Year of No Clutter: A Memoir
Eve has a problem with clutter. Too much stuff and too easily acquired, it confronts her in every corner and on every surface in her house. When she pledges to tackle the worst offender, her horror of a "Hell Room," she anticipates finally being able to throw away all of the unnecessary things she can't bring herself to part with: her fifth-grade report card, dried-up art supplies, an old vinyl raincoat.
But what Eve discovers isn't just old CDs and outdated clothing, but a fierce desire within herself to hold on to her identity. Our things represent our memories, our history, a million tiny reference points in our lives. If we throw our stuff in the trash, where does that leave us? And if we don't...how do we know what's really important?
Everyone has their own Hell Room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring--and frequently hilarious -- examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate
Eve O. Schaub graduated from Cornell and Rochester Institute of Technology. She has written for Vermont Life and Vermont Magazine, among others. During her family's year of no sugar, Schaub blogged regularly and was often a guest on WAMC, New York's NPR affiliate, as well as a regular visitor to Vermont Public Radio. She lives in Vermont with her family.
"Schaub weaves in thoughtful cultural references... her recognition that clutter of the mind is as real as tangible clutter makes this a personal and powerful read." -- Booklist
"This isn't a how-to book, it's not about helping you clear your clutter. It is one woman's open and honest journey through her own battle with clutter but in the process of reading you will probably recognize yourself in Eve, as I did, and it will spur you on to deal with your own clutter." -- Rather Too Fond of Books
"I found wry wit and laugh-out-loud humor as the author delves into her memories while coming to terms with the truth about stuff...and her tendency to keep it." -- Finding My Inner Kate
"Just like her previous memoir, Year Of No Sugar, her latest is inspiring and humorous - along with the odd 'wait, what?' moment (the story of the mouse, that's all I'll say)." -- After the Rain Comes Sunshine
"Everyone has their own Hell Room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring--and frequently hilarious -- examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go." -- Chelle's Write
"Those who, like Schaub, are looking for a way to declutter that encompasses finding homes for discarded items rather than simply going to a Dumpster, will appreciate Schaub's judgment-free, instructive, funny approach to being a "domestic belonging preservationist" with a place for everything that matters." -- Publishers Weekly
"Part memoir and part how-to guide, Schaub's book casts a lightheartedly humorous light on the First World obsession with acquisition while showing readers that less truly can be more. A wry account of the author's quest to "pitch, plunder, recycle, and sell." -- Kirkus Reviews
