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!

Books with Bix: 5 Fourth Grade Favorites

Welcome to the first edition of Books with Bix, an occasional roundup of the titles that my 10 year old (that would be Bix) has given his stamp of approval. I mean really, who better to vet and recommend middle grade books than an actual elementary school-aged kiddo? If you’re searching for fantastic fiction for a middle grade reader (think more complex chapter books & graphic novels) you’ve come to the right place.

1. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

This was our first book from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint (see quote from R. R. about the imprint below) and Bix loved it. Ancient African gods are clashing with African American folk heroes in this adventurous tale, and Tristan Strong has to keep them from destroying the world.

“Our goal is to publish great middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage. Over the years, I’ve gotten many questions from my fans about whether I might write about various world mythologies, but in most cases I knew I wasn’t the best person to write those books. Much better, I thought, to use my experience and my platform at Disney to put the spotlight on other great writers who are actually from those cultures and know the mythologies* better than I do. Let them tell their own stories, and I would do whatever I could to help those books find a wide audience!”

— Rick Riordan on the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint

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2. Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

Scoob, a black boy, and his white G’ma take off in her RV following in the footsteps of a trip she and Scoob’s G’pa took back in the 1960’s, using the “Travelers’ Green Book” a guide for black travelers letting them know which hotels — and even whole towns — were safe to stay in. Great conversation-starter about racism, prejudice, and privilege. But also so funny.

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3. Ghost by Jason Reynolds

We listened to Ghost on audio in the car as we rode back and forth to the skate park last week and Bix was completely sucked in from minute one. This is highly realistic middle grade fiction about a boy (nickname “Ghost”) who joins a track team for the first time. All I can say is Jason Reynolds is a national treasure. Go listen (or read) now.

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4. The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes

Another Rick Riordan Presents title, The Storm Runner centers around Zane Obisbo, his dog Rosie, his pro wrestling-loving, Hot Cheeto eating uncle … and the volcano in his backyard. Bix loved the characters and the adventure featuring Mayan gods, demigods, shape-shifters, and more.

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5. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

(Yet) another Rick Riordan Presents title that was a hit in our house, Sal and Gabi Break the Universe is something we don’t see much of in middle grade lit: realistic characters plus a sci-fi twist. The raw chicken from another dimension appearing in a bully’s locker on page one had Bix committed from the get-go.

Do you have any middle grade books you’ve been reading and loving lately? I’d love to hear!

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Links to books are from Bookshop, an online bookshop that supports independent bookstores. For no extra cost on your end, indie bookstores and I will receive a small commission instead of that online books-and-everything-else store we know all too well. I never recommend anything unless I love it and think you will, too. Thanks so much for supporting my work!

LGBTQ+ Supportive Insta-Graphics

I spent much of the first five months of 2020 researching transgender and gender non-binary youth for a library school project, and one of the (fun) culminations was the creation of this set of Instagram-ready graphics to express support & share resources. Transgender youth especially face enormous challenges* And while social media can be a source of support and inspiration, it can also become a platform for bullies and trans-phobia. If you would like to express your support for the LGBTQ+ youth community, but are not sure where to begin, please feel free to share one (or all!) of these Instagram-ready graphics:

*I won’t get deep into the research here, though if you’re interested feel free to check out my library school blog where I have shared more.

1. This post highlights the Instagram account of We Need Diverse Books, as well as the recently released book Rick by Alex Gino.

2. Quote by Zach Dishinger as interviewed for the It Gets Better Project.

3. Queer Kid Stuff creates awesome kid-friendly videos explaining LGBTQ+ topics.

4. Black Trans Lives Matter message inspired by The Trevor Project, the nation’s leading organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.

A Year in My Reading Life + Favorite Books of 2019

Reading is one of the greatest pleasures in my life, and this year I made a concerted effort to make room for more of it. As Gretchen Rubin advises in her book Better Than Before, the simple act of tracking something can make you more likely to do it — so I started tracking (and counting) the books I read each month. I didn’t have a particular number goal in mind (I feel like that would be counterproductive, since I simply want to add more reading pleasure to my life, not hit a certain target), I simply recorded the books I read, as I read them.

As I sit down to write this in mid-December, I have a good stack of books still in my future over the next several weeks (the holidays are one of my favorite times to read) but already I can see that tracking my reading has boosted the sheer amount I’ve read by quite a lot. In 2018, when I was writing down what I read but not numbering the list, I read 52 books, or roughly one a week. This year, I’ve read 81 so far, and had a great time doing it!

