Today on the weekend post, it’s all about books, books and more books. Books for motivation, organization, decoration and fun. Plus enter to win a fun giveaway.
Happy New Year Friends!
It’s Saturday and I’m joining Kim and Elizabeth for our first weekend roundup of 2024.
I like to start the New Year with a clean slate.
To that end my holiday decor is packed up and stored away.
I’m ready to get 2024 started.
How about you?
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For the past decade or so I’ve embraced a more minimalistic lifestyle.
Does the word minimalism give you the eebie jeebies?
It does me, but I’ve come to view it in a different light.
And, yes, I just might be a minimalist.
It’s an ongoing process which I haven’t yet mastered.
But each new year brings with it a more urgent desire to dispense with excess.
Fewer and better is my mantra.
With one exception.
Books.
NEW YEAR’S READING
These are few evergreen reads to get the New Year off on the right foot! Plus I just ordered Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being. It’s received rave reviews and it seems like a perfect January read.
Atomic Habits | When You’re Ready This is How You Heal | Big Magic
AM I A MINIMALIST?!
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I might be a minimalist. Shira Gill’s new book, Organized Living, got me thinking. If you’re not familiar, Shira is a home organizing expert and certified life coach who lives a hop skip and a jump from me in Berkeley. She wrote the wildly popular book, Minimalista, a couple of years ago. A book I shunned because, well, minimalism. In her new book, Organized Living, Shira travels to the homes of her professional organizing peers (all over the world) to interview them on their approach to organizing and to tour their own homes. Their homes range from a 300-square foot apartment to large suburban houses and everything in-between including an Airstream trailer. Fascinating.
I enjoyed Organized Living so much I decided to give Shira’s first book, Minimalista, a second look. And what do you know, her concept of minimalism isn’t stark white and greige spaces at all, In fact her own home, a 1400 square foot craftsman style bungalow, is warm and welcoming and, as you can imagine, very well organized. Sharing a 1400 square foot home with one bathroom and no garage with a husband, two teens and an energetic dog does require some creative space planning. After devouring the book in two sittings I got down to work. As you know, I’m no hoarder and I’m constantly yammering on about my closet clean outs, so I thought I was doing pretty well in the no clutter department. But Shira’s book got me looking at the things I own in a new way evaluating what I really use versus what I might need someday. Do I really need 30 coral, polka dot napkins that were used at my nieces baby shower nearly six years ago? Do I really need three sets of 12 plate chargers when our indoor and outdoor tables only seat six? How many champagne glasses can two people use? But we might have a party. But we haven’t had a party in years. But, but, but. Here’s reality, if we did have a party we can rent glasses very inexpensively. And the last time we needed to seat more than six at the table was over 3 years ago … and none of the plate charger sets talking up my cupboards were right for the event, so we rented them. See what I mean? Anyway, I got motivated and was off on a tear. Jim’s still reeling – happily – over the major purge. I made so many donation runs our neighbors may think we’re moving. What I’m left with is still more than we probably need, but I have the space for what remains … and everything has a place and is well organized. It feels very good.
Organized Living | Minimalista
HOUSE LOVE, AND A GIVEAWAY
A couple of years ago I wrote about revamping my laundry routine after reading Patric Richardson’s delightful book, Laundry Love. Patric, known as the Laundry Guy or Laundry Evangelist, is back with a follow up book, House Love. I was super excited when Patric reached out to send me a review copy. You won’t be surprised to hear that I love it just as much as I did his first book.
Written in a charming memoir style, Patric shares tips and tricks for cleaning, organizing and caring for every inch of our homes. He even includes entertaining ideas and, as in Laundry Love, he shares wonderful recipes! One of my favorite features of the book is the 10-minute cleaning tips at the end of each chapter, alongside play lists … upbeat or mellow. Brilliant! Patric has such a charming way about him and his enthusiasm and love for home and the home arts, including laundry, is infectious. Each book starts out with a cast of characters … an introduction to the wonderfully fascinating people who make up Patric’s world and who factor into his appreciation for all things home.
I’m so excited about House Love that I bought two more copies to give away … as a Happy New Year, appreciation and thank you to you, my blog subscribers and Instagram followers. If you’d like to enter here to win a copy, be sure you’re subscribed to the blog then leave a comment below with your favorite house cleaning tip. On Monday, I’ll place your name in a hat and Jim will draw the lucky winner! If your name’s not drawn, not to worry, I’ll host a second giveaway next week on my Instagram. Be sure you’re following me there and stay tuned for details.
You can follow Patric on Instagram, Facebook and here he is on YouTube introducing House Love and where he hosts a live Q&A on Thursdays. His website is also a great resource for laundry and cleaning cunundrums.
Update: And the winner is … Karla M! Congratulations, Karla. And thank you to everyone who entered. I’m overwhelmed and amazed by your responses and awesome cleaning tips.
EVERY COCKTAIL HAS A TWIST
This interview with Every Cocktail Has a Twist authors Carey Jones and John McCarthy caught my eye over the holidays. Every Cocktail Has a Twist is a second book for Carey and John, a Sonoma county ‘power cocktail’ couple after my own heart. Their first book, Be Your Own Bartender, no surprise, is also in my library.
The couple shares their recipes for 25 classic cocktails, and creates several new twists for each one. Fun! There will be no dry January here at Snowberry.
Every Cocktail Has a Twist | Be Your Own Bartender
COFFEE TABLE BOOKS
Who can resist a beautiful coffee table book? Certainly not me! Here are four that rolled in over the holidays … I’m slowly savoring each one.
The Rolling Stones: Icons | A Life in Design | Memories of Home | The New Classic Home
Book Review ~
Odds & Socks ~
While we’re on the topic of books, these are a some of my favorite light fiction reads from 2023. They all fall into the beach read category.
If you missed HGTV’s 2024 Dream Home reveal, you can find all the details here. I’ve thrown in the towel on writing Dream Home reviews, they’ve become so generic and formulaic I just can’t. You can read my thoughts on the decline and fall of the Dream Home in my 2022 review and 2023 review. Negativity aside, there are a few things in this years’ home I like a lot like this window seat moment.
HGTV.com
My Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you this week.
Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth …
Happy reading … until next time,
Reader Interactions