BEST BOOKS for DECLUTTER and MINIMALISM that I read in 2019

In this video, I share 3 of my favorite books to declutter and for minimalism that I read in 2019. I adore reading and try to read each night. I added declutter and minimalism books to my reading list at the end of 2019, and so happy I did! It's been a great few months of reading, and exploring this new minimalist lifestyle.
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Subscribe: bit.ly/34XgtdN
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How I started minimalism:
• EXTREME DECLUTTER - 3 ...
Quotes to inspire you to declutter:
• 10 MINIMALISM QUOTES t...
10 things I don't buy anymore:
• 10 THINGS I DON'T BUY ...
How I simplified my laundry:
• Simplify Laundry || MI...
How I simplified my winter wardrobe:
• CAPSULE WARDROBE- Mini...
Decluttering my basement:
• Extreme Declutter - Ba...
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BEST BOOKS for DECLUTTER and MINIMALISM that I read in 2019:
Goodbye, Things: amzn.to/39edv8b
Overwhelmed: amzn.to/2Q2chW9
Grit: amzn.to/39edst1
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Website: www.ericalucasloves.com
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FTC Disclaimer: I may receive some products in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own and are not influenced by brand, person, or company. Please note that some links may be affiliate links, and I earn a commission from your purchase. These links share products at no extra cost to you.

[@everdreamcosplay]

I love how you support (and use) the library! I'm a librarian and we have so much more than people realize. See if your library offers e-books for check out, too - most do, and it can save you $$!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Joy Stortvedt yep! I get ebooks from my library all the time!

[@VP-tg8kd]

Joy Stortvedt Library assistant here too....I’m in the u.k. we have free loans, free audio/downloads, feee newspapers, free computer use....libraries are amazing. Please support them everyone!

[@LivingWithEve]

Joy Stortvedt We use the library weekly. Love the resources.

[@gracepearlbowling5402]

I LOVE my library! I hardly ever buy books because I use mine so much!

[@ellenstam-mulder3002]

oh Erica i am so happy, that you come so far that you enjoy decluttering. You are so happier and you look so happy too. a few month i saw a young woman that was so tired and hopeless what you must do with the stuff. you bloom my dear. And that make me so happy. I think that less stuf makes everyone happier. i want too hug you, but you are living to the other side of the world. because you do it for yourself and youre family. Lots of love Ellen

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Ellen Stam-Mulder thank you! Sending you a virtual hug!!

[@kathrinekerns8398]

🎶🎶🎶"And, spread sunshine, all over the place. Just put on a happy face" 🎶🎶🎶 so glad I found you, and have following along. 🙌😇❤

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Talk about great timing, Erica! Just yesterday I started reading "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning".---For a long time I've been the family caregiver and caseworker (now mainly casework but exhausting)) and I have more tasks than time. "Overwhelmed" is the book for me!--In her book "Some of Me" Isabella Rossellini wrote of her mother Ingrid Bergman who was very clean and practical: " "Never leave a room empty-handed, " she would often say to me, meaning that there's always a glass in the living room that needs to be taken to the kitchen sink, a magazine in the bedroom that has to be returned to the living room, and so on. She taught me how to be orderly and how to clean house efficiently". Also in the book: "Second to acting, Mother loved cleaning, which is not to say she loved that above me. I'm sure she loved me more than cleaning, but what made her happiest was combining the two. We cleaned together".---Too a saying you and your viewers might enjoy is one I learned not long ago: "It's always easier to clean a clean house".

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Andrew Brendan it’s always easier to clean a clean house. TRUTH!

[@katia.luna213]

I love this comment ❤️❤️ Cleaning a clean space is ever so much less stressful. One of the reasons I started to fully enjoy the heck out of cleaning was that could I immediately find whatever I was looking for--even other people's items! 🤣❤️❤️

[@jac1797]

Erica yours is my favorite Channel on KZbin and I watch a lot. I love to read also and your book reviews and favorites or so inspiring! Please add this to your Channel. It is really really fun to listen to you talk about books you've read! Thank you thank you thank you!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

JAC hi! What are you fave reads this year! Love recommendations from fellow readers.

[@kimpatience6505]

I enjoy you and the videos you make. Thank you for the book suggestions. It is great to see all of the progress you have made in so many areas in such a short time. You look radiant! Happy New Year to you and your family!