Winnowing down the list was a fun (but challenging) process — the titles that made the top 10 were all five-star reading experiences. So without further ado (and in no particular order) here are the 10 best books I read in 2019:

1. The Huntress by Kate Quinn

I read this on audio and the narration by Saskia Maarleveld made for an immersive and unputdownable listening experience. If you appreciate a good WWII story told from a less-often heard perspective, multiple timelines that weave together seamlessly, and female characters as tough as nails, this is the book for you.

2. Women Talking by Miriam Toews

This was my first Toews novel, and I now count myself a huge fan. Based on a real event that rocked a Mennonite community, this is a story that takes place over just a few days in the quiet of a barn loft — but the emotional terrain and layers of community history and cultural expectations covered in that sliver of time and space is vast.

3. Circe by Madeline Miller

I’ve been on a major classics kick ever since reading the Emily Wilson translation of The Odyssey (gorgeous!) and I loved Miller’s first novel, The Song of Achilles, so I’m not sure why it took me a year to get to Circe. Everything about this book is gorgeous, from the black and gold cover, to the deckle-edged paper, to the prose.

4. Normal People by Sally Rooney

I resisted reading this book because on the surface it didn’t seem like my cup of tea — I tend to steer away from contemporary fiction, literary or otherwise, unless it has a bit of a twist, like a nature adventure (see #5) or it’s a genre-bender (see #10). But surprisingly to me, as soon as I picked up this slender novel I absolutely could not put it down. I think I finished it in a single day, and I have Conversations With Friends all lined up to read next.

5. The River by Peter Heller

I love excellent nature writing, skillfully written thrillers and books that nudge you to dig a bit deeper or put a different lens to your life. The River accomplished all of these things for me, and as soon as I finished it I handed it to my husband…who loved it, too.

6. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

With so much hype stemming from The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation on Hulu, there was a lot of pressure riding on this read. And while I did find myself often getting distracted while reading thinking about how the characters in the TV version would act, and wishing there was a bit more nuance and explanation at the end, this was, overall, still a top favorite of the year and well worth your reading time.

7. A Better Man by Louise Penny

Can Louise Penny do no wrong? That’s certainly what it seems like to me, since as far as I’m concerned her Inspector Gamache series simply keeps getting better and better. I think next year I’ll take a cue from Meredith of the Currently Reading podcast and set aside a whole day off to coincide with the book release…so I can curl up and read the next installment right away, with a big cup of tea by my side.

8. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This book is a doorstopper by any definition, but well worth the commitment. Following the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln, Goodwin focuses on Lincoln’s particular genius for welcoming competing opinions in order to move our country forward. I read this with a library copy, and found the motivation of a due date was exactly what I needed to get to the finish line!

9. Good Bones by Maggie Smith

Although the title poem from this collection by Maggie Smith is well known, I first heard of it from a piece on The Art of Simple by contributing writer Katherine Willis Pershey. I’ve never felt poetry that felt so true — her work is heartbreaking, beautiful, hopeful, and easily accessible, even for those of us who only dip our toes into the world of poetry. Next I’d love to get my hands on some of Smith’s earlier work, as well as this poetry collection also recommended by Pershey, by Irish poet Padraig O. Tuama.

10. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

This book helped me realize that something I really love is beautifully written literary fiction with just one surprising, genre-bending twist. As soon as I put down this Ishiguro novel, I wanted to 1) talk about it with someone, and 2) read everything else in his back catalog. The less you know about the plot, the better, so I recommend just diving in. You won’t regret it.

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Well that’s it! It was hard to wrap up this list because as I type I’m staring at a stack of delicious books on my desk that I’m planning to read over Christmas, and I have a feeling one or more of them might have ended up contenders….but that’s what’s fun about the reading life — there is always more on the horizon.

I’m curious: Do you track your reading?

And if so, do you keep a paper book journal, a spreadsheet, use Goodreads or something else? I would like to start tracking a little more data about the books I read in 2020, but without going so far overboard that I get overwhelmed and ditch the whole system!

hugs, Laura

Poached Eggs, Flowers, Quilts and Surrogate Grandmothers

We spent about 12 hours on airplanes over the weekend, swapping time zones to travel to and from New Haven to be there for Grandma Jeanne, and to be in community with everyone whose hearts she had taken up residence in.

