Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living

by Tsh Oxenreider

Remove the Mess, Add Meaning

Simplicity isn't about what you give up. It's about what you gain. When you remove the things that don't matter to you, you are free to focus on only the things that are meaningful to you. Imagine your home, your time, your finances, and your belongings all filling you with positive energy and helping you achieve your dreams. It can happen, and Organized Simplicity can show you how.

Inside you'll find:

A simple, ten-day plan that shows you step-by-step how to organize every room in your home Ideas for creating a family purpose statement to help you identify what to keep and what to remove from your life Templates for a home management notebook to help you effectively and efficiently take care of daily, weekly and monthly tasks Recipes for non-toxic household cleaners and natural toiletry items including toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo Start living a more organized, intentional life today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Personal Development, Adult, How To, Productivity

256 pages, Spiral-bound

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Tsh Oxenreider is the author of several books, most notably At Home in the World, a book about her family’s year traveling around the world out of backpacks. She enjoys leading trips, writing a weekly newsletter, podcasting, teaching high schoolers, and raising children and chickens in her small town with her favorite husband. Learn more about all these things on her website.

In 2014-15 Tsh traveled around the world with her family of five, and it was as nuts and exhilarating as it sounds. It confirmed her suspicion: a passport truly is a portal for the world’s greatest textbook—the actual planet and all her inhabitants. After meeting her husband in war-torn Kosovo, raising babies and toddlers in a Turkish highrise apartment overlooking the Mediterranean, and living for a few years in idyllic central Oregon, they now live in a historic small-town just north of Tsh’s hometown, Austin.

She loves traveling the world, and equally loves snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef with her kids and puttering around her own backyard with a drink in hand.

Reviews

[Mscout · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must admit, I have a habit of reading how-to books, particularly the organizing and simplicity type. Sounded like a match made in heaven, right? Unfortunately, I was really disappointed in this one. While there was a fair amount of useful information, Oxenreider spent so much of the book explaining how she wasn't talking down to you, that it just came across as condescending. Very much along the "me think thou doth protest too much" line.

All of the suggestions are doable (especially if, as the author does, you live outside the US and you can afford to live on one salary, thus freeing the other partner to do A LOT). She included a lot of appendices with handy worksheets, templates, and even recipes for homemade cleaning and beauty products. There's also some thought experiments regarding life choices, such as: are you really making more money by having both partners work, or is that decision actually costing you money? I really enjoyed the chapter on "opportunity costs" and found that, perhaps the most beneficial part for me.

I begrudge no one their life choices, but I really could use my books soap-box-free.

[Sage · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. 1.5 stars.

For every hundred suggestions, maybe five of them were useful. The rest were either common sense or unworkable for my situation. The ten-day plan is fundamentally ableist in that it requires more physical exertion in a day than many even mildly disabled people can accomplish in two weeks running. Also annoying is the use of the rhetorical "we" in the beginning of the book, in which she preaches a sermon on what all is wrong with the world today. I found myself wondering what planet she lives on and desperately wishing her editor had insisted on I-statements.

[karenbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if someone really, really loves simplemom.net, they'll love Organized Simplicity. If, like me, they take what they can use from Simple Mom and ignore the rest, then this book will probably just be okay -- especially since most of the useful info in the book is already covered in the author's blog.

Much of the first half of this book is devoted to explaining why we should buy into simplified/intentional living, and while there are some good points, this section as a whole feels a little judgmental and overly simplistic.

To be fair, I may have gotten off to a bad start with the background section of the book -- in the beginning of the first chapter, Oxenreider talks about not making excuses, that we have the ability to shape our lives into simple ones. She posits that "[w]e can't blame a hectic schedule, too many bills to pay, or too many messes to clean for keeping us from our goals because we can do something about those." That sentence might be more convincing if she'd left out the "too many bills to pay"; sometimes those bills aren't there by choice and they're too large to buckle down and pay in a year or two. Similarly, her arguments against dual-income families rub me the wrong way. Is "working a dead-end job that leaves you unfulfilled" really just a bad habit?

