A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living

If you follow Emily Ley on social media or watch her live FB sessions, you witness what a hard working mother of three she truly is. Yes, she is a mother and wife first. She is also a successful business woman, who designs more than her awesome planner*. She makes everything she does look ‘simple’, but that is the furthest from the truth. *The Simplified Planner’ is genius in that it’s just that: simple. Once you start utilizing this tool, you experience a calmness and structure in your daily life. Gone is the guilt that you have not filled in the many boxes, etc. that other planners possess. NOTE: when I first received my planner years ago, I thought how is this going to organize my day? I stuck with it through the years and I couldn’t be happier and my days have run on schedule. So it is fair to say that this book, A Simplified Life, creates that same structure in your head as you are reading it for you to put forth those ideas in your own home and daily life. This book gives you permission to live simply as best as you can within your own family. Maybe some of her points are common sense or seem obvious to some. For one minute think of the person who has no clue where to begin to dig themselves out of their own overwhelm. HERE ARE THE STEPS all in one beautiful book written by a beautiful compassionate caring voice. She outlines the steps to take one by one, day by day. She stresses this will not be an overnight success for you AND it’s going to take a lot of work. The light at the end of the tunnel after following Emily’s advice is less clutter to deal with on a daily basis going for and. Emily is an organized person by nature and she had found herself dealing with clutter, a busy schedule, three babies and major overwhelm. She knew she had to make some major changes for the sake of her health and to provide more free time to spend with her family. This book details all she learned in the year she put forth those changes in her life. So for the naturally unorganized woman, the process outlined in this book is exactly what she says - a tactical guide to help you attain A Simplified Life. I’m much older than Emily and am organized by nature as well and I certainly benefitted from her suggestions and tips in my own life and home. This book made me reevaluate what I was hanging on to and why - in my case, many were just emotional attachments that were unnecessary. There is a lot of substance in this book and after reading the entire book there are many suggestions and tips many women will benefit from regardless of their age and/or season. Is the information earth shattering, no, but can be life changing in a doable way - and yes, you might end up with a life (not things) that bring you ‘joy’. Don’t overlook this gem -

A Simplified Life. Such beautiful words seemingly unattainable, but gloriously within reach. To any woman who has ever felt the overwhelming tidal wave of STRESS walking through the front door, has ever felt the pressure of the glorification of "busy", has ever been pressured into being the person that media and social networking tells us we should be; this book is for YOU. Earlier this year we began the process of slowing down and simplifying our lives and our mindsets, and as scary as it was it was one of the most beautiful things that we could have ever done. Simplifying gave us the real freedom to enjoy our lives to their fullest. The author, Emily Ley (mother of two twin toddlers and a kindergartener!), gives writes about REAL tools, not fancy organizational systems that cause more headaches, to help get rid of the physical, mental, and emotional clutter that slows and stresses us out to our very core (even when we don't realize it!) so we can embrace our beautiful, wonderful lives. "When we pare down life to its simplest, most beautifully basic parts, we're left with room to enjoy each other, to rest, and to truly savor life with all our hearts, minds, and spirits."

Caught up in the swirling winds of being overcommitted and overwhelmed? Not sure where to start to make a change? This book, beautifully and loving written, is a great place to begin. Cover to cover, Emily infuses each page with wisdom, encouragement and simple, practical steps to strip away the clutter and distractions in our lives in order to allow more breathing room for the people and things that fill our world with love and bring us joy. An excellent read and highly recommended!

I enjoyed this book but consider it more of a coffee table read. It is great if you are short on time and want to make practical changes that can immediately be implemented. I was craving more in-depth tips but found this a great starting place for those who want to de-clutter. I enjoyed Emily's warm writing style & liked how the chapters were broken down into simplifying different areas of life. The "Simplified Motherhood" was the longest chapter which was a bit disappointing because I am not a parent, but I think it must reach her intended audience well. I'll keep the book because I took notes in it and answered some of the prompts, but it would also be a good book to pass along to someone who is just starting their journey as I was before reading this book.

I LOVE this book!! It's an easy read and the photographs are stunning and so beautiful! And the content is so awesome!! I loved all the practical tips...though at times I wished there were more to some of the sections. But all of the chapters are so well written and so applicable! I loved how the book started with decluttering your space. I've read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo and enjoyed that book, but the way Emily addressed different areas clicked with me in a different way than Kondo's book. Both books are absolutely amazing, but I love Emily's perspective as a mother and Christian! Emily, this is a beautiful book and you did an amazing job!! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with the world!! I've ordered Grace, Not Perfection and can't wait to read it as well!

I actually found this to be relatable, if not helpful. I don't find this a rah rah book, you can do it motivation type or anything, but just the author relaying personal stories. The stories the author tells may be relatable, and netted a head nod, but nothing to 'help'...You kind of have to find your own motivation and inspiration as you read through the stories. I actually enjoyed Emily's "When Less Is More," which was published after this book, I found When Less Is More to be more helpful. This is an 'entertaining' book in a sense, but I just didn't find it helpful. This felt more like a bit of a 'diary' from the author...*shrug*...To each their own.

Not only is A Simplified Life, a gorgeous book to behold but it’s incredibly practical and straight forward. Not everyone will organize the same way, if you’ve ever been in a serious relationship or lived with someone, you know what I mean. So Emily offers practical ‘tactical’ ways to unclutter and simplify. You don’t have to do all the things or even par down as much as she recommends, but her one rule is that you don’t buy anything. Not one tub, basket or anything. Instead, keep a list and more often than not you’ll find something along the way to use. I know this is true for me, I kept finding little tubs and boxes to put things in! I read A Simplified Life, after our big move back to Colorado. It seems no matter how much I donated, sold, or gave away before the move I still ended up with 4 boxes of donation items while unpacking. Not including the HUGE stack of old Interior Design textbooks and Divinity Commentaries we have stacked in the living room. The key to making A Simplified Life work, is small progress. If you’re wanting to simplify without going to a minimalist extreme, then A Simplified Life from Emily Ley is just the thing. She helps you shift through the fluff and find more margin for everyday, she encourages routine and schedules so you don’t feel rushed, flustered, or disorganized. With plenty of room to write in the book, with questions for you to examine your needs, your families needs for your home. I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

I received this book late yesterday and I'm already finished. I can't tell you the last time I finished a book much less devoured one and I'm ready to read it again! Emily has such a way of helping you strip down to a place of feeling so in need but so hopeful of change and so challenged and yet so encouraged. I've followed her for a while and I'm constantly inspired by her because of her real life take on beautiful living. As a toddler mom in the process of moving into a freshly built home, I'm desperately searching for peace in the overwhelming and ways to find joy in the mundane and this book is the cornerstone of the simple, more valued life I so desperately want for our family in this new chapter of life. All that and more tied up in a bow of Godly worldview and wisdom- I cannot recommend this enough!