[@margaretroberts3435]

I'm home sick in bed, and I've been watching your videos. I must say that I absolutely adore you. You go girl! I wish I could get my mom to watch your videos.

[@EverydayBlessings]

Grit and Overwhelmed just made my book list!

[@cindythomson7042]

Really enjoying your videos. Just reserved a bunch of books from the library that I am looking forward to read.

[@dorothyyoung8231]

Erica, you are fabulous. You look calmer, more centered. Your review of these books was helpful and incisive. Following you this year has been an inspiration. I hope 2020 is the BEST year ever for you and yours!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Dorothy Young same to you!! Wishing you the best!

[@PenniesAndSalt]

Thanks for the book recommendations! Grit is definitely going on my list for this year!

[@Anikai88]

It's so inspiring to see you change through this whole journey! Best wishes full of purpose and joy in life for the upcoming year 2020 :)

[@jodynuttall3215]

I'm finding your videos really enjoyable. Appreciate your honesty, and that you show and tell it exactly like it is. You've really embraced a major life change...it's inspiring! All the best to you in the new year. Looking forward to following along.

[@Kate42]

I just found your channel about a week ago and I love it! I am watching all of your videos to catch up. This particular video is so inspiring. I love the books that you recommend and love the passion that you share with us all. I sorta hit rock bottom with buying and am now full into minimalism. I love your channel and am looking forward to many more videos on the subject. Thank you for your thoughts and opinions!

[@simplejoyfilledliving]

Love these book recommendations!

[@kitkatwitch]

I cheered out loud when you held up Grit. I love that book. It's the only book I would recommend to absolutely everyone.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Whitney Moss yes!!! It’s such a great book!!

[@RussellsLovingLife]

Thanks for the review and suggestions of these books.

[@melissahoneybee8493]

What an inspiring, smart, fabulous woman you are. My absolute favourite KZbinr. I’m so excited to see what you will share with us in 2020. Thank you.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Melissa Honeybee thank you! Wow!

[@lizn7046]

A new subscriber!! It’s impressive channel I enjoyed and am so inspired!

[@stephaniebyrne7706]

Already decluttered but great video. I also read a lot. Maybe at the end of each month u could give a book review of the books you’ve read that month❤️🇨🇦

[@sherirae]

Awesome. Love your grit. Time for me to use mine more often. ☺

[@FieldsFullHouse]

Our library offers an educator card and as a homeschooler we can use that. NO FEES!! Great book recommendations!

[@monikaweld5567]

Thank you! What an awesome video. I will definitely read these. Because I want to be as successful at decluttering as you have been😍❤👏

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Monika Weld I’m a gritty person. It was hard to find motivation at time a

[@summerbaby4600]

Hi from Japan 🇯🇵 “Goodbye Things” is a great book. Very inspiring. And the other books sound so interesting! Definitely going to check them out! Thank you for sharing!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Summer Baby hello to you in Japan!

[@ThinkInk1604]

Thank you Erica for everything you gave trough 2019. I loved following you during your path. You are an amazing woman. Lots of love from me to you. 😘

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Inge Markerink thanks! Love back to you as we head into 2020!

[@HomeSweetHomeschoolLife]

I can’t wait to check them out.

[@simplejoyfilledliving]

Great book ideas! Thank you!

[@sarahvandekendelaere8761]

There's quite a few books in your list I hadn't heard about. Thank you for the reading motivation (unlike you I need a little push to turn off the tv and read a bit more...)! Love from Montreal ❤️

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sarah Vandekendelaere girrrrrrrl I watch too much tv too. I need to get going on the latest season of Peaky Blinders and I’m caught up on Curse of Oak Island. Those are two faves.

[@sarahvandekendelaere8761]

@@EricaLucasLoves Ugh... You gave me two new series for my list now lol ;)

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sarah Vandekendelaere lol

[@nataliewalker598]

New subscriber here. You're motivating me to start decluttering my own home, I was ill for 6 months and the house has fallen apart, if you can do it with 3 little kids to look after, I can do it with only 1 child. I will definitely be checking out some of these books. Xx

[@leilani9130]

natalie Walker Erica is super awesome and so real! You’ve found an awesome channel.

[@jenv6846]

You seem like a really great woman, and if we were closer, we’d totally be friends!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Jen V do you like to read? Any good books you have read that you’d recommend?