Maybe I should just say: I think Oxenreider and I live in very different worlds. Which is fine! In case you don't believe it's fine, the author herself allows that the reader "may be thinking [she's] extreme, and you just can't or don't want to live life the way I do. That's okay."

Something I've seen mentioned in other reviews: Oxenreider is a Christian, and mentions giving things to God or glorifying God a handful of times in the first few chapters, which might turn some people off. I expected it because she is vocal about her Christianity in her blog, but I guess it could have been a little jarring if I hadn't.

Once you get past all of the extended set-up there's a ten-day plan for simplifying your house. I picked through it to see if there was anything I can use. This part of the book is nicely organized, going room by room and giving tips and checklists for cleaning and decluttering. It's not new information if you've been reading blogs like Oxenreider's for a while, but it is nice to have it all in one place. There are some good recipes for green cleaners in there, too.

One of the four appendices has pro/con lists for several "choices for a simpler life" and I had to laugh when I hit "Should we use cloth or disposable diapers?" because the author's bias is so evident that she might as well have drawn a picture of a sad-faced Earth for the pro-disposables list. Then I got to "Should we become a one-car family?" and found the two-item con list: lack of independence to travel, and it MIGHT limit "choices of employment, entertainment, and community involvement." Someone has never lived in the sticks.

Mostly I think I should have just skipped the preachy bits and stuck to the meat of the organizational stuff. I know there are people who will get a LOT from the ~lifestyle choice~ section, but it isn't applicable to my life at this point. The Simple Mom blog is a better fit for me; I think I'll stick to that.


(two-and-a-half stars)

P.S. TOTALLY UNIMPORTANT BUT BUGGING ME: What is UP with that usage of "privy," I DO NOT EVEN KNOW. Is it common usage that has just escaped me my entire reading life? ("But more than 50 percent of Americans live in the suburbs. I'm not sure too many of those folks are privy to abandoning their motor vehicles.")

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is divided into two sections. In the first section, Tsh defines what living simply in the real world looks like. Her definition of living simply is to "live holistically with your life's purpose." She talks about creating a purpose statement for your family and how every family's purpose statement will look different. What is important to one family may not be important to another. With that in mind, we are to reevaluate how we spend our time and money. Once we do that, we will realize that a lot of things that we enjoy here in the US are really luxuries, not the necessities that we think they are. Such things as cable TV, 2 cars, or even a clothes dryer are not in the average home around the world.

Once we have a clear purpose statement written we can move on to the second section of the book - 10 days to a simpler, more organized home. In this section, Tsh takes you through each room of your house - living room, kitchen, bathrooms, kids rooms, master bedroom and entryways. As you go, you sort, declutter and clean. Her mantra throughout this organization is "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." (William Morris) So as you declutter, sort things by asking, Is this useful to me? Is this beautiful to me? If it is not, toss it. You will also keep your purpose statement in mind and redefine your rooms purpose in light of that. For example, if your purpose statement is to lower your family's ecological footprint, you might lessen the amount of electronics you have in the house or choose to put up a clothesline. In the end, you are left with a home that has less clutter, less stress and one that more adequately meets your family's purpose statement.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It was very well-written and well-organized. You would have thought Tsh had been writing books for years. We don't have a family purpose statement and to be honest, the thought of making one is pretty daunting for me. But I think the concept of having a purpose statement is excellent. Businesses and corporations have them and refer to them often in their decision making. My childrens' school has a purpose statement that the whole school quotes every morning. Every child there knows it and every teacher teaches with it in mind. So a family purpose statement may be something we will work on in the near future.

In terms of her decluttering "rules." I think they are awesome...in theory. I tried it out (not as extensively as she outlines in the book) by cleaning out my closet. I tried to be really objective and get rid of anything that had not been worn in a year, anything that didn't fit, anything out-dated or the wrong color. And I got 2 garbage bags full of clothes ready to be donated as well as a basket full of nicer stuff ready for the consignment store.

