The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: A Book Review

The new Netflix series Tidying Up is based on this book. Since the show has taken off I decided to reblog my post from 2016 from reading the book. I still use many of the principles in this book and I have a renewed sense of getting to a healthy, tidy place both in my life and in my home.

The Ameri Brit Mom's avatarThe Ameri Brit Mom

The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, and outside influences.

Title: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Author: Marie Kondo

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Copyright Date: 2014

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For the past week I’ve been in hard core tidying mode. I attribute my passion for cleanliness to having read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This is a book by a Japanese organizational consultant and it is about her experiences and methods for helping people to declutter their homes while also getting their life affairs in order.

We’ve all heard about ways that some of the cleanest people keep things clean and tidy.

“Just clean a little bit every day.”

“For each thing you buy get rid of something else.”

“Store things…

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Better: Five Minute Friday

I’m kicking off my 2019 FMF streak with a late post.

In Ohio, I spent my Friday preparing for the imminent arrival of this weekend’s snowpocalypse. After school yesterday I joined the rest of the state at the grocery store stocking up on necessities. If you want to join in on the weekly fun over at Five Minute Friday or check out others’ posts be sure to click on the link. Here is my five minute uninterrupted response to the prompt: Better.

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Fuzzy socks, wool blankets, hot coffee, and good books…does life get much more relaxed?

Sure, there is a mound of laundry beckoning me to wash and a room full of toys that need to be boxed up, but today I chose to hibernate. The steady rhythm of the snow outside is the perfect backdrop to my reading adventure. The laughter of the children forming snow men and throwing snowballs can not be outweighed.

I was scheduled to attend a writing conference today, but the weather forced me inside. I was excited to focus on my writing today (I haven’t done anything like that since I had the baby last year.) But if I’m honest having this perfect day at home turned out better.

There will be other conferences.

Today I am choosing to embrace the tundra and enjoy the benefits of this house arrest. I’m taking time to read, write, and make memories with my family.

If you were snowed in how would you spend your day?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Fearless Writing: Critiques and Workshopping

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The theme of this book I am studying is that writing is personal and your work will never please anyone (so stop trying.) As I dive further into the pages of this work I am feeling myself gain confidence as a writer. I’m worrying far less about what people think and I am embracing writing for my own pleasure.

There are obvious benefits for allowing others to critique your writing.

They can help a piece to be accurate in conveying our intended emotions and tension. Each story first created in our minds is never the one another reads. Everyone carries their lives when they read. Sometimes it is a struggle to step out of our own mind in order to convey a story the way we intend to.

Giving someone permission to comment on the accuracy of your work is helpful. It is a healthy exchange so long as you keep the perspective that you are not your story.  Advice may critique our work, but it does not critique the writer.

So write what you are curious about–write what you love. Then let another in on the experience.

Practice: Get into a workshop

I’ve workshopped a few of my pieces in online critique groups and in live groups at my local SCBWI. It is helpful to do so with the right mindset. This year I want to jump back into more critique groups and workshops and not allow my ego to respond to negative or positive feedback.

In the past I have gained immense wisdom from published authors that I continue to carry with me every time I write.

Put your work out there too!

The Ameri Brit Mom

Aldi Delivery

 

One month ago my life changed…

My husband and I found out that Aldi, our favorite grocery store, was now doing home deliveries.

Aldi uses a program called Instacart. Basically, this is Uber for your groceries. Each area has a list of approved shoppers and those people take your list to the store and shop for you. If your location does not have a particular item they can alert you and allow you to make a substitution. If you would rather not substitute you receive a refund for that product.

I haven’t even told you the best part!

Yesterday, I ordered my groceries while home alone with a sleepy baby. The idea of going out into the cold did not excite me. Dinner time was nearing and I really needed to get milk beforehand. Normally, I would have taken my whiny child and braved the aisles while she fought sleep like a boxing match.

Instead I took ten minutes and put a whole week’s of groceries into my Aldi Instacart and in less than two hours everything was unloaded, sorted, and dinner was on the stove.

If you are interested in giving it a try please click my link before you shop. By using this direct link I may receive compensation for referring you. It costs you nothing.

The Ameri Brit Mom

2019 Writing Journal

Setting goals and preparing for the upcoming year is something I look forward to every winter. I like to sit down and map out my journey for the next twelve months. I start by envisioning where I want to be at year-end and then create small steps that will get me to that point. Do I always follow-through, nope. But starting with a goal in mind for the year really helps me to develop a mindset for growth.

This year I want to focus on the literary aspects of my life.

Earlier this week I posted about my 2019 Reading Challenge where I plan to read books set all over the world.

As for writing, I decided to create a Writing Journal for 2019. I used an old notebook I had laying around, some cardstock tabs from Illustrated Faith, and Papermate Flair pens to set up the notebook.

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This is a simple notebook, but I used many of the aspects of bullet journaling when setting it up. I started with a goal page:

In the middle of the page I started with my Word of the Year 2019: Adventure. From there, I broke my writing down into four parts: blog, craft, short stories, and novels. I wrote 1-2 personal goals for each of these branches of my writing.

I broke the year down into four quarters and on the following page I created a space to track my goals for that quarter.

