Goodbye, Things

A motivating text that’s quite prescriptive, and maybe glazes Steve Jobs too much. I found the ideas to be a bit extreme but I knew that going in, I just wasn’t prepared for how extreme. I think a lot of the examples and reasonings are pretty weak, such as throwing out a yearbook because a friend will have one and you can just borrow theirs. Overall, I thought the sentiment and motivation behind the book to be well placed, but just not for me.

I don't usually read nonfiction, but this piece intrigued me. As has been mentioned here, the author over-promoted his favourite brand for my taste, and it may then appear to the reader that he likes to brag about it.
I didn't think I'd be taught as much by the content of the book, as I've been interested in minimalism myself for a while now. But it surprised with tips that were also focused on the psyche and mindset of the individual and not just material things. The book overall was written in the style of the author's confession and told us the ins and outs as if we were longtime friends meeting for afternoon coffee. That's one of the reasons the book earned a high rating from me - it feels more real and the reader doesn't feel like they're reading in a textbook.

There are some favorite passages that I had to file away in my reader that are important for me to think about:

“When we look at things this way, we realize that many of our wishes have actually been granted. So why don't we feel satisfied? Why do we become unhappy?”

“All these things eventually turn on us; we become slaves to our belongings, forced to spend time and energy caring for them. We lose ourselves in our possessions. Our tools become our masters.”

“Holding on to things from the past is the same as clinging to an image of yourself in the past.”

I listened to the audiobook while sorting through my belongings and it felt as if the book spoke to me directly. It has a smooth pace and I found it to be a nice complementary read to Marie Kondo's ‘Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up'.

Minimalism with a slice of Marie Kondo

I highly recommend this book. I need to go and listen to it again now lol.

I enjoyed this book and would/will read it again when I need some motivation to declutter. While reading it I cleaned out my backpack, office, and clothes, which is much more than I got done after reading The Magic of Tidying Up. While he doesn't suggest you to be just like him and encourages you to find your own minimalism, his brand is somewhat off putting and cold, and not for the faint of heart - he only has one towel. Total. For dishes to bath time. He also talks about not really having friends and not accomplishing anything which, whether true or not, is just kind of a bummer to read.

A realistic and down-to-earth perspective on the value of minimalism and the importance of building happiness from within.

Update 4.05.2020 : I've reread the book and my five-star review remains the same. This is a book on minimalism that appreciates the different backgrounds and lifestyles of its readers. It's realistic, and the writing style is simple and approachable. Sasaki keeps his “before” story succinct, but with enough detail to provide contrast to his current lifestyle. Most importantly, he never claims to have all the answers or preach the “right” way to do minimalism.

Whenever I find myself feeling overwhelmed and wanting to go back to basics, I read this book. I would definitely recommend it to a friend, or anyone else who is interested in simplifying their life.

This is a good book on minimalism, how to get into it, and the benefits from this lifestyle. The writing of the book itself was very Japanese-y, and it made a quick and easy (and sometimes funny!) read.

Some ideas were hard for me to relate to, and it may be because I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of minimalism yet. I also didn't particularly enjoy all the Brand X love. I'm getting there, though, and this book had great tips and pointers which will definitely make the transition easier.

Fans of minimalism are going to like this book regardless, but I would not call this a great entry-level minimalism book. I think that some of Sasaki's examples are excellent (e.g. narratives on the discontent of maximalism), but overall there's not much that is highly actionable besides “get rid of your stuff.” Still, it's a pleasant read and a reminder to focus on the things that matter.