The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn't, and Get Stuff Done


Kendra Adachi - 2020
    It's about doing what matters to you. "I could not be more excited about this book."--Jenna Fischer, actor and cohost of Office Ladies podcast The chorus of "shoulds" is loud. You should enjoy the moment, dream big, have it all, get up before the sun, track your water consumption, go on date nights, and be the best. Or maybe you should ignore what people think, live on dry shampoo, be a negligent PTA mom, have a dirty house, and claim your hot mess like a badge of honor.It's so easy to feel overwhelmed by the mixed messages of what it means to live well.Kendra Adachi, the creator of the Lazy Genius movement, invites you to live well by your own definition and equips you to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn't. Everything from your morning routine to napping without guilt falls into place with Kendra's thirteen Lazy Genius principles, including:- Decide once- Start small- Ask the Magic Question- Go in the right order- Schedule restDiscover a better way to approach your relationships, work, and piles of mail. Be who you are without the complication of everyone else's "shoulds." Do what matters, skip the rest, and be a person again.

The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room


Ana White - 2012
    As a young mom on a tight budget, Ana learned to make her own well-designed pieces inspired by the styles in her favorite stores—saving thousands of dollars in the process.Now, in this reference for woodworkers of all skill levels, Ana shares everything she has learned along the way. Inside The Handbuilt Home you'll find:• Plans for 34 versatile furniture projects for every room in your house—from beginner-friendly home accessories to sturdy tables, a media center, kids’ items, and storage solutions• Comprehensive information on using off-the-shelf lumber and basic equipment—almost every project can be made with a drill, a saw, and some hand tools• Easy-to-follow instructions, costs, and time estimates to guide even the most amateur of carpenters through any projectYou don’t need to be physically tough or superstrong to make your own furniture, and it’s okay if you don’t know that a 2x4 doesn’t actually measure 2 by 4 inches. All you need is the determination to create a better home for yourself or your family and the confidence to say, “I can build that.” Also available as an eBook

The Inviting Life: An Inspirational Guide to Homemaking, Hosting and Opening the Door to Happiness


Laura Calder - 2017
    It's also a book about why we should bother. Whether the subject is d'cor, ambience, shopping, feeding weary travellers, mixing cocktails, planning dinner parties, or getting yourself motivated for spring cleaning, Laura Calder affirms the value of our everyday activities and shows how beauty, creativity, and delight have the power to change the world. This one-of-a-kind book is both a page-turning narrative about Laura's own hosting and home-making adventures and an invaluable work of reference. It's a spur to ideas for everything from creating a welcoming living space and making a respectable salad, to putting guests at their ease and writing a thank-you note worth receiving. Written with candour and humour in Laura's inimitable and engaging voice, The Inviting Life offers empowering guidance for anyone looking to take more pleasure in their life and home.

31 Days to Clean - Having a Martha House the Mary Way


Sarah Mae - 2011
    Give me 31 days and I'll give you not only a cleaner home, but a vision for one.I am not a natural when it comes to cleaning. In fact, sometimes I think my DNA is allergic to it! However, I know that if I am to care for my home, and more importantly my family, I need to persevere in creating a clean, peaceful home environment (not a perfect one!).31 Days to Clean is about the "why" and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains. Each day I encourage you with some thoughts and ideas, and then we put those ideas to action.After each days reading, you will be given two challenges: The Mary Challenge-- Something you do that encourages/engages your heartThe Martha Challenge-- Specific cleaning tasks31 Days to Clean is a faith journey towards ruling, subduing, and loving. We are forgoing perfection; we are choosing life.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organizing your Life


Georgene Lockwood - 1996
    In her fourth edition of the highly successful Complete Idiot�s Guide volume, Lockwood helps readers do just that. Readers will find new information on �clutter disorders,� getting ahead through organization, how to distinguish a serious problem from simply needing a new system, how to get help, how to manage �electronic� clutter at work, keeping finances orderly, and much more. -Includes new creative solutions and professional resources -One of our bestselling Complete Idiot�s Guide titles -New strategies and tips, as well as information on previously unavailable organizational techniques made possible by better technology -With Oprah and Dr. Phil�s increased focus on getting organized, organization is a hot topic

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook


Joshua Piven - 1999
    Volcanoes. Sharks. Quicksand. Terrorists. The pilot of the plane blacks out and it's up to you to land the jet. What do you do? The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is here to help: jam-packed with how-to, hands-on, step-by-step, illustrated instructions on everything you need to know FAST-from defusing a bomb to delivering a baby in the back of a cab. Providing frightening and funny real information in the best-selling tradition of the Paranoid's Pocket Guide and Hypochondriac's Handbook, this indispensable, indestructible pocket-sized guide is the definitive handbook for those times when life takes a sudden turn for the worse. The essential companion for a perilous age. Because you never know...

Novel Interiors: Living in Enchanted Rooms Inspired by Literature


Lisa Borgnes Giramonti - 2014
    This is a stunning, photo-driven book that shares enchanting and timeless ways to live more elegantly.

