58 books like The Art of Clean Up

By Ursus Wehrli,

Here are 58 books that The Art of Clean Up fans have personally recommended if you like The Art of Clean Up. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Doug Motel Author Of What’s Working Now

From my list on getting out of your head and into your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

In my journey, I've sought to blend my interest in ancient wisdoms into a coherent, accessible philosophy I call "Nowism." My aim has been to simplify and share complex teachings in a way that resonates and helps. Through my writing, performing, and speaking, I try to bring these concepts to life, hoping to ignite a spark of understanding and self-discovery in others. More than anything, before I leave this world, I want to contribute something (no matter how small) to the legacy of personal empowerment. I aspire to help people see the world more clearly, to understand themselves more deeply, and to find joy in the present moment.

Doug's book list on getting out of your head and into your life

Doug Motel Why did Doug love this book?

Greg McKeown's Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less is more than a book; it's a life-altering philosophy.

As someone brimming with creative energy and ideas, I found myself often lost in a sea of projects, losing sight of my true goals. This book was a revelation. It adeptly distinguishes between essentialist and non-essentialist mindsets, compelling you to evaluate your intentions and commitments.

Through its teachings, I've learned to eliminate non-essential projects, focusing only on what truly aligns with my core objectives. It's a must-read for anyone looking to declutter their life and mind, ensuring that every action taken is a step towards what genuinely matters.

The journey of trimming the unnecessary from my life is ongoing, but it's liberating to have fewer, more meaningful irons in the fire.

By Greg McKeown,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Essentialism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The life-changing international bestseller that started a global movement - now updated with the new 21-Day Essentialism Challenge and an exclusive excerpt from EFFORTLESS

Have you ever found yourself struggling with information overload?

Have you ever felt both overworked and underutilised?

Do you ever feel busy but not productive?

If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is to become an Essentialist.

In Essentialism, Greg McKeown, CEO of a Leadership and Strategy agency in Silicon Valley who has run courses at Apple, Google and Facebook, shows you how to achieve what he calls the disciplined pursuit of…


Book cover of How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids

Barbara Reich Author Of Secrets of an Organized Mom

From my list on organizing everything in your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the founder of Life Organized Inc, a firm specializing in the organization of people, their lives, and physical spaces. Known for creating solutions that are as aesthetically appealing as they are practical, I transform spaces from the inside out. My areas of expertise include home and office organization, time management, digital decluttering, organizing for academic success, maximizing productivity while working from home, and management of everyday chaos. I'm a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the NYU Stern School of Business.

Barbara's book list on organizing everything in your life

Barbara Reich Why did Barbara love this book?

Not only is Jancee Dunn wickedly funny, but her real world, practical advice, collected by experts (including my tips in a chapter about organizing your home), will resonate with new and not-so-new mothers everywhere. 

Although my children are now young adults, I remember the white-hot fury Jancee describes about why and how I became an expert on everything, from changing diapers, to scheduling carpools, to filling out the 42 pages of forms required for a teen trip to Australia, even though I worked more hours than my husband. I particularly enjoyed the chapter with advice from an FBI hostage negotiator. Who knew that simply paraphrasing your spouse’s words could work such wonders in diffusing a marital spat?

By Jancee Dunn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Clever, honest and hilarious . . . her book should become a baby shower classic.' Publishers Weekly

'Funny, honest and helpful.' Grazia

'Loads of useful, achievable advice.' The Pool

How did I become the 'expert' at changing a nappy? Jancee Dunn wondered.

This, combined with a lack of sleep, a suddenly unfair division of household chores and her husband's new found passion for very long bike rides, meant that Jancee found it hard to look at her well-meaning, clever, funny husband playing with his iPhone without feeling a white-hot rage.

Like many expectant parents, they'd spent weeks researching the safest…


Book cover of Fridge Love: Organize Your Refrigerator for a Healthier, Happier Life--With 100 Recipes

Barbara Reich Author Of Secrets of an Organized Mom

From my list on organizing everything in your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the founder of Life Organized Inc, a firm specializing in the organization of people, their lives, and physical spaces. Known for creating solutions that are as aesthetically appealing as they are practical, I transform spaces from the inside out. My areas of expertise include home and office organization, time management, digital decluttering, organizing for academic success, maximizing productivity while working from home, and management of everyday chaos. I'm a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the NYU Stern School of Business.

