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happylilkt's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating overview of an anthropological study involving 32 middle-class Los Angeles families in 2001-2005. This is the PERFECT antidote to Pinterest and I wish I had vignettes from this book popping up everytime I start shopping online. Every American should read this as it's a great look at the reality (good and bad) of our society's materialistic values.
khornstein1's review against another edition
4.0
I was just looking at this book today and remembered having read it a while back.
We Americans have tons of stuff! But some families are still living in houses designed right after WWII when people had far less. The result: homes that are bursting at the seams.
The book is "ethnoarchaeology" and examines homes of middle-class families in California. It's interesting to note that the book was written in 2012, and in many of the homes pictured, you see shelves of VHS, DVDs, CDs, records, numerous collectibles and toys. I wonder if you might re-visit these homes now and see that people have tossed these and gone digital.
The authors were non-judgmental, which I liked. There are also some really interesting insights into how homes are used today: kitchen as "nerve center," the non-use of the backyard, and the stockpiling of food, especially frozen.
Interesting!
We Americans have tons of stuff! But some families are still living in houses designed right after WWII when people had far less. The result: homes that are bursting at the seams.
The book is "ethnoarchaeology" and examines homes of middle-class families in California. It's interesting to note that the book was written in 2012, and in many of the homes pictured, you see shelves of VHS, DVDs, CDs, records, numerous collectibles and toys. I wonder if you might re-visit these homes now and see that people have tossed these and gone digital.
The authors were non-judgmental, which I liked. There are also some really interesting insights into how homes are used today: kitchen as "nerve center," the non-use of the backyard, and the stockpiling of food, especially frozen.
Interesting!
deedoo's review against another edition
2.0
A good idea. I was expecting a more in depth discussion of the outcome/results of the findings. It really seemed incomplete as an anthropological discussion. Actually seemed more of a photographic book than a scientific endeavor. Still interesting to look at though.
craftygoat's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting book. Archeological approach to examining the "stuff" that clutters many homes. I found the photos fascinating, seeing how these families dealt with the excesses.
Parts I found especially interesting were the underutilized outside space (even in sunny California!), the kitchen as command center, and the higher cortisol levels in mothers in the more cluttered homes.
I have to say I recognized myself in places, like the layers of papers on the refrigerator and the stockpiling of food/goods. In some ways, it made me feel like I'm not so bad -- more of us have cluttered, messy homes than want to admit it. It also made me pinpoint some of the things I want to change. The book doesn't provide solutions. Still, it's a helpful reflection if you're looking to be more mindful about what comes into & goes out of your home.
Parts I found especially interesting were the underutilized outside space (even in sunny California!), the kitchen as command center, and the higher cortisol levels in mothers in the more cluttered homes.
I have to say I recognized myself in places, like the layers of papers on the refrigerator and the stockpiling of food/goods. In some ways, it made me feel like I'm not so bad -- more of us have cluttered, messy homes than want to admit it. It also made me pinpoint some of the things I want to change. The book doesn't provide solutions. Still, it's a helpful reflection if you're looking to be more mindful about what comes into & goes out of your home.
labyrinth_witch's review against another edition
5.0
I discovered this book by reading several Pinterest-blog posts on decluttering that cited it. When I checked it out and discovered it was an ethnographic study of modern American materialism- specifically of two-income households with young children. Nothing could make me happier. With a background in Anthropology, it was refreshing to read an entire study written by anthropologists. But rather than being a dry academic piece, the book is fascinating in its analysis and provides succinct infographics to convey the statistics.
Such revelations as Americans only bear 3.1% of the world’s children and yet we purchase 40% of the produced toys. Makes you think twice about birthday and Christmas shopping. The study explores the psychological stress of clutter on families, explores how rooms are used and perceived, and how trends have shifted over the last decade. Another fact that I had observed personally, and discovered to be true through the study is that 80% of remodeling budgets are spent on the outdoor spaces but 97% of the parents in the study spent 0% outside. Another area that people spend a lot of money on is the master suite, yet it is a little used room.
The study also found a correlation between how many items are on the frig with how many items are in the public rooms. 80+ items on the frig will result in 1,300+ items in your living room. In light of other minimalist movements such as the 100-thing challenge, this sort of analysis really makes you stop and look around your space.
The study also notes how much money is spent on advertising and how many products are then transferred to landfills. It puts into perspective how you consume- the lifecycle of your own purchasing habits and how you are influenced by advertising.
