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How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind: Dealing with Your House's Dirty Little Secrets
Bring your home out of the mess it’s in and learn how to keep it under control.
“The dirty little secret about most organizing advice is that it’s written by organized people,” says blogger, speaker, and decluttering expert Dana K. White. “But that’s not how my brain works. I’m lost on page three.” Dana blogs at A Slob Comes Clean, chronicling her successes and failures with her self-described “deslobification process.” In the beginning she used the name “Nony” (short for aNONYmous), because she was sharing her deep, dark, slob secret. Now she has truly come clean—with not only her real name but the strategies she has developed, tested, and proved in her own home. She has learned what it takes to bring a home out of Disaster Status, which habits make the biggest and most lasting impact, and how to keep clutter under control.
In How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind, Dana explains that cleaning your house is not a onetime project but a series of ongoing premade decisions. Her reality-based cleaning and organizing techniques debunk the biggest housekeeping fantasies and help readers learn what really works. Chapter titles include
My First Step: Giving Up on the Fantasy
The Worst Thing About the Best Way
Just Tell Me What to Do
Conquering Laundry
Get Dinner on the Table
Putting an End to the Never-Ending Weekly Cleaning Tasks
Don’t Get Organized
How to Declutter Without Making a Bigger Mess
Fighting the Perceived Value Battle
But Will It Last?
With a huge helping of empathy and humor, Dana provides a step-by-step process with strategies for getting rid of enormous amounts of stuff in as little time (and with as little emotional drama) as possible.
“The dirty little secret about most organizing advice is that it’s written by organized people,” says blogger, speaker, and decluttering expert Dana K. White. “But that’s not how my brain works. I’m lost on page three.” Dana blogs at A Slob Comes Clean, chronicling her successes and failures with her self-described “deslobification process.” In the beginning she used the name “Nony” (short for aNONYmous), because she was sharing her deep, dark, slob secret. Now she has truly come clean—with not only her real name but the strategies she has developed, tested, and proved in her own home. She has learned what it takes to bring a home out of Disaster Status, which habits make the biggest and most lasting impact, and how to keep clutter under control.
In How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind, Dana explains that cleaning your house is not a onetime project but a series of ongoing premade decisions. Her reality-based cleaning and organizing techniques debunk the biggest housekeeping fantasies and help readers learn what really works. Chapter titles include
My First Step: Giving Up on the Fantasy
The Worst Thing About the Best Way
Just Tell Me What to Do
Conquering Laundry
Get Dinner on the Table
Putting an End to the Never-Ending Weekly Cleaning Tasks
Don’t Get Organized
How to Declutter Without Making a Bigger Mess
Fighting the Perceived Value Battle
But Will It Last?
With a huge helping of empathy and humor, Dana provides a step-by-step process with strategies for getting rid of enormous amounts of stuff in as little time (and with as little emotional drama) as possible.
240 pages, Paperback
First published November 8, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,369 reviews
October 14, 2021
My home gets out of control regularly. I never really understood why it would get so crazy when I clean so often.
Most people don't get it, they don't seem to have a problem with their house getting crazy but Dana totally understands. What's more, she's figured out how to fix it!
What really appealed to me is that Dana understands because she's been there, she's lived the mess, she is not the neat freak with no clue what it's like to struggle with keeping a home tidy. She's a naturally mess-prone person who has figured out what it takes to keep a home tidy despite her messy tendencies, and she's put all her hard won experience down on paper so we can all benefit from it.
This book spells out EXACTLY what I need to do to bring my home back from the edge of crazy and make it a calm oasis for my family. Her methods are simple and doable. There's no huge long to-do lists, there's no unrealistic list of house chores, there's no expectation that my home will never end up a mess again. There's just straight forward, achievable methods for getting a mess to not a mess. Methods that will also help to keep mess from happening again, but Dana also acknowledges that people like me can make a mess from thin air and that when that happens all I need to do is employ these methods again. That each time I use these methods in my home, the calm, clean, tidy home I strive for will last longer (despite myself) then the time before, so it's worth re-doing. It's worth trying again. It's worth not giving up just because my home didn't stay perfect forever and ever.
I have been waiting for this book to be released ever since I knew about it so of course I jumped at the chance to get an advance copy so long as I gave a truthful review. I've been following Dana's blog, A Slob Comes Clean, for some time now and I've been using these methods since before she put them all so clearly into easily actionable tasks in this book, so I KNOW they work, from experience. She has helped me to recognise my bad habits and to cultivate good habits.
If you are messy this book will help, if you know someone who is messy this book will help you understand them.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, How To Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind is a fun read! I devoured it as soon as I could and if my life had permitted I would have read it cover to cover in a single sitting. I will be reading it again.
Edit: I forgot to come back and say that I also bought a paper copy with my own money. I keep giving those copies away though, so glad I've got the e-copy too.
Most people don't get it, they don't seem to have a problem with their house getting crazy but Dana totally understands. What's more, she's figured out how to fix it!
What really appealed to me is that Dana understands because she's been there, she's lived the mess, she is not the neat freak with no clue what it's like to struggle with keeping a home tidy. She's a naturally mess-prone person who has figured out what it takes to keep a home tidy despite her messy tendencies, and she's put all her hard won experience down on paper so we can all benefit from it.
This book spells out EXACTLY what I need to do to bring my home back from the edge of crazy and make it a calm oasis for my family. Her methods are simple and doable. There's no huge long to-do lists, there's no unrealistic list of house chores, there's no expectation that my home will never end up a mess again. There's just straight forward, achievable methods for getting a mess to not a mess. Methods that will also help to keep mess from happening again, but Dana also acknowledges that people like me can make a mess from thin air and that when that happens all I need to do is employ these methods again. That each time I use these methods in my home, the calm, clean, tidy home I strive for will last longer (despite myself) then the time before, so it's worth re-doing. It's worth trying again. It's worth not giving up just because my home didn't stay perfect forever and ever.
