5 Books to Kickstart Your Spring Cleaning

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo is a Japanese clutter consultant whose “KonMari” method of organizing will positively inspire you to get sorting! Kondo doesn’t see decluttering as a mundane daily chore, but rather a special opportunity to learn about ourselves and make sweeping change in our lives. Her brilliant, pithy sorting motto is, “Does it spark joy?” The true magic in Kondo’s approach is that she treats organization as a tool for creating happiness. If you can’t afford a plane ticket to Japan and three months to get through her firm’s waiting list, this book is the next best thing.

Green Housekeeping, by Ellen Sandbeck
Why not use this spring as a chance to turn over a new (and very green) leaf? Ellen Sandbeck uses her gardener’s knowledge of healthy ecosystems to enlighten us in the ways of health-focused cleaning. This green guru’s no-nonsense approach emphasizes saving time, cutting out potentially harmful synthetic chemicals, and bringing environmentally friendly practices into our home cleaning routines. So go forth and get green-cleaning!

My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag…and Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha, by Jolie Kerr
True to its title, this book will clue you in on how to clean your way through the grossest of gross situations. It’s a veritable treasure trove of wisdom pertaining to every sort of cleaning problem, from the mundane (tabasco polishes copper!) to the almost unmentionable (how to get stains out of…unmentionables). The woman behind the popular weekly “Ask a Clean Person” column has got you covered for those cleaning conundrums you simply cannot ask your mom (or Martha) about.

Team Clean: The Ultimate Family Clean-Up-The-House Formula, by Carol Paul
Do you have any of those pesky clutter tornados commonly referred to as children? Are you tired of uttering the phrase, “I am not your maid?” If so, this is the spring cleaning manifesto you need. Carol Paul provides not only time-tested strategies for everyday tidiness challenges, but also gives you all the tools you need to transform your ragtag bunch of ragamuffins into an elite squad of clutter cutters. In addition to a clean home, you’ll have a new family tradition that strengthens your bond and adds some fun to your weekly routine. What family couldn’t use that?

Zen of Hoarding, by Saira Priest
This ebook offers 108 meditations on the emotional aspects of why we keep so much stuff. If you have a serious stuff habit that seems impossible to tackle (or, like some of us, you still have every theater ticket stub from every movie you’ve seen since 1998), you might want to settle into this positive, upbeat read that will help you do the inner work needed to streamline your life. This book reminds us our clutter issues aren’t really about our stuff, but about ourselves and our stories. Let this read give you a gentle nudge on your journey to a more beautiful space and a freer spirit.
What are your favorite spring cleaning books?