Simply Spaced:Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life

by Monica Leed

Simply Spaced is your step-by-step guide for clearing clutter and styling a beautiful home that aligns with your passion and purpose. Broken into projects by room, across a “year of clear,” the 3-step method dispels the myth that you can’t learn to be organized.

Simply Spaced teaches you to think like a professional organizer. Learn to simplify like a pro by implementing the fail-safe method to declutter any space, keeping only what you love, need, and use. Streamline your home and take back control by optimizing space with strategic storage. And finally, style your home to inspire creativity and connection. 

Monica Leed, CEO and owner of Simply Spaced, will reshape how you think about your home and belongings. Her practical tips make getting organized desirable, achievable, and sustainable. She’s made this all possible through a belief that simplicity and order create the mental and physical space we all need to thrive. Complete with checklists and tear-out worksheets, Monica shares her best advice on how to create a home that “rises up to meet you.” Each chapter includes: 5 clutter culprits 5 pro tips to combat clutter 15  things to let go of now Style tips for every room From kitchens and closets to kids’ spaces and storage, Monica will inspire you to conquer one room at a time, overcoming overwhelm and organizing it all.

The Simply Spaced method, born from the LA-based professional organizing service and lifestyle company Simply Spaced, has helped countless clients tap into their creativity for profound change. Get ready to be inspired as you clear the physical and mental clutter that’s been holding you back from living your best life. It all starts at home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Interior Design, Design

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2019

About the author

MONICA LEED is an innovator, art director, CEO, and owner of the professional organizing company Simply Spaced, focused on organizing for the creative mind. She is a leading expert, speaker, and author. With an A-list celebrity client list and a roster that includes influencers, industry executives, and high-performing entrepreneurs, she has spent the past seven years developing her methodology to clear the clutter and style homes for optimal performance. Monica has helped hundreds of clients get organized and inspired, from the inside out.

With a master’s degree from the prestigious American Film Institute and a background in production design, Monica cultivated a curiosity for efficient space, design, time management, and the power of organizational systems early in her career. Her highly sought-after company, Simply Spaced, includes in-home professional organizing services, as well as branded content creation for organizing and lifestyle companies including iDesign, The Container Store, Evernote, Cuyana, Caavo, Winc, Artkive, and others.

Monica is a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), as well as the Association of Personal Photo Organizers (APPO), and The Art Directors Guild (ADG). Her work has been featured across print and digital media including Better Homes & Gardens, Apartment Therapy, Livestrong.org, Brit & Co, MindBodyGreen.com, Domino.com, Flea Market magazine, Who What Wear, NEST, and You magazine. She was a two-time guest on The Influencer Podcast with Julie Solomon and guest contributor on the Style Matters podcast.

What Monica found missing from the newly popularized decluttering movement was any mention of style. But it’s her passion for curating inspiring spaces that tell a story that motivates her work with clients today. She believes everyone deserves to live in a beautiful and joy-filled home that inspires creativity, calm, and purpose. As a creative herself, Monica is a firm believer that everyone has the ability to “learn to think like an organizer” by adopting the tools, tricks, and mindset of the pros. Her want for everyone is the ability to transform their home into a haven that supports them to live their best life.

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIVALS KONDO
Love, love, love this fab book that rivals any by Marie Kondo for organizing your home and life. Brilliant in the way it breaks down the decluttering process through a Year of Clear, with projects by room that include checklists, tear-out worksheets, and lovely photos showing handsome end results.

FROM FILM TO YOUR SET
Written by Monica Leed, owner of the L.A.-based Simply Spaced firm, who started in film and transitioned her organizational genius to private clients. Features a 3-step method that counters your I’m-a-mess mindset, combats clutter culprits, advises on 15 things to let go of now, and offers amazing style tips for every room. SIMPLY SPACED wins 5/5 points for content, design and execution!

Pub Date 08 Oct 2019.

Thanks to Monica Leed, Quarto Publishing Group - Rock Point, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This was a really pleasant read! The book is really helpful and understanding especially on how to take the first steps into cleaning then fixing your room to the style you want with many amazing tips and recommendations! There's also 3 chapters on how to deal with the clutters of papers, photos and mementos. After the chapters for each of the rooms and the 3 chapters I mentioned above, the rest of the book (around 25%) is composed of the worksheets to help and guide you in your journey!