We practiced spelling words for the third grade Bee on the plane. We caught up with family, and cried, and dressed up and sat in a beautiful old chapel with impossibly tall stained glass windows, and let the kids play by the creek in their good shoes, and ate delicious little steak-and-horseradish crostini.

We drove back to Rhode Island and slept hard, and fed the ducks, and toured a house for sale around the corner. The woman who owned it had passed away, she was over 100 years old and I thought about the stories that 1960’s wallpaper could tell.

Bixby clambered into his old ride-on car with his knees pulled up to his chest and zoomed up and down the quiet street. We talked around the table over plates of homemade chicken Milanese, and over mugs of tea, and outside on what ended up being the first really spring-like day.

Mostly though, over the past few days, I’ve listened. See, Grandma Jeanne wasn’t my grandma, at least not by blood. I was content to listen, partly because I love hearing the stories, and partly because it feels awkward to lay claim to a grandmother that isn’t officially “mine”. But Grandma Jeanne has been my surrogate grandmother — something I think my own grandparents would be grateful I’ve had the gift of enjoying all of these years.

I remember when Grandma Jeanne and Pop-Pop still lived in the house on Autumn Street: the steep backyard was terraced into a garden, the structure of it lovely even in winter.

Inside was all sunlight and warmth.

Artwork from their world travels and photographs of family spanned the clean, milk-white walls. Upstairs, presented with pride, were a few gorgeous handmade quilts hung carefully on the walls, their stitches telling stories of their own.

I feel lucky to have met my husband’s grandparents while they were still living in that house: lucky to have witnessed a small slice of their life in that love-filled home, where so many poached eggs on toast were served up and the candy dish was always full.

But most of all, I feel lucky for the time I got to spend with Jeanne in the years after her husband passed away. My own grandparents were all gone by then, and without fanfare, Jeanne took me into her brood like just one more little duckling.

We shared a love of mystery novels — she adored Louise Penny and Martha Grimes — and always talked books when we got together. She took such an interest in my work, always asking to see my latest blog post or a recent article I had written for Houzz. She wanted me to help her design her apartment in the assisted living facility after she moved out of the house on Autumn Street. When I brought photos for her of Bixby, she told me with utter sincerity that she thought I should be a photographer.

I think a lot of people hold their own families so tightly that there’s no space for anyone else to get in. But if you’re lucky, sometime you’ll run into another kind of person: the kind that has not just a warm smile, but a warm and open heart that seems built for kindness. Especially where grandchildren — and great-grandchildren and surrogate grandchildren — are concerned.

What I've Been Reading This Winter

It’s time for Quick Lit, where, joining with Modern Mrs. Darcy, I share short and sweet book reviews of what I’ve been reading lately. This is a juicy list, y’all — it’s not a stretch to say that there is at least one title on this list for nearly every kind of reader.

We have a twisty tale set on the river Thames, a strange epidemic, a mormon murder mystery, two immersive historical novels, a gorgeous coffee table book and a pair of must-read political picks for non-political people.

Fiction:

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

This is a delicious novel. “Old fashioned storytelling” is what immediately came to mind when I thought about how to describe it. Set on the river Thames in an indeterminate period in history, there is a mystery involving an old pub, three missing girls, and one child who appears to be dead and then lives again. A wee bit spooky and utterly transporting — perfect for cozying up with on a cold night.

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

I fully admit that the cover blurb by Emily St. John Mandel (author of Station Eleven) sold me on this book. In it, a mysterious sleeping sickness starts in a Southern California college dorm, and spreads to epidemic proportions. The storyline kept me frantically turning the pages, and I found myself thinking about it well after I put the book down, which is always a good sign.

Not of This Fold by Mette Ivie Harrison

This book was recommended on the Indie Next list, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have picked it up — but I’m glad I did! A Linda Wallheim mystery set in mormon Utah, this felt like a comfort read (if cozy mysteries are a comfort read for you) but also illuminated Mormon culture in a way that, as an outsider, I would never have access to otherwise. If you’re at all curious about what it’s like to be a Mormon woman in the modern world, read this book. The protagonist is married to a bishop and is a feminist, which leads to some really thoughtful examinations of the intersection of beliefs, family life, gender roles and power structures.

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Unread Shelf Project:

This year I am embarking on an intentional quest to winnow down my unread shelf a bit. If you’d like some guidance to do the same, I recommend checking out Whitney Conrad on Instagram and her interview with Anne Bogel on the What Should I Read Next podcast.

