by on January 24, 2013 • 48 Comments Inspiration 
The following is a guest post by our poet-in-residence, Sarah Dunning Park.
First, by way of an intro, I need to make a confession:
Before having kids, I thought I was going to “do” motherhood perfectly. It would be challenging, of course, and probably character-building — but it wouldn’t be difficult to at least appear outwardly put-together, as a family. I mean, how hard could it be to teach kids decent manners and to dress them in clothes that couldn’t double as pajamas?
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by on January 23, 2013 • 30 Comments Inspiration 
Written by contributor Katie Clemons of Making This Home and Gadanke.
In all our lives, there are moments of incredible bravery and beauty. My definition of true grit isn’t the same as yours or anybody else’s because of our different experiences, opportunities, and desires. Our unique stories are part of the beauty of being brave. And the bravery you’ve exhibited in life is a wonderful, brilliant thing.
I need to you to pause a second. Stop reading, and just think about one of the bravest moments in your life. Call to mind the story and how you felt.
Now let’s celebrate it. Right here.
Our world has seen and experienced some intense hardship. We’ve felt some of it in our homes, in our work, and within our families. And it stinks.
Reaching out, attempting to do our best, and venturing to overcome obstacles so we can live in all our beautiful potential is hard work. It takes intense determination, but just as you have done it before with insane bravery, you can keep doing it. Remember…
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by on January 7, 2013 • Inspiration 
So remember when I told you there would be a survey today? Get yourself ready; it’s going to be tons of fun.
Okay, so maybe it’s not the adrenaline rush you’re after, but it should be pretty painless. I’ve tried to keep it as short and to-the-point as possible, so please keep in mind that if a question is asked, it’s intentional and for a specific purpose.
Would you kindly take a moment to fill out this survey? Everything is anonymous—I have no interest in collecting your name or email address. You can also skip any question you don’t feel like answering.
Friends, I’m so thankful for your help here. Your answers will help me make this online space even better for all of us. You have through January to fill it out, but the sooner you do it, all the more helpful for us.
Mwah!
by on December 21, 2012 • 48 Comments Inspiration 
Welcome to our home… We’ve lived here a little over four months, and our renovations still aren’t done. Downstairs half bath? Still looks scary. Office? Barely set up. Baseboards throughout the house? Not even close.
I’ve decided to stop caring, at least for the holidays. Home renovation is a long-term process, and as much as I wish we installed our fireplace before Christmas, I’ve realized that I’ll miss out on the fun of transforming an ugly house into a lovely home if I focus on the Still Not Done.
I’ve also decided that’s not reason enough to show you a bit of the holiday in our home. So… come on in! Watch out for the Matchbox cars beneath your feet.
by on November 29, 2012 • 71 Comments Inspiration 
I grew up around music. It was played throughout the house, I was given a radio for my room at an early age, and I have fond memories of my dad regaling childhood stories in the living room while playing his different records.
One of my favorite childhood memories involves riding through the neighborhood with him in his 1982 RX-7, waiting for the scream in “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who. If we saw a good movie with a good soundtrack, we bought the album. Music was a thing for us.
So it shouldn’t surprise you that my brother is a music contributor for Simple Design, nor that I find most of my new music through his recommendations. It’s also no surprise that Christmas music is one of my FAVORITE things about the holidays.
Music is an intensely personal thing, so it’s hard to list The All-Time Favorite Christmas Songs For Everyone And All Mankind, Forever And Ever. So that’s why I’ll share with you MY favorite Christmas songs, along with my Spotify playlist and where on Amazon you can buy each song individually (it’ll automatically ask you if you want it in your iTunes).
I'm Tsh, founder of this blog dedicated to the art & science of living simpler. Founded in 2008, this is an online family of writers exploring what it means to slow down and focus on the important stuff of life. Love a clutter-free home? Absolutely. Still step on LEGO? You betcha. Read more...
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