Springtime is almost over, but there's still time to declutter and reorganize your living space for a happy and healthy summer. For the list below, I've picked out 10 books to help you finish your spring cleaning. Whether you need help getting rid of your excess possessions, or you aren't sure where to put the collections you're keeping, this list has you covered.
Cleaning your home is a grueling undertaking, difficult to both start and finish. The inevitable march of entropy means that whatever you clean will eventually unclean itself — dust will accumulate, mud will be tracked in, and spills will stain your carpets and upholstery. Like laundry and dishes, cleaning your house is a neverending cycle of organization and mess.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't complete your spring cleaning, however! Cleaning your apartment can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, which means you'll feel more like keeping up with the mess. In a decluttered, organized home, you can entertain friends and family, or just bask in the peacefulness of your space.
Check out the 10 books I've picked out to help you with your spring cleaning below, and share your favorite housecleaning hacks with me on Twitter!
'This is Home: The Art of Simple Living' by Natalie Walton
If you've lost some of the will to spring clean due to feelings of disconnection or dissatisfaction with your environment, check out Natalie Walton's This Is Home — a book dedicated to showing you how you can be satisfied with your home as it is now, while working to make improvements and additions that won't break the bank.
'Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up' by Marie Kondo
This tie-in to Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up expands her original text with instructional illustrations, how-to guides for difficult-to-organize items, and answers to declutterers' common questions.
'Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home' by Nikki Boyd
If traditional methods of organizing, such as plastic totes and fabric boxes, do not spark joy for you, check out professional organizer Nikki Boyd's Beautifully Organized for ways to bring form and function together in your newly arranged space.
'The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning' by Margareta Magnusson
The thoughtful, if slightly morbid, philosophy behind "death cleaning" — döstädning in Swedish — boils down to this: it is much easier for you to declutter your home and reduce your possessions while you are alive than for your friends and family to do it for you after your death.
'Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home' by Martha Stewart
If you're putting off your spring cleaning because you aren't sure what to do about one or two problem areas, Martha Stewart's guide to housecleaning is the book you need to get back on track. Filled with instructions on how to carry out basic cleaning and household maintenance tasks, this is an indispensable addition to your home library.
'Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene, and Stress-free Life' by Francine Jay
From The Joy of Less author Francine Jay comes this book about leaning into a minimalist lifestyle by focusing on serenity. Lightly is the perfect book for any spring cleaner who feels constantly stressed out by their messy environment.
'The Complete Book of Home Organization' by Toni Hammersley
Although it might be a bit too long for most people's spring-cleaning schedules, the 15-week cleaning schedule in Toni Hammersley's The Complete Book of Home Organization is worth following through for the benefits you'll reap from your cleaned and organized home.
'Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste' by Bea Johnson
Want your spring cleaning to also help you set up a waste-free home? Check out Bea Johnson's Zero Waste Home for an easy-to-follow method of improving your recycling game and reducing your plastics consumption.
'Remodelista: The Organized Home: Simple, Stylish Storage Ideas for All Over the House' by Julie Carlson and Margot Guralnick
For the spring cleaner who wants to minimize their belongings while organizing their life, there's Remodelista — a complete guide to embracing a minimalist aesthetic while keeping your favorite possessions on display.
'Simply Clean: The Proven Method for Keeping Your Home Organized, Clean, and Beautiful in Just 10 Minutes a Day' by Becky Rapinchuk
Once your home is clean, you want to keep it that way, right? Simply Clean contains a weeklong cleaning kickstart, as well as a handy guide to maintaining your home's cleanliness with just a few minutes of cleaning per day.
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