I have been waiting for this book to be released ever since I knew about it so of course I jumped at the chance to get an advance copy so long as I gave a truthful review. I've been following Dana's blog, A Slob Comes Clean, for some time now and I've been using these methods since before she put them all so clearly into easily actionable tasks in this book, so I KNOW they work, from experience. She has helped me to recognise my bad habits and to cultivate good habits.
If you are messy this book will help, if you know someone who is messy this book will help you understand them.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, How To Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind is a fun read! I devoured it as soon as I could and if my life had permitted I would have read it cover to cover in a single sitting. I will be reading it again.
Edit: I forgot to come back and say that I also bought a paper copy with my own money. I keep giving those copies away though, so glad I've got the e-copy too.
October 8, 2016
This book is for you if you have ever -
1. thrown Marie Kondo's book against the wall in a fit of rage,
2. dumped your junk drawer into a box during a move, and continued to use that strategy for every move well into midlife,
3. suspected you are so right brained there is no housekeeping/organizing book that can help you.
I stumbled upon Dana White's blog one day while once again googling about cleaning instead of actually cleaning. I became a devoted fan after reading her post, "Defining Normal."
If you are a Flylady failure like me, try this. It just might change your life.
1. thrown Marie Kondo's book against the wall in a fit of rage,
2. dumped your junk drawer into a box during a move, and continued to use that strategy for every move well into midlife,
3. suspected you are so right brained there is no housekeeping/organizing book that can help you.
I stumbled upon Dana White's blog one day while once again googling about cleaning instead of actually cleaning. I became a devoted fan after reading her post, "Defining Normal."
If you are a Flylady failure like me, try this. It just might change your life.
January 30, 2018
Well, that took forever! A six hour audiobook that took me three weeks to finish despite some skipping ahead. Uh oh! This book was written by a blogger and the same issues as most. It’s extremely repetitive, too drawn out, and has sections called “proof it’s not just me” that supply comments from the blog supporting her methods.
The best takeaway for me was at the very beginning when she advised that keeping a neat house is an ongoing chore rather than a project to be completed. Otherwise, there wasn’t much here that I hadn’t heard before.
I say (with NO judgement) that I am not at a stage where every dish we own is dirty and has been piled in the sink for weeks or we have no clean clothes in the house. I’m not hanging onto the baby clothes of high school-aged kids. I don’t open the silverware drawer and find empty dental floss containers, pens, old cassette tapes, a flea collar, college textbooks and dead batteries. If this sounds familiar, you may find this book helpful. It should be noted the author is charming and pleasant, and I applaud her ability to turn her housekeeping challenges into a money-making blog. 2.5 stars
The best takeaway for me was at the very beginning when she advised that keeping a neat house is an ongoing chore rather than a project to be completed. Otherwise, there wasn’t much here that I hadn’t heard before.
I say (with NO judgement) that I am not at a stage where every dish we own is dirty and has been piled in the sink for weeks or we have no clean clothes in the house. I’m not hanging onto the baby clothes of high school-aged kids. I don’t open the silverware drawer and find empty dental floss containers, pens, old cassette tapes, a flea collar, college textbooks and dead batteries. If this sounds familiar, you may find this book helpful. It should be noted the author is charming and pleasant, and I applaud her ability to turn her housekeeping challenges into a money-making blog. 2.5 stars
October 3, 2016
When I first started this book, Dana White actually gives a warning to people like me, I would be in a category of 'not needing this book'. I debated just putting it down but then decided to go through it - maybe I could teach someone else (namely my mother) who would certainly fall into the category "desperately needs this book'.
I love organization and trying something new and I even enjoyed other organizational books and tried giving an ode of farewell to each piece of clothing that I discarded and tried finding the joy in what I kept. But honestly? Dana White is real for the rest of us. Dana White provides real solutions, tips and backs it up and she has put into words many of the organizational secrets that keep my house de-cluttered and organized. Developing simple habits - or as she calls them "pre-made decisions" and also her container mindset are excellent takeaways from the book. Although I have not gone through it, her 28 day plan is like a meal-plan for your home - and its actually makes sense, not a bunch of tips that are seemingly impossible.
If you want to organize your home and are just overwhelmed with the thought of it, Dana Whites book is a great place to start. By creating habits, you'll be amazed with the time and energy you will get back in return.
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
I love organization and trying something new and I even enjoyed other organizational books and tried giving an ode of farewell to each piece of clothing that I discarded and tried finding the joy in what I kept. But honestly? Dana White is real for the rest of us. Dana White provides real solutions, tips and backs it up and she has put into words many of the organizational secrets that keep my house de-cluttered and organized. Developing simple habits - or as she calls them "pre-made decisions" and also her container mindset are excellent takeaways from the book. Although I have not gone through it, her 28 day plan is like a meal-plan for your home - and its actually makes sense, not a bunch of tips that are seemingly impossible.
If you want to organize your home and are just overwhelmed with the thought of it, Dana Whites book is a great place to start. By creating habits, you'll be amazed with the time and energy you will get back in return.
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 8, 2016
Here's the total (and somewhat embarrassing) truth...My home LOOKS mostly clean. But start opening drawers and closets or looking under beds and there is a different story to tell. If I can't find a home for something, I shove it in a drawer to "deal with it later." And sadly, "later" rarely comes. Aside from cleaning kitchen counters and sweeping the floor daily, I have no set schedule or routine for cleaning. Whatever gets done whenever it gets done. So toilets might get cleaned once a week.... or I might skip a week. Until I realize "Oh hey! I haven't done this in a few days!" Or something like that. After reading this book, I have begun to implement many of the strategies Dana suggests and it's making a difference! New habits are forming. And when you are a fly by the seat of your pants kinda girl, new habits are a good thing sometimes
October 3, 2016
Now a days, Americans are drowning in stuff. More stuff than we ever needed. One of the more popular books lately have been about decluttering and cleaning. Dana White attacks this openly and immediately in full force. This is written for the creative, the artists, the ones who shove EVERYTHING in a closet before company comes over, the ones who cannot understand why they know they are intelligent yet their houses remain dirty, with no matter the number of shelves, containers, or routines making it clean. Those who make every excuse, and potentially an existential crisis when understanding the perfection, how, and why of cleaning. She tackles it all, knocking it down and getting to the center. Nothing is going to get your home clean, except you.
