Sweet Simplicity

Over the past few years, I have heard lots of buzz about Marie Kondo, the famed Japanese organizational consultant whose decluttering tips has women throwing away bags and bags of belongings. Her minimalist approach is about as disciplined as they come and Kondo’s...

Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but I limped into the final month or so of December without a lot of energy left for the busy holiday season. I am not sure if I overestimate my time or just need to budget my time a bit better but the past few months have...

We are fully immersed into another holiday season, and frankly, I have been feeling a little festive since the first chilly mornings made me think of holiday decorating. But as we prepare for the final countdown, I begin to enjoy the season less and less. No matter...

By the time you read this, we will be in full holiday mode, with storefronts and houses adorned in all their holiday glory for the upcoming season. As much as I look forward to this season, I often find myself getting anxious about how to get everything done, how we...

I’m not sure how life gets so busy but no matter what I do, I feel like we are working more, playing less — and feeling the results of such an overscheduled existence with constant feelings of stress and chaos. While I love having a family to tote to various sports...

It’s September and the smell of school supplies still lingers on the shelves. I love the back to school season. For me, it brings crisp fall evenings, a return to structure and routine and whether you are a student or not, there is something about the start of a new...

As the calendar flips to August, the carefree feelings of summer are quickly dwindling and I already have a pang of panic about just how busy our lives are going to become once the back to school routine returns for our family. There is something so relaxing about...

I recently had an interesting conversation with someone who’s read a recent article of mine and asked me if I enjoyed living a minimalist life. Assuming she deduced this about me from my articles — and already anticipating the coffee coming out of my own mother’s nose...

Aw, sweet summertime. Summer is my favorite season for so many reasons — the longer days, the chance to spend so much time outdoors and the opportunities to enjoy lots of pool and beach time just send me to my happy place! By the end of the school year, we are always...

I don’t think there is a greater natural high than seeing my house in the immediate moments after I have cleaned it from top to bottom. It has become an increasingly rare occurrence in recent years, as I have focused my attention on spending my spare time with my...