Melissa Michaels - Simple Gatherings

MELISSA MICHAELS is the creator and author of the popular home decorating blog The Inspired Room , which inspires women to love the home they have. Since 2007 Melissa has been encouraging hundreds of thousands of readers a month with daily posts and inspiration for all things house and home. The Inspired Room was twice voted as the Better Homes and Gardens magazine Readers Choice decorating blog.

Melissa lives with her husband, Jerry; their son, Luke; and two impossibly adorable Doodle pups, Jack and Lily, whose adventures are well loved and followed on their Facebook page (Facebook.com/jack.goldendoodle). The Michaels daughters, Courtney and Kylee (and Kylees husband, Lance), are an active part of The Inspired Room .

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MAKE YOUR HOME A SANCTUARYNOT A SHOWPLACE

Welcome to The Inspired Room . Forget about the rules and discover inspired ways to personalize your spaces and express your style with texture, color, and your favorite treasures. Room by room, youll shape a home that is inspired by the people, beauty, and life you love.

Step inside Melissas home as she shares lessons learned, inspiring photos, and encouraging insights to help you embrace your authentic style.

CREATE A HOME YOU CANT WAIT TO COME HOME TO

Jump-start your style and refresh your home with this gathering of budget-friendly and practical ideas to help you get unstuck, reimagine your spaces, and transform hard-to-love areas into favorite destinations.

With more than 300 tips to motivate you along the way, this is the perfect guide to break you out of your decorating rut and get you excited about your home again. Let Melissa show you how easy it is to make small changes with big results.

CREATE THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE

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Dare to see your surroundings with new eyes that just might inspire a change of heart. And get ready to Love the Home You Have .

CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER AND MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT MATTERS

If all the stuff you have is starting to take over your home and life, let Melissa offer insightful ideas for altering your habits while efficiently decluttering and organizing you home so you can really enjoy living there.

With a little encouragement and practical advice, you will be inspired to create a place for the things you love and breathing room to pursue your dreams and engage in life with the people who matter most.

Im convinced I have a house-shaped heart. Creating a welcoming atmosphere in a home (park, backyard, or church) for family and friends is my love language. Does that mean I have a perfectly kept house and Im a perfect hostess? Far from it. Come on over, and youll see plenty of imperfections and likely a bit of pandemonium. Thats why long ago I determined that I had to be a laid-back hostess or Id never invite anyone over! Ive found ways to work around my weaknesses and have a lot of fun with my strengths.

My joy in gathering people together doesnt come from a desire to host an over-the-top, Pinterest-worthy party. My heart is stirred to create an intentional and meaningful experience to connect people to one another. As a home decor blogger, church planters wife, and mom of three, my house-shaped heart has come in handy. Preparing an inviting place for others is how my heart and soul come alive.

In spite of my passion for creating a comfortable home, I dont have it all together. In fact, Im missing two key ingredients most people associate with a born hostess: Im not drawn to cooking, and dun-dun-dun Im not an extrovert. Cooking just isnt my thing. And although I enjoy conversation (as my husband can attest to), if the environment is awkward or draining, I want to quietly slip away or tiptoe upstairs and leave the partying to the extroverts.

Maybe you also feel as if youre missing a few ingredients that would help you host with greater ease. If you have the cooking part down, maybe you worry about your small house or your lack of party-planning skills. Perhaps you think your budget or creativity is too limited or that the ages of your kids, your loud dogs, or your wavering sanity might tip you over the edge if you invite people over. I get that.

Ive had all of those concerns at one point or another in my life, and often all at once. There are endless worries, excuses, or challenges that could prevent us from accepting the title of Hostess with the Mostess. But if we think genuine hospitality means doing it all perfectly, weve missed the point. Not being perfectly prepared or equipped is exactly what brings people together in an authentic way. The purpose of hospitality is to make people feel comfortable, not to impress them with our amazing talent or skill!

In the school of simple gatherings, there is just one rule: Dont worry about rules. Simple gatherings should be as stress-free as possible, so dont fret about the right or wrong way to gather or express your style, and dont fear what might be expected of you as a hostess. (Who makes up those party-hosting rules anyway?)

WHAT GUESTS REMEMBER

When you stay focused on your guests, you can take care of the small details in a way that makes them feel celebrated and comfortable in your home. Over the years Ive noticed four standout things guests remember. They are the aspects of a visit you will hear guests mention with appreciation to others or to you long after the gathering is over. They are:

THE ATMOSPHERE

THE FEAST

THE CONVERSATION

THE SPECIAL TOUCHES

I will show you how, with some simple preparations, you can pull off warm and gracious celebrations in tune with who you really are. As you go through this book, incorporate the ideas that inspire you or give you greater confidence to gather others in your home. Lets start planning a few simple gatherings that will help you connect and celebrate with a minimum amount of stress and a maximum amount of joy.