300+ pages = Get rid of your stuff. Don't do everything.

Easy-reading format. Each "idea" to simplify your life is 2-3 pages in this small-sized book. Lots of ideas to spark thoughts on how to simplify your life.

This book is worth a read but I feel like it becomes repetitive at some point and loses my attention. There are principals to simplifying that you can apply to any aspect of your life. Those are about the first 2/3 of the book. Then it begins to repeat these for different areas of your life.

Although this book was dated which I didn’t realise until I started listening to the audio version - it was actually funny because our lives have got so much more busier, noisier and messier since that time of original release of the book - this reminder and importance of the books message made up for it - ie simplify and declutter our environment, mind and more to try and cope with it all for a more balanced, less complicated and present life - funny and worthwhile read when you consider the irony of how the author has no idea what’s coming in the future - yet still thinks her time needed simplification - oh boy lol!

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While this book pre-dates Marie Kondo's "Konmari Method" I still found it very interesting to read and very useful. It compliments what I know and practice from having read "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo a couple years ago. "Living the Simple Life" taught me some things I was not previously familiar with, and I will keep this book and refer back to it for some time to come.

Some suggestions were useful, but much was not applicable to me right now.

This is a little out of date, and some of the stuff is sort of obvious, etc., but that doesn't mean it's not right. There are some good insights, and even the things that seemed off-the-mark got me energized to make changes anyway.

A quick read, and a lovely one. I can only assume that I’m enamored with the idea of simplicity because it’s been evading me for so long. Like, my entire life. I am an anxious, hectic person by nature (and probably some nurture…) and I envy those who’ve somehow managed to clear their lives of the extraneous junk we as a society have inanely convinced ourselves is necessary— or admirable, even.

Slow and steady, and with the help of books like this, I am consciously making my way to zen and quiet and simplicity. I don’t know if I’ll ever get there (as if there were a “there” to get to), but I’m at least making some room in my closet along the way. Trust the process, right?

Either way, you should read this short little book and make some room in your life. A bit of clear and quiet is bound to do us all some good.

Basically, this book is hysterical. Best read as a satire, particularly if you are very, very poor and/or don't give a shit and are a normal person.

Some suggested ways to simplify your life:
Stop making your bed
Stop doing your laundry
Get rid of the car phone (even though the price has dropped below $500!)
Get rid of all phones
Don't answer any phone for any reason
(the Internet is not mentioned once, so no worries about that)
Don't answer the door for any reason
Dump your friends
Hang out alone, doing nothing, silently
You're going to look horrible no matter what you wear, so dress like a man, because it's 1997 and women are still having to choose between "double or single breasted blazers, droopy or puffy shoulders or peplum." (What is peplum?!)
Make a spreadsheet organizing your weekly shopping organized according to the aisle where it's located in the grocery store, print out a couple dozen copies, and use that for your shopping
Instead of houseplants, just go to the Botanic Gardens
Never let your pet outside for any reason
(Maybe just don't go outside at all either)
Live within walking distance of the beach and mountains
Only spend 10 minutes doing your makeup
Stop going out for expensive multi-course dinners every single night
Stop going to any cultural event, including cabaret's
Instead of watching TV read your favorite plays aloud
Take a cold shower instead of going shopping....

Mildly surprised she didn't suggest killing your spouse and children, as prison is ultimately the most clutter free, simplistic lifestyle choice out there.

Elaine St. Jaimes. I don't know what Gibbs does, or how you afford your insane lifestyle where you can afford to cutoff all human contact or sources of information and still live affluently within walking distance to the ocean. It's been 20 years since you wrote this book, and it's aged well. Remarkably well. Like a time capsule of the crazed yupsters of yore. Loved it!

Had some good, practicle suggestions on ways to simplify. The book is a little outdated, mentions people and their Walkmans. I don't think those even exist anymore. Nonetheless the book does have some good suggestions. I especially like the "30 day list".

it's hard to enjoy scaling down unless your significant other does so, too

a bit dated, good advice, good pointers