example, she has an approach for decluttering your wardrobe that involves three colors of ribbon that is unique and sounds so fun and colorful, I just want to try it out because.
So, in the end, while THE JOY OF LESS has its flaws, I would still heartily recommend it and plan to use it. In fact, I have already begun to. It addresses a real need and in a very entertaining way.
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LibraryThing member Amniot
Many of these types of books are written by naturally tidy people who really don't understand the psychology of people with too much clutter. This is one of the best that I've read that actually helps you get over some psychological hurdles in getting rid of stuff. The first few chapters, on the
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theory and practice of decluttering, were very well written and inspiring. I got bogged down once she started with the inevitable room by room tips. But, I will probably finish those chapters in the future as well. Too busy cleaning out the basement right now. Show Less
LibraryThing member quiBee
Being a bit of a pack rat, this book was passed onto me as highly recommended. Having read it, I'll have to keep it from my husband as he keeps wanting me to throw things out and this will just give him added ammunition! Granted, I may have more books than I'll be able to finish in the next ten
Some good hints about how to look at your life and your collections of just about everything and how to rationalize what you have and hopefully keep things under control.
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years, but even so....Some good hints about how to look at your life and your collections of just about everything and how to rationalize what you have and hopefully keep things under control.
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LibraryThing member itbgc
I found this book to be incredibly inspirational. I have already started digging through my possessions and getting rid of a lot of excess baggage. As the author says, I do feel lighter and more joyful when I see the changes. I'm hoping that sharing the ideas in this book may help my husband as
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well. The author has some helpful hints about how to do this, and I'll see how that goes. First, I'll be a good example. I liked the way the book was written, although I found it a little extreme at times in my opinion (for example, I don't have time to research how every item was made that I might buy). Overall I feel this will be one of those life-changing books that really helps me to stop buying too much, to pair down, and to let go of things that are no longer useful so I can concentrate on what really matters in life. I highly recommend this book! Show Less
LibraryThing member macnoid
This slim book is packed full of practical advice on how to minimize our belongings, and our 'footprint' on this earth! Just the kind of inspiration needed to get your butt in gear to start purging unneeded belongings!! The book is divided into 4 parts. The first is 'Philosophy', and deals with our
I found myself highlighting many points in this book.....it just makes total sense, and is exactly what I need to hear to get me motivated to clear out 'stuff' !! I have also read The Life‑Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and while that book had some useful points, I found the OCD aspects to be very distracting, and annoying. This book was much more logical and helpful!
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'relationship' with our belongings. It divides our belongings into 3 categories: useful stuff, beautiful stuff, and emotional stuff: why we feel the need to hang onto stuff, and how to let go, and just how much do we really need to be happy! Part 2 is on 'Steamlining', how to go about deciding what you 'need', and what needs to go, and just how to go about that. Part 3 further breaks this down into 'Room by Room'....with specific ideas on how to minimize our possessions in each room, and what we want each room to actually contain. Great tips on paring down your wardrobe! Part 4 is 'Lifestyle', and gives pointers on how to remain a clutter-free family after you've gone through the 'decluttering' of your house. It discusses how to get your family onboard, and how to help them also embrace a clutter free lifestyle. I found myself highlighting many points in this book.....it just makes total sense, and is exactly what I need to hear to get me motivated to clear out 'stuff' !! I have also read The Life‑Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and while that book had some useful points, I found the OCD aspects to be very distracting, and annoying. This book was much more logical and helpful!
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LibraryThing member CarolO
This is the right book for me at the right time. This is the adult version of Marie Kondo...this is the book I was looking for when I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She starts out with a section titled philosophy and it is eye opening, she put into words all the emotions I have been
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having over all my stuff. I will probably never live a minimalist life - for my book collection if nothing else - but I intend to not be tied down by my stuff and this book is going to help me get there. Show Less
LibraryThing member SheTreadsSoftly
The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify by Francine Jay is a recommended inspirational guide to living with less.
Also known as Miss Minimalist, Francine Jay has updated and revised her original The Joy of Less published in 2010. I've been curious about the
The Joy of Less is "about decreasing the amount of stuff you have to deal with in the first place. Furthermore, you won’t have to answer quizzes, make checklists, or fill out charts - who has time for that? And there won’t be dozens of case studies about other people’s junk; the focus here is on you." According to Jay our stuff can be divided into three categories: useful stuff, beautiful stuff, and emotional stuff. We need to decide what category our things belong in and deal with them accordingly.
