Spring cleaning can mean a lot more than organizing a closet or room. Decluttering is a time to scale back, reassess priorities, and open up our spaces. For me, the result of organizing and decluttering is so freeing and empowering. It is so nice to be in a room that is spacious, uncluttered and welcoming. I recently had the opportunity to review a book that discusses how to create open, uncluttered spaces in your home that I would like to share with you.
Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the book to review. This post contains affiliate links. I only share products and books that I enjoy and feel would be helpful to my readers – always.
The book, Breathing Room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home by Lauren Rosenfeld and Dr. Melva Green helps you approach the energy and purpose for each space in your home.
What Is Breathing Room About
Lauren Rosenfeld, co-author of Breathing room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home feels that decluttering is a reflective spiritual practice that can impede our ability to identify and embrace what is truly important in our lives. I so agree with this. If we are not paying attention we start to collect too many things that end up taking away from the stuff in life that really matters.
This book helps you define your intentions and feelings for each room in your home. By using these intention words, you are better able to fill the room with items that can help you evoke the intention. They use a SLICE method (Stop and Listen, Intend, Clear the Energy) to help you cut clutter and determine an energy to create for that room.
Room by Room Assessment
Each chapter in the book focuses on a particular room, prompting readers to take a courageous and honest look at the physical, emotional, and spiritual “junk” that is preventing them from truly enjoying the physical gift of the home and the spiritual gift of the heart. According to Rosenfeld, for every room in your house, there is a corresponding “room” in your heart. For instance:
- Your bedroom: Room in your heart for peace and intimacy
- Your kitchen: Room in your heart for comfort, co-creation, and creativity
- Your dining room: Room in your heart for nourishment and connection
- Your entryway: Room in your hear for warm & welcoming embraces
I can relate to this. I want my rooms to reflect different feelings and offer a particular atmosphere. This book helps you create it. It also gives you tips on filling every empty space (which many people tend to do and then get overwhelmed later).
If you are finding you are needing some guidance to reduce the clutter in your home, this book can help you examine what you bring to each room and how it supports the room’s intention.
About the Authors
Lauren Rosenfeld, M.A., M.ED., believes that the mundane details of our life are the stepping stones on our intimate path of the spirit. She is a professional Soul Declutterer who helps her clients let go of physical and emotional clutter that are preventing them their Breathing Room. She co-authored Your To Be List and blogs at LGRosenfeld.com where she shares lessons on how our daily lives shine with spiritual lessons. She is an unapologetic hippie-peacenick-pluralist-dreamer who resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband and four children. For more information about Lauren: http://www.lgrosenfeld.com
Dr. Melva Green is a board certified psychiatrist, TV personality, and spiritual healer. She is an expert doctor on the popular and critically acclaimed A&E show Hoarders. Dr. Green lives in Costa Rica with her son where she will soon be opening a center for healing arts dedicated to “Healing the Healers”, a retreat for medical professionals in need of emotion healing and spiritual renewal.
Where to buy Breathing Room
Breathing room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home is available on Amazon.
But you also have an opportunity to enter to win one below. Giveaway for US Residents 18 and over. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 72 hours or a new winner will be selected.
Good Luck!
Tamara says
I think the living room has the least amount of good “breathing room.”
I do not thrive at all on clutter and neither does my husband.
This book seems wonderful.
Akaleistar says
This sounds like a great book! My bedroom could really use some breathing room 🙂
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
Oh man, I need some organization in my life! I’ve been working on getting my house more organized for the past year and it is a work in progress!
Elizabeth says
Don’t we all need some breathing room?? Thank you for a fun post. It is a good reminder of how we can stop and create peace in our homes. Thanks!
Raquel says
I know I do Elizabeth! Sometimes things get hectic and we need to space to unwind -thanks for stopping by!
jessa says
I love this book. I will have to pick one up.
Raquel says
It offeres a great perspective on creating space Jessa!
barb says
I so dislike those who don’t need decluttering. I let them make me feel bad about it and that’s not helping. I hope to get help in understanding and correcting it. Thanks for pointing the way.
Raquel says
Even if you love it (decluttering) You are right – it is not always easy!
Rebekah says
My kitchen needs breathing room. The counters collect mail, school forms, coupons etc… Also, I have a lot of inherited dishes that I will never use. This books sounds like it would help.
Heather Lawrence says
Breathing room sounds wonderful!
Must pick up this book!
Thanks for the recommendation!