Some other spreads in my Writing Journal include:

-Work-In-Progress sections for planning out novels and short stories

-Books of Craft to Read

-New Novel Ideas

-2019 Reading Challenge: Adventure

-Boot Camp Writing Prompts

-Craft Notes

-Blog

-Publishing

-Action Chart (for pieces I have queried or had published)

-Beautiful Words and Phrases

I’m old fashioned in the fact that I prefer to write in notebooks as opposed to using online calendars and notes. If you are a writer, I would love to hear about how you organize your writing.  I find relaxation in functional notebooks. I know there are others like me out there.

The Ameri Brit Mom

 

2018 Bullet Journal Flip Through

I rang in the new year with a household of germy humans.

We took turns sharing flu symptoms. I must admit it was not the ideal ending to the winter break, but I was able to get a few things done around the house as I was confined within it.

Today I wanted to share with you a Flip Through of last year’s bullet journal. In 2018, I set a goal to maintain a regular schedule in my bujo and I’m happy to say that apart from some short setbacks I was able to complete the journal. I’m really pleased with many of the pages and I’ve learned some techniques that I plan to incorporate into my 2019 bullet journal.

Here is a look at some of my favorite pages:

 

Which spread is your favorite?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Fearless Writing: Accuracy

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The worst motivation for writing is to please other people. In fact, people are never really pleased to the level of your expectations when your goal is their acceptance.

As human beings our preferences are unique to each of us. Some people will pick up a book and absolutely love it while others read the same text and loathe it completely. We all read with our own experiences to draw from and because of our differences we come away from the same piece with original opinions.

You cannot please everyone. It is an impossible goal. Much like last week’s discussion on Writing What You Love you need to give yourself the freedom to write things other people might hate. You rob yourself of creativity when you care about the reader as you write. Your job as the author is to transcribe for a reader not to make them love every word you use.

In this chapter, William Kenower offers some replacements to “Is my writing good?” Instead he suggests asking these two questions after each session, “What did I want to say?” and “Have I said it?”

The answer to those two questions is objective. It is not based on someone else’s viewpoint therefore setting you up for rejection. As authors we must, “set aside the notion that you will ever write something so good that everyone in the world will like it and no one will criticize it.” (Kenower 59)

Practice: Start Documenting your preferences.

Since we are all unique it is important to figure out what works and doesn’t work for you. Find a way to document writing that you love and writing that you cannot stand. Then, evaluate what it is about that piece that you like or dislike so strongly. Knowing your own preferences can help you to develop a genuine voice as an author. That’s the goal…not pleasing others.

For me, in my new 2019 Writing Journal I am keep track of what I loved from books I am reading.

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The Ameri Brit Mom

Long Way Down: A Book Review

Title: Long Way Down

Author: Jason Reynolds

Publisher: Antheneum

Copyright Date: 2017

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Will’s brother, Shawn, is dead. The rules of his neighborhood say he must avenge his brother. He grabs a gun and enters the elevator with a plan to murder Shawn’s killer.

The sixty seconds that Will rides the elevator help him to see that revenge isn’t his only option. In that time Will is confronted by other victims of gun violence and they help him to see clearly and distract him from his anger.

By the time he reaches the first floor, Will must decide if he is going to add to the count of dead bodies in his neighborhood or if he is going to challenge the rules of the streets.

This book is written in verse and is a quick read. My husband and I took turns reading aloud from this book and finished it in about two hours. Although the story is short it makes lasting impressions on its reader. It is clear to see why this book landed on the honor list for the Coretta Scott King award. I really love Jason Reynolds and the way his works are challenging gang culture and violence in the United States.

Last year year I read All American Boys which he co-authored with Brendan Kiely. That novel took the perspective of two boys who witnessed an act of police brutality. Kiely authored a white boy’s voice as a witness to the crime while Reynolds penned the voice of the African American boy victimized by an officer. I’ve book-talked All American Boys and several students have read it this year. It’s a classroom favorite amongst my ninth graders.

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I highly recommend both books.

The Ameri Brit Mom

2019 Read the World Challenge

Every year I forget how quickly time passes.

I feel like I was just writing my goals for 2018 and here I am days away from 2019. Part of my annual goal setting means creating a plan for reading. Losing myself in the pages of fictional stories has become a daily part of my self-care routine. As a routine-oriented person I love to have a plan or a map of where I want to be at the end of every year.

This year I want to read the world.

Over the next twelve months I plan to visit every region and corner of the planet by reading books set in those locations.

Inspired by my mother-in-law who is currently on a trip of a lifetime around the world I’ve set out to craft a few travel plans myself.

I scoured travel websites and maps. I read lists of book reviews. Then with a bit of travel-envy I let myself be inspired by the travels of Karen Sisley. She is one brave woman who has sold all of her belongings and is currently traveling all over the eastern hemisphere doing humanitarian work and site-seeing.

I may not ever climb to the peak of a mountain, wash elephants in Cambodia, or sun bathe in the Caribbean, but I can always enjoy those adventures from the pages of well written novels.

I’d love for you to join me on a reading journey that takes us around the world. You can choose to read the following books in order or at random.

Reading Challenge 2019

You can do this journey reading library books (and do it all for free) or you can buy them cheap at discount book shops, yard sales, or download ebooks. However you prefer to get the books make a plan now!

If you plan to travel with me please let me know!

I want to discuss where we’ve been and what we’ve seen as we embark on this adventure.

The Ameri Brit Mom