All that to say, I think this is a wonderful book with a wonderful concept but for me to really follow the plan in it, I will have to have agreement and assistance from the family and a lot more will power than I currently have. Not only to get rid of non-essential things in my house, but to limit myself and not buy more of them. I do recommend this book.

I'll leave you with my favorite quote from the book:

"The secret to happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." (Don Millman)

[Rebecca Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with about 90% of what the author says. I've been streamlining my life and home for the past three years or so, and it's made a huge difference on my happiness and ability to have time for the things I truly love in life. It's also enabled me to invest more time in my writing career, since I'm able now to live off less money: simpler life = fewer bills = less time required to earn money for bills = more time to write (or run or hike or travel to see family and friends).

One of the things in the book that doesn't seem overly simple to me is her home management notebook. I've transitioned to using only my laptop, iPad, or phone to handle all of the categories she puts in that notebook -- for me, getting rid of paper calendars and organizers and notebooks was a huge simplifier in life.

I also think she goes a bit over the top with her homemade cleansers. I like the idea of using more natural products, but skin and hair types vary so greatly, and her suggestions for toiletry options are over-simplified. Someone with curly hair cannot substitute vinegar and honey for conditioner, and you shouldn't attempt to use baking soda as a hair cleanser if you color your hair. If you're thinking of doing these types of substitutions, you have to do more research for your own skin and hair type.

And, I would have to add rice cooker and wok to her list of kitchen necessities :-)

[Jen (bookscoffeedogs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first few chapters read great, and got me excited. by the end of the chapters on simplicity and why to simplify and how she has organized her whole life made me feel completely inadequate. lol. i was bored with the overall tone of the book. a bit judgmental really. i believe in the simplicity movement, in being organized, in doing less, but it is a journey for each of us to find, maybe preachy is the word i am looking for in the tone. i read the first half in an afternoon, and the second half you could get from any organization book, the organizing part was almost exactly the same to Peter Walsh's book, It Is All Too Much. i skimmed the second half, finding nothing new except the recipes for home cleaners which i really appreciated. i will copy a few quotes down from here that i really like though!

[BespectacledBookGirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was given to me by a well meaning woman who, within moments of meeting me and handing me this book, declared that my house looked like a thrift store.** No joke. So...I was not inclined to enjoy this book. I read the whole thing, and would say it's one of those books that was probably less effective than the blog it was based on (note: I haven't checked out this woman's blog but I'm going to guess it's no different than what's already on your pinterest feed.) I appreciated the concept of setting an intention for your home as it plays into the intentions you hold for seasons of life, but the rest was preachy and a lot of the "simpler" solutions were rooted in criticism (we get it Tsh! You don't like watching tv! I do, sue me!). Also, most of these "simpler" solutions are not feasible, even for homes where only one adult member holds a traditional 9-5 job and the other works non traditionally. Tell me: how is mixing all of my own home care and toiletry items, growing my own food, and getting rid of my car a recipe for a "simpler" life? The author lives abroad, where most of these solutions would probably be easier, but she is pointed in her criticisms of American living. Which, isn't without a need for some criticism...but this book was just so extra. I've never hate read a cleaning book before. Enjoy!
**The great irony here is that our mismatched furniture which she found distasteful was all hand me downs since we are broke, and therefore accidentally in line with this book's attitude on "simplicity." Live simply how that looks for each individual family, or live an unattainable life of curated, matching minimalism...pick a lane!

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading the book and my third time doing the 10-day reset.

I was surprised by how much from this book I had adopted as my own. I was happy to find that some of the places that benefited from ruthless simplicity during the previous challenges were still functional 3 years later.

One caveat is that I value simplicity, but maybe not as much as the author. There are other family values that sometimes trump it, and I am willing to deal with a bit more stuff if it allows us to prioritize those other things.