To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

The January Unread Shelf Challenge was to read any unread book on your shelf. I chose a title by Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child. Like The Snow Child, this story is set in the wilds of Alaska, with a few strange and magical twists. Ivey follows a Colonel Allen Forrester, a Civil War hero, on an exploratory mission to map the interior of the Alaska Territory by way of the Wolverine River. Told in alternating perspectives, we see the Colonel’s adventures as well as his wife back at camp, who is learning about the photographic art. The rich descriptions of nature swept me away, and I loved learning about this slice of history I knew very little about.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

For February, the Unread Shelf Challenge was to read a book that was gifted to you. I chose Manhattan Beach…which was gifted to me by my mother in-law and has been on my TBR pile ever since! This is historical fiction with a twisty little mystery, family drama, beautiful writing, and diving. It was fascinating to learn about the (scary!) early days of diving through our protagonist Anna, who works at the Brooklyn Naval Yard as a diver during World War II. I’ll definitely be adding Egan’s other works to my TBR!

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Nonfiction:

Restoration House: Creating a Home that Gives Life and Connection to All Who Enter by Kennesha Buycks

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this coffee table-worthy book from the publisher. It is gorgeous and just one of those books that makes you feel all warm and cozy and cared for. Buycks is a Christian, and you should know that this book is centered around a Christian perspective. That said, I see a lot to appreciate here, whatever your faith tradition. The core purpose of the book is to help the reader create a home that nourishes on all levels, from your senses to your soul, a message I believe anyone can get behind.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Five million stars. Can I just leave it at that? Hah. This was my first Goodwin, and I can see now why people love this author so much. I wouldn’t have guessed that reading a presidential biography could be so compelling! Deep-diving into the life of Abraham Lincoln was a hopeful, inspiring experience worth savoring — and certainly worth the page count (which is not small).

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations by Sarah Stewart Holland & Beth Silvers

Necessary reading for every human being in 2019. I’m a huge fan of Sarah and Beth’s podcast, Pantsuit Politics, where they gather each week to talk politics from different sides of the aisle with “No shouting. No insults. Plenty of nuance.” But you don’t have to be a fan of the show to appreciate the book. It’s filled with the duo’s trademark insight, depth of understanding and empathy, while at the same time challenging each of us to do better — to make the effort to have tough conversations about politics with people who don’t agree with us, without falling back on the comfort of our own well-defined party lines.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my reading life as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Let's do it again next month! And please feel free to share a link to your own reading list in the Comments.

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Craving Whitespace in Your Home + Schedule?

Cultivating Simple is a different kind of clutter clearing course — one that engages your head and heart as you clear your space, so you can make room for what matters.

Registration is open now and the first session is FREE!

⇓

Process of Elimination

For the past nearly-four years, we have been living in an apartment. It’s a lovely apartment, steps from my mom and brother, a few blocks from one of my oldest friends, walking distance from Trader Joe’s, a delightful cafe, a running path by the beach and a great school we love. My husband takes the ferry to work, 20 minutes later he’s in San Francisco; on the boat ride home he can have a beer and look out at the sun setting over the bay.

But it’s in a city where we can’t hope to buy a house, not anytime in the foreseeable future. It’s an apartment without a yard where my outdoors-loving kid and I crave open, wild spaces. It’s in a city where the air is regularly “unhealthy for sensitive groups” which makes me nervous since I had asthma all through childhood.

These past almost-four years have, in a strange way, felt like limbo. Enjoyable, for all of the reasons above, but with an undercurrent of transience. How long will we be here? Where will we land next? I hate the feeling of not knowing, even though we are the people doing the deciding. I wouldn’t want someone to tell me where to live, and yet in a small way it feels like that would be easier. I crave limitations. When the world is too wide-open, it’s scary not knowing where you’re headed. With a course charted, I can relax into the journey.

I’ve been slowly piecing together a patchwork of not-heres to help determine where that great big “you are here” arrow might land next.

First, after reading This is Where You Belong by Melody Warnick, I decided to cross off any place too far to drive to a good friend or relative’s house within an hour or two. For us, that narrows the options down to just a handful of circles on the map. Unfortunately, some of those circles are still thousands of miles apart, begging the question: how else can we decide where to go?