Barbara's book list on organizing everything in your life

Barbara Reich Why did Barbara love this book?

People who live with clutter and disorganization are far more likely to struggle with weight issues than those who keep their homes orderly. In my years of organizing kitchens and pantries, I’ve seen that buying healthy food is only a small part of healthy eating; organization of that food and meal planning are equally important. In Fridge Love, Kirsten Hong not only shares how to organize your refrigerator so healthy foods are easily accessible, but also shares recipes and meal planning tips.

By Kristen Hong,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fridge Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A one-of-a-kind guide to organizing your fridge-including practical tips for meal prep and storage, plus more than 100 recipes-that makes it easier to eat better, save money, and get the most out of your food

Practicing "fridge love" is a roadmap to eating healthier, saving money, and reducing food waste while enjoying a beautiful and harder-working fridge. This book-part organizational guide and part food-prep handbook-is your guide. Author Kristen Hong adopted a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet in an effort to lose weight and improve her health. But amidst the demands of day-to-day life and a busy family, she found it impossible…


Book cover of How to Be a Financial Grownup: Proven Advice from High Achievers on How to Live Your Dreams and Have Financial Freedom

Barbara Reich Author Of Secrets of an Organized Mom

From my list on organizing everything in your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the founder of Life Organized Inc, a firm specializing in the organization of people, their lives, and physical spaces. Known for creating solutions that are as aesthetically appealing as they are practical, I transform spaces from the inside out. My areas of expertise include home and office organization, time management, digital decluttering, organizing for academic success, maximizing productivity while working from home, and management of everyday chaos. I'm a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the NYU Stern School of Business.

Barbara's book list on organizing everything in your life

Barbara Reich Why did Barbara love this book?

Organizing finances is a critical life skill that many people ignore—until it’s too late. In Financial Grownup, Bobbie Rebell shares the stories of business leaders and the lessons they learned about financial planning. Each chapter offers specific advice and action items that the reader can and should implement.

By Bobbi Rebell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Be a Financial Grownup as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bobbi Rebell, award-winning TV anchor and personal finance columnist at Thomson Reuters, taps into her exclusive network of business leaders to share with you stories of the financial lessons they learned early in their lives that helped them become successful. She then uses these stories as jumping off points to offer specific, actionable advice on how you can become a financial grownup just like them.

Financial role models such as Author Tony Robbins, Entrepreneur Ivanka Trump, Shark Tank's Kevin O’Leary, Mad Money's Jim Cramer, Designer Cynthia Rowley, Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren, Zillow's CEO Spencer Rascoff, PwC's CEO Bob Moritz, and…


Book cover of Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home

Kim Kuhteubl Author Of Branding + Interior Design: Visibility and Business Strategy for Interior Designers

From my list on feeling at home.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an award-winning producer, author, and member of the Producers Guild of America. One of my fondest memories as a child is coming home from a weekend at my oma’s house to find that my mother had redecorated my room. The bedspread was pink, red, and white and so were the curtains but the main event was the fluffy white pouf of a rug on the floor. Home is a place that has always been important to me, which is why these books have found their way into my library.

Kim's book list on feeling at home

Kim Kuhteubl Why did Kim love this book?

Nikki Boyd first started growing her audience on Youtube sharing beautiful images and advice for creating a welcoming, and well-organized home.

Based in Charleston, Boyd is a professional organizer who started organizing as a hobby and built her audience several years before mainstream design magazines recognized her talent. Even if you can’t get it together and organize your own house, looking at the images of her home and the homes of the clients she organizes is a whole lot of zen. 

