Extra! Extra! Read All About It! - Additional Downsizing Books

In addition to this blog, there are a ton of written resources on downsizing out there. I have personally read at least 10 other books on the topic. Some of the books were excellent while others, in my opinion, aren’t worth your time. Today, I’m going to fill you in on 5 of my favorites so you don’t have to take your time reading the ones that are less useful.

#1 - My absolute favorite downsizing book that I’ve read so far was The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff by Julie Hall. As you can probably see from the title, this book is geared more towards the family members of those downsizing, but I think it’s still a good read for the “Parents,” too. The author addresses this in the introduction and recommends you read the book as well. Ms. Hall is a professional in the estate business and, as such, she has many firsthand examples to support all her advice. I loved the anecdotes in the book. It is written in a very straightforward and honest style.

#2 - Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff  by Dana K. White was also a great read. This one is not targeted exclusively at those who are downsizing. This is great because if you’re not currently thinking about moving or don’t need to rush through the decluttering process for any reason, the step-by-step, repetitive approach in this book may really appeal to you. The author breaks the process down room-by-room and teaches you how to maintain a clutter-free lifestyle.

#3 - If you’re looking for a quick, no-fluff refresher on downsizing, Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash: A Step-by-Step Guide to Helping Seniors Downsize, Organize, and Move by Vickie Dellaquila is just a short 117 pages. It covers how to decide if/when it’s time to move, how to sort your things, making a moving plan, and what to do if you’re not planning to move.

#4 - I just read Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: The Art of Decluttering Before You Die by Messie Condo. This book is brutally honest. I wouldn’t recommend picking it up if profanity is offensive to you. If you can stomach a lot of colorful language, this book will be the most honest reflection on downsizing you’ll probably ever read. The author brings humor and realism to a hard process.

#5 - One last book that is popular is The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. This book is more of an autobiographical story than a how-to. You may pick up some good tidbits here and there that will help you stay motivated but don’t expect a step-by-step outline of the process.

Want to check these books out without making a monetary commitment? #1, 2, 4, and 5 can probably be found through your local library. #1 and #2 can also be previewed through Google Reads. Just type the title into Google and you can read the beginning of those books online before you decide to purchase them.

Have you read other good books on the subject of downsizing? I’d love to hear. Connect with me here.