Declutter: The get-real guide to creating calm from chaos


Debora Robertson - 2018
    Forget the holier-than-thou approach promising a whole new you if you alphabetise your sock drawer - this is decluttering for real people, with real lives. With a refreshingly honest approach, Debora tackles the best ways to deal with domestic dilemmas, cluttered kitchens and crowded cupboards. She includes handy tips and tricks for the average time-poor person. Tasks are broken down into achievable goals and 'quick fixes', allowing even the busiest of people to create, maintain and achieve a tidy home. And it's not just the home she tackles. Debora helps you banish anxiety and kick-start productivity with '10 de-cluttering commandments' and includes honest advice on how to conquer the fear of change. The busy writer, who has transformed her own cluttered home and mind using these techniques, also explores how best to unclutter your virtual world, from managing social media accounts to balancing email mailing lists.

Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean


Linda Cobb - 2000
    Offers advice on how to clean a multitude of household objects including everything from the kitchen sink to leather car upholstery, and provides tips on how to use tea to clean wood and vinegar to remove rust.

The Hidden Art of Homemaking


Edith Schaeffer - 1972
    The author reveals the many opportunities for artistic expression that can be found in ordinary, everyday life.

Minimalism for Families: Practical Minimalist Living Strategies to Simplify Your Home and Life


Zoë Kim - 2017
    Organizing your home and leading a minimalist lifestyle can seem like a daydream for busy families—but it’s possible! Designed for families who want to declutter and embrace minimalism into their life and home, Minimalism for Families lays out a room-by-room strategy to conquer chaos and show your family how much more time, space, and energy you gain when you live with less.Minimalism for Families contains: An Introduction to Minimalism covering essential information including what minimalism is, its lifestyle benefits, and how to adopt and integrate the mindset into your life A Plan for Every Room providing practical and realistic strategies for decluttering your family home one room at a time Tips for Team Effort tactics for getting your family on board with minimalism, plus approaches to address resistance to minimalism as a lifestyle Minimalism for Families features techniques to declutter and tidy up every room: Living Areas, Kitchen, Bedrooms, Home Office, Bathroom, Basements, Attics, and Other Storage Spaces.Clean up your family home for a clear purpose with Minimalism for Families.

Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing


Robert Novogratz - 2009
    Describing their signature style as a sophisticated but bohemian mix of high and low, new and old, they offer their realistic advice on how to create original, warm interiors with ease. One part practical guide, one part inspirational volume on creating a look for the home, the book pairs humorous anecdotes about the pitfalls and pleasures of renovation with a treasure trove of decorating tips: how to use both boutique and flea-market finds; how to inject lots of personality into a room affordably; how to decorate kids’ rooms so they appeal to children and adults; how to easily rehabilitate outdated furnishings; and many more. In each of the ten projects featured—which include a townhouse in New York City, a country house in Massachusetts, and a beach house in Brazil—before and after shots document the agony and ecstasy of any renovation project, as well as revealing the design duo’s vision and remarkable ability to see through the most awful of spaces to the amazing home that lies within.

The Hands-On Home: A Seasonal Guide to Cooking, Preserving & Natural Homekeeping


Erica Strauss - 2015
    A fresh take on modern homemaking, this is a practical (and sometimes sassy) guide to maximizing your time, effort, and energy in the kitchen and beyond. With a focus on less consumerism, it will teach you how to organize your kitchen and home to make the best use of your time. For those yearning to live a more ecologically minded, grounded lifestyle, this book is full of practical, no-nonsense advice, fabulous recipes, and time- and money-saving techniques.

The Art of Discarding: How to Get Rid of Clutter and Find Joy


Nagisa Tatsumi - 2000
    Practical and inspiring, The Art of Discarding (the book that originally inspired a young Marie Kondo to start cleaning up her closets) offers hands-on advice and easy-to-follow guidelines to help readers learn how to finally let go of stuff that is holding them back -- as well as sage advice on acquiring less in the first place. Author Nagisa Tatsumi urges us to reflect on our attitude to possessing things and to have the courage and conviction to get rid of all the stuff we really don't need, offering advice on how to tackle the things that pile up at home and take back control. By learning the art of discarding you will gain space, free yourself from "accumulation syndrome," and find new joy and purpose in your clutter-free life.

Magical Clutter Clearing Boot Camp


Tess Whitehurst - 2011
    Infused with popular author Tess Whitehurst's signature balance of whimsy and practicality, its sections include:* Clear the Decks - a reminder that everything is connected, and that clearing clutter from your home creates the space for positive change in your life,* Meet Your Clutter - a concise orientation to clutter varieties and how they affect your holistic well-being, along with advice on how to discern what is clutter and what isn't,* Get Your "Buts" in Gear - a list of common excuses, how to override them, and why they don't really add up, and finally,* Ready, Set, Clear - unique strategies to get started and keep moving.A lovely follow-up to the beloved home improvement bestseller Magical Housekeeping, the succinct Magical Clutter Clearing Boot Camp is a great companion when you're ready to change your energetic momentum and start living the magical life you've always dreamed about.