By Nikki Boyd,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Beautifully Organized as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Professional organizer Nikki Boyd has a gift of transforming a space into a captivating work of art. She sprinkles a little bit of glam and a whole lot of functionality into every space she touches."
-Toni Hammersley, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Author of The Complete Book of Home Organization In Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home, Nikki Boyd shares her best advice for how to create an organized, beautiful, and welcoming home. Nikki developed and honed her five essential steps to an organized home through her experience working as a professional organizer. In Beautifully…


Book cover of Organizing from the Inside Out

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Author Of Edit Your Life: A Handbook for Living with Intention in a Messy World

From my list on inspiring you to change your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an American author and writing teacher for both Harvard and Oxford’s online writing programs. I am also a mother of two who lived three years in a tiny backyard guest house with my family in an effort to focus more on what we love. Editing books is a practice I have honed over decades, and when my family was stuck in a living situation that felt unsustainable, the clearest way forward was for me to ask myself how I might edit our way out of it. It worked! In this book, I share the most valuable eight principles that we learned through the process.

Elisabeth's book list on inspiring you to change your life

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Why did Elisabeth love this book?

This book is a gem! This book is a gem! Its common sense about organizing is sound and wonderfully useful.

It is humbly written, sweetly funny, and applicable to many areas of life. It is the book I reread whenever I am stressed out, the book whose principles have impacted how I teach, write, parent, and organize my home and my life.

By Julie Morgenstern,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Organizing from the Inside Out as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestselling guide to putting things in order. Put America's #1 organizer to work for you.

Getting organized is a skill that anyone can learn, and there's no better teacher than America's organizing queen, Julie Morgenstern, as hundreds of thousands of readers have learned. Drawing on her years of experience as a professional organizer, Morgenstern outlines a simple organizing plan that starts with understanding your individual goals, natural habits, and psychological needs, so that you can work with your priorities and personality rather than against them. The basic steps-Analyze, Strategize, Attack-can be applied to any space or…


Book cover of Simple Matters: Living with Less and Ending Up with More

Laura Fenton Author Of The Little Book of Living Small

From my list on small space design.

Why am I passionate about this?

I know small spaces from first-hand experience. As a writer based in New York City, I have lived in a series of impossibly small spaces, including a 6’ x 8’ bedroom in an apartment with no living room and a teeny-tiny studio that was made livable by installing a Murphy bed. Today I live in less than 700 square feet with my husband and son. When I set out to write my own book, I wanted to inspire readers to make the most of their own small homes and discover the freedom that living small provides. I have an extensive personal library of books about small space design, but these five are my all-time favorites.

Laura's book list on small space design

Laura Fenton Why did Laura love this book?

This book is not specifically about small spaces, but it would be a valuable addition to any small-space library for its message of living with less and conscious consumption. I discovered Erin’s writing and her blog Reading My Tea Leaves when I was a new mom looking for examples of families choosing to live in small spaces. Erin’s book Simple Matters is one I turn back to whenever I need a fresh burst of inspiration to declutter, simplify, and embrace a slower style of home-keeping. Simple Matters is not a coffee table book, it is meant to be picked up and read. 

By Erin Boyle,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Simple Matters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Erin Boyle shares practical guidance and personal insights on small-space living and conscious consumption. At once pragmatic and philosophical, Simple Matters is a nod to the growing consensus that living simply and purposefully is more sustainable not only for the environment, but for our own happiness and well-being, too. Boyle embraces the notion that "living small" is beneficial and accessible to us all-whether we're renting a tiny apartment or purchasing a three-story house. Filled with personal essays, projects, and helpful advice on how to be inventive and resourceful in a tight space, Simple Matters shows that living simply is about…


Book cover of Inheriting Clutter: How to Calm the Chaos Your Parents Leave Behind

Lisa J. Shultz Author Of Lighter Living: Declutter. Organize. Simplify.

From my list on getting rid of clutter.

Why am I passionate about this?

I speak from experience because within the decade of 20092019, I downsized from my enormous home and cleared out both of my parent’s houses. I felt like I was drowning in stuff when I added up all three houses. Lighter Living is a collection of my insights from, and candid reflections on, my journey of owning less. The benefits of lighter living are so broad and deep that they can’t be boiled down to one end result. My hope is that you will find the process of consolidation to be satisfying and fulfilling. That was my experience. My choice of a lighter lifestyle has brought me a greater sense of well-being. In a world that often seems stressful and chaotic, that’s a feeling I cherish.

Lisa's book list on getting rid of clutter

Lisa J. Shultz Why did Lisa love this book?