[@sarahvandekendelaere8761]

Exactly my thought as well! From the first video I saw, I was like 'we could be real life friends' ;)

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sarah Vandekendelaere what a lovely compliment!!

[@ANNtique]

Ditto Fellow homeschooling mom here, we could totally have stuff to chat about, even though my kids are older than yours. I made the same mistake with homeschool supplies, didn’t see that the more a I had, the less I actually used because there was just too much

[@jenv6846]

@@EricaLucasLoves Other than the ones you've listed, I read "Year of Plenty" by Craig L. Goodwin when I first started simplifying life. I listen to podcasts quite a bit and Simply Living for Him with Karen DeBeus is one of my hands-down favorites. She is all about living simply so that we can live big for Jesus as homeschool families. (I homeschool as well.) I think you're doing an amazing job. I've enjoyed watching your journey!

[@leilani9130]

Decluttering my life! I don’t know if I’m ready for that, with 4 kids. We are always busy and a lot of it is Naomi’s therapy!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Leilani Melendez your schedule is full of necessary appointments!

[@ANNtique]

Excellent video. Goodbye Things is also my favourite. I’m definitely going to read the other two books. My 2020 goals are paper and digital.i want to drastically narrow down the papers we are holding onto, organizing scanned papers into digital folders, managing my email inbox and saved emails. I will also be going through all our digital photos, organizing them, deleting the blurred ones, deleting phone photos that were screen shots or pics I took of books I want to read, or other reminders I no longer need. I got a photo negatives/slides scanner for Christmas and I have scanned 50% of the negatives from our days before digital. I should get that finished today. Then I will sort those into folders and the negatives, and many of the actual photos can go. We don’t keep photo albums, and only have a few photos in frames. I don’t need to keep shoe boxes of photos. I’m really excited to get all this done. The paperwork part won’t be fun, but the photos will have the bonus of being reminded of the memories. There are also plenty of house projects, and more purging. I’m excited about that too. My kids aren’t little any more so I am able to really dive into projects without my kids needing me, or getting up to mischief. Wishing you an amazing 2020

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Ann C paper and digital are on my 2020 list too!! They both feel massive.

[@ANNtique]

If at some point you want to scan your negatives, I totally recommend the Wolverine negative and slide scanner my husband got me. Definitely worth buying, then selling on when you are done. I didn’t use the provided trays, I just held my negative strips in place because it saved so much time. It was an enjoyable mindless task and I was able to watch KZbin and listen to an audio book while working on it. I hope you’ll be documenting this part of your journey because I’m going to need some serious motivation!!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Ann C I will Ann! Videoing motivates me 😂

[@purpleslobinrecovery1732]

60 books in a year?? And you have kids and homeschool?? Wow! You are an amaZing woman!! I'm almost jealous of your energy! lol I second or third the comment about how much happier you look! And your house looks amaZing too!

[@ruthlloyd1163]

Watching this Dec 2020, decluttering the calendar-- yeah, achieved that goal 😂👍🏻

[@BethGrantDeRoos]

GREAT video!! We follow Joshua Becker on KZbin and liked his books Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness, and his The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life. And Good Bye things by Fumio Sasaki. We are a major non fiction bibliophile family and see our wall of books as art so we have great books and art which is a win win. And we got rid of the television years ago and its AMAZING how less stressful ones life is without the ads which even if one is not watching the tv, and getting into your ears because they are geared to be hear and not just seen. Back in 2003 it was The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need by by Juliet B. Schor and Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic by John De Graaf that awoke my awareness to the WHY of how all the 'stuff' we had in our home came to be.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Beth Grant-DeRoos thank you for this advice! What experience you have. Did you watch a lot of tv before? I can’t imagine not having it.

[@BethGrantDeRoos]

