Well hello there! This is just a super-quick PSA to let you know that throughout January, I am leading readers of the Kitchn on a mini kitchen refresh challenge known as the January Jumpstart. This has been such a fun project to work on, and if your kitchen could use a bit of a restart, I hope you find some useful tidbits and inspiration there. You can find all of my January Jumpstart posts on the Kitchn right here. Happy New Year, friends!
Peek Inside the Cultivating Simple Course
Hello lovelies! I wanted to pop in here and let you know that the Cultivating Simple Course + Community is open for the summer — since many of us are stuck in our homes a lot more than usual, why not make it the summer you finally clear the clutter?
Sneak Peek: Podcast + Project
To get a better idea of what it’s like inside the course, I’m sharing two things: the very first podcast, and the first project. I’ve often heard from former students that the podcasts are their favorite part: you can just pop in your earbuds and listen while you clear clutter. Enjoy!
Podcast Download:
Simply press play above to listen now, or click “download” on the right side of the player to download it to your device to listen to later.
Show Notes:
What to expect from the course.
The real reasons so many of us have trouble clearing clutter.
The endowment effect.
A 3-step clutter clearing process that focuses on what’s going on in your head + heart.
And finally, I walk you through your first few projects so you can get started on those right away.
Project 1: How to Take a Mindful Clutter Inventory
The very first step in our journey to a spacious, clutter-free home is getting a full, honest picture of the state of your home today.
Choose a time when you can explore your home without being interrupted. Ideally, you would do this all in one go, but if you have young children, or just a very busy schedule that makes that challenging, you can break this up into a few short sessions. Depending on the size of your home and storage areas, this may take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more. Don’t rush it. This is your chance to get (re)acquainted with your stuff.
You may want to bring along a notepad and pen, a camera (your phone camera is perfect), and a cup of your favorite tea. When you’re ready, walk through each space in your home, peeking into every closet, cupboard, and drawer, and simply notice all of your belongings.
Storage Areas and Hidden Stuff
Don't forget the garage, basement, attic, storage shed, and under and behind the furniture — all of that stuff you can’t usually see is important, too!
If you're unsure what's in a box or bin, open it up and take a peek inside. You are not removing anything. You are not organizing anything. Simply be present and accept your home and stuff as it is today.
A Different Kind of “Before” Photos
As part of your Mindful Clutter Inventory, I encourage you to take some "before" photos. The simplest way to do this is to bring a camera (or your phone) along as you are walking through your home to document what you see. These photos are not to share — they’re just for you. What I want you to do with the photos is to take a moment and really look at them. I find that looking at photographs of our home is a helpful way to gain a new perspective and get some distance from our stuff. Try to observe the photos without judging, but without making excuses either. Just see what's there.
Found this sneak peek inspiring or helpful? I hope you’ll join the class!
The Simple List: Holiday Hygge Edition + Mini-Gift Guide
Hello dear ones! I feel like I blinked the week before Thanksgiving, and now we're galloping towards Christmas. What happened?
Well one thing that happened was I won NaNoWriMo! It was my first time making it to the finish line, and I feel so good about completing a (very) rough draft of a fictional work for the first time. The plot holes are a mile wide, but that's what revision is for, right!?
I just rounded up some hygge holiday links and a mini-gift guide for my newsletter subscribers (are you on the list?), but since I haven’t had a chance to post here in a while, I thought I would share it in this space as well. First up is a short list of 5 cozy holiday favorites, including cookie baking tips, gorgeous Christmas lights, cozy bookish art freebies and a very hygge Pinterest board. Scroll a bit further down & I’ve also shared an assortment of highly giftable goodies for all of the people on your list. Enjoy!
1. The Biltmore at Christmas looks magical.
2. My recent writings on Houzz: 15 essentials for bakers; 24 simple pleasures + treats for your holiday countdown; 10 times to hire an architect.
3. The secrets to easier cookie baking. (Smitten Kitchen)
4. Freebie alert! Super cozy bookish art + bookmark printable. (The House That Lars Built)
5. Latest Pinterest board: Winter Hygge, oh yessss....
Mini-Gift Guide 2018
For the ladies: Sweet woodsy necklace, $16.02 (Etsy)
For the hostess: Handmade Japanese tea towel, $9.62 (Etsy)
For the #bookstagrammer: A new bookish mug, $18, from a favorite illustrator (The Ideal Bookshelf)
For getting hygge: All of Emma Bridgewater's mugs are highly covetable & some can be personalized. Add tea and local honey.
For grownup readers: pair the new translation of The Odyssey with a copy of Circe.
Also love these editions of classics.
For young readers: we love the Percy Jackson box set, The Last Kids on Earth, and anything by Kate DiCamillo.
To hold up all of those books: Platform 9 3/4 bookends! $39 (Etsy)
For guys: a super sleek and simple commuter backpack, $80. (Everlane)
For earthy garden types: a worm bin composter, $80 (Etsy) or this Yay Farms! Yay food! tee, $28. (Taproot)
For the stockings: Mexican hot chocolate, $3.29, a funny mini cat calendar, $7.99, and tins of book darts, $7.84.
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed sharing it!
xo Laura
Cozy Minimalism
Hello dear ones! I’m just popping in quickly to wish you a happy Friday, and also to share a peek inside a brand new book I just adore…
The book is Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith, aka The Nester, and I count myself very lucky to have gotten a beautiful advance copy to review. I enjoyed Myquillyn’s first book, but it hasn’t made it into my permanent library. This book feels different. If you’ve been looking for a decorating book that has actual real-life helpful tips that you can apply right away, this is your book.
I saved it for a weekend so I could read it from cover to cover all cozied up in bed with a cup of hot tea, and I was not disappointed!