I know what I want: A walkable town, good coffee, independent bookstores, clean air, beautiful nature, quality schools and public resources like parks, playgrounds, walking paths and libraries. A nice big yard where we can have a dog and a treehouse. My work is portable, but my husband will need to stay near at least a mid-size city.

We took a quick overnight getaway to one potential locale over the weekend, and I was instantly disappointed. It was near areas I’m quite familiar with, and I thought I had a better sense of things. But after arriving, I quickly realized that seeing a place with eyes to living there is a different proposition altogether.

I didn’t like the treacherous curving roads with no sidewalks — I imagined my son trying to navigate them on his bike, and felt my heart jump into my throat. The densely oak-y hills felt strangely oppressive. Pulling into the parking lot of the junior high school, we were greeted with a roof that needs replacing and a cluster of mostly temporary buildings surrounded by chain link. I came away feeling dispirited and down.

But as the experience percolated in my head a bit more over the next 24 hours, I realized that this — the ugly school, the tummy-twisting roads, the oppressive trees, all of it — was a gift.

It’s a gift to be able to say, that’s not for me.

It’s a gift to be able to name what’s not working.

It’s a gift to be able to walk away: to cross something off your list and say, nope, not going to happen.

Where has that left us? Honestly, I don’t know. There are still communities near the one we checked out that have potential, and then there are the other (much farther away) circles on our map to weigh. But being able to cross this one place off our list of potential places is like taking a bag or two of castoffs to Goodwill — it’s not the whole shebang, but it’s a beginning.

A bit of space is opening up, and that’s worth celebrating.

2018 Reading Challenge Recap

This was the first year I a) tracked my reading and b) took part in the Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge, and both ended up doing good things for my reading life. As the calendar year is winding down, I thought it would be fun to take a peek back at what I read for my 2018 reading challenge.

To be clear, these were not the only books I read this year — after looking back over my reading log, I’m on track to have read 52 books before January 1! Since this was my first year tracking my reading, I’m not sure how many books I usually read in a year, but it seems likely this was more than I’ve read in at least a few years. The simple act of tracking my reading helped keep books in the forefront of my thoughts throughout the year…which led to watching less Netflix and picking up more books. Hah!

Now, on with the books…

A classic you’ve been meaning to read.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

I was gifted a big stack of Austen’s novels last Christmas, and I’ve been slowing making my way through them.

A book recommended by someone with great taste.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Was I the last person to read this book? It sure felt like it considering the number of people (both online and off) who recommended it to me! When I finally picked up my mother in-law’s copy, I devoured it.

A book in translation.

The Odyssey by Homer, as translated by Emily Wilson

This is the one book from 2018 that I want to press into everyone’s hands. Emily Wilson’s translation of this classic work is shimmering in its simplicity, and the story reads like a thrilling page turner.

A book nominated for an award in 2018.

There There by Tommy Orange

This was already on my TBR, and we scored a copy for Christmas, so it just moved to the top of my list. I’m currently reading it, but I expect to be done by Jan 1!

A book of poetry, a play or an essay collection.

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

A few of the stories in this collection are worth the price of the entire (slim) volume.

A book you can read in a day.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

In preparation for writing my NaNoWriMo story (a YA novel which involved time travel) I gulped down this book in a single afternoon and then moved on to Rovelli’s recent release, The Order of Time.

A book that’s more than 500 pages.

The Witch Elm by Tana French

French is one of my favorite authors, and while I didn’t love this as much as the books in her Dublin Murder Squad series, it still came together in that signature twisty way of hers that I love.

A book by a favorite author.

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

Reading Louise Penny feels like coming home to a cozy house with the fire blazing and a big mug of something hot to drink. This year’s book was quite possibly my favorite of all.

A book recommended by a librarian or indie bookseller.

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos

When the indie bookseller squeals as she hands you a copy of a book, saying, “I loved this so much!!!” you know you’re on the right track. This was my first de los Santos, and it didn’t disappoint.

A banned book.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I read this as part of my prep for writing a YA NaNo novel…I swear!

A memoir, biography or book of creative nonfiction.

I Am I Am I Am by Maggie O’Farrell

One of the best books I read this year, I couldn’t put O’Farrell’s memoir down for a second.

A book by an author of a different race, ethnicity or religion than your own.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I had to step away from this novel about halfway in, but when I picked it up again I was so glad I did — the second half had me completely engrossed.

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Have you ever participated in a reading challenge? If so, what was your experience like? Are you planning any challenges for 2019? I’d love to hear!

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