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tealmango's review
2.0
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/arc-year-no-clutter/
I found this book baffling. I’m a neat freak who doesn’t understand the hoarder mindset, so I had trouble sympathizing with the author’s inability to throw away things that had no purpose. At one point, Eve describes her younger daughter injuring herself and losing a fingernail, and when she says she’s going to keep the fingernail, Eve agrees! I have absolutely no understanding of that mindset.
If you find yourself hovering on the edge of becoming a hoarder, you might be interested in this memoir. If you’re just looking for some advice on clutter-clearing, however, Year of No Clutter is probably not for you.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book baffling. I’m a neat freak who doesn’t understand the hoarder mindset, so I had trouble sympathizing with the author’s inability to throw away things that had no purpose. At one point, Eve describes her younger daughter injuring herself and losing a fingernail, and when she says she’s going to keep the fingernail, Eve agrees! I have absolutely no understanding of that mindset.
If you find yourself hovering on the edge of becoming a hoarder, you might be interested in this memoir. If you’re just looking for some advice on clutter-clearing, however, Year of No Clutter is probably not for you.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
samreads12's review
3.0
"Eve has a problem with clutter." Like, a super duper problem. She has so much clutter it has taken over an entire room in her house. In her latest memoir, Eve O. Schaub is determined to relay her plan to relieve her family, and herself, from the clutches of the Hell Room.
Year of No Clutter tells the story of one woman's battle with stuff, physically and mentally, and the affect it has on our identities.
Schaub's memoir is not easily relatable, but I don't think that was necessarily the point. Schaub poses and examines various questions about the clutter in our lives, whether it's in our homes or in our minds.
Although some of her actions are rather questionable, Schaub exposes some hard truths about clutter, hoarding, and our relationship with stuff. In that our stuff may bring us happiness and could be a part of us, but our stuff isn't what makes us who we are. Our stuff (physical and mental) doesn't have to take over our lives.
Year of No Clutter isn't necessarily a book that gives you a clean-cut and thorough explanation of how to remove the clutter from your home. It's more along the lines of a journey on how (this person in particular) was able to move from being unable to part with anything, to being able to part with her belongings and continue to do so.
While it is funny at times, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone because you might find yourself scoffing at Eve and her predicament. I'd recommend it for readers who would like to facilitate a better understanding of hoarders and other 'clutter-prone people'.
Year of No Clutter tells the story of one woman's battle with stuff, physically and mentally, and the affect it has on our identities.
Schaub's memoir is not easily relatable, but I don't think that was necessarily the point. Schaub poses and examines various questions about the clutter in our lives, whether it's in our homes or in our minds.
Although some of her actions are rather questionable, Schaub exposes some hard truths about clutter, hoarding, and our relationship with stuff. In that our stuff may bring us happiness and could be a part of us, but our stuff isn't what makes us who we are. Our stuff (physical and mental) doesn't have to take over our lives.
Year of No Clutter isn't necessarily a book that gives you a clean-cut and thorough explanation of how to remove the clutter from your home. It's more along the lines of a journey on how (this person in particular) was able to move from being unable to part with anything, to being able to part with her belongings and continue to do so.
While it is funny at times, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone because you might find yourself scoffing at Eve and her predicament. I'd recommend it for readers who would like to facilitate a better understanding of hoarders and other 'clutter-prone people'.
vhp's review
2.0
You know the term that person has a screw loose? Yeah, that fits this author. Also the term, she's certifiable.
This book is more about the author's hoarding issues and not so much about clutter. It's about her redefining the terms clutter and hoarding and also justifying her hoarding.
What would you do if you noticed a dead mouse in your house? Would you run and write a story about it as Eve does? Not only does she claim to do this, but also saves the body in a white jewelry box and then later even names him... Samuel.
pg. 164 In talking about Hearst Castle she says, "Do you think people would come from all over the world to visit Hearst Castle if they called it "Hearst's Hoard"? Don't you think it could easily have been oe if there had been no staff to sort it out and keep it organized?"
Now mind you, Hearst supposedly kept thinkgs like George Washington's waist coat. That's part of history. How is that hoarding? It doesn't matter if one has staff to organize your dead mouse.
pg. 167 ...'because it's not the things you keep that make you a hoarder.'