The book could get a bit repetitive since the steps are almost the same for each room. The thing I noticed the most is the emphasis on how much everything needs to be neat sometimes (since the author is somewhat of a perfectionist) and as someone who's between Silver and Bronze, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Gold, Silver and Bronze is the categories for how much you care about everything in the room being neat and all that stuff.

Overall, it was nice to know more about styling and decluttering especially with the Pro tips! Definitely recommend to people that want to style their room but don't know where to start.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

[Sophie-Leigh Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Your home is an ever-evolving ecosystem." I couldn't agree more. Over the years, our house has completely transformed from a cluttered space into a tranquil home and as more time passes, our needs keep changing. This book gives an excellent overview of how to tackle the decluttering and organizing process, step-by-step and room by room. I found this book to be more practical than Marie Kondo and think lots of people will benefit from it. The systems and tips Simply Spaced gives you are easy to follow, make sense and will give you great results. Plus, the book is beautifully illustrated and the lay-out of the pages is truly pleasing to the eye. Highly recommended.

[Alicja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply Spaced is a beautifully presented book on how to organize and declutter your home. I love how it breaks it down into sections and a Year of Clear. I like the worksheets and the room by room guide, so that it is not too overwhelming. Seeing the pictures of what it could look like motivated me to tackle my kitchen, office and photos as soon as possible. The style of the book is very user friendly and approachable. I loved the "things to let go of now" list as well as the pro tips (def getting some photo boxes!)

I would recommend this to anyone wanting to clear up their clutter and make their home more livable. I will be following Monica Leeds IG for more ideas.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing group for providing this ARC in return for an honest review.

[Sarah Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the worksheets at the back!

[Morgan Tyree · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, inspiring, and practical book. I absolutely love the worksheets and step by step tips and tools. A must-read for anyone who desires to declutter and simplify their home and life.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now whilst I don't follow her on Instagram, I feel cheated as soon as I started reading this book as she says the pictures she shows on there are 'styled by a team over a couple of days. She states during the Introduction it is not fake but real though not real life. Surely what you show should be what you actually do yourself in real life, not have a team do it for you otherwise it's not obtainable and it is fake. I'm not naïve enough to think they weren't as most of Instagram is fake lives but it doesn't sit right with me reading that - I expect better.

This book is split into eleven chapters by individual rooms, paperwork or memories and each chapter has a corresponding worksheet at the rear of the book rather than at the start of each chapter.

There is also a list of Resources near the end of the book, but they are American based. In relation to the kids and play rooms chapter, it might be nice to include an extra chapter on teenagers as they are very different to kids with masses of toys, and not quite at the adult stage of a bedroom.

Overall her methods seem very similar to Maria Kondo who I watched on Netflix, with the room at a time, how you feel about an object, everything has it's place, dealing with paperwork and clothes folding.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Nazah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, the book is average. I like the organization of the book. The book categorizes the chapters as the item category in a home. My main issue with the book is a lot of stuff is redundant and unnecessary. For example: the 'Simplify' section of each chapter is almost the same. There is nothing new. It felt unnecessary. 'Streamline' section contains valuable information and tips for each chapter which I really like. The 'Style' section is average. The tip to 'Implement storage solution' occurs too many times in the book. It was also redundant. Overall, I don't hate the book but I don't like it either.

[Blakeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply put, Simply Spaced is BEAUTIFUL! Perfect for every home.

The photographs are beautiful as the author takes you from room to room helping you to declutter your space! From practical decluttering tips to simple suggestions to make your home feel more organized, Simply Spaced provides great solutions to any reader looking to tidy up.

Any reader who likes stylish/helpful coffee table reads, this ones for you!

[theminimalbookclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ist nicht mein erstes Organization/Decluttering/Minimalismus Buch, daher hatte es für mich bereits vieles drin, das ich bereits wusste. Für Anfänger aber gut geeignet, durch die vielen Checklisten. Praktisch, wenn man neben dem Lesen gleich aufräumen möchte, ansonsten eher wengier, da in jedem Kapitel teils die gleichen Inhalte oder der gleiche Kontext mit leicht abgeänderten Sätzen wiedergegeben wird.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent organizational tool that helps you deal with all the clutter and has a wealth of helpful decorating tips as well. Highly recommend! I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

[🌈⭐️RoseOfRainbows⭐️🌈💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has a big clutter problem at home, this book was like a pot of gold of valuable information. 5/5 stars for an amazing newfound resource.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eigentlich lässt sich jedes Kapitel mit "Arbeitsblatt durcharbeiten" zusammenfassen. Nichts Neues gefunden.

[Elien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veel herhaling, wel duidelijke stappen, heldere lijstjes & worksheets.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handy little guidebook on how to de clutter your space. I especially like the worksheets provided at the end, although I had to tweak them a bit to fit my space, that is fine. I also like the idea of having zones, and putting like with like. Easy enough to say, but hard to do. I tend to have similar stuff spread throughout the house. I also have the bad habit of holding on to things, since I know what I paid for them, or they have sentimental value. She gives tips and ideas about this too, and basically helps with ways to deal with these issues. I do not have children in the home, but do have an office. And yes, as she mentions my desk is a dumping ground, and also a combination of my hobby interest too. Need to separate this and stay more organized. Have found multiple of the same item, as couldn't find it the first time, and had to repurchase. Would love to end the mess and disorganization. This book, unlike others I've read, helps to give a good foundation of how to start and what to do. I like the pro tips, and advice she gives, and also, as I mentioned earlier, the worksheets were a big help. Highly recommend this book, now to actually do more of the advice in my own home.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Spaced: Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life is one of the most practical, well-written, beautifully illustrated books I've read on this topic.

I love everything about this book! It:
- has easy to follow, step by step instructions
- offers PRACTICAL advice
- makes allowances for personal style/personality types
- has one chapter per type room or category
- gives common categories of items in each type room and how to deal with them
- offers pro tips
- helps with the "Let Go of Now" and "How do I decide?" sections
- the wonderful photography
- the extremely helpful worksheets
- the resource guide

Everything about this book is well thought out and well presented. It's also motivating and inspirational. A wonderful gift idea for anyone who has a living space!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Simply Spaced through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Simply Spaced: Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life is exactly what it appears to be: a book designed to guide you through the process of decluttering your home and your life. That may sound like a simple process, but it can truly be quite overwhelming. That’s why this book is so helpful and wonderful.
What I really loved about this book is that there was no feeling of judgment. Monica Leed wrote a book that is really meant to help people, and she understands that people have to start from the beginning. Not only that, but that the beginning can be quite an intimidating first step to take.
Once you get past that part, things will go much more smoothly. But Monica Leed’s book is willing to hold your hand through the whole process, should you need the help.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reading copy of “Simply Spaced” in exchange for an honest review. I believe the author has written a thorough breakdown of how to organize your home in a chapter by chapter format that covers each room/area individually. I especially appreciated the section on photos as I am of the age that still has boxes of printed photos from developing rolls of film in my youth. I liked her thoughts on displaying framed photos as well. Some may find this book overly repetitive on the decluttering topic. If you have taken the time to read any of the multiple books on the subject, you have already been exposed to most of the information provided. If you haven’t given decluttering and storage organizing a go yet though, this book is for you! Many thanks to Quarto Group, Rock Point and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

[marvellousmarmite · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year of clear

This book helped me to look at my home as a whole, not just about the clutter in it. What I need and want from my home environment. The worksheets at the end of the book, one for each area of the house, made me really think about what I want from each room my home, with some useful prompting questions to think on.

This really made me think about the purpose of decluttering, not just the (sometimes disheartening) process, which was really good. I liked the lists of 15 things to get rid of now in each one room.

I also liked the discussion about styling the space after decluttering.

I enjoy reading decluttering books and I think this one has something new to add.

