PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: March 1, 2017
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 8 hrs and 58 mins
GENRE: Nonfiction, Autobiography/Memoir
ISBN: 9781515901761Eve has a problem with clutter. Too much stuff and too easily acquired, it confronts her in every corner and on every surface in her house. When she pledges to tackle the worst offender, her horror of a "hell room", she anticipates finally being able to throw away all of the unnecessary things she can't bring herself to part with: her fifth-grade report card, dried-up art supplies, an old vinyl raincoat. But what Eve discovers isn't just old CDs and outdated clothing, but a fierce desire within herself to hold on to her identity. Our things represent our memories, our history, a million tiny reference points in our lives. If we throw our stuff in the trash, where does that leave us? And if we don't...how do we know what's really important? Everyone has their own hell room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring - and frequently hilarious - examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go.
MY REVIEW:
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook for voluntary review consideration.
When I saw this title, I knew that I had to read it! I don’t think that Eve’s problem is really all that uncommon. In this day and age of excess, it’s not surprising that most homes are bursting at the seams. Eve’s husband affectionately refers to her as a “collector.” Eve fears that she is straddling the line between clutter and hording. She manages to keep a tidy house, except for the “Hell Room” which is the biggest room in the house at over 500 square feet that is jam-packed full of stuff that she doesn’t know what to do with and can’t bear to throw away. In this memoir, Eve gives herself a timeline to tackle the Hell Room and deal with its contents.
I can totally relate to Eve! My parents are immigrants who came here with nothing. I was brought up to never throw anything away, “because you never know when you might need it.” When every-day items are on sale (like soap or toilet paper), you stock up and put them in the closet so that you have enough and never run out. Eve enjoys finding a use for something or to re-use something. There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s admirable that she doesn’t want to just throw everything into the trash just because it would be easier. I find that I can identify with a lot of things that Eve struggles with. While Eve just has one Hell Room, I have lots of stuff everywhere in every room. My house is cluttered. I can admit that! Part of that is due to the ages between my two kids. They are 5.5 years apart, so while my older one has outgrown many things I have held onto them for the next one to use. Since having kids, my house has exploded with tons of “stuff.” I can’t tell you how many garbage bags of stuffed toys that I have donated! I have used the same strategies that Eve talks about, such as getting her kids to help in the decluttering process.
Reading this book has given me the kick in the butt that I needed to get back to decluttering. I used to set aside several hours each Saturday to do just that, but life got busy and other priorities took precedence and I fell off-track. I need to get back into the habit of thinning out the excess so that we can find and enjoy the things that we really want!
Callie Beaulieu is a new-to-me narrator, and I liked her. She was interesting to listen to, and her emotions were palpable. She conveys not only Eve’s frustration but also the humor. I thought she was a good fit! Here's a sample of the narration:
4 stars!! I really enjoyed it, and you should put it in your TBR list! Thanks again to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook!
I can totally relate to Eve! My parents are immigrants who came here with nothing. I was brought up to never throw anything away, “because you never know when you might need it.” When every-day items are on sale (like soap or toilet paper), you stock up and put them in the closet so that you have enough and never run out. Eve enjoys finding a use for something or to re-use something. There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s admirable that she doesn’t want to just throw everything into the trash just because it would be easier. I find that I can identify with a lot of things that Eve struggles with. While Eve just has one Hell Room, I have lots of stuff everywhere in every room. My house is cluttered. I can admit that! Part of that is due to the ages between my two kids. They are 5.5 years apart, so while my older one has outgrown many things I have held onto them for the next one to use. Since having kids, my house has exploded with tons of “stuff.” I can’t tell you how many garbage bags of stuffed toys that I have donated! I have used the same strategies that Eve talks about, such as getting her kids to help in the decluttering process.
Reading this book has given me the kick in the butt that I needed to get back to decluttering. I used to set aside several hours each Saturday to do just that, but life got busy and other priorities took precedence and I fell off-track. I need to get back into the habit of thinning out the excess so that we can find and enjoy the things that we really want!
Callie Beaulieu is a new-to-me narrator, and I liked her. She was interesting to listen to, and her emotions were palpable. She conveys not only Eve’s frustration but also the humor. I thought she was a good fit! Here's a sample of the narration:
MY RATING:
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