Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Less Review and Giveaway

As a Chicken Soup for the Soul blogger, I've reviewed my fair share of Chicken Soup books. We have here one that hit home a little closer than many others recently. I don't mean to downplay the others, as mom and the dogs/cats are important, too, but in these days of what feels like he who has the most toys when they dies win... This books presents an alternative way at approaching life where you don't have to be constantly trying to accumulate more stuff.

As a blogger and Amazon reviewer, I'm practically asked to review / write about different items daily. While it tends to go in streaks, I'm sure the UPS driver or the Amazon delivery person must wonder what is going on sometimes. My wife doesn't want to end up on an episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive. I think you get the picture.

Well, this book reminds us that we don't have to live in a constantly accumulating lifestyle. With TV shows like Tiny Houses and micro-apartments now popular in many cities, many people just don't have the space for that much stuff. And, even if you have the space, you don't want to feel boxed in with too much stuff, either. Also, it isn't just about too much stuff in our lives, but also too many activities planned, too.

The Joy of Less book presents the typical 101 stories for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. It reminds us that is it okay to say no without feeling guilty. With spring here, it is a reminder to declutter while you're spring cleaning. You don't have to move to the backwoods of Alaska to simplify your lives. There is lots you can do staying in place, too. Craig's List is a great way to unload the excess baggage. Ebay, too. Look for a local Freecycling exchange, too. Or, just find a local charity that accepts whatever you have. Even just signoff from Facebook for a couple days if you feel addicted. The book shows you stories of how people survived their journey to simplicity with these and other stories.

The different sections are:

• The Freedom of Less
• The Joy of No
• All You Need Is Less
• Joyfully Unplugged
• The Joy of Sharing
• Less Is So Much More
• Joy on the Road
• Count Your Blessings
• The Joy of Staring Over
• Lessons in Less

So, if you see any stuff on eBay or elsewhere from me... I'm still sitting on many, though not all, of the last dozen or so mobile phones we've had for instance. I even have one with Russian menus that I picked up overseas. I need to spend a good day or two just listing stuff on eBay and hoping that it sells. We've already donated a ton of stuff to Cradles to Crayons, a local children's charity that I've volunteered at.

Want to win a copy of the book for yourself? We're giving away three copies. Open to residents of the US and Canada who are 18+, the giveaway is open through 6/11/16 at 11:59pm EDT.

Entry-Form

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions stated are my own and may differ from yours. See my disclosure policy for more information. Java John Z's is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.