Want to bet on that crazy mouse lady?
pgs 227-231 she lists some of her weirdest items she owns. (the mouse is the first on the list, so at least she recognizes it's weird.
pages 256-257 where she's going through her budding hoarder youngest daughter's art work for a book project, the little girl falls into a fit of hysterical laughter and that is heart warming. The best part of the book. But why do I call the youngest child a budding hoarder? She already saves empty candy wrappers, and a finger nail that came off.
The psychology is what intrigues me, but if I had this family as clients, I'd have to shower after every session.
Do I recommend this book? No, not really. There's humor in it, but more so, there's sadness that this woman needs help and she's too busy justifying or renaming. Call it what you want, it doesn't change facts.
This book is more about the author's hoarding issues and not so much about clutter. It's about her redefining the terms clutter and hoarding and also justifying her hoarding.
What would you do if you noticed a dead mouse in your house? Would you run and write a story about it as Eve does? Not only does she claim to do this, but also saves the body in a white jewelry box and then later even names him... Samuel.
pg. 164 In talking about Hearst Castle she says, "Do you think people would come from all over the world to visit Hearst Castle if they called it "Hearst's Hoard"? Don't you think it could easily have been oe if there had been no staff to sort it out and keep it organized?"
Now mind you, Hearst supposedly kept thinkgs like George Washington's waist coat. That's part of history. How is that hoarding? It doesn't matter if one has staff to organize your dead mouse.
pg. 167 ...'because it's not the things you keep that make you a hoarder.'
Want to bet on that crazy mouse lady?
pgs 227-231 she lists some of her weirdest items she owns. (the mouse is the first on the list, so at least she recognizes it's weird.
pages 256-257 where she's going through her budding hoarder youngest daughter's art work for a book project, the little girl falls into a fit of hysterical laughter and that is heart warming. The best part of the book. But why do I call the youngest child a budding hoarder? She already saves empty candy wrappers, and a finger nail that came off.
The psychology is what intrigues me, but if I had this family as clients, I'd have to shower after every session.
Do I recommend this book? No, not really. There's humor in it, but more so, there's sadness that this woman needs help and she's too busy justifying or renaming. Call it what you want, it doesn't change facts.
erin_boyington's review
3.0
Stories of hoarders have always fascinated me, and like Eve O. Schaub I find the ideals of Marie Kondo's philosophy deeply appealing but unreachable. I also am a fan of A&E's Hoarders. I have a history of reading books about hoarding/decluttering. It comes from a personal place of dealing with someone close who has hoarding tendencies. Also, since I've moved in the last year, I really appreciate the philosophy of decluttering. (I'm obsessed with tiny house shows, too!)
This book practically leapt into my hands when I saw it on the shelf of my local library. Schaub is a "serial memoirist" like A.J. Jacobs. (I haven't read her previous memoir, Year of No Sugar, mostly because the premise sounds like something MY mother may have tried when I was a kid.)
Schaub is a funny, relatable, and breezy writer. I thought she managed some interesting revelations about her relationship to the clutter of the single room she tackled for her year, which she had named the Hell Room. (I definitely took away an interest in a company she uses to help organize her kids' art projects, Plum Prints!) In short, it was a funny read with a bit of depth to it - perfect poolside material.
So Quotable:
"There's nothing wrong with keeping things that other people deem strange because it's. It the things that make you a hoarder. What makes you a hoarder is whether it takes over." - 167
"I've been attempting to wrap my mind around another realization for some time now - objects are mortal. They have a life and a death much like people do." - 171
Other titles on hoarding I've read over the years, listed in order of how much I liked/learned from them (Year of No Clutter would go into the middle somewhere):
1. Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost
2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
3. The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life by Robin Zasio
4. Stuffocation: Why We've Had Enough of Stuff and Need Experience More Than Ever by James Wallman
5. Mess: One Man's Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act by Barry Yourgrau - Not recommended, at all.
This book practically leapt into my hands when I saw it on the shelf of my local library. Schaub is a "serial memoirist" like A.J. Jacobs. (I haven't read her previous memoir, Year of No Sugar, mostly because the premise sounds like something MY mother may have tried when I was a kid.)
