The Simple Home: A Faith-filled Guide to Simplicity, Peace And Joy in Your Home (Spirit of Simple Living) [Paperback]

Sharon Hanby-Robie (Author)

Book Description

Series: Spirit of Simple Living | Publication Date: October 15, 2006

This work takes the reader on the journey to simple living begins at home. The first thing to throw out is the idea that things can, or should, be perfect. The next step in creating a home that is both functional, restful, and renewing is to invite God in. With prayer and reflection, anyone can bring a sense of peace and purpose to every room in the home. With inspiring narrative, real-life examples, expert tips, and eight pages of full-colour photos, Sharon Hanby-Robie encourages readers to develop their own sense of style and practical, organised living. Topics include understanding a home's purpose, creating a plan for the home, clearing clutter, improving household routines and making the home a place that is nourishing to the soul and inviting to others. Whether readers are just starting out in their own homes and need guidance, desiring to create more peace in their home environment or downsizing their possessions to what matters most, "The Simple Home" will help them discover a life that is better connected with our Creator.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The journey to simple living begins at home. And the first step is to throw out the paralyzing idea that things can, or should, be perfect. The next step in creating a home that is both functional and restful and renewing is to invite God in. With prayer and reflection, anyone can bring a sense of peace and purpose to every room in the home.

with inspring narrative, real-life examples and expert tips, Sharon Hanby-Robie encourages readers to develop their own sense of style and practical, organized living. Topics include understanding a home's purpose, creating a plan for the home, clearing clutter, inproving household routines and making home a place that is nourishing to the soul and inviting to others.

Whether readers are just starting out in their own homes and need guidance, desiring to create more peace in their home environment or downsizing their possessions to what matters most, >i> The Simple Home will help them discover a life that is better connected with our Creator.

About the Author

Sharon Hanby-Robie has been helping people discover their own style and the confidence to make choices that work for their families for over thirty years. She is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and owns her own interior design company. As the resident home decor expert for QVC network, she reaches thousands of people each week. She has been a regular guest on major networks and home decorating and improvement shows and is the author of three books. She also speaks at businesses, churches, and women's organizations. She lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: GuidepostsBooks (October 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824947029
• ISBN-13: 978-0824947026
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,084,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Readers will appreciate finding new ideas to make their home a spiritual haven, June 5, 2007

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Simple Home: A Faith-filled Guide to Simplicity, Peace And Joy in Your Home (Spirit of Simple Living) (Paperback)

In THE SIMPLE HOME, QVC's design expert Sharon Hanby-Robie wants to help Christians rethink their homes as spiritual sanctuaries. "Imagine how different life would be if we let the Creator of the universe not only rule our lives but our homes as well." In this faith-driven approach to home decorating and organization, she offers practical tips and personal anecdotes to get readers started.

I hadn't thought of crafting a mission statement for my home, but Hanby-Robie says this is the first step toward simplicity. What is your home's purpose? Do you work from home? Is it a place for you to retreat? How do other members of your family see the purpose of your home? She peppers her chapters with anecdotes from her own homemaking, quotes about homes from famous people and scripture verses. Chapters end with a short plan of action and a prayer. One of my favorites: "Lord, give me wisdom to clear away those things that distract me from what is important to my life. Help me to rid myself of confusion so that I can enjoy the creative use of my home."

There's a nice mix of practical tips ("The key to creating a beautiful wall of art is to choose similar sizes, styles, or shapes") with plenty of room for sentiment and emotion ("Hanging children's art is an amazing way to instill confidence and a sense of value in a child."). Some tips are simple and inexpensive (using paint to update a room) while others are more complicated and expensive (removing walls, installing new flooring).

Some readers may find her a little gushy; for example, of one client couple she says: "I have watched their two sons grow from adorable little boys to strong, amazing men." The spiritual emphasis is strong. Musing over color choices is a chance to ruminate on scriptures in Revelation that describe colors in heaven. There is a specific section for readers who want to create a sanctuary space for spiritual quiet time. The section on hospitality, however, was disappointingly thin. Two chapters on color choices probably could have been combined, and some ideas are repeated in different chapters.

But I appreciated her willingness to let us in on her own decorating mistakes, including one that resulted in a neon orange-papered powder room. She also urges contentment even when we are unhappy with the home we have. I also enjoyed her reminders about the importance of some rooms for family, such as the "flop and chat" potential of the master bedroom. (My teenagers loved to do this!)

In addition to decorating, Hanby-Robie addresses organization ("maintain a family calendar") and clutter elimination (one chapter is titled, "Attics and Garages and Basements, Oh My!). I picked up a new tip on eliminating odor in a damp basement --- she recommends trying an activated charcoal filter. Another idea I appreciated was an easy way to manage coupons. Most of the ideas are tried and true...and practical.

One of the amazing discoveries we'll make as we simplify and de-clutter is how much stuff we have, Hanby-Robie notes. "Too often, rather than look for a small, specific item it seems easier to buy another one." I have a feeling if I ever got my office organized, I'd be amazed at how many pens I have! Yet I can never find one when I need it.

Her ideas about making the most of what we have ("rearrange your furniture") and remembering more elusive things, such as the scents and sounds of our homes, were particularly compelling. What do you smell when you walk in your front door? Most importantly, there is plenty of scope for your creativity. "There's so much you can accomplish just by putting your mind to the task and letting your imagination run wild." In these pages, readers will appreciate finding new ideas to make their home a spiritual haven.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Simple, February 8, 2008

By 

Leslie A. Morris (Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Simple Home: A Faith-filled Guide to Simplicity, Peace And Joy in Your Home (Spirit of Simple Living) (Paperback)

This is a great book to read but not exactly what I was looking for. If you want something that is very specific, this is not for you. Very general ideas to use your own creativity.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Simple Home, September 14, 2008

By 

Donna Clair "Time Traveler" (Taos, New Mexico) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Simple Home: A Faith-filled Guide to Simplicity, Peace And Joy in Your Home (Spirit of Simple Living) (Paperback)

Just the premise of this book is worth a great deal of thought and consideration -- "earn more or desire less" -- that the way we live is truly a spiritual journey.