It was a friend, a psychiatrist, who during dinner, shared the findings from various mental health, addiction studies that noted that most people actually listen to tv than watch tv. And that when one isn't watching but has the sound on that images are created in our minds. Be it an ad for junk food, items for the home, clothes, vacations, cars OR medications. The wording is such that it makes you think 'I need that' even if it means going into debt. He suggested we do our own experiment and just listen to the tv while we did dishes, cooked, did laundry etc. Then I took a marketing class at Stanford University and learned that certain ads are placed at certain times of the day, to get the most 'sales'. be it on tv, or social media. That ads with certain colours create more sales. When at Best Buy getting an item for my computer they had their bank of tv's all on the same channel and an ad for Swiffer came on. Maybe its because we haven't seen tv ads in years, but the woman's shoes, towel on the kitchen counter, flowers in the vase on the kitchen table were ALL the same colour purple of the Swiffer wet jet being advertised. Thus the colour purple was planted in the viewers mind, so that when buying dish soap at the store ones eye would catch the colour pruple out of the corner of their eye, and buy the Swiffer. Looking at that ad I noticed the floor the Swiffer is cleaning is NOT that dirty and the woman was neat and clean looking. Thus one is being sold 'clean'. Even if one doesn't need a Swiffer which also is made of plastic, isn't made to last. The fastest growing franchises beginning in 2001 were storage unit businesses. Places folks rented to store the stuff they didn't have room for in their homes. From 2001 homes with three car garages grew by 62% and they were not being marketed to folks with three cars. They were marketed to folks who had two cars. The third car bay was for 'storage'. something both The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need by by Juliet B. Schor and Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic by John De Graaf touch upon in their books. REALLY have enjoyed watching your videos!!

[@bitsnharry]

Your top book isn't on kindle unlimited! I am having trouble finding your list of books on Good Reads also. Appears they want "friends"status to be in place before following others. I am really interested in shedding tons of belongings finally and attribute most of it to your style of videos. Thank you so much! I actually had a dream that I was still married ( not since 07 also military) and we were going thru things in the house and I heard myself list a few things I was willing and eager to part with. That was almost enough shock to wake me up!! I still remember the list tho and am surprised by a few things on there but still think they would be good to go. I also love to read and would be very interested in seeing your list of books from this journey.

[@kathy3178]

I placed a hold at the library for the Grit book. Definitely sounds like something I need to read.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Katherine Doughty it’s really good! Let me know if you liked it.

[@jennytaylor3409]

Thank you so much!!!

[@sally-annesmit7743]

Loving watching you grow on this journey almost step by step next to me. Excited to see what the new year will bring us both so keep decluttering and I’ll see u at the finish line... is there a finish line??? I don’t think so! 😂

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sally Evans ha I hope not! I won’t know what to do! 😂

[@simplejoyfilledliving]

I’m going to look for Overwhelmed at the library.

[@sandrajiggins6303]

I feel the same way about decluttering my life. Not just stuff. I am starting with my emails. My goal is to have my emails for various personal and business account to only have new emails in my inbox by January 1st. I am unsubscribing to news letters, deleting, archiving and creating folders for ones I need to keep. It’s about being organized and and having systems in place to free up my time for other things I want to do that make me happy. Love your book suggestions.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sandra Jiggins that’s a good one. I was thinking of a kickstart for digital clutter and newsletters I don’t read is on that list!

[@sandrajiggins6303]

@@EricaLucasLoves The Minimal Mom recently did a video on cleaning out emails. It is what got me started.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sandra Jiggins she has a great 3 part series on paper declutter that I’ve been taking notes from. :)

[@sandrajiggins6303]

@@EricaLucasLoves paper is my nemesis. No matter how much I get rid of it always seems to pile up! And I have all my statements, bills etc online, no mail. I do work from home so that is part of it. I file important papers right away. My desk and office is the dumping ground. That is what I need to change. I need to make new habits and organize my home so everything has a home and isn't dumped in my office. Its all a work in progress!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sandra Jiggins I don’t even know what needs to change for me. Paper has too many dumping grounds for me. I’m actually afraid of the paper declutter. I’m afraid we have way more than I think.

[@edenhouse75]

Love it thankyou so much for these suggestions....and I was looking for something to treat myself to in 2020...I'm now looking for a second hand kindle....no cluttered books everywhere....win win xxxx

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Fay Turner yeah! Your library will have some ebooks too.

[@edenhouse75]

I've tried the library (its my second home lol ) but it's a little limited on minamalist and self help books x

[@rubyrose2522]

Ah, you're my kind of gal. I teach ELA. ❤ Rather off topic, but did you read Educated by Tara Westover? Wow, so good......and for some reason, it makes me recall Wild by Cheryl Strayed (older but also a must read). I will totally read Grit. Thank you. I could see you incorporating book talks (not just on this topic) on your channel. I would enjoy that immensely, and probably am not alone on that.

[@tanya2269]

My Favorites are, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning & The Joy of Less.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Tanya Joy of Less is a good one too!