With a plethora of photographs, succinct analysis, and infographics its a quick and easy read for anyone interested in material culture and reorienting themselves to clutter from a mental standpoint. Highly recommend.
Such revelations as Americans only bear 3.1% of the world’s children and yet we purchase 40% of the produced toys. Makes you think twice about birthday and Christmas shopping. The study explores the psychological stress of clutter on families, explores how rooms are used and perceived, and how trends have shifted over the last decade. Another fact that I had observed personally, and discovered to be true through the study is that 80% of remodeling budgets are spent on the outdoor spaces but 97% of the parents in the study spent 0% outside. Another area that people spend a lot of money on is the master suite, yet it is a little used room.
The study also found a correlation between how many items are on the frig with how many items are in the public rooms. 80+ items on the frig will result in 1,300+ items in your living room. In light of other minimalist movements such as the 100-thing challenge, this sort of analysis really makes you stop and look around your space.
The study also notes how much money is spent on advertising and how many products are then transferred to landfills. It puts into perspective how you consume- the lifecycle of your own purchasing habits and how you are influenced by advertising.
With a plethora of photographs, succinct analysis, and infographics its a quick and easy read for anyone interested in material culture and reorienting themselves to clutter from a mental standpoint. Highly recommend.
mountain_adventures's review against another edition
challenging
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Excellent book by anthropologists that studied the homes of living people and how they use their space. The floor plans with a heat map of how the home was used was fascinating. This is a photo heavy book to show how much stuff people have their homes. This is a really fascinating look at materialism in the US. I wish I could have seen all the floor plans in the book. I would also love to see a follow up in the post COVID world and to see how technology has changed the way we use our homes.
shalot's review against another edition
2.0
This book wasn't exactly what I was looking for. After watching the 20 minute documentary and they flouted the book, I wanted more to sink my teeth into. I wanted to read more about the individual homes, the people, and the effect the objects had.
Immediately upon reading the first few pages of the book, you get the driest writing possible. Very analytical, with how they approached their study and the methodology. I found the study itself very interesting but I wanted the chapters to have a bit more life. They should have hired someone who wasn't a technical writer to do the book. It just felt so dead. It felt very choppy and the facts that were thrown around didn't have any punch.
So if you like very technical and dry reading: this is the book for you. If you want something else, steer clear.
Immediately upon reading the first few pages of the book, you get the driest writing possible. Very analytical, with how they approached their study and the methodology. I found the study itself very interesting but I wanted the chapters to have a bit more life. They should have hired someone who wasn't a technical writer to do the book. It just felt so dead. It felt very choppy and the facts that were thrown around didn't have any punch.
So if you like very technical and dry reading: this is the book for you. If you want something else, steer clear.
kwbat12's review against another edition
4.0
This is very interesting. It is a study of certain families in LA, with focus on their home spaces and the sheer amount of things that are inside of them. It includes interesting statistics as it looks closely at the home and how it has changed over the years. From a sociology standpoint, this is incredibly interesting.
nefariousfondue's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.75
The introduction is a bit hard to get through. It's remarkably dense and constantly repeats itself about the work done to make the project happen.
Once you get through that, though, it's a pretty quick read. The writing itself is dry, but informative.
It's a fascinating topic, with wonderful supporting photographs. I found myself wishing there had been more looks at each individual family and their lifestyles. I feel that, with as small a sampling as 32 families, that would have been possible. While being about humans, this book is sadly lacking in the human element beyond quotes and photos.
It's a good scientific look at that particular sampling of houses in that particular time period. I would be very interested to see a similar study conducted on a larger scale and with more attention to all the little things that were not counted in closets and the like.
I would have liked a section on closets and clothes specifically. Most of the people I know - myself included - have stuffed closets full of clothes they never wear and abandoned purses and shoes. I think that would have been fascinating.
Once you get through that, though, it's a pretty quick read. The writing itself is dry, but informative.
It's a fascinating topic, with wonderful supporting photographs. I found myself wishing there had been more looks at each individual family and their lifestyles. I feel that, with as small a sampling as 32 families, that would have been possible. While being about humans, this book is sadly lacking in the human element beyond quotes and photos.
It's a good scientific look at that particular sampling of houses in that particular time period. I would be very interested to see a similar study conducted on a larger scale and with more attention to all the little things that were not counted in closets and the like.
I would have liked a section on closets and clothes specifically. Most of the people I know - myself included - have stuffed closets full of clothes they never wear and abandoned purses and shoes. I think that would have been fascinating.