Conversations with Authors – Gretchen Rubin (Virtual Event)

Gretchen Rubin‘s most recent release, Outer Order, Inner Calm is a lovely, easy-to-use illustrated guide to decluttering that shows us how to take control of our stuff—and, by extension, our lives.

Gretchen Rubin knows firsthand that creating order can make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. But for most of us, a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t work. When we tailor our approach to suit our own particular challenges and habits, we can find inner calm.

With a sense of fun, and a clear idea of what’s realistic for most people, Rubin suggests dozens of manageable tips and tricks for creating a more serene, orderly environment, including:

• Never label anything “miscellaneous”
• Ask yourself, “Do I need more than one?”
• Don’t aim for minimalism
• Remember: If you can’t retrieve it, you won’t use it
• Stay current with a child’s interests
• Beware the urge to “procrasticlear”

By getting rid of things we don’t use, don’t need, or don’t love, we free our minds (and our shelves) for what we truly value.

Gretchen is also the author of the bestselling books The Happiness Project, Happier at Home, Better than Before, and The Four Tendencies. She’s also written a bestselling biography of Winston Churchill, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill, and one of John Kennedy, Forty Ways to Look at JFK. She also hosts a popular, award-winning podcast, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” and a blog, where she writes about her daily adventures in happiness and habit-formation. She is also a regular columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine and makes regular appearances on CBS This Morning. Before turning to writing, Gretchen had a career in law. A graduate of Yale and Yale Law School, she clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.