Title: Simple Matters: Living With Less and Ending Up With More

Author: Erin Boyle

Publisher: Abrams

Publication Date: January 2016

Genre: Non-Fiction/Design, Lifestyle

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

 

 

Synopsis can be found here.

I bought this book for review.

 

Review:

There is a lot of simple beauty in Simple Matters, most from photographs taken of the author’s own home. But also from the peaceful and practical way she speaks about minimalism and how she tries to enrapture that into her everyday life.

I am the first one to admit – I like stuff. I love books and magazines and toys and hats. I like blankets and yarn and handmade items. And while I’m not into small collectibles, I have managed to accumulate quite a lot of stuff. Mostly yarn and books.

With the new fabulous baby here, I’ve taken a different approach to buying and keeping some of my possessions. I didn’t want my house to be overrun with toys or baby stuff (it is anyway) and I wanted to still maintain my own adult personal space that didn’t have bouncers and children’s items in it (kinda didn’t happen). In any event, I was searching for a book to read about someone else embracing the minimalistic culture and this book was a comforting and surprising hit with me.

What I like about Simple Matters is that the author takes you into her own life and gives examples of how she is creating a simpler life, filled with love and hope and less stuff. There aren’t a lot of directions or points, but more like a glimpse into someone living this lifestyle successfully. This is especially important to me because in her book, she had just had her first baby. (Since the book has been written, she has had another baby. You can find more on her blog)

I like how she gently guides you into her life and how she makes her choices. It’s not instructional or preachy and I’m not going to do some of the things she has done (making my own soap or cleaning products sounds nice but not for me.) But I did like how she speaks about decorating and organizing and how she focuses on bright, light and open spaces. I don’t need tips per se, just inspiration.

And this book gave it to me!

I’m currently destashing yarn, giving away books from my library, and overall trying to be more conscious of my purchases and my time.

Thank you Erin Boyle.