The methods she presents can be found almost anywhere, but it is her style, pattern, delivery, and honesty that kept me reading and trusting the way through. Do yourself a favor, read the book, and then go do your dishes. Your home will thank you.
Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review, and boy howdy do I feel lucky I did.
The methods she presents can be found almost anywhere, but it is her style, pattern, delivery, and honesty that kept me reading and trusting the way through. Do yourself a favor, read the book, and then go do your dishes. Your home will thank you.
Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review, and boy howdy do I feel lucky I did.
December 9, 2019
4.0 Stars
This was an entertaining home management book with a lot of great practical advice. I read the author's second book on decluttering first, so I did find some overlap in content in this one. I listened to this on audio, which was a highly enjoyable experience while I cleaned my own house.
This was an entertaining home management book with a lot of great practical advice. I read the author's second book on decluttering first, so I did find some overlap in content in this one. I listened to this on audio, which was a highly enjoyable experience while I cleaned my own house.
October 6, 2017
Humorous, and down right honest. I read the intro to this book and the author very firmly states that this book was NOT written for someone like me. However, I laughed my way through the first chapter and decided I didn't want to quit reading it. I really believe that this book would be super helpful and life changing for those who truly do struggle with house management. I took one star away, because, sometimes I felt like the chapters seemed a little repetitive. I really enjoyed the author's voice, though, and I picked up multiple tips and ideas for managing my own home.
April 4, 2018
Entertaining book with commonsense tips, good easy ideas for the modern slob. Some of these include; doing the dishes EVERY day, 5 minute bedtime cleanups and tackling visible clutter before hidden clutter like floors over drawers.
October 7, 2016
This book! I love it! Somehow Dana White makes a book about keeping up your house - something I hate and have endless struggles with- a joy to read! She is fun and funny and encouraging and understands the issues that people like me have when attempting this feat! From her introducing the word slob-vision (where you no longer see the mess because you are so used to it) to her easy to follow and believe in thoughts and procedures for what works for the imperfect unorganized house keeper, this book has changed my life already. I literally got out of bed at night multiple times while reading this book because I felt empowered to accomplish something!
Hope. That's the bottom line. She gives hope and encouragement (and practical, manageable advice that makes sense) to people who are overwhelmed with mess, disorganization, and who just can't seem to keep it all together in the home.
This book was easy to read, easy to relate to and easy to follow! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is an imperfect housekeeper!
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I had no idea who this author was and now I'm subscribed to her podcast, her Facebook page and Twitter feed because she is awesome!!
October 7, 2016
I was blessed to receive and Advanced Readers Copy of tgis book to read and review. It has been EYE-OPENING!! Dana White has captured the intermost thoughts of my brain and placed them on paper. I cannot express the relief that comes from hearing her words of affirmation about what 'slobvision' can do to our Psyche and that I am not alone. I have already made the basic changes she has suggested in the first 8 chapters, they're simple, but they're LIFE BREATHING changes. As I continue through this book I am finally understanding that I really can do this. This book is NOT a '5 simple tricks to making your house clean once' type of a book. This is a 'change your attitude, open your eyes, give yourself grace, put on your big girl panties, and get to work' kind of a book. If you are finally ready to understand your deep desire to be organized, but also have a deep loathing of the mess/clutter you have never been able to tame:. NOW IS THE TIME TO READ THIS BOOK!! Your house may never be 'realtor come show my house anytime you want' ready, but it will no longer be 'I hate this house mess so much that I want to burn it to the ground' overwhelming.
October 7, 2016
I am currently on page 111 of this book and my mind is seriously blown. I am a slob, for real. We have lived in our current home for 8+ years and maybe for six months, my home was in good order. I am a recovering perfectionist, I am not good at having routines, you name it, I struggle with it. Dana gets me, she gets my mindset, she gets what I need. So far, I've adopted the first few precepts that she encourages. It has really changed so much. My slobvision is much clearer and I am starting to feel like this could change the way my house looks. I was blessed to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I can't wait to continue to read and reread, then implement the strategies into my daily life.
October 9, 2016
I was curious to read this book because for some reason I've always been drawn to cleaning/homemaking/organization type books. But they are usually written by people who are naturally adept at cleaning/homemaking/organizing, which (believe it or not) doesn't quite help than those of us who aren't. We need to get information in a different way than those who are. So I read this book to see what could be different about it, and boy, did it hit the jackpot! I'm so glad I read it!
This book is written by someone who isn't naturally clean and organized in her home, so when she explains her reasoning for why she does things it makes perfect sense to me! I can't count the number of times something she said really resonated with me - and hit me hard. The kind of "hard" that I think about it later, and it actually affects how I do things around my house now. That's the kind of information I needed from a book like this! I know it will help me make great changes, because it already has.
Some things that helped me:
- the idea that things usually take longer or shorter than we think (If it only takes a few minutes, why not just get it done? If it is going to take longer, why not start sooner?)
- the idea of routines for things that I'd never considered them for, or I'd considered them but didn't understand why they might help, so I discarded the routines before they had a chance to help
- the idea that sometimes we just don't see things because they've been there so long they become a part of the environment -- even if we don't really want them there.
- a lot of other things!
I read this book as a pre-release pdf in exchange for an honest review of it. I think I will probably buy this book for myself and my daughters. I'm so glad I was willing to give another cleaning/homemaking/organizing book a chance.
This book is written by someone who isn't naturally clean and organized in her home, so when she explains her reasoning for why she does things it makes perfect sense to me! I can't count the number of times something she said really resonated with me - and hit me hard. The kind of "hard" that I think about it later, and it actually affects how I do things around my house now. That's the kind of information I needed from a book like this! I know it will help me make great changes, because it already has.
