Throw Out Fifty Things

November 17, 2008
These books show readers how to shed all sorts of baggage.
Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life
Gail Blanke
. Springboard
, $22.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-446-50579-6

Blanke (Between Trapezes
), a motivational speaker and former columnist for Real Simple
, shovels aside detritus to make space for cleaner rooms and clearer minds. She challenges readers to follow her example in discarding 50 things; tossed items range from old clothes to “the need to be right.” The author’s suggestions range from the humble (“Have a swap party for your outgrown clothes”) to the ambitious (“Clarify who you are”), and her scope and environmentally conscious mind-set make the book a rousing call to total transformation—one mismatched sock at a time.

January 15, 2009
What better way to start the New Year than to get rid of the old and start anew? Popular blogger Babauta (ZenHabits.net) advises readers to identify the essential and eliminate the rest, while life coach Blanke ("Between Trapezes") cuts to the chase, ordering her audience to empty that stuffed kitchen drawer. What distinguishes Blanke's book is her advice to let go of not only "stuff" but also regrets, ideas about one's personality type, and the need to be liked by everyone. Babauta, too, advocates five-sentence emails and single-tasking for clearing away mental clutter. Both worthwhile purchases are heartily recommended.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.