I am asked often about my favorite books on organizing. As a professional organizer, I do read many books on the topic.
I’m an avid reader and love exchanging reading lists with friends! I generally read autobiographies and historical fiction (I love a good setting).
Books on personalities and how our minds work are also at the top of my favorite genres. I read lots of business books and, of course, books on organizing. My reading list is eclectic, to say the least!
My Favorite Books on Organizing
I’m so excited to share this book list with you in this post! While not all of these are specifically about organizing, I promise they will help you find clarity on what’s important to you: declutter, organize, and live a richer, more fulfilled life. Let’s dive in!
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
This book is where it all started for me. Well, actually, it was Marie Kondo’s Netflix show, but I quickly devoured the book. For too long, I mistakenly thought Marie wanted to take away my books and tell me how many pairs of jeans I could own. I was very wrong.
If you have preconceived notions about the KonMari method, I encourage you to read this book for yourself.
Marie Kondo does a beautiful job of teaching us how to value our belongings. She does not tell you how many things you should have. She simply encourages you to consider if the items in your home “spark joy” for you.
Critics can take “spark joy” a little too far. Many say that not everything you need in your home will spark joy. Does a toilet plunger spark joy? Well, no, it’s actually pretty gross. But, when our toilet clogs, am I thrilled to have it? You bet.
This is an easy-to-read book that I highly recommend for getting started.
Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives by Tim Harford
This one is for the recovering box-checkers like me. For so, so long, I wanted everything to be nice, neat, and tidy. I wanted things to happen as planned, my home in order, and my life as intended. Whew, what an exhausting and impossible job.
This book is about much more than physical spaces being messy. It’s about life being messy, disrupting routines, and meeting new people to learn and create entirely new things.
I firmly believe that having less clutter and being (mostly) organized is essential to less mental clutter and increased productivity. However, I think we can pull back on the need for perfection.
The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin
I devour all of Gretchen Rubin’s books, and this one is my favorite. A close second is Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness.) The Four Tendencies is essentially a personality test she created that tells you how you respond to expectations.
It doesn’t sound very profound until you consider all its applications. Expectations can include decluttering your home, fitness goals, work deadlines, getting out of bed on time, etc.
The book discusses the four tendencies (Obliger, Rebel, Questioner, and Upholder). Rubin explains how to work with those tendencies to get things done. How in the world does this relate to organizing?
If you are an Upholder, a checklist and instructions are all you need to organize your entire home. Are you an Obliger, you may want to hire a professional organizer to guide you.
If you are a Questioner (like me), you’ll need to know why being organized matters before you want to do it. And, if you are a rebel, you’ll organize if you want to and on your terms.
This book has helped me understand how to stay focused and how to help my clients stay motivated!
Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life by Matt Paxton
I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to folks who are downsizing themselves or their older parents. The book provides a nine-step plan for going through sentimental items.
While I think many people will still need the help of a professional organizer, this book is wonderful for getting you in the right frame of mind.
Paxton discusses why it’s hard to get rid of sentimental belongings, which is an immediate relief to have someone acknowledge that fact. His nine steps are gentle. They include telling the stories behind the items, taking baby steps, and how to move forward.
I recommend this book to almost every single person. You will likely have to handle your parents, your loved ones, or your own sentimental items one day.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
If you’ve followed along for long, you knew I’d have to include a book about how we spend our time! This book came out in 2014 before I had my second child.
At that point, I was doing so much: running a marketing company, volunteering at my son’s school, hosting parties, sitting on at least five non-profit boards, and trying to show up as a wife, daughter, and friend.
Essentialism was one of the first books I read about not doing it all and how I could actually accomplish more by doing less. I’ll admit, the concept was freeing. I can do it all, but I can’t do it all right now, so what is essential right now?
If you feel like you are doing everything and nothing at the same time, then this book is for you. I could use a refresher, so let me know if you read it, and we’ll share notes!
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition) by Ramit Sethi
Given the title of this book, I’m sure you think I’m confused but hear me out. Some people don’t relate to “stuff.” They don’t know how to find their vision for their life or how to communicate how they want to feel in their home.
Because of this, I often try to relate finding your vision, decluttering, and getting organized to other parts of your life.
Ramit Sethi teaches people how to live a rich life. He says, “Spend extravagantly on the things you love and cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.” I absolutely love how he bridges money and psychology.
Because the stuff in your home and how you spend your time often cost money, many of his lessons relate to my work with clients.
If relating your vision for your life to your home and belongings doesn’t feel quite right, maybe money is more relatable to you. If you aren’t into a finance book, I highly recommend you listen to an episode or two of his podcast; I Will Teach You to be Rich.
He talks to real couples about their money issues, and 99% of the time, the problems aren’t about money. Guess what, most issues with decluttering aren’t about the stuff either.
Ready to Get Organized?
Organizing your space can feel overwhelming, but the right resources can make all the difference. These books have expanded my knowledge and passion for organizing, but also understanding the way our minds work. I’m dying to know if you’ve read these books or which resonates most with you!
Give one of these books a read if you are interested in practical tips and inspiration to create a more organized, stress-free environment.
Whether you’re just starting your organizing journey or looking to refine your skills, these titles are sure to help you achieve your goals.
Not interested in reading about it, take a more tangible approach. Let The Simplified Island help create your simplified home or space.
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