Some things that helped me:
- the idea that things usually take longer or shorter than we think (If it only takes a few minutes, why not just get it done? If it is going to take longer, why not start sooner?)
- the idea of routines for things that I'd never considered them for, or I'd considered them but didn't understand why they might help, so I discarded the routines before they had a chance to help
- the idea that sometimes we just don't see things because they've been there so long they become a part of the environment -- even if we don't really want them there.
- a lot of other things!
I read this book as a pre-release pdf in exchange for an honest review of it. I think I will probably buy this book for myself and my daughters. I'm so glad I was willing to give another cleaning/homemaking/organizing book a chance.
April 10, 2017
Actually, this is probably a 4.5 star book, especially if you are a naturally disorganized person, I.e. a slob. Because this is a book written by a self-professed slob for other slobs about how to de-slobify your house. It is not written for people who keep their kitchen counters clean without thinking about it, or who have kept the same wooden puzzles together without losing a piece through 4 or more kids. It is not written for people who are capable of keeping command journals and thinking in zones. It's written for people who need to be reminded that they should do their dishes every day.
Having a large family does teach you some survival skills the hard way -- we do dishes 3x a day and could probably do with adding a 4th time -- but I think if I had read this book in my 20's when my family was small, I could have saved myself a lot of pain and headaches. Even though I am not quite on the basic level to which much of the book is directed, I still found several good ideas that work with the way my brain works, such as focusing on making small daily habits instead of on grand systems, getting the easy stuff done first in any situation you find overwhelming, and making decluttering as simple as possible (do not ask yourself any questions that involve emotions, for one thing). It's a good book, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever thrown a housekeeping manual at the wall in disgust because its advice seemed way too complicated or totally inapplicable to the piles of stuff crowding your living room.
Having a large family does teach you some survival skills the hard way -- we do dishes 3x a day and could probably do with adding a 4th time -- but I think if I had read this book in my 20's when my family was small, I could have saved myself a lot of pain and headaches. Even though I am not quite on the basic level to which much of the book is directed, I still found several good ideas that work with the way my brain works, such as focusing on making small daily habits instead of on grand systems, getting the easy stuff done first in any situation you find overwhelming, and making decluttering as simple as possible (do not ask yourself any questions that involve emotions, for one thing). It's a good book, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever thrown a housekeeping manual at the wall in disgust because its advice seemed way too complicated or totally inapplicable to the piles of stuff crowding your living room.
October 11, 2016
Is your house out of control? Cluttered? Messy? Disorganized? Driving you crazy?
Dana K. White has tips and tricks that will help you get your space back on track.
And she's FUNNY.
A book about housekeeping that's also an enjoyable read? Yes! White provides lighthearted motivation to get out of your housekeeping ruts, de-clutter your home, and streamline your home-management routines without making you feel like a domestic failure. A must-read for anyone who feels overwhelmed by their daily chores!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Dana K. White has tips and tricks that will help you get your space back on track.
And she's FUNNY.
A book about housekeeping that's also an enjoyable read? Yes! White provides lighthearted motivation to get out of your housekeeping ruts, de-clutter your home, and streamline your home-management routines without making you feel like a domestic failure. A must-read for anyone who feels overwhelmed by their daily chores!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 26, 2022
3.5 stars
Well, I messed up and read Dana White's books out of order. Decluttering at the Speed of Life was, in fact, life changing for me. The container principle (whatever size your container aka bookshelf, cupboard, drawer, closet, [cough cough] HOUSE — limits the size of what you can store: so limit what you keep to the size of your container) was so helpful for me to reframe culling decisions.
But. When I encountered it in *this* book, it was "old hat," "yeah, I know that already." It's still really good stuff, it's just not new and earth-shaking to me today.
I loved several things: looking at managing your home NOT as a 'project' but as daily habits. Working on the most visible parts of your house first. Making basic chores (washing dishes, sweeping the kitchen floor) non-negotiable habits.
Her first daily habit is "do the dishes" — so reminiscent of the Flylady's command to polish the sink. For me, home cleaning/management/how-to books are just like diet books. I've tried them all. It's sort of like playing the game: "What diet have you NOT tried?" But, really, it makes sense. Dirty dishes all over the counter and piled precariously in the sink spell S-L-O-B better than any Scripps Spelling Bee Contestant.
The other throw-back, for me, was timing how long a task took. Yep. I did that with Sidetracked Home Executives. I timed myself vacuuming the ghastly olive green shag carpet (9 minutes) and put it on an index card. I still have those cards. Sigh.
The best thing about Dana White's approach, I think, is that she has a way of reframing your dilemmas *and* answering them. Selling on Ebay? Just donate the stuff!
But I'm gonna one-up Dana and give you the *best* Home Management tip ever: Marry a Neat Freak. I shudder, positively seize, imaging what my life would be like if I had married a slob. My husband, aka The Laundry Czar (he changes loads in the middle of the night, for reals!), thinks and acts in an orderly way. It has been the biggest blessing of my life.
Which brings me back to one of Dana's best quotes: Ideas weren’t making a difference. The only thing that made a difference was actually doing something. I can't tell you HOW MANY times I've read a book, gurgled and bubbled about my 'new system', and my husband has said, "Just vacuum the *$(&@# floor; stop reading books!" It all comes down to doing the work.
Well, I messed up and read Dana White's books out of order. Decluttering at the Speed of Life was, in fact, life changing for me. The container principle (whatever size your container aka bookshelf, cupboard, drawer, closet, [cough cough] HOUSE — limits the size of what you can store: so limit what you keep to the size of your container) was so helpful for me to reframe culling decisions.
But. When I encountered it in *this* book, it was "old hat," "yeah, I know that already." It's still really good stuff, it's just not new and earth-shaking to me today.
I loved several things: looking at managing your home NOT as a 'project' but as daily habits. Working on the most visible parts of your house first. Making basic chores (washing dishes, sweeping the kitchen floor) non-negotiable habits.
