Dear Reader, My family and I just returned from a trip to visit extended family in South Carolina. It was fun, relaxing and a much needed recharge. And of course on my first Target run to restock groceries I walked straight into the Back to School section. Already up and running in full force, that big colorful reminder that a new school year is right around the corner. I always feel a little relieved and a little sad when this time rolls around. My kids are growing up faster than I can keep...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, No countdown here, just a personal note in case The Simple Home Reset has been on your mind. It is still available today at $17. I built this because I hear from so many of you and the same things keep coming up... I don't know where to start. I'm overwhelmed and overstimulated by it all. It's exhausting just thinking about it. I don't want to deal with the emotional side of letting things go. I'm scared I'll get rid of something I'll need someday. I get it. Every single one of...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Yesterday my home was a disaster. The sink and dishwasher were overflowing with dishes. Piles of laundry, including dirty beach towels, were scattered around the house. My dog's shedding hair was clinging to every surface. And leftover lunch items spilled across the kitchen counter. This doesn't even include the bedrooms! Even though this is what a busy home with 3 kids, 2 working parents and 1 (shedding) dog often looks like — I started to feel overwhelmed. To fill in this email's...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Over the past few months I have been spending a lot of time reading your emails, reviewing search data, and paying attention to the questions coming from this community. What kept coming up again and again was this — you want a practical, doable plan for decluttering your home. Not another freebie or a list of tips but a straightforward process that walks you through it from start to finish and helps it stay that way. The problem is never motivation. Most of you genuinely want a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, My older two kids are officially out of school for the summer. My daughter has one more week to go. And yes, it has thrown a total wrench in my days! My Uber driving has gone up significantly and gone are my quiet mornings of work and focus. But summer doesn't have to mean total chaos... You can still keep a handle on how your home runs, even with kids at home, college kids back, a busier travel schedule or just a completely different summer rhythm than the rest of the year. The...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Even in a fairly clutter-free house, one space always seems to collect everything. For my family, it's the kitchen. You name it, it ends up here: backpacks, dance shoes, charging cords, mail, dishes (oh my gosh the dishes!!). Throughout the day my kitchen counter and table are completely covered in stuff. For my sanity and just to simply find things, I must reset it daily. Thankfully this doesn't take long and honestly the biggest satisfaction comes from the wipe down of the...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, A few weeks ago I asked what your biggest home challenge was and so many of you wrote back. Closets, tiny kitchens, pantries, downsizing — thank you for sharing. You reminded me that we're all navigating the same stuff, and I greatly appreciate the feedback! Speaking of stuff… I popped into Target last week for a few items and walked straight into their summer display: beach towels, sunscreen, colorful coolers. All of it well merchandised and very tempting. I stopped. I looked. I...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Have you heard of NeeDoh? If you have a pre-teen or teenager, you probably have. It's a squishy, satisfying stress ball type toy that has been around for years — and after going viral online recently, every kid suddenly needs one immediately. My daughter is turning 11 next month and it's at the top of her birthday list. I have called our local toy store. I have stopped by in person. I have been that parent. The young man who answered the phone sounded like he had fielded...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, In January I bought a vision board kit. You probably know the kind — pretty cardstock, stickers, the whole thing. I was genuinely excited about it. Then it sat on my desk for weeks. Life got busy, the timing never felt right, and somehow a fun creative project started to feel like another thing on my list. So the kit is still waiting for its moment. But I'm okay with that. So instead I made a mini vision board. No kit required, no big afternoon project. Just a simple digital...
3 months ago • 1 min read