Schaub is a funny, relatable, and breezy writer. I thought she managed some interesting revelations about her relationship to the clutter of the single room she tackled for her year, which she had named the Hell Room. (I definitely took away an interest in a company she uses to help organize her kids' art projects, Plum Prints!) In short, it was a funny read with a bit of depth to it - perfect poolside material.
So Quotable:
"There's nothing wrong with keeping things that other people deem strange because it's. It the things that make you a hoarder. What makes you a hoarder is whether it takes over." - 167
"I've been attempting to wrap my mind around another realization for some time now - objects are mortal. They have a life and a death much like people do." - 171
Other titles on hoarding I've read over the years, listed in order of how much I liked/learned from them (Year of No Clutter would go into the middle somewhere):
1. Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost
2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
3. The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life by Robin Zasio
4. Stuffocation: Why We've Had Enough of Stuff and Need Experience More Than Ever by James Wallman
5. Mess: One Man's Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act by Barry Yourgrau - Not recommended, at all.
canary20's review
1.0
Received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
Eve has a clutter problem. It's to the point in one room that would be classified as hoarding. I struggled to read this book as it was just a poor me pity party and repetitive about how horrible her room was. There was no "how-to" or tips that I could find. I didn't care for the book at all. Just felt like a woman who is a good author and can write well but just created a book that really had no substance.
Eve has a clutter problem. It's to the point in one room that would be classified as hoarding. I struggled to read this book as it was just a poor me pity party and repetitive about how horrible her room was. There was no "how-to" or tips that I could find. I didn't care for the book at all. Just felt like a woman who is a good author and can write well but just created a book that really had no substance.
queerbillydeluxe's review
5.0
I’ll go into this more in a video, but I loved this book. It was so much more than I expected.
elephant's review
5.0
This is a humorous memoir of how the author worked through her issues with clutter. As the book began, she had read Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which I have also read, and quite frankly, a lot of that book is very weird. I did stop balling up my socks after reading her book, but not because they can't rest that way, I just think it helps the elastic last longer and I don't thank my inanimate objects for their service or empty my purse nightly so it can rest. Kondo's book is popular, but people are either ignoring that stuff or they are all weird and I am not. Anyway, as a result, Eve, the author of this book, decided to clean out her "hell room", a large room in her house filled with clutter. As the book goes on she visited the home of a deceased hoarder and wondered if she had hoarding tendencies. The book is funny and fun to read and it inspired me to get rid of more of my clutter - I will have a bag of stuff picked up tomorrow. Like Eve, I still have things I need to work on - I had a difficult time finding an important piece of paperwork this morning - so I will continue working on making things neater and keeping less unimportant items.
kc1005us's review
4.0
I read this book, what feels like ages ago, as a preview from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found the book interesting. I had thought it would be about a person cleaning out their house/not bringing in clutter (ie. going green), & not about a hoarder. At times it drove me crazy that they would live as they do. Her insight & reasons why, were eye opening. The book was fast to read at times, slower in others.
I found the book interesting. I had thought it would be about a person cleaning out their house/not bringing in clutter (ie. going green), & not about a hoarder. At times it drove me crazy that they would live as they do. Her insight & reasons why, were eye opening. The book was fast to read at times, slower in others.
naddie_reads's review
4.0
Stemming off from Kondo’s book, this was a nice read & something I was in the mood for as I was going through my own spring-cleaning of my Stuffs. Entertaining read, although I don’t have Schaub’s penchant for saving odd memorabilia like a dead mouse in a box (...I have no words for that).
Ultimately what she has concluded from this exercise is nothing really new if you had read Marie Kondo’s book prior to this, but it bears repeating, and it helps to know how others are faring through their own journey of trying to own less and use more. It’s also a good reminder that decluttering and/or living minimally is a never-ending journey, and hopefully we’re all prepared to go for the long haul.
Ultimately what she has concluded from this exercise is nothing really new if you had read Marie Kondo’s book prior to this, but it bears repeating, and it helps to know how others are faring through their own journey of trying to own less and use more. It’s also a good reminder that decluttering and/or living minimally is a never-ending journey, and hopefully we’re all prepared to go for the long haul.