Her first daily habit is "do the dishes" — so reminiscent of the Flylady's command to polish the sink. For me, home cleaning/management/how-to books are just like diet books. I've tried them all. It's sort of like playing the game: "What diet have you NOT tried?" But, really, it makes sense. Dirty dishes all over the counter and piled precariously in the sink spell S-L-O-B better than any Scripps Spelling Bee Contestant.
The other throw-back, for me, was timing how long a task took. Yep. I did that with Sidetracked Home Executives. I timed myself vacuuming the ghastly olive green shag carpet (9 minutes) and put it on an index card. I still have those cards. Sigh.
The best thing about Dana White's approach, I think, is that she has a way of reframing your dilemmas *and* answering them. Selling on Ebay? Just donate the stuff!
But I'm gonna one-up Dana and give you the *best* Home Management tip ever: Marry a Neat Freak. I shudder, positively seize, imaging what my life would be like if I had married a slob. My husband, aka The Laundry Czar (he changes loads in the middle of the night, for reals!), thinks and acts in an orderly way. It has been the biggest blessing of my life.
Which brings me back to one of Dana's best quotes: Ideas weren’t making a difference. The only thing that made a difference was actually doing something. I can't tell you HOW MANY times I've read a book, gurgled and bubbled about my 'new system', and my husband has said, "Just vacuum the *$(&@# floor; stop reading books!" It all comes down to doing the work.
August 13, 2019
Just like with the other book from this author I've read, Decluttering at the Speed of Life, it's a valuable resource, yet I'm honestly really relieved I borrowed it instead of buying it, for a few reasons:
1) It's repetitive as heck. Just like the other book.
2) Once you take away a few core values from the book (like setting a specific day each week for laundry and not budging from that), it's a lot of filler material and anecdotes for no reason. The "meat" of this book could easily be fit into 50pg or less.
3) If you haven't read Decluttering at the Speed of Life yet, SKIP IT and read this instead. No joke, about 80pg of this book covers literally THE ENTIRE OTHER BOOK. If you saw my review for Decluttering, you might remember me complaining that the entire second half of the book was the same guidelines being rephrased over and over for each specific room in your home? Yeah, well, that was proven by the fact that another 200+pg. book could be fit into only 80pg of this book.
I dunno, y'all... I'm so torn. This book and Decluttering both truly did give me tips that have already helped me and my spouse TREMENDOUSLY with our house, but at the same time, these books feel so gimmicky and unnecessary that I cannot in good conscience recommend them to you unless you can borrow them, find them at a great price, or have a lot more spare book-buying cash laying around than I do (because I'd frankly be mad as hell if I'd spent $16.99USD each on these books).
1) It's repetitive as heck. Just like the other book.
2) Once you take away a few core values from the book (like setting a specific day each week for laundry and not budging from that), it's a lot of filler material and anecdotes for no reason. The "meat" of this book could easily be fit into 50pg or less.
3) If you haven't read Decluttering at the Speed of Life yet, SKIP IT and read this instead. No joke, about 80pg of this book covers literally THE ENTIRE OTHER BOOK. If you saw my review for Decluttering, you might remember me complaining that the entire second half of the book was the same guidelines being rephrased over and over for each specific room in your home? Yeah, well, that was proven by the fact that another 200+pg. book could be fit into only 80pg of this book.
I dunno, y'all... I'm so torn. This book and Decluttering both truly did give me tips that have already helped me and my spouse TREMENDOUSLY with our house, but at the same time, these books feel so gimmicky and unnecessary that I cannot in good conscience recommend them to you unless you can borrow them, find them at a great price, or have a lot more spare book-buying cash laying around than I do (because I'd frankly be mad as hell if I'd spent $16.99USD each on these books).
March 29, 2024
I've read a lot of decluttering books and this one is one of my favorites. I also really like the magical tidying lady, but this author has a totally different tone and writes from the perspective of a woman who tends towards messes and clutter and who had to teach herself how to overcome it, which I found especially helpful and relatable.
I read this book after I read an ARC of a newer book by the same author (Decluttering At the Speed of Life) and saw that some people said her first book (this one) was more helpful. I ordered it from the library and have really enjoyed it. I find it much more helpful and also really liked some of her realizations, such as the container concept (your bookshelf or drawer or shelf or whatever is the container for items that go there, and once it is full you need to get rid of lesser loved ones until they fit, period, not buy another container, also -- your house is a container too). This is a good read and helps change your mindset. Also, it's helpful that she deals with issues like what to do when you think your clutter is worth potential money or is sentimental and so on.
I read this book after I read an ARC of a newer book by the same author (Decluttering At the Speed of Life) and saw that some people said her first book (this one) was more helpful. I ordered it from the library and have really enjoyed it. I find it much more helpful and also really liked some of her realizations, such as the container concept (your bookshelf or drawer or shelf or whatever is the container for items that go there, and once it is full you need to get rid of lesser loved ones until they fit, period, not buy another container, also -- your house is a container too). This is a good read and helps change your mindset. Also, it's helpful that she deals with issues like what to do when you think your clutter is worth potential money or is sentimental and so on.
November 8, 2016
I've spent my adult life struggling to understand why some people always have clean, ready for guests homes while I continually have a disaster zone. Surely they have maids? More disciplined children? A husband that loves laundry day? Or maybe, as Dana so clearly lays out, they have a plan that becomes a series of habits. I'm still in the midst of nailing down these habits, but for the first time in years, I understand that I can manage my home without losing my mind. Dana does a great job of being relatable. Her advice is delivered through manageable sections that are easy to return to and build upon. I enjoy her ideas and have already seen a difference in my home and in my attitude toward maintaining my home. Receiving an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for my honest review was just the impetus I needed to stop making excuses and actually start cleaning!
October 6, 2016
I can't sing the praises of this book enough! I am neat by nature but felt my house getting a little harder to manage with each baby (and all. the. stuff.). I love how this book breaks things down into manageable REALISTIC tasks. I was only a few chapters in when my husband could already tell a difference in our home.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
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October 3, 2016I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. Probably 'cause they know they won't get anything other than an honest review!