[Deena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did it! What a sense of accomplishment! I just finished reading a book primarily about getting your life (simplifying) and home (spring cleaning/organizing) in order! I was plugging along nicely on the read until it hit me...The author actually has an expectation that I APPLY what I was reading! Ya know? Is it too much to ask to JUST be left content READING about improving without actually having to bother with the whole APPLICATION business? ;) Mm Hmm. It's one of "those" books.

Truth be told, I actually find cleaning and organizing to be cathartic. Which was the reason I was drawn to Organized Simplicity in the first place. I experienced every reaction from: 1) "You go girl! I'm right there on that soapbox with you!" 2)"Oh, that makes sense. I'll have to try it." 3)"Yeah. I'll have to work on that." [Head down. Tail between the legs.]

It's a tidy and well-organized book. I found myself cleaning a lot along the way. But not the items suggested. Because I'm a rebel. I enjoyed the focus on family/relationships vs. acquiring stuff and overbooked schedules. My on-the-ball friends will find much of it to be common sense. In other words, how useful it is depends on where you're coming from.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. I was looking for practical ideas to de-clutter and suggestions on things to keep and things to pass on. This read more like a memoir on having garage sales, moving overseas, and keeping ridiculously long lists for one's family. Do I really need to make a list of my daily "chores" such as wipe down counters, wash the dishes, replace the toilet paper? Not a good use of my time.

There were a few good pages in the, "Money is a Tool" chapter, but that was all. I definitely agree that most Americans need to de-clutter their homes and lives, however, for me this book was not very inspirational.

[Kori Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not exaggerating when I say this book changed my life. My husband read and worked through this book together and have made such good changes in our lives. The idea of the book is to pinpoint the main purpose and goals of your life and to arrange your living space and your life to center around these priorities. People always talk about how great the Kon-Marie method is, but this book helped me way more than Marie Kondo ever did, largely because of the exercises in the first part of the book that helped me to understand what is really important in my life. I highly recommend this book to literally everyone.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that Tsh had a lot of good ideas in this book, not just practical advice, but also overarching ideas (like simplifying everything) that I continued to think about after I had finished reading. I appreciate her focus on getting everyone in your household on board with cleaning out and simplifying, and that it's not just about having a personality-free space, it's about figuring out what's important to you, and to your family. Overall, an enjoyable book, and a good addition to my Kindle library!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's approach to Organized Simplicity is all about intentional living. Her approach to do this with all members of the family as equal participants is essential for it to truly work and last. Being retired and just the two of us at home our home is organized and runs well. I have always gravited towards organizing techniques and ideas as well has appreciating every day and all that we have. This book is excellant.

[Jessica - How Jessica Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be biased because I love her blog, but I thought this book was full of helpful, practical ways to simplify your life and possessions. I like the idea of creating a family purpose statement, and then the step-by-step breakdown of how to go through your excess possessions.

[Kaytee Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a short, succint way of looking at your home from a minimalist perspective and paring things down to what really matters. I realize this book is older, but I feel like Tsh would also find some parts of it to be a bit dated at this point? Like the home management binder... I know Tsh usually uses a BuJo now, so I'd love to get her take on what she has migrated over and how much she still keeps in a binder-type setup. Not to say that the basic tenets are not totally timeless! Of course they are! It just didn't feel as fun and fresh as her current writing and more recent stuff. More like something she had to put together for homework. If you're looking for a "getting started" with organizing or simple living, this is probably a great place to look!

[Rachelle Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Tsh’s signature style gives a balanced approach to organizing and pursuing the simple life. I came away inspired to declutter (a regular pastime for me anyway! and create a mission statement for my family. I did find some of her advice outdated (understandable since this is an older title).

[Ashley Urke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a helpful book in getting to the deeper parts of letting go of stuff and living more simply - all the while giving tips and tools for going about the purging process. I am a big fan of Tsh and her perspective on simple living.

[Katie Groom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was 75% workbook for organization and 25% encouragement. Not as vision casting as I had hoped but certainly many practical tips for things ranging from making your own household cleaners to keeping a budget.

