Unstuffed by Ruth Soukup

Stuff. I've got it and undoubtedly, so do you. Before I read past twenty pages in this book I had cleaned off my desk and another surface. This book is that inspiring.

What I liked about this book is that Soukup doesn't just concentrate on being clutter free, getting rid of stuff. She also helps us understand the reason behind our stuff. That's what helped me so much. I've read a number of books on simplifying life but this one hit home like none of the others. Her teaching on keeping stuff because of memories or emotional attachment really impacted me.

Here's a suggestion that made sense to me. Sometimes we're afraid of getting rid of stuff. What if we need it next month or next year? Soukup suggests boxing it up and putting it away for a month or two then see how we feel about it. Fear alleviated.

Soukup challenges us to really think about the way we look at stuff, the stuff that fills our home, our time, our relationships. She asks us to seriously think about the stuff we let into our lives. She has us think about what we want in our homes, schedules and lives. We have to think about our motives too. She asks us to think about how we want people to feel when they are in our homes. Do we want them to feel comfortable or awed by our décor?

In addition to helping us think through all of this, the book is full of practical suggestions. One that impressed me was her weekend challenge, a complete schedule of unstuffing from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening (including going to church and a celebration Sunday evening). I really like her practical questions we are to ask when we are planning to acquire more stuff, as I do her tips for email and digital information.

I highly recommend this book. Soukup helps us think through our mental attitudes towards stuff in this consumer age. She even addresses our spiritual clutter too. I look forward to implementing many of her practical ideas in the coming days.

You can read a great article by Soukup, watch a video, and sign up for a ten day unstuffed challenge at FaithGateway or skip the article at the challenge page.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Ruth Soukup is a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur, as well as the New York Times bestselling author of Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life. She encourages people at her blog, www.LivingWellSpendingLess.com.

Zondervan, 280 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Icon Media for the purpose of an independent and honest review.