Spring Cleaning

The Victoria Day long weekend is a perfect opportunity to commit to a little spring cleaning, both in your home and in your life. In the "spirit of the season," I'm dusting off (sorry for the pun) an old favourite from my days at BellaOnline: Canadian Culture.


Book Review/Interview
Unclutter Your Life by Katherine Gibson

Katherine Gibson knows a thing or two about pushing clutter out of her life. In fact, the British Columbina author wrote the book on clutter busting--and not just in the physical sense. From the cover image of crisp white linens to the inner pages with plenty of white space, Unclutter Your Life: Transforming Your Physical, Mental and Emotional Space is a testament to the values it promotes. And Gibson keeps the contents orderly and concise. The book is broken down into three main sections: Physical Clutter, Mental Clutter, and Emotional Clutter. The last two sections are where she really sets herself apart from others in this field.

"A lot of the books out today are dealing with organizing our possessions," Gibson says. She wanted to go a step or two farther and explore the ways in which our inner lives are cluttered, too.

The mental and emotional clutter in a person's life can be just as detrimental as the more obvious physical signs. This book explores all three aspects equally. If you often find yourself running late, battling insomnia, or moving one thing to get to another, there's something here for you.

While based in part on research and interviews, Unclutter Your Life is no mere theoretical exercise. The book is linked to the lives of Gibson and her family, who practice the lessons taught within its pages. One of their most noteworthy changes was the removal of the household television.

"I did find that the book led me in some interesting directions," she says. "I realized how much our lives had changed because TV was no long part of our lives."

Gibson offers this added piece of advice to anyone who wants to achieve a less cluttered existence. "Visualize the life they want to have. From that moment forward, every action they take should move in that direction," adding, "You have to really, really want to do it."

Unclutter Your Life is the sort of book every person should have...and not just collecting dust on a shelf (or tying up space on your Kindle).