If you have ever wondered why your messy friend/relative/SO can't just pick up the house more often. This isn't the book for you. (or maybe it is... it will help explain why, when it's that easy... that it's not that easy at all)
If you can't go to sleep with the house a mess and the dishes not done. This isn't the book for you.
If you look around the house that was so clean just days ago and wonder when the hurricane happened and just don't know where to start. This IS the book for you.
If you ever read those organizing books that assume that your dirty dishes and laundry ISN'T a permanent part of the decor and want to crawl into a hole 'cause you just honestly don't know what they are talking about. This IS the book for you.
If you look around at your house and just want to cry and just know that there is no hope. Oh boy... IS THIS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
Dana (or Nony) White has been there. Is still there sometimes. But the difference is that she knows how to dig her way out... and she's funny... and honest... and honestly funny.
Don't get me wrong. She gives advice on how to make your home better. But what she really gives is hope. Yup. Hope for any and all. Even you. (if that makes you want to cry, you really, really need to read this book)
The biggest difference between this book and any other I have ever read (and I've read plenty) is that she doesn't start with lists and assumptions. She doesn't tell you 'how it's going to be'. She talks about how it was for her and how she's changed in her 6(+?) years of blogging about getting her home into shape. She writes about all the things that she has discovered about herself and her Slob Brain and how that works like Clutter Thresholds and Contain-ers and One-In-One-Out and Cleaning Intuition in ways that I've never read before.
It's not about organizational gadgets or cute little containers or that magic combination of laundry baskets that is going to change your world. It's about learning what works... and gives you specific ways to gain hope and traction and time and sanity in itty-bitty you-can-do-this steps until you have hope.
This book was funny and direct (neither of which is a surprise if you have read her blog). She is that friend who finally 'gets' you and can help you talk your way through the perfectionism and the confusion until you have hope. It can get better. You CAN do this.
And she's funny...
If you have ever wondered why your messy friend/relative/SO can't just pick up the house more often. This isn't the book for you. (or maybe it is... it will help explain why, when it's that easy... that it's not that easy at all)
If you can't go to sleep with the house a mess and the dishes not done. This isn't the book for you.
If you look around the house that was so clean just days ago and wonder when the hurricane happened and just don't know where to start. This IS the book for you.
If you ever read those organizing books that assume that your dirty dishes and laundry ISN'T a permanent part of the decor and want to crawl into a hole 'cause you just honestly don't know what they are talking about. This IS the book for you.
If you look around at your house and just want to cry and just know that there is no hope. Oh boy... IS THIS THE BOOK FOR YOU!
Dana (or Nony) White has been there. Is still there sometimes. But the difference is that she knows how to dig her way out... and she's funny... and honest... and honestly funny.
Don't get me wrong. She gives advice on how to make your home better. But what she really gives is hope. Yup. Hope for any and all. Even you. (if that makes you want to cry, you really, really need to read this book)
The biggest difference between this book and any other I have ever read (and I've read plenty) is that she doesn't start with lists and assumptions. She doesn't tell you 'how it's going to be'. She talks about how it was for her and how she's changed in her 6(+?) years of blogging about getting her home into shape. She writes about all the things that she has discovered about herself and her Slob Brain and how that works like Clutter Thresholds and Contain-ers and One-In-One-Out and Cleaning Intuition in ways that I've never read before.
It's not about organizational gadgets or cute little containers or that magic combination of laundry baskets that is going to change your world. It's about learning what works... and gives you specific ways to gain hope and traction and time and sanity in itty-bitty you-can-do-this steps until you have hope.
This book was funny and direct (neither of which is a surprise if you have read her blog). She is that friend who finally 'gets' you and can help you talk your way through the perfectionism and the confusion until you have hope. It can get better. You CAN do this.
And she's funny...
March 6, 2021
2 1/2 stars... rounded up because I honestly feel badly giving 2 stars when I think the author really tried.
My main issue with this book is that it could’ve been a quarter of the size … possibly even just one nice, succinct blog post. Admittedly, I don’t have an issue with laundry piling up (I skipped two chapters, I think, that dealt solely with keeping on top of the laundry), and I already have discovered the truth that a tidy home comes more from small, consistent habits than anything else. But even if all of this is new to the reader, I found the book to be extremely repetitive.
OK, and maybe this is just me, but I was really bothered by how archaic and sexist I found the author’s perspective on maintaining a nice home to be. Every time she mentioned her husband helping or noticing how he would have clean socks if he did x y or z , I physically bristled. I mean I literally had a physical reaction to this. There is an entire passage where she talks about how it was her fault that she let all these bad habits creep into their lives, and how could any of her family members know any better since it was her fault that everything got so trashed in the first place. I honestly wanted to pause the book… take the author out for a cup of coffee… and have one of those “hey, my friend...” talks. I understand that everyone has their own way of doing things and if it works for them, shoot, who am I to say anything? Still, I found it jarring and kind of sad.
My main issue with this book is that it could’ve been a quarter of the size … possibly even just one nice, succinct blog post. Admittedly, I don’t have an issue with laundry piling up (I skipped two chapters, I think, that dealt solely with keeping on top of the laundry), and I already have discovered the truth that a tidy home comes more from small, consistent habits than anything else. But even if all of this is new to the reader, I found the book to be extremely repetitive.
OK, and maybe this is just me, but I was really bothered by how archaic and sexist I found the author’s perspective on maintaining a nice home to be. Every time she mentioned her husband helping or noticing how he would have clean socks if he did x y or z , I physically bristled. I mean I literally had a physical reaction to this. There is an entire passage where she talks about how it was her fault that she let all these bad habits creep into their lives, and how could any of her family members know any better since it was her fault that everything got so trashed in the first place. I honestly wanted to pause the book… take the author out for a cup of coffee… and have one of those “hey, my friend...” talks. I understand that everyone has their own way of doing things and if it works for them, shoot, who am I to say anything? Still, I found it jarring and kind of sad.