Evidence: I can’t remember the last time I pulled out my tin of book darts to use in a decorating book. Hah! Chapter five (about quieting your space), and chapter seven (on the decorating trinity) are totally worth the entry price on their own. Myquillyn does an excellent job of walking us through the nuts-and-bolts essentials of decorating in a relatable, authentic way. These are not the words of a professional interior designer issuing proclamations about how you should decorate your home — these are the words of an imperfect woman who can get sucked in by those Target end-cap displays just like the rest of us.
The concept of cozy minimalism feels like just the thing many of us are craving right now. Minimalism alone can feel restrictive and, frankly, no fun. But having too much stuff simply adds to our stress and overwhelm. Cozy minimalism, on the other hand, feels like hygge to me: it’s about focusing on what matters, clearing away what doesn’t, and connecting with the people and things you deeply love.
If you order a copy by Saturday, October 27, at midnight (or if you’ve already ordered one) enter your purchase details at the Cozy Minimalist Home website, and you can take Myquillyn’s 4 Seasons Cozy course for free. Enjoy, and happy weekend!
xo Laura
5 Gorgeous Tiny Homes You Can Stay The Night In
Last week I shared a tiny farmhouse tour, which got me thinking about how awesome it would be to get a taste of tiny house living without committing full-time. If you're curious too, let me spark your imagination with these five tiny Airbnb homes from across the United States. They all look like so much fun, it makes me want to go on a tiny house cross-country tour! Come take a peek...
No. 1: Asheville, North Carolina
First up is this delightful tiny home located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Forest. Coming in at 110 square feet, this is a truly tiny home, to be sure, but it manages to look and feel quite spacious thanks to the smart layout, ample windows, and crisp white paint. If you go, you should know that the bathroom is in a common area that is shared with another tiny guesthouse. I've heard such wonderful things about Asheville, this would be high on my list to visit!
No. 2: Upstate New York
This tiny home, located on a fiber farm in the Catskills in upstate New York, is made from an ingenious mix of recycled materials. The outdoor kitchen and long outdoor dining table mean you can spread out and enjoy the peaceful natural setting as you prepare your meals, visit the fiber farm's resident rabbits, sheep and goats, and enjoy fresh organic veggies from the garden. The property also has several other guesthouses, and runs workshops and hosts retreats for larger groups.
No. 3: Portland, Oregon
This stylish tiny house is situated in the Alberta Arts district of Portland, Oregon, so there's plenty to do within walking distance. Warm wood floors, fresh white paint, and colorful textiles make for an inviting vibe, and the kitchenette stocked with coffee, tea, and fresh eggs is ready for whipping up breakfast. Guests also have access to a shared backyard with a chicken coop and urban vegetable garden.
No. 4: Portland, Oregon
Another tiny home in Portland, Oregon (is that really a surprise?), this one was hand-built by the owners, and has been featured on an episode of TIny House Nation. Coming in at 350 square feet, this tiny house manages to pack in stairs to a queen-size bed, a full kitchen, wood stove, and even a tiny clawfoot tub.
No. 5: Olympia, Washington
You can walk down a private trail to the beach from this tiny house in Olympia, Washington, or meander several miles of walking paths. This is a Tumbleweed Tiny House, like the one Dee Williams (author of The Big Tiny) built. The owner of this tiny house has done such a good job of keeping it immaculate, warm, and cozy, it seems like a great place to have a first tiny home experience. I have some dear friends who recently moved to this area, so I'm keeping this tiny house bookmarked for a potential future trip!
I'm fascinated by the stories of people leaving larger homes to live lighter in a tiny house. I can see how letting go of so many possessions (not to mention a substantial mortgage or rent payment each month) could feel freeing. What about you? Are you curious about what it's like to live (or at least stay) in a tiny house? Which would you choose? Tell us all about it in the comments!
A Tiny Farmhouse That's Big On Style
Are you as enthralled with tiny house living as I am? If so, I think you're going to love the home we're peeking into today. Built by Perch & Nest in North Carolina for last year's Tiny House NC Street Festival, this mini-farmhouse (called the Roost 36) can sleep a family of four and — I think this is the best part — has retractable screens and a glass entry wall that can completely open up the tiny space to the great outdoors. Just look...
Isn't this open-air dining area magnificent? Being able to have loads of windows and a fresh breeze can make a small space feel completely transformed. I could imagine spending many long summer evenings sipping sweet tea and playing games at that table.
Inside, the lofted ceiling, real stairs (not a ladder), and that adorable mint green Smeg fridge make the space feel cozy, comfortable, and stylish.
Notice the big windows, window seat, and glass doors leading out to the porch beyond. Dreamy! A second loft on this side is reached by a ladder to save space.
Moving into a tiny house can be an opportunity to discern what really matters in your life. There is room in a tiny house to nourish a passion, or keep up with a hobby — but there's no room for activities or things that you aren't really using. If you love to knit and read, you can certainly keep a basket with your current project and a carefully curated bookcase. If you love to paint, you can prioritize space for a folding easel, a case of paints and jar of brushes. You can have art on the walls, lovely clothes in the closet, and cute pillows on the couch. Just not too many ;-)
Would you ever move into a tiny home? What would you bring, and what would you leave behind?
(all photos: Perch & Nest)
12 Days of Holiday Hygge
Slow the Season: A Month-long Free Course this December
Ideas for Warm and Cozy Gatherings with Friends
I'm an introvert, yet I also love nothing more than having a few good friends over to my house for a cozy gathering: to me, this feels so much more comfortable and fun than going out. So I was delighted to find Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring's new book out, Decorate for a Party, which recently hit the shelves.
