Gretchen Rubin’s new book is out today to show you how decluttering and organizing can make more room for happiness and lead to inner calm.
Gretchen is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project, and Happier at Home. She has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold 3.5 million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages.
On her popular weekly podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft; they’ve been called the “Click and Clack of podcasters.” She’s a member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100.
We interviewed Gretchen about her new book Outer Order, Inner Calm. Welcome.
Question: HOW CAN DECLUTTERING BRING ABOUT INNER CALM?
When people get rid of all that stuff that they don’t need, don’t use or don’t love, what people actually experience is they feel like they have more.
Question: I’M A MINIMALIST AND AGREE. WHAT IF SOMEONE CAN’T PART WITH THINGS DUE TO SENTIMENTAL REASONS? WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE THEM?
It’s not always easy. In the choice, there is decision fatigue, it’s hard. It’s emotionally draining. It’s intellectually draining, but once all of that stuff has been wiped away, given away, recycled, donated, that’s when you can really see, well, where to do I put things?
People can ask themselves 3 questions:
- How do I organize things so I can find them easily?
- How do I organize things so they make sense to me?
- How do I organize things so they look appealing?
Your impulse might be to buy more containers, filing cabinets, or fancy hangers to organize what you currently have, but Rubin said you have to start by asking these three questions: Do I need it? Do I use it? Do I love it?
By the time you get rid of the things cluttering your life, you won’t need that filing cabinet “because you only have three documents left.
If it’s clothing, ask yourself if you ran into your ex would you be happy to be seen wearing it? If not, get rid of it.
One great habit is the one-minute rule. Anything you can do in less than a minute, do without delay.
For example, if you can hang up your coat instead of throwing it on the chair.
If you can rip open a letter and see that you can put it in the recycling.
It’s a little habit that’s easy to work into even a very busy life.
OUTER ORDER, INNER CALM is available on Amazon
link at top of page
