Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff

Smith (The Nesting Place) collects her thoughts and practical advice about downsizing and eliminating clutter in this spiritually informed book about home style. For Smith, the key is to focus on creating the atmosphere one craves rather than being tied to more and more items. Employing humor, clever terminology, and personal anecdotes, Smith offers practical methods and temporary fixes to ease what she calls “clutter anxiety.” Knowing which pieces of furniture to start with, and how to prioritize where they will go in a room, for example, can help one decide what additional items will be needed. Smith understands how hard it is to find the line between cozy and cluttered, and recommends concentrating on the rooms and styles readers already have. Chapters open with questions to spur thinking about home space: “What about this room draws me in? What ideas can I steal for my own use?” Smith also includes prompts for sparking creativity, steps for getting started, and inspirational sound bites: “When we have clarity and purpose, we find motivation and confidence” and “We long to create because we were made by a creator.” Readers will discover interesting perspectives on decluttering in Smith’s instructive book. Agent: Jenni Burke, D.C. Jacobsen & Associates. (Oct.)