Simplified KC's Favorite Books about Organization

I don't know about you, but I love to read. I get some of my best inspiration from the coffee table books I've collected over the years, and some of the best organizing & minimizing advice from this list of favorites. I thought I would share the staples that I love and refer to often in case you're into some organizing and design lit.

Here are my picks in order starting with my most favorite:

1. The Complete Book of Home Organization by Toni Hammersley

My mom gave me this book for Christmas a few years ago and it is by far my favorite organization book with so much practical advice. If you follow @abowlfulloflemons, you know author Toni Hammersley! From small spaces and apartment solutions to how to tackle a big, messy home, this book covers everything and includes a 15-week total home organization challenge. The Complete Book of Home Organization spells out everything you need to declutter your house, store your belongings, and keep your home - and life - in order. While it's not necessarily a stunning book for the coffee table, it is one I reference and reread the most!

2. The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

The Home Edit is all about the beauty of home organization. The goal is simple: group things into categories and make your home a place you truly love. Each photo is stunning and sorted by type and color, so it's a quick read and will give you amazing inspiration. Plus Joanna and Clea are my soul sisters. Love this one!

3. Homebody by Joanna Gaines

I pull so much of my design inspiration from Joanna Gaines. Anyone else think she's superwoman? Go ahead and buy both of her cookbooks while you're at it, they're wonderful (although not at all healthy). I love her down-to-earth attitude and the simple, yet beautiful spaces she creates. This book lives on my nightstand I love it so much... I grab it that often to flip through it... a must-have in my opinion for design inspo!

4. More of Less by Joshua Becker

You don't have to be a minimalist to appreciate the message in this amazing read - in fact I wasn't expecting to love this one as much as I did (I rented it as an audiobook from the library). Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of the clutter, and we tire of cleaning and managing it all. Joshua Becker's message is the beauty of minimalism isn’t in what it takes away. It’s in what it gives. Highly recommend this one!

5. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Remember asking yourself if something "sparks joy"? THAT'S THIS BOOK! Marie Kondo is great, and while the method may not be for everyone, it certainly helps you ask yourself what's worth keeping and why. Love her message and recommend

listening to the audiobook!

6. Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillan Smith

This is a book about interior design written for a hands-on woman who'd rather move her own furniture than hire a designer... IT ME! This gives you guidance to finish every room of your house one purposeful design decision at a time. With people, priorities, and purpose in mind, anyone can create a warm, inviting, cozy, and beautiful home that transcends the trends. You'll have the tools to transform your home starting with what you already have, and using just enough of the right furniture and décor to create a home you're proud of in a way that honors your personal priorities, budget, and style.

7. The Home Edit Life by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

The Home Edit Life is book #2 by Clea and Joanna from THE. They believe you don’t have to live like a minimalist to feel happy and calm. The Home Edit mentality is all about embracing your life and your season – whether you’re a busy mom, a roommate living with three other people, or someone who’s always traveling for work. You just need to know how to set up a system that works for you. While I didn't find this book to be as useful as their first (just being honest!) it's still beautiful and full of so much organization inspiration.

8. Remodelista: The Organized Home by Julie Carlson

Buy fewer (and better) things. Store like with like. Get rid of the plastic. Display—don’t stash—your belongings. Let go of your inner perfectionist and remember that rooms are for living. These are a few of the central principles behind Remodelista: The Organized Home, the book from the team behind the inspirational design site Remodelista.com. This is a really good one - and so beautiful to look at!

9. The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman

This is a book where I pull so much great inspiration. Deborah Needleman offers her advice and expertise on a very important subject - how to make your house your home. She includes succinct advice from great decorators, commentary on what to keep and what to throw away, and valuable rules for what to add to a room to make it exactly right for you and your family.

10. A Simplified Life by Emily Ley

This is a really sweet, simple read where you’ll find Emily Ley's strategies, systems, and methods for permanently clearing the clutter, organizing your priorities, and living intentionally in 10 key areas—from your home and meal planning, to style and finances, parenting, faith life, and more. She will show you how to make the most of your days with realistic, achievable, and tactical tools. While you're at it, grab a Simplified Planner - it has been my go-to paper planner for close to 7 years and I absolutely could not live without it.

There you have it - my Top 10 favorites. Trust me when I say there are so many books on my list that I haven't gotten to yet, but I'd love to hear from you! Which organization and design books are your favorites? I would love to hear where you pull your inspiration from so I can check them out!