Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I may hold an unpopular opinion here, but I think she’s way too extreme. Let me clarify, I’m all for a clean and uncluttered home, that’s what attracted me to buy this book in first place. I’m sorry to say I disagree with her on many points. The main principal is hold everything in your hand for a few seconds and if that something doesn’t spare joy, get rid of it. Get rid of anything you don’t need nor use, even if it has sentimental value. Well, here are the many problems: My work clothes and coffee don’t spark joy for me, because they remind me I have to wake up at alarm and go to work. Can I get rid of my work clothes? Obviously not, a responsible adult should get to work and pay bills. My tennis shoes don’t spark joy for me at all. Why do I have to workout? I’m keeping it so I’ll go run because it’s good for health. She stated get rid of books, basically all books if you’d. For example the reference books from the seminar, because those materials had served their purpose (for the duration of the seminar)... guess what, I’m getting old and I WILL need to go back and look. She criticized people that stockpile stuffs at their home (someone with 36 toothbrushes, or 20,000 cotton balls, or too much toilet paper). I agree that most people shouldn’t turn their house into a supermarket warehouse. However you can bet when $10 Charmin goes on sale for $5, I’ll buy 10 packs and have them on my shelf for the next 6 months, because I like to save $50 and supermarket shelf is not different from my shelf. I have joy for saving, take that Marie!! She said, treat your socks and purse well. Don’t roll your socks, don’t turn it into a ball, because they need to rest so they can better server you. Also don’t forget to thank your purse. Say what??? She stated, don’t feel bad to get rid of gifts that your friends and family gave you. Whether to keep the gifts is up to my preference, you can be sure that I’ll at least feel bad to get rid of them, because I won’t treat my family and friends effort and thoughts less than a pair of socks. (Eyes rolling) This getting rid of everything really doesn’t work for everyone. If anyone has aging parents or any older relatives would know. Majority of them are very attached to their things. These things remind them of their lives, their experiences, and make them happy. She recommends getting rid of even items from your children or parents. She started getting rid of stuffs at a young age, no wonder her eyes look empty, she’s throwing her own history. Thank goodness she’s not advising the museums, or all human history would be gone. It’s no doubt that we live under extreme materialism and we have too much stuffs. However no one can be 24/7 joyful from the moment they are born and to the moment they stop breathing, and certainly no one needs to thank their own socks. This whole surround yourself with only joyful things is utter nonsense. My advice: clean up your home, keep functional items, and keep a few meaningful items. Look at that childhood jersey once in a while and remember the happy times you had with your Dad. Touch that dress that Mom made for you from grandma’s sewing machine. Keep a few of your children’s toys and clothes to cherish the happy childhood you provided for them. Keep little toys from the fur babies that went to puppy heaven and remember how much they loved you and followed you around. Keep your high school yearbook so you can laugh with your friends many years from now. Some of these things are part of you! It’s not a crime to have some stuffs. As long as you don’t live in a mess, as long as you’re not a hoarder and have a clean and functional home, don’t bother with this book and be happy!!