[Nicolet Groen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Spaced is a practical book on decluttering every aspect of your house. It's well organized by room and also pinpoints things like a currated wardrobe, paper files, and photos. Even though it sometimes feels repetitive; every room, every subject need the same steps, and the author chose to mention those steps in each chapter, in this case, the repetition is functional.
I loved the layout, the bright and airy pictures of storage examples. The worksheets come in handy as well as the list of suppliers in the back of the book. As a Home Staging teacher, I will add this book to the recommended reading list for my students. I will certainly help them help their clients organize their properties.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Spaced: Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life by Monica Leed

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Rock Point in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a well organized and beautifully illustrated book about how to declutter and simply life. Streamlining and decluttering is an overwhelming task for most people. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat fast and makes me sweat. I began to feel guilty and embarrassed about the surroundings in which I read this book. Of course, I didn’t stop reading to tidy up for fear I would overlook some useful advice.

This is serious stuff! The author actually explains how you can determine your “clutter capacity” examining separate sections of your home. For the overly ambitious she provides suggestions for organizing photos, mementos, office and utility space!

The book also provides useful worksheets for each chapter which covers a specific area. She explains how to set up your work space to begin your adventure into her strategy to simplify, streamline and style your home.

The chapters are pretty thorough with photographic examples. The chapters include: Kitchen, Bedroom, Closet, Bath and beauty, Living space, Kids space, Storage and utility, Office, Photos and Mementos.
She wraps up the book with a complete resource guide to assist with purchasing organizational products.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book! HIGHLY recommend!

She challenges you by requiring you to ask second, third level questions that you didn't even think were relevant questions. She shows you another level of INTENTION you can have in your life, and it's empowering to realize you can set up your space to SERVE you, and serve YOUR LIFE.

What I like about this also is that it's not fluffy spiritual shit. It's pretty logical and has actual tangible advice in there. It could be considered 'emotional,' because she encourages you to ask yourself questions like 'Why am I holding onto this?' So I wouldn't recommend it to people who are incapable of admitting and processing their subconscious thoughts and emotions.

It's a little repetitive but not enough to take away from how otherwise helpful this book is.

[Shazzad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monica Leed is a professional organiser and CEO of Simply Spaced in Los Angeles. The book provides inspiration and practical worksheets for each room in the house. She provides tips for tackling each room and some may recognise some of the tried and tested tips. The author suggests using post-its to mark those possessions to be donated, recycled or binned and as this is reiterated in each section it can feel a bit repetitious. Also includes a handy resource section though mainly useful to those in the US. Nicely photographed.

[Sharon Naylor Toris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. So much more realistic and accessible than Kondo, masterfully paced so that you never feel overwhelmed. Pretty, smart solutions and great photos to inspire. The definition of your home as an 'ecosystem' stays with me, making the home a living, breathing entity that contributes to your well-being. I'm hanging onto this book, knowing that I'll want to pop back into its pages to gather fresh ideas, boost my confidence and just get excited for organizing.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply Spaced... so this is not what I expected. Very simple, basic information. If you've watched a home organization show like The Home Edit or Marie Kondo's Tidying Up, you've heard all of this before. Inspiring photos, and easy to follow directions, but it's vague and kind of general. I would love to see more of a focus on offices to balance that work/life interaction as she noted in the introduction.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is different from most decluttering books, because the author gives advice on style as well as tidying up. It's very useful, and the worksheets are especially helpful, but I found it difficult to read as an ebook. I may have to actually buy it!



I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[SR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book easy to read and very helpful as a guide to decluttering and organizing which I really needed. I appreciate the worksheets and checklists as easy practical ways to apply her ideas, 1 room at a time! I think this is going to help my stress level as well as improve the comfort and look of my home.

[Megan E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best organizing book I’ve ever read. I LOVED the planning outlines and checklists for every area of the home. I checked this book out of the library but I’m going to have to buy a copy for myself. It specializes in find the sweet spot between chaos and rigidity in terms of good organizing strategies, tools and sense of design.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have difficulty getting motivated or feel overwhelmed when it comes to decluttering and/or organizing each room in your home, this book includes simple step-by-step checklists to walk you through the process as well as handy tips.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has some templates and checklists for various rooms, spaces, possessions, and paper. It would be most valuable to someone starting from scratch. I find decluttering and downsizing an ongoing issue but still found bits of interest.