Declutter Your Home and Simplify Your Life

By: Sophie Largen, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Sophie Largen

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in your life? A pile of laundry on the floor, a stack of papers on the table, or just too much stuff? You are not alone. The tough part is, you know that shoving it all out of sight isn’t enough—you need to start throwing things away. But you don’t have to become a minimalist. You just need to learn how to remove the excess, so you have more time for what is important in your life. And that’s just what this course teaches you.

Sophie Largen has made it her passion project to help motivate and encourage others by providing tips for efficient cleaning, organizing, and productivity. This practical guide will walk you through decluttering your spaces step by step. It will help you work through common pitfalls, and it will provide you with a plan for success for achieving a simplified—and more joyous—life.

Sophie starts by helping you build a road map and a schedule that are attainable for you and your family. She then shares her favorite decluttering strategies, providing exercises and asking questions to get you through challenges, such as parting with sentimental items. She then offers tools and techniques to help you maintain the organization and simplified life you’ve established.

By the end of this course, you may find yourself with new problems, like what to do with all your extra free time and that newly emptied drawer!

©2023 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2023 Audible Originals, LLC

Actually Helpful

I have listened and read many organizing/ dec littering books. They all pretty much help in some way if not just to help me focus. This one was VERY short but also VERY helpful. I love the organizational map /zones of the house and the methodical way to handle organizing and decluttering. I love that she takes us through a peaceful process and at a peaceful pace! Very doable. I love the visual Sophie painted of what life looks like when we lose the clutter. I can’t believe I am saying this but I am actually excited about doing some decluttering.

Excellent for those under 40

Wow! What an overachiever! Great tips and outlines. I guess I’m just a clutter bug and meant to stay that way. I want a small cabin and a huge barn to store my “stuff” in. Kudos to over achievers!

A good quick and easy refresher even for experienced organizers

The program is only about an hour but definitely covers great hi-lights in how to get organized and stay organized.

Helpful, concise and awesome

Loved this read. Especially how useful the tips and insight were. I enjoyed the ability to work through it with the author and also by virtue of it being concise, you can refer back as needed.

More Like an Infomercial at a Ted Talk, but Kinda Works

I’m torn on reviewing this one. On the one hand, it’s not really a college course being taught by a college professor. On the other hand, if college is going to cost so darn much, why don’t they teach you useful stuff like how to organize your sock drawer?

This is only an hour or so long and contains a lot of good ideas. I’ll probably listen to it again while decluttering. Overall, I much prefer decluttering books by Dana K White, but I do like this better than the Swedish Death Cleaning book or Japanese Joy Sparking lady.

The author does get in a few plugs for her online business, but again I’m torn. I’d rather listen to self help folks who have actually done things and worked with clients. So if great courses wants to hire a plumber or landscaper or garage mechanic to teach a course, I’d probably give it a listen.

Good tips for a starting point.

Being only an hour or so long this doesn't go in-depth but it does give some tips for a jumping off point. So take some of this advice and dive deeper.

I like the roadmap idea and taking it room by room, and then subcategorize the rooms. Great tip so not to get overwhelmed.

I started going through a closet putting some of her tips into practice. Such as letting go of guilt (I may need this one day but never used it in 10+ years) and if you don't declutter then you are just reorganizing clutter. Which is a trap I fall into. So I took one bag in my closet and chucked it. Onto the next bag.

3 out of 5.

Will read/listen to again!

I listened to it the first time. Will do so again next time as I couldn't make my lists the first time. Great book!

Some tips. Nothing mind blowing

If you're like me, always looking for new strategies to lessen the clutter- you'll find this book straight to the point with only one or two new takeaways.
It is mediocre at best. Wouldn't use my credits for this, but I didn't mind the short listen since it was part of the catalog.

Super helpful

I absolutely loved this book. Very clear. Super helpful . Following by taking notes was very helpful .

Great tips in a condensed 1 hour plus

I am already routinely writing my “to do “ list in my phone at night and checking the weather in the morning. It makes more sense to check the weather the night before and lay out your clothes ahead of time. Thanks for the other tips and systems that I need to implement.