Outer Order, Inner Calm

I loved the easy format of this book. It brings out the main ideas without a lot of filler. I enjoyed all the fun quotes and felt inspired by all the useful ideas and suggestions.

I started this book with the library due date looming. Fortunately, this book reads quickly. It seems it is written to get straight to the point. Marie Kondo's Spark Joy uses numerous anecdotes to illustrate her points. In contrast, Rubin often encourages the reader to find one's own path to inner calm. There are few step-by-step instructions for getting organized.

This book will appeal to those who don't like being told to do things in a particular order while still giving guidance for people to reduce clutter and increase calm in their spaces. Those who like specific direction may find this book frustrating.

I like how Rubin lays out the principles and concepts behind decluttering while taking varying personalities into consideration. The format of the book that is generous with space and illustrations makes for a pleasant reading experience.

I adore Rubin's other books and her podcast, but this book felt thin as a longtime reader/listener. It would be a good introduction to her works but I had hoped for something a bit more substantive.