SIMPLIFIED SPACE

Creating a Decluttered, Meaningful Home

Right now I'm imagining you curled up on your couch with a steaming cup of tea, makeup wiped off after a long day, looking for hope amid what may feel like a very nof-simplified life. Imagine me raising my own lukewarm cup of tea back at you, friend.

I get it.

Life is a lot sometimes. Well ... all the time.

But here's one thing I know: life doesn't have to be so complicated. It just doesn't. Yes, things will happen. Change and transition will always be hard. Toddlers will always throw fits, and traffic will always be terrible at rush hour. But the ordinary, everyday parts of life — the fantastic, mundane moments and rituals that fill our days — don't have to be so overwhelming.

Though you may feel the world is telling you this is just how life is, I believe it's possible to tone down the madness, rein in the circus, and infuse peace into the key parts of life. With a little intention and effort, your life — just as it is right now — can be simplified. We'll start with the hardest part first (Don't shut this book and run away! We'll do it together!) because it's one of the most powerful, immediate, and satisfying transformations you can make: simplifying your space.

We're starting here because it's foundational. Simplifying your space means giving your home potential to inspire and soothe. And it means setting yourself up for success so that every next step you take in your space is easier.

Before we get started, I need you to make me a promise — and it's a big one! Do not spend a single dollar on this process. That means from chapter 1 to chapter 10, I'd like you to keep a list of items that might be helpful in organizing, but I don't want you to buy a single thing. Why? Because you never know what you might find along the way, and as we go, we'll be working on fostering contentment for what we already have. By the end of the book, you may find those organizational aids unnecessary.

DEFINING YOUR SPACE

The work you do in and for your home-cultivating a space full of order and love-1 s called homemaking, a word that has fallen out of fashion. Forget the 1950s images of Mrs. Cleaver in an apron, waiting at the front door to take her husband's coat and spreading a four-course dinner on the table. Homemaking is actually defined as "the creation and management of a home, especially as a pleasant place in which to live."

I absolutely love the bold simplicity of that definition. I believe it's what we all desire for our homes: that our spaces are thoughtfully crafted, orderly, and well managed and that they foster life, love, and memories. If that's what we all want, why can't we just snap our fingers and make it happen?

Simplicity, in all areas of life, has one giant enemy: clutter. In this age of consumerism, we own far more physical objects than we actually need. Each item in our home takes our attention away from the item next to it, regardless of its use or value.

Imagine walking inside your house, ready for a quiet evening, and visualize what you might see. Perhaps you see a bookshelf overflowing with magazines and knickknacks. Maybe days of unopened mail are stacked on your counter. You may see dishes in the sink, spare keys (to what?) hanging on the rack, and kitchen gadgets strewn across the counter. Immediately, before you've even set down your purse, your space has overwhelmed you. Every item requested your attention, reminded you of something you need to do, and distracted you from what really matters: relaxing and resting after a long day.

What if we approached our homes not just as the houses we live in but as places of true respite-shelters from the outside world, sacred backdrops for cherished family memories, and places that have the power to inspire, excite, and connect? What if we took the power back from our stuff?

You may be thinking, I don't have time to do this. It's too big of a job. I just need to move into a bigger and better space.

I'd argue that simplifying can accomplish the same goal: having more space for the things that matter to you. No matter what space you're in, you have the power to make your space provide the rest and connection you deserve.

Let's begin by exploring how you'd like your space to make you feel. By setting this goal, we give meaning to the journey we're about to embark on. I'll start:

I want my home to be a place of comfort and joy. I want my children to feel completely loved and accepted here-that they can be whoever God has called them to be. I want my front door to be a beacon for friends and neighbors, a place where they feel drawn and invited. I want my home to smell delicious and be lit in a way that makes guests and family want to curl up with a blanket to enjoy a treat and share stories. I want my space to be tidy, neat, and organized so our days run as smoothly as possible and our minds are free from distractions. I want my décor to reflect the history, tradition, and deeply connected life that happens inside it. More than anything, I want my home to be welcoming, inviting, and a place of warmth, both to my family and to others. Perhaps you'd like your home to feel like a safe and quiet escape from the bustling world. Or maybe you'd like your home to be a place filled with life and energy that inspires and excites family and visitors alike.

BEGINNING WITH A RUTHLESS CLEAN-OUT

Every scrap of clutter in my house detracts from the home I dream of having. When I started to realize just how distracted I was by the number of physical items in our home, I decided a ruthless clean-out needed to happen. The end result was astonishing — truly the biggest, most transformative, and most impactful change I've ever made for our family. The simplicity I found when all the extra, duplicate, outgrown, unnecessary items were gone brought a calmness I'd never known. Though I'd tried to create that sense of peace with expensive organizers and fancy systems, nothing worked quite like the free exercise of unapologetically ridding my home of excess.

My lack of organizational tools wasn't the problem; my overabundance of stuff was. Imagine the lightness I felt when our home held only absolute necessities and cherished treasures. Picture how much easier cooking dinner became when, instead of rifling through a cluttered utensil drawer and overflowing cupboard, I had only my best spatula and favorite dishes to choose from. Imagine how easy it became to...