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362 reviews for:
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind: Dealing with Your House's Dirty Little Secrets
Dana K. White
4.1 AVERAGE
362 reviews for:
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind: Dealing with Your House's Dirty Little Secrets
Dana K. White
4.1 AVERAGE
This book was really good. Really really good. The reason for the four stars is because I read Decluttering at the Speed of Life (same author) before I read this one and a lot of the things covered in that book were also covered in this one. There was a lot to take from this book and I’m sure I’ll be referencing it in the future, but the duplication made it redundant.
This book is full of practical advice that is written for people that struggle with housecleaning. While I did not relate to everything, I would recommend this book. It is written in a humorous style that most people will enjoy, even if they don't enjoy cleaning.
It gives practical tips on how to actually make a habit, get rid of clutter and keep up on mundane things like dishes.
It gives practical tips on how to actually make a habit, get rid of clutter and keep up on mundane things like dishes.
I was inspired to listen to this book after having enjoyed the author’s second book on decluttering but after having done so, it was a bit repetitive and the advice that was more in cleaning was not necessarily as helpful for me since I have those parts mostly under control already. Still, it was helpful to have the decluttering advice repeated and I’m definitely convinced on that part at least!
did I ever think I'd read a housekeeping book and enjoy it? nope. but here it is. this is a book written for me, for my blinders to the daily mess.
Dana K. White came recommended to me by a friend. Unfortunately for me, I read the books in the wrong order. I started with Decluttering at the Speed of Life and then read this book.
Don't make the same mistake I did. The second half of this book is either a short preview of the next book or a very long review of something you already read.
In any case, White has a fun storytelling style and I love her honesty and candor about being a slob and the clutter gene. Even the stuff at the beginning about keeping your home clean is wonderful.
Definitely a good read. Just wish I'd read them in the opposite order.
Don't make the same mistake I did. The second half of this book is either a short preview of the next book or a very long review of something you already read.
In any case, White has a fun storytelling style and I love her honesty and candor about being a slob and the clutter gene. Even the stuff at the beginning about keeping your home clean is wonderful.
Definitely a good read. Just wish I'd read them in the opposite order.
My friends raved about this book and while I liked the author’s writing style, I found the situations described too extreme to be relatable for the purposes of housekeeping. While my house is not sparkling clean, I have never tripped over clutter or been unable to access parts of my home. I also don’t feel the level of anxiety the author describes over stuff. I appreciate her honesty and can appreciate it as a memoir but not as a housekeeping book.
I have read a lot of housekeeping manuals, and often I come away with one or two tips I want to try. This book packs a bigger punch, for me. I identify so much with Dana K. White. The inability to see small amounts of mess piling up before they become huge unmanageable messes? Me. The inability to correctly asses how much time various tasks will take? Also me. Frustration caused by seemingly “correct” and “logical” methods of cleaning and organizing (often found on Pinterest) not working for me? YES.
Most of the ideas White introduces in this book had me smacking my forehead and thinking “Why didn’t I think of that?! That makes so much sense!” She really stresses that you need to figure out not “the best way” to clean and run a household, but the best way for YOU (with your own unique challenges) to run YOUR HOUSE (with ITS unique challenges) at THIS TIME in your life. I’m already adopting some of these ideas and seeing results.
Most of the ideas White introduces in this book had me smacking my forehead and thinking “Why didn’t I think of that?! That makes so much sense!” She really stresses that you need to figure out not “the best way” to clean and run a household, but the best way for YOU (with your own unique challenges) to run YOUR HOUSE (with ITS unique challenges) at THIS TIME in your life. I’m already adopting some of these ideas and seeing results.
The book suffers from the same "I have a blog and now I'm writing a book" disjointedness that I have seen before. The chapters are short, great for busy people, but as a result they are shallow. The first fifty pages are just the author repeating for you to wash your dishes. If you have read Marie Kondo and follow FlyLady, there is nothing new here. I'm probably not the target audience for this book, nevertheless I did gain a few new insights. If you are drowning in your house and need a CliffsNotes in order to start NOW, this would be a great choice. But if you already know basic home management, it might be to repetitious for you.
This book was kind of the kick in the pants that I needed. It's fairly simple... do the dishes, sweep the kitchen, pick up the bathroom, 5 minute cleanup. I'll admit, it seems a little ridiculous to me that it took this book for me to realize this is what I needed to do. You'd think it's super obvious. But being a little overwhelmed and super cluttered, I needed Dana telling me how simple it was. Thank you, Dana!
Impressively helpful. It's a fairly informal book, more like a series of blog posts than a book which isn't surprising give the book's blog origins. The systems are actually working in my chaotic home that has defied several more formal systems. The book itself is a bit repetitive, but given its effectiveness (both my dishes and my laundry have been under control for a record six weeks) I am willing to deal with the repetition.