Jay Streamline method is the highlight of the book and could be adapted to many different households and lifestyles. She shows how to use this method and them takes you through a room by room tour on how to use it
STREAMLINE consists of:
Start over
Trash, treasure, or transfer
Reason for every item
Everything in its place
All surfaces clear
Modules
Limits
If one comes in, one goes out
Narrow it down
Everyday maintenance
I think most of us have heard the phrase, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." This is one of the most important minimalist principles and it works alongside the "One In-One Out" rule. This is a strong point of Jay's book - she breaks down the concept into steps that will help anyone interested in decluttering succeed at it. Jay does get repetitious in sharing her thoughts, which might bother some readers, although it is helpful for those who are simply flipping to the chapters they are interested in reading. Jay does maintain a positive, chipper, up-beat attitude throughout the book.
While Jay has some great points, she also made a few nonsensical statements that puzzled me and left me scratching my head. To support her premise that all of our stuff may be draining us of time, she asked: "How many precious hours have we wasted running to the dry cleaners, how many Saturdays have been sacrificed to oil changes or car repairs, how many days off have been spent fixing or maintaining our things (or waiting for a technician to make a service call)? How often have we agonized (or scolded our children) over a broken vase, chipped plate, or mud stains on our area rugs?"
Routine car maintenance to ensure your vehicle is in good working condition is just a given for many people. Or if your job requires a wardrobe where clothes need to be dry cleaned, that doesn't preclude having a well-planned minimal wardrobe of quality items. What, rather than repair items we replace them (and wait for delivery)? And we have no vases, plates, or rugs so we won't need to tell children to not track in mud or play ball in the house? (Basic family rules shouldn't be thrown out like they are clutter.)
Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher for review purposes.
Also known as Miss Minimalist, Francine Jay has updated and revised her original The Joy of Less published in 2010. I've been curious about the
Show More
minimalist movement for several years. After spending years moving approximately every 4-5 years, I am naturally inclined to declutter and reduce the sheer volume of stuff I own. This book seemed like it would be a great match to inspire me to do more of what I already do naturally. The Joy of Less accomplished the goal of inspiring me to greater minimize my belongings, to cull what is not needed, but it wasn't a perfect fit for me as an individual.The Joy of Less is "about decreasing the amount of stuff you have to deal with in the first place. Furthermore, you won’t have to answer quizzes, make checklists, or fill out charts - who has time for that? And there won’t be dozens of case studies about other people’s junk; the focus here is on you." According to Jay our stuff can be divided into three categories: useful stuff, beautiful stuff, and emotional stuff. We need to decide what category our things belong in and deal with them accordingly.
Jay Streamline method is the highlight of the book and could be adapted to many different households and lifestyles. She shows how to use this method and them takes you through a room by room tour on how to use it
STREAMLINE consists of:
Start over
Trash, treasure, or transfer
Reason for every item
Everything in its place
All surfaces clear
Modules
Limits
If one comes in, one goes out
Narrow it down
Everyday maintenance
I think most of us have heard the phrase, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." This is one of the most important minimalist principles and it works alongside the "One In-One Out" rule. This is a strong point of Jay's book - she breaks down the concept into steps that will help anyone interested in decluttering succeed at it. Jay does get repetitious in sharing her thoughts, which might bother some readers, although it is helpful for those who are simply flipping to the chapters they are interested in reading. Jay does maintain a positive, chipper, up-beat attitude throughout the book.
While Jay has some great points, she also made a few nonsensical statements that puzzled me and left me scratching my head. To support her premise that all of our stuff may be draining us of time, she asked: "How many precious hours have we wasted running to the dry cleaners, how many Saturdays have been sacrificed to oil changes or car repairs, how many days off have been spent fixing or maintaining our things (or waiting for a technician to make a service call)? How often have we agonized (or scolded our children) over a broken vase, chipped plate, or mud stains on our area rugs?"
Routine car maintenance to ensure your vehicle is in good working condition is just a given for many people. Or if your job requires a wardrobe where clothes need to be dry cleaned, that doesn't preclude having a well-planned minimal wardrobe of quality items. What, rather than repair items we replace them (and wait for delivery)? And we have no vases, plates, or rugs so we won't need to tell children to not track in mud or play ball in the house? (Basic family rules shouldn't be thrown out like they are clutter.)
Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher for review purposes.
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LibraryThing member emperatrix
A useful, easy to follow guide for modern minimalists. Not as complex as KonMari, but a helpful introduction to minimalist lifestyles.
LibraryThing member TheNovelWorld
Repetitive and not very useful. I'd stick with The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for a quality decluttering book.
LibraryThing member littlebones
I started becoming more interested in the idea of minimalism when I literally stumbled across Francine Jay’s blog, Miss Minimalist. When I became aware of the book, I had been hoping for more minimalist philosophy along the lines of many of her blog posts. Really, though, it’s more of a guide
The lion’s share of The Joy of Less is a room-by-room pseudo-guide on how to effectively declutter your home. For those with so much stuff they wouldn’t even know where to start, this book will be a godsend. Seeing as I was looking for more minimalist ideas, which Jay touches on in the beginning, I mostly skimmed over the room portions. However, the schedule-decluttering tips at the end were quite helpful.
What makes this book genuinely entertaining, as well as an excellent introduction into this “unusual” lifestyle, is Jay’s barely-contained enthusiasm about the whole thing. I enjoy listening to or reading the thoughts of people who are passionate about a topic. This is something more than your average self-help book. Hopefully, The Joy of Less will start bringing minimalism into the mainstream, and more people will embrace the concept of living lightly and freely, not chained down by the endless cycle of consumerism.
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on how to streamline and declutter your life, written perfectly for the audience who should (and likely will) read it most - people deeply ingrained in, and sick of, the seemingly neverending race to acquire more stuff.The lion’s share of The Joy of Less is a room-by-room pseudo-guide on how to effectively declutter your home. For those with so much stuff they wouldn’t even know where to start, this book will be a godsend. Seeing as I was looking for more minimalist ideas, which Jay touches on in the beginning, I mostly skimmed over the room portions. However, the schedule-decluttering tips at the end were quite helpful.
What makes this book genuinely entertaining, as well as an excellent introduction into this “unusual” lifestyle, is Jay’s barely-contained enthusiasm about the whole thing. I enjoy listening to or reading the thoughts of people who are passionate about a topic. This is something more than your average self-help book. Hopefully, The Joy of Less will start bringing minimalism into the mainstream, and more people will embrace the concept of living lightly and freely, not chained down by the endless cycle of consumerism.
Show Less
LibraryThing member PhillipThomas
A thorough, practical and inspiring guide to adopting a more minimalistic lifestyle. My only complaint that in many areas the author directed the material mainly towards female readers.
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
I've read several books this past couple years in the 'Tidying up and decluttering' genre. My favourite insights were related to dealing with sentimental and nostalgic items with mentions appearing throughout Francine Jay's book. Chapter 28 provided an in-depth discussion of this difficult
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category. Comparatively speaking, this volume was a johnny-come-lately in my experience and too repetitive. I preferred the presentation in 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing' by Marie Kondo. However, 'Joy of Less' is very effective in repeating some of the best advice: detach yourself from the duplicated items in your living space and simplify how much 'stuff' is on display at one time. One of my favourite phrases was '...to be useful, an item must be used; that's the catch: most of us have items that are potentially useful things that we simply don't use...'. In several instances, Jay's book puts more of a North American spin on the decluttering process so I found both books worth reading, despite the repetition that irritated me in 'Joy'. Show Less
LibraryThing member kemilyh1988
Some good ideas, but a little overboard for me. I don't love my stuff, but I do like decorations a bit. I also refuse to sleep on the fucking floor.
LibraryThing member jeanbmac
Inspiring, motivational, delightful. Lightly is a lovely book. I'm looking forward to reading Francine Jay's previous books.
LibraryThing member januthomas
For those of you who want to reduce your footprint on the earth and crave the peace of the minimalist life - this book is for you. Francine Jay, also known as Miss Minimalist outlines the philosophy behind the movement, how to streamline your possessions and your lifestyle. She details a ten step
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process to declutter your home room by room. Also, helpful are her tips to include your whole family in the process. It is an inspiring read and is filled with words of wisdom. Show Less
LibraryThing member doehlberg63
This is a very thorough book on how to declutter your house and life step by step. It gives you the mental comfort of weeding out sentimental items that are just collecting dust and taking up space. This book is best read slowly to take notes and/or stop from time to time to do the suggestions.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
296 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
0984087311 / 9780984087310
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