April 12, 2023
This was an easy read and immediately helpful! I think I am definitely the target audience for this book as I am not naturally an organized person, but idealistic and project-oriented. Also I love crafts and crafting supplies and this book had lots of craft related examples of clutter, so I felt seen. There were a few points that really hit home for me. One is "Dishes Math" and since then, I've been trying to change my habits of dishwashing and it really does make a big difference. Another is the "Clutter Threshold" concept and how different people can have different thresholds. It basically means how much stuff you can have and keep under control without it creating clutter. Some people have low clutter thresholds, while others (like one of my friend's mom) have very high thresholds--they can own a LOT of stuff, and yet have it all perfectly organized in a well-curated house. Some people can innately live within their Clutter Threshold, and others (like me!) seem not to be aware of their limits. The container concept is also a big one for me and I am slowly seeing how various spaces are containers and if I can't fit everything I want to in a container, I need to get rid of stuff (not buy more containers) (and stop saving old jars). This is especially painful for some of my crafting supplies, because my husband also likes saving crafts and hobby supplies and gets sad when I throw out a bunch of old fabric scraps I've had for years. But he's getting on board, too.
October 10, 2016
I picked up this book with the hopes of finding tips on how to organise my home better. But Dana warned pretty much ahead that this book is not for "organised people" and I wondered if I fall into that category.
My house is clean most of the time, because I like things neat and tidy. But if you look at it closely, it's still cluttered. And I hate clutter. My kind of ideal home is those minimalist concept and after living with hoarders, I kinda gave up!
I can relate to most of what Dana shared in this book. Her advice makes perfect sense and they are practical. Her list of non-negotiables are do-able and it has become a habit. I like what she said, "If we have been rocking our daily habits, we can be ready to have guests over in five minutes." And that's what happened last week. For the first time in many years, I hosted dinner for some friends at home (without the help of my husband because he was in camp for a week). This was manageable as I followed through her tips on where to start and dealing with pre-made decisions. The sections on managing and getting rid of clutter were also awesome!
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
My house is clean most of the time, because I like things neat and tidy. But if you look at it closely, it's still cluttered. And I hate clutter. My kind of ideal home is those minimalist concept and after living with hoarders, I kinda gave up!
I can relate to most of what Dana shared in this book. Her advice makes perfect sense and they are practical. Her list of non-negotiables are do-able and it has become a habit. I like what she said, "If we have been rocking our daily habits, we can be ready to have guests over in five minutes." And that's what happened last week. For the first time in many years, I hosted dinner for some friends at home (without the help of my husband because he was in camp for a week). This was manageable as I followed through her tips on where to start and dealing with pre-made decisions. The sections on managing and getting rid of clutter were also awesome!
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 3, 2016
I occasionally joke and say I am a hoarder. My house isn't overrun, but even though we moved into our house 2 years ago, I still don't feel like there's a place for everything. Some of that is because we do actually need a few more pieces of furniture. Some of that is because I struggle to let go of things. This book has changed my view of decluttering. I've been able to let go of a few things I normally would have clung to. And I've started picking up my house daily and building new habits. This is a book for anyone who struggles to keep their house clean and looks longingly at those decorating magazines wishing they could do that to their house. This book reminds you, you are not alone, there is hope, and it does not have to be perfect to be clean. It's a process. And it can be done, even when you don't have a mind that thinks like all those other professional organizers!
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange of an honest review
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange of an honest review
March 8, 2019
This is White's book about basic housekeeping & creating very simple habits to begin to addressing your "slob" home. (White is a self-professed, reformed "slob".)
She does a great job explaining why you have a mess (your mind just doesn't register it) & talks you through doing some very basic cleaning tasks. And she repeats & reinforces doing these basic tasks daily. White is a good motivator, as well as being funny.
A great book for the truly overwhelmed, sloppy home that is so over the top that you don't know where to start.
If you need help with decluttering (which will then make your housekeeping easier), check out her other book, Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff.
She does a great job explaining why you have a mess (your mind just doesn't register it) & talks you through doing some very basic cleaning tasks. And she repeats & reinforces doing these basic tasks daily. White is a good motivator, as well as being funny.
A great book for the truly overwhelmed, sloppy home that is so over the top that you don't know where to start.
If you need help with decluttering (which will then make your housekeeping easier), check out her other book, Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff.
June 16, 2021
I received a PDF of this book from the publisher for review.
I am a recovering slob. I identify with a lot of what the author describes, especially her thought process as it relates to the disorganized messes I often discover in my house (and car.)
I appreciate that this book is written by someone who is NOT naturally organized and orderly. Many books of this type are written by people who are naturally organized and love to clean.
White's gentle but direct instruction DOES WORK. Do it, and reap the benefits!
I am a recovering slob. I identify with a lot of what the author describes, especially her thought process as it relates to the disorganized messes I often discover in my house (and car.)
I appreciate that this book is written by someone who is NOT naturally organized and orderly. Many books of this type are written by people who are naturally organized and love to clean.
White's gentle but direct instruction DOES WORK. Do it, and reap the benefits!
September 29, 2016
How to manage your home is a clever, interesting book written for a very specific audience. Dana makes it very clear who she is writing it for. However, even though I am not necessarily in her target audience I really liked it. Somehow Dana gives very helpful, practical advise while entertaining you.
This book is great for anyone needing some guidance with managing their home and life. Perfect for young women starting out on their own.
This book is great for anyone needing some guidance with managing their home and life. Perfect for young women starting out on their own.
October 6, 2016
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. Which is wonderful, because I need the help sooner rather than later!
This book is not for people looking for organising tips, or new ways to clean their house. It is definitely not for neatness enthusiasts looking for more inspiration. If the thought that their are people out there who sometimes have to do dishes *before* they can eat or who are unable to close their sock drawer freaks you out, then please step away now. This book is not for you.
But, if you watch in awe of other people who always have a tidy kitchen, never have to worry about tripping over things or have piles of "stuff" defying gravity, then this, my friend, is the book for you.