It certainly has given me the Decluttering bug

Only three stars because very little about it is unique

[Kathleen Basi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected this book to be a skim-through. I was wrong. This is a great book to get you started living intentionally--in other words, figure out what's most important to you and arrange your home to support that goal (or goals). Her basic premise is to declutter, to simplify by getting rid of stuff you just don't need, and then think through what's left.

Some reviewers have griped about how it doesn't give any ideas about how to organize what they already have. I submit that they missed the point. The point is to look around at your world and say, "How much of this stuff is clutter that I don't need at all?" The point is a change in attitude and approach to life.

She goes room by room through the house and at the end has appendixes with recipes for cleaners and worksheets to help you keep not only the Stuff organized, but also the Things To Do.

I did not do the room by room cleaning as she suggested because as I looked around with new eyes, I realized we already had done a fair amount of the "detox" she talks about. It's sort of an ongoing process for me now, and we're collecting things to get rid of--although at some point I can see doing the whole program for real.

Overall: An excellent resource, because it helps you figure out how to organize not only your possessions but also your activities in a way that helps integrate your deepest-held philosophies into your actions.

[Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tsh Oxenreider takes a practical and realistic approach to the increasingly popular concept of simple living. Pointing out that what is simple for one family may add work or complexity for another, she begins with a basic but elastic definition of what "simple living" means, one which takes into account a family's individual needs and circumstances.  She goes on to discuss how and why you can simplify three major areas of your family's lives: your possessions, your time, and your finances.  The second half of the book is dedicated to a step-by-step, room-by-room plan to simplify and declutter your home.  Appendices in the back of the book include recipes for homemade household cleaners and grooming products, for those whose interest in simple living (and health) extends to reducing their use of and exposure to chemicals.

Don't expect instant results.  Oxenreider's approach requires an honest assessment of your family values and goals, as well as discipline and a certain amount of emotional work in letting go of thought patterns and possessions that are weighing you down.  But if you are feeling overwhelmed by your life and your stuff, this book may be a good place to start.

Review originally published on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Hoard.

[Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated: Fantastic. I can't wait to get started. The book is beautifully organized, well-written, attractive and, well, tidy. As someone who is always on the brink of being really well-organized I feel a renewed commitment to that life. I see myself referring back to this book often and I'm looking forward to the upcoming family meeting in which we discuss our family mission statement. No. Really. Read the book. You'll see.


Quarter finished review: I was flying through this book until I realized how great a book it really is at which time I turned back to page one and did a complete re-read. Glad I did. On my first reading I could not get past the hokeyness of crafting a "family mission statement". On my second read, at the close of a particularly hairy day, I realized that it might be exactly the kind of thing we need to redefine our purpose as a family. It can't be about just surviving each day. So, even though one exchange involved the question, "If our home were filled with one emotion, what would that emotion be?", and I answered, "Pizza", I do intend to take the rest of it quite seriously. If you think your family could use some reorganization and you're finally convinced that such things really do not happen organically it might be your turn to take this for a spin.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a refreshing resource for anyone looking to manage their home efficiently with purpose. Tsh Oxenreider gently attacks all things clutter and beckons readers to embrace a simple, purpose-filled life at home. She provides tons of resources like her "Daily Docket" and a practical plan of action for living with intention and organizing your space no matter how big or small (i.e. "Ten Days to a Simpler, More Organized Home"). She admits that living simply will mean that your entire family may sacrifice many modern conveniences and oftentimes such a lifestyle will require more work, but she praises the fruit of such sacrifice and labor. Hers is another voice out there that speaks to the beauty and goodness of a home life free of stuff that really doesn't matter and full of people who do, doing things that make life happier and more full.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this book when it came up as free on the Kindle app. I occasionally read Oxenreider's blog, so I expected that this book would be enjoyable.

