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363 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
363 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
I think this book wasn't for me - not that I don't want to achieve the ideal clean home the author strives for, but I don't really need someone to tell me to do the dishes. If anything, this book showed me that I'm on the right track in many ways, which is nice. But I found myself skipping lots of sections. I think the most important thing I took away from this was, don't have three kids because things will be way worse and so much harder than they are right now.
See, I work, don't have kids, I'm an artist with lots of supplies and different needs than a blogger/writer/mom. Mrs. White tries to make her book apply to every living situation, but it's really for people who've gotten to a place in their life where they're in over their heads, and they are just realizing that something needs to change. Cleaning your house is like loosing weight - it's a lifestyle change, not a one-big-overhaul diet and you're there! But I knew that. What gets me completely hopeless is noticing stuff like, the door frames and baseboards are filthy and haven't been cleaned since we moved in, or that the window latches, tops of door frames, under the microwave, need serious de-greasing, or the dirt that builds up on the inside panels of my washing machine - the stuff that you don't think about or do but a couple times a year - but really I want to conquer these things, and know what all they are: the base of the refrigerator should be opened and cleaned yearly; replacing the filter on the furnace and water dispensers each year; washing the outsides of the windows, the gutters, the inside of the humidifier... I was hoping more for a book like that. One that would go over all the stuff that would make my home truly clean!
Still, reading this book actually had an unexpected effect on me - I'd be reading and then just stop and do some cleaning because I'd feel like it. For that reason, I'll probably follow Dana K. White's blog just for the motivation it provides. I did learn a few things that I haven't tried about decluttering, like the Container Concept and Clutter Threshold, and I'm assuming that since a lot of the practices she talks about I know work because I already do them, then I'm guessing these will too and look forward to trying them.
See, I work, don't have kids, I'm an artist with lots of supplies and different needs than a blogger/writer/mom. Mrs. White tries to make her book apply to every living situation, but it's really for people who've gotten to a place in their life where they're in over their heads, and they are just realizing that something needs to change. Cleaning your house is like loosing weight - it's a lifestyle change, not a one-big-overhaul diet and you're there! But I knew that. What gets me completely hopeless is noticing stuff like, the door frames and baseboards are filthy and haven't been cleaned since we moved in, or that the window latches, tops of door frames, under the microwave, need serious de-greasing, or the dirt that builds up on the inside panels of my washing machine - the stuff that you don't think about or do but a couple times a year - but really I want to conquer these things, and know what all they are: the base of the refrigerator should be opened and cleaned yearly; replacing the filter on the furnace and water dispensers each year; washing the outsides of the windows, the gutters, the inside of the humidifier... I was hoping more for a book like that. One that would go over all the stuff that would make my home truly clean!
Still, reading this book actually had an unexpected effect on me - I'd be reading and then just stop and do some cleaning because I'd feel like it. For that reason, I'll probably follow Dana K. White's blog just for the motivation it provides. I did learn a few things that I haven't tried about decluttering, like the Container Concept and Clutter Threshold, and I'm assuming that since a lot of the practices she talks about I know work because I already do them, then I'm guessing these will too and look forward to trying them.
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
hopeful
fast-paced
Only for stay at home moms! Very frustrating
An organizing book for real life
I LOVED this book!! Even if I couldn't relate to every single scenario, it didn't matter- the basic ideas are the same for us all. This book is full of grace and truth and reasonableness. I will likely read it again and again! Plus, it's funny!
I LOVED this book!! Even if I couldn't relate to every single scenario, it didn't matter- the basic ideas are the same for us all. This book is full of grace and truth and reasonableness. I will likely read it again and again! Plus, it's funny!
I kinda can't believe I read this, but it's a testament to the influence of Myquillyn Smith, the Nester, who recommended it as her favorite. I got it via Hoopla, which is free via my library but made me appreciate Audible so much more (no chapter navigation, and at least with this recording, no pause between chapters).
I wouldn't recommend it as an audio-book (the blog comments and the slow-building routine at the end don't translate well) but I would have enjoyed this book back when a good friend first shared FlyLady and I was obsessed with building routines while my kids were babies.
She does a great job of describing the right-brain approach to decluttering ("Squirrel!") and why putting it away right now, even if that means being inefficient and making several trips up and down stairs, is best for certain people.
I didn't relate the cleaning chapters as I am a germ freak and was a bit horrified...but I could see listening to her second book on decluttering---because the truth is, after listening to this on the commute home at night, I had more motivation to sweep my floors and take a bag to Good Will than I do most evenings!
I wouldn't recommend it as an audio-book (the blog comments and the slow-building routine at the end don't translate well) but I would have enjoyed this book back when a good friend first shared FlyLady and I was obsessed with building routines while my kids were babies.
She does a great job of describing the right-brain approach to decluttering ("Squirrel!") and why putting it away right now, even if that means being inefficient and making several trips up and down stairs, is best for certain people.
I didn't relate the cleaning chapters as I am a germ freak and was a bit horrified...but I could see listening to her second book on decluttering---because the truth is, after listening to this on the commute home at night, I had more motivation to sweep my floors and take a bag to Good Will than I do most evenings!
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
I love these kinds of books. They are so… cozy to read and give me hope for a cleaner house. I am inspired once again amd my house is sparkling. The real test is time. Will see how long this lasts.
Ps: read it in Russian.
Ps: read it in Russian.
5 stars based on the helpfulness and relatability to me, a slob, wired the same as the author. Thank goodness 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Great book for all slobs 😜 Relatable and reassuring (because I’m not quite as bad as she was in the beginning lol) Practical and applicable-to my life, home, and family. I’m a few weeks in and starting to see and feel a difference!
informative
slow-paced