This book is mentally refreshing. Before it has even helped my house, it has helped me. I realise that not having my house under control doesn't make me a failure. It is also so helpful to see that there are other people out there with the same struggles.
I had tried a few "methods" before to get on top of it once & for all, but I never succeeded in any of them, which then made me feel more of a failure! The difference with this is that it is not written by an organising expert, or cleaning enthusiast. Dana started in the same place as the rest of us. She knows what it's like to be overwhelmed by it all, & try and fail and try again. But she slowly figured out what works. Not what works for "normal" people, but what works for "slobs". In this book (like her blog & podcasts), she shares what she has learned. Some of it is so simple and basic that you just want to dismiss it (or just plain rebel against it). Other things sound so crazy you don't think you could possibly do it like that. But once you think about it, you realise that's the difference, & can see why you have failed before.
One of the best things about this book is that she doesn't tell you what to do. She tells you what she has learned. You can try it if you want, then ADJUST it according to what actually works in your home. She also explains why it works, especially for people with "slob brain".
I am yet to start the "28 days" in the appendix, but I have already noticed slight changes to the way I do things, or more importantly, how I see things. Knowing how to fill the "awkward pauses" in my day is a revolution for me! And that has already had an impact in my home. Counters are clearer, clean dishes are more readily available. I even have this annoying new habit of thinking about putting something where it lives instead of dumping it on the counter. And if I get overwhelmed or discouraged, I now know where to start.
It will involve a lot of hard work, & I now accept that it is a never ending task, but I can tell my home is going to be more livable. And I am ready to move forward!
Most importantly, this book will not do the dishes for you. You have to do that. Every day. Which totally sucks...
This book is not for people looking for organising tips, or new ways to clean their house. It is definitely not for neatness enthusiasts looking for more inspiration. If the thought that their are people out there who sometimes have to do dishes *before* they can eat or who are unable to close their sock drawer freaks you out, then please step away now. This book is not for you.
But, if you watch in awe of other people who always have a tidy kitchen, never have to worry about tripping over things or have piles of "stuff" defying gravity, then this, my friend, is the book for you.
This book is mentally refreshing. Before it has even helped my house, it has helped me. I realise that not having my house under control doesn't make me a failure. It is also so helpful to see that there are other people out there with the same struggles.
I had tried a few "methods" before to get on top of it once & for all, but I never succeeded in any of them, which then made me feel more of a failure! The difference with this is that it is not written by an organising expert, or cleaning enthusiast. Dana started in the same place as the rest of us. She knows what it's like to be overwhelmed by it all, & try and fail and try again. But she slowly figured out what works. Not what works for "normal" people, but what works for "slobs". In this book (like her blog & podcasts), she shares what she has learned. Some of it is so simple and basic that you just want to dismiss it (or just plain rebel against it). Other things sound so crazy you don't think you could possibly do it like that. But once you think about it, you realise that's the difference, & can see why you have failed before.
One of the best things about this book is that she doesn't tell you what to do. She tells you what she has learned. You can try it if you want, then ADJUST it according to what actually works in your home. She also explains why it works, especially for people with "slob brain".
I am yet to start the "28 days" in the appendix, but I have already noticed slight changes to the way I do things, or more importantly, how I see things. Knowing how to fill the "awkward pauses" in my day is a revolution for me! And that has already had an impact in my home. Counters are clearer, clean dishes are more readily available. I even have this annoying new habit of thinking about putting something where it lives instead of dumping it on the counter. And if I get overwhelmed or discouraged, I now know where to start.
It will involve a lot of hard work, & I now accept that it is a never ending task, but I can tell my home is going to be more livable. And I am ready to move forward!
Most importantly, this book will not do the dishes for you. You have to do that. Every day. Which totally sucks...
February 20, 2019
Updated review: I've just read this book for the second time. I'm changing its rating from four stars to five. It's resonating with me just as much the second time as the first time. This probably needs to be a yearly read for me.
Original review: I've read so many home management books it's ridiculous. And what's more ridiculous is the disproportionate result of actual order in my home to the number of books on the topic that I've read. I was so tired of reading about it, trying to implement change, seeing moderate results, but still returning to my old ways. I seem to have a brain that only registers two levels of clean in my home. The "Oh, this is so lovely and neat and clean! It makes me feel relaxed and peaceful and happy!" and "Have mercy. This place is so out of control and outrageously messy! I don't know where to start, I'm having trouble breathing, and I think I'm paralyzed. I feel utterly incapacitated." Notice that both of those statements had the word "feel" in them. I'm a feeler. When things are halfway in the middle, they don't really register alarm or delight--feelings. So I don't notice anything until it's crazy again. Dana's book was refreshing. She showed me that there are other folks like me, and that our brains simply work differently. She also firmly repeated the same ideas over and over. I had to simply do the same tasks every.single.day. Whether I "felt" like doing it or not. It's so simple! But so boring. Still...when I do the boring things on repeat every.single.day...I like the way my house feels. :)
Original review: I've read so many home management books it's ridiculous. And what's more ridiculous is the disproportionate result of actual order in my home to the number of books on the topic that I've read. I was so tired of reading about it, trying to implement change, seeing moderate results, but still returning to my old ways. I seem to have a brain that only registers two levels of clean in my home. The "Oh, this is so lovely and neat and clean! It makes me feel relaxed and peaceful and happy!" and "Have mercy. This place is so out of control and outrageously messy! I don't know where to start, I'm having trouble breathing, and I think I'm paralyzed. I feel utterly incapacitated." Notice that both of those statements had the word "feel" in them. I'm a feeler. When things are halfway in the middle, they don't really register alarm or delight--feelings. So I don't notice anything until it's crazy again. Dana's book was refreshing. She showed me that there are other folks like me, and that our brains simply work differently. She also firmly repeated the same ideas over and over. I had to simply do the same tasks every.single.day. Whether I "felt" like doing it or not. It's so simple! But so boring. Still...when I do the boring things on repeat every.single.day...I like the way my house feels. :)
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