Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Do you have a clutter problem? The Clutter Fix by Shannon Acheson might just have some answers for you. The Clutter Fix is divided into four parts:  Part 1--Get some Quick wins under your belt. Chapters includea 10-Day decluttering shortcut and 120 things to throw away--guilt free. Part 2--Build a Decluttering Mindset. Chapters include four reasons to simplify your home, information on clutter and organizing personalities, how to handle sentimental things and how to handle family issues. Part 3--Declutter and organize every room in your home. This section includes advice on how to purge and organize your ENTIRE house in seven easy steps, how to decide what to keep and what to toss, a step-by-step guide to decluttering, and three methods of decluttering. Part 4--Master Maintenance Mode. This section focuses on keeping your house clutter free and maintaining what you have started. The Clutter Fix includes a lot of worksheets and great ideas for de-cluttering your house. I l...

  The Rooted Life by Justin Rhodes is a gorgeous book that could be truly inspiring for those who want to grow their own food and live a more sustainable lifestyle that is connected to the land. The Rooted Life is full of color photos that show beautiful pictures of gardens, chickens, egs, harvesting produce and time spent together as a family enjoying the land. I wasn't familiar with this author before this book but he teaches people to grow their own food through a YouTube channel and his own streaming platform called Abundance. Some of this information may be from those platforms but it is all new to me through this book. If you are new to gardening and raising chickens, there is a lot of step-by-step instructions along with the pictures in this book. There is also a chapter with recipes using garden produce, chicken and/or eggs in them. Everything is up-to-date and helpful for life in our world today. There is also an appendix in the back that shows how much space to leave in ...

  All Things Lovely by Jenn Johnson really is a lovely book. This book has gorgeous pictures, encouraging words and tips to live a better life in several ways. All Things Lovely is divided in four parts: Home, Heart, Health and Hospitality. Each section has three or four chapters just full of advice on making your life better in each of these areas. I liked how honest and real Johnson was throughout the book reminding us all that we aren't perfect but we are striving to do better each day. I could relate to much of what she shared personally. I also was inspired by her advice to do a bit better in each of these areas of my life. She does share with her Christian faith as part of her life and there are Bible verses throughout the book. There is some good advice about organizing. There is some helpful tips on guarding your heart and doing the right things.  Throughout the book, it all feels real and inspiring. There are even recipes like taco dip and pumpkin cookies. I love the ...

  I find home decorating books to be fun and relaxing to look at. We love the character of older homes so we bought one and have been working on fixing it up and decorating it a bit at a time. Feels Like Home by Marian Parsons is a simply gorgeous book with lots of pictures and encouragement to decorate your own home. In Feels Like Home , Parsons offers a lot of budget-friendly, practical tips for making your home the relaxing place that you want it to be. She has chapters specific to living rooms, kitchens,  dining areas, bedrooms, home offices and work rooms, bathrooms, hallways, laundry rooms and mudrooms. They are a whole lot of gorgeous pictures in this book to inspire you. But the thing I like best about this book is that Parsons truly encourages you to make your home your own. She invites you to find your own style, not just copy hers. At about 300 pages, there is just so many practical home tips in this book, that I believe Feels Like Home would be a great addition t...

  Are you a newlywed struggling with decorating your home? Or maybe you need to de-clutter and re-arrange after years in the same house? Home Made Lovely by Shannon Acheson offers a lot of practical advice and tips on styling and organizing your home, no matter what stage you are in. Home Made Lovely is divided in to four parts:  Part 1: Who are you doing it all for?  This part is all about being grateful for both the house and the people that God has given you. She also shares how she makes her house a home spiritually in this section. Part 2: Getting Ready Decluttering, Organizing, Trends, and Budget decorating ideas are all a big part of this section. Part 3: The Three-Step Decorating Process This is the part of the book where you figure out your decorating style and create a plan for your house based on both your tastes and the style of house that you have. Part 4: Welcome Home Acheson shares how she believes we should use our houses for hospitality with others. She a...

Does your house feel like YOUR home? Does it feel comfy and give life to all who visit? If the answer is no, you should read Restoration House by Kennesha Buycks. Restoration House is divided in to three parts. Part one is Restored Home, Restored Soul where Buycks shares how she learned to make her house her home in spite of living in many different houses while her husband was in the military. Part 2 is A Restored Space For You where you learn about how you can make your space more enjoyable for you and your family. There is a lot of good practical information in this section about selecting paint and decor and more along that line. Part 3 is Sharing Your Restored Home and offers a lot of good advice and encouragement for entertaining. I picked this book, Restoration House , because my word for 2019 is Restore. I also enjoy books about decorating and home entertaining. I thought this book was beautiful as a whole. I enjoyed the pictures. I thought Buycks had a lot of good adv...

Do you feel like you have way too much stuff and your house is always a mess? If so, then Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White might be just what you need to help you through the mess to the light at the end of the room. Decluttering at the Speed of Life is written by someone who says she is a reluctant decluttering expert. White admits that she had to get her own house under control so they could live better lives. She shares what she learned in this book. It is divided into Four parts: Building a Decluttering Mind-set, Decluttering Room by Room, Helping Others Declutter, and Special Circumstances in Decluttering. She shares her story and she offers practical advice to work through your own clutter. I did a lot of cleaning out before moving to our current house three years ago, so I don't have a huge amount of clutter. I was just looking for some spring cleaning inspiration so I chose this book. I think it would be a great book if you are looking for help to ...