[@AliceDepaul]

I was waiting for it! I’m currently reading “the joy of less”

[@helenbaysinger411]

Thank you so much! 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝☕☕

[@tashainjena]

GRIT...gonna have to read that one. I have a book titled GRITS...but it means Girls Raised In the South...

[@SarahShepz]

Put these books on hold from the library as you talked about them! Thanks for sharing :)

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Sarah S I do that too when people mention interesting ones. Let me know your thoughts!

[@SarahShepz]

Erica Lucas just read The Joy of Less and thought it was a good introductory book - a more down to earth and practical angle then the “does it spark joy” refrain. Totally thought I was way past intro stuff and then got up and filled three garbage bags of stuff 😂

[@lindsaysmith5318]

Found it! Thank you.

[@denisecarter5117]

I just have to say in my case after years of working through this process and seeing the amount of money that is saved, I’m pretty addicted to decluttering. Garage and estate sales depress me now wading through all the stuff people have kept. My favorite of the books is Swedish Death cleaning but I haven’t read the Japanese one yet.

[@ecto78]

Added these books to my Amazon cart, so I would remember their names. Lol!! Me and my lists.....they are my brain!!

[@bytesofmemory]

The joy of less is my #1 from this year. I am further along in this journey but it's like an onion and there always seems to be another layer to pull off. I put a hold on those 3 books at the library!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Lindsay Whitcomb well said. It IS like peeling an onion.

[@jmknudsen5357]

Book Suggestion: The Year of Less | Cait Flanders. Will inspire you to stop spending.

[@LivingWithEve]

What is GRIT anyway? I mean based on what you said the book is about, and you know me, it sound like I would really benefit me.

[@shellipagel3488]

Goodreads is my most favorite site! Started following you :)

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Shelli Pagel ooooh looking forward to seeing your read shelves!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Shelli Pagel yo! You read a ton too!! I see that you gave Less by Rose Lounsbury 5 stars. I’m going to check that one out.

[@shellipagel3488]

@@EricaLucasLoves I home schooled my daughter for 8 years and we utilized the library for sure. Also, I was a elementary school librarian for a time and needed to know what to recommend for my students. I don't get to read as much these days but I am hoping to read some more picture books this year to brush up on my children's literature in case I return to library work. Looking forward to chatting about books with you :)

[@ceceliasmithers9968]

Great review if the books that inspired you.

[@rebeccaowsley7233]

How do you manage to read so much with all you have going on? I failed miserably to meet my 24 book goal this year. 60 is amazing!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Rebecca Owsley I read at night for about 60 min and then I bring my Kindle down in the mornings. I sneak in some reading to set the example for the kids throughout the day.

[@1207susant]

You have the most beautiful hair!!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

1207susant how kind!

[@nessabridge5019]

Love you are so so normal. Family etc and real living not show home

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Vanessa Bridge completely real. The good and the bad! lol

[@yvonneiversen8749]

Could you please tell me about how the whole family feels at the other end of declutter? There must be a significant change? Thanks

[@lkhorvath4]

Do you read really fast?

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Linda Horvath I’m not sure. I read about an hour a day.

[@AWanderingEye]

Loving your list with 1 exception: "Grit" has been debunked. It was fantastic because it was fantasy. Duckworth overstated study results to fit her views and expectations. A simple google search brings a few articles that cover this issue with her work. Although that same search will also provide some lingering supporters. But if you are at all enthusiastic for science supporting a long held commonsense view, I hope you read on and deepen your knowledge. The science did not actually support her thesis. I will find a link to support this since I know this will be a bit of a shock. Here Alfie Kohn does a better job than I have in explaining her errors. I hope, Erica and anyone else interested in children's education, growth and development will take a moment and read his not too long examination of the concept and how Duckworth did her work. www.alfiekohn.org/article/grit/

[@AWanderingEye]

Here is a YT video which explains how little significance grit truely has in predicting children's educational outcomes. Better to spend our time learning how the Big Five Factor (OCEAN) personality analysis plays into life long achievement, in particular, Consciousness. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6SzZH58qKmfpaM

[@AWanderingEye]

Here at 10:30 is a more succinct explanation the whole video is worth watching actually. One issue is when a pop-sci idea becomes policy in public education and results in a waste of resources and scaring the upcoming generation, jmo. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4uVkoZ5fZitoLs

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Wishful Thinking very interesting. My takeaway was more about the achievements from being gritty. Thanks for the insight