Sometimes I just need a major kick-in-the-butt motivational book. In 2020, author Julie Hall renamed her previous book entitled Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff. The content is the same, but the title and cover changed. Julie Hall is a personal property expert, who wishes to show you how to clear a family home and minimize family feuds. The book is filled with excellent advice and guidance and also a few horror stories to motivate the reader to take positive action sooner than later. It is a wake-up call if you need one!

By Julie Hall,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Inheriting Clutter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every day, hundreds of adult children become middle-aged orphans when their elderly parents pass away. . . but what should you do with what they've left behind? Professional estate liquidator Julie Hall provides essential guidance for any executor, heir, or beneficiary.

You've heard the horror stories: arguments over stuff, an inheritance lost forever when easily deceived parents are scammed, siblings estranged, an adult heir taken from daily responsibilities for months because of the enormous task of clearing out a childhood home. It doesn't have to be that way.

The Estate Lady, professional estate liquidator Julie Hall, knows what to do.…


Book cover of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter

Jennifer Howard Author Of Clutter: An Untidy History

From my list on to read when you’re decluttering.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t choose clutter as a topic—it chose me. Around the time Marie Kondo became a tidying-up sensation, my mother suffered a breakdown and could no longer live in her dangerously cluttered house. I’m an only child, so it fell to me to figure what to do with it all. So much stuff! It got me wondering: How did clutter get to be such a huge problem for so many people? The books on this list helped answer that question and made me feel less alone in the struggle with stuff. I hope you find them useful too.

Jennifer's book list on to read when you’re decluttering

Jennifer Howard Why did Jennifer love this book?

Dealing with a lifetime’s worth of possessions feels like a heavy task—heavy in every sense. In this breezy book, Margareta Magnuson reminds readers that it doesn’t have to be a drag. Figuring out what to do with all your things can be cathartic, liberating, even fun, a chance to relive some of the highlights of your life and celebrate where you’ve landed. It’s also a kindness to your nearest and dearest. As she wisely observes, “A loved one wishes to inherit nice things from you. Not all things from you.” I wish I could go back in time and give a copy of this book to my mother with that passage highlighted. 

By Margareta Magnusson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*Soon to be a major TV series*

Dostadning, or the art of death cleaning, is a Swedish phenomenon by which the elderly and their families set their affairs in order. Whether it's sorting the family heirlooms from the junk, downsizing to a smaller place, or using a failsafe system to stop you losing essentials, death cleaning gives us the chance to make the later years of our lives as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Whatever your age, Swedish death cleaning can be used to help you de-clutter your life, and take stock of what's important.

Radical and joyous, eighty-something Margareta…


Book cover of Remodelista: The Organized Home: Simple, Stylish Storage Ideas for All Over the House

Christophe Pourny Author Of The Furniture Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Identify, Restore & Care for Furniture

From my list on loving where you live.

Why am I passionate about this?

I opened my first history book in school at 6 and have been fascinated by how people lived since then. I found the evolution of furniture, interiors, decorations, exteriors, and everything that relates to how we live of the utmost importance if we want to know who we are and why. I am the son of antique dealers, growing up in France, so furniture is my principal domain of expertise, but I always put it in relation to the epoch they are from and the people who used them. I became the go-to of Martha Stewart for antiques and furniture restoration and have been featured in TV shows and magazines regularly.

Christophe's book list on loving where you live

Christophe Pourny Why did Christophe love this book?

I find myself consulting this book at least once a week. I know I will find the answer or the advice for every question that may arise in decorating, organizing, cleaning, and simplifying your interior.

I am always in awe of the simplest solutions being the best ones and that Julie and her team always have their pulse on it. Kuddos!

By Julie Carlson, Margot Guralnick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Remodelista as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Buy fewer (and better) things. Store like with like. Get rid of the plastic. Display-don't stash-your belongings. Let go of your inner perfectionist and remember that rooms are for living. These are a few of the central principles behind Remodelista: The Organized Home, the new book from the team behind the inspirational design site Remodelista.com. Whether you're a minimalist or someone who takes pleasure in her collections, we all yearn for an unencumbered life in a home that makes us happy. This compact tome shows us how, with more than 100 simple and stylish tips, each clearly presented and accompanied…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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