Organized Simplicity is definitely written for families with lots of children and lots of stuff. We aren't really "stuff" people, and while I know we have some items that are worth donating or tossing most of her book was beyond anything we have. I did pick up a few good tips and tricks for storage and organization. Her tips on simplifying commitments were definitely taken to heart, and that is something I have promised myself to work through in 2012.

This book is worth the read if you are wanting to slow down your life and simplify. You will find a few nuggets of good advice and information; however, this book is definitely worth reading if you have way too much stuff and a crazy schedule.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so appreciate this lady's philosophy on living the simple life. The first half of the book was a tidy compilation of thoughts she's blogged over the past few years. It was my favorite part of the book.
The second section takes one through each room in the house putting the principles into practice. I skimmed through this part--mostly because we've moved twice in the past year, and I feel quite happy about what we currently do and don't have in our house.
Toward the end of the book the author presents scenarios (complete with a pro and con list) of situations where perhaps one might be able to simplify. I appreciated her admission of there being pros and cons to most choices one might make in an effort to simplify. A practical and realistic book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for anyone trying to organize and simplify their life and home. The author is a stay-at-home mom with 3 children currently living in a foreign country. She makes a disclaimer at the beginning that she is not a "professional" organizer but has simply discovered some secrets and tricks that she thought were worth sharing. I loved the philosophy in the book, her simple steps for accomplishing the tasks presented, and the goal she articulates of making our life exactly what we want it to be...we control our "things", they don't control us. Come on by and check out my bathroom drawers...slowly but surely I'm making some huge changes in our home and how we live that are making my heart happy and my work load lots easier!

[Mulligatawney Thursdays · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who was looking for practical advice, this book was a slow start. There is a rather long narrative (about 50% of the book) that explains the authors philosophy which will probably inspire some, but I was already of a mindset to downsize, and wanted to get down to business. Once the book gets to organizing, it is practical, straight forward, and easy to follow. However, I think a few people will be overwhelmed by the brisk pace of the organizational overhaul as it's presented. I'd say for some people at least twice the amount of time will be needed, depending on your current situation. Despite those few drawbacks, I enjoyed it and it motivated me up out of my chair and to get busy, well worth 4 stars.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good basic organizing book. The first half of the book deals primarily with ingraining the idea of living simply and defining a purpose for your home. In the second half of the book, the author clearly lays out the steps you should take to clean, purge, and organize each room in your house. Since it's set up as a 10-day system, this half of the book seems somewhat repetitive if read all at once. If you have trouble with organizing, purging, and cleaning, this would be most helpful. However, for those who already do well in these areas and are looking for inspiration, it may seem redundant. The appendices do have useful recipes for natural cleaners, inventory templates, home management notebook templates, and additional information. Overall, it is a good book and an easy read.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I think Oxenreider has some good ideas for home organization. One thing she says is that if people have less stuff, they gain so much more time. Time that can be used to make life more fulfilling.

Her approach has people take ten days to declutter, reorganize and clean their homes. I would love to do this - but Bryan would have to take the kids away for 10 days for it to happen!

I thought the section of each area of the home got a little repetitive and she didn't give any ideas for a laundry room. I enjoyed her recipe section and the idea of a home management notebook the best.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider is a good book. Strange first name for the author though. Did she simplify the vowels out of it? She has vowels in her last name though. Hmmm....

Anyway, she explains reasons why one should simplify and then gives tips and guidelines on how to simplify our lives. I like that she said "we should calculate every item's value by asking:... 1. Is this thing useful to me (us)? and 2. Is this thing beautiful to me (us)?.

I have been inspired and am going to participate in our neighborhood garage sale next weekend.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first half of the book (although some parts only added to my guilt of living with items beyond our needs). The second half is advice to decluttering one's home which, thanks to my mother, I was already taught. Still very motivating to grow through all our closets and get rid of things! I really liked her emphasis on making sure each place in our home has a purpose and we should make sure we are fulfilling that purpose by what is in that room and not cluttering it with the unnecessary.