The best Home Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating books: Reddit reviews

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I see that you are a young man with an inquiring mind! I go into the five aspects of chaos in my book available for order here, as well as the 17 reasons why only tryhards choose Tau.

For me, it's a bit cheesey but after reading the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, I truly felt that my life was changed. In total, I have tidied up my place twice, the first time only my clothes and the 2nd time, doing my entire apartment. Each time, I've felt a perspective change after. The biggest thing beyond tidying your house was how that book forces to confront your past decisions and change the way you make new ones. I try to do things that "spark joy" for me and this goes beyond shopping or spending money. Speaking of shopping, after you tidy, you are much more careful about buying new things, how you're spending your money and what you're bringing home. Once I finished my tidying festival, as Marie calls it, I was able to shift my focus on to more important things like FIRE and doing thigns in my life that sparked joy.

So this is, uh, a completely separate topic from the whole teenager situation. I'm content just reading everyone else's discussion about it and not contributing to it.

But I found out about a month ago that I have ADHD, so I've naturally been researching everything to do with it. I found this book, and it's a little bit blowing my mind how much harder I've been making getting my place under control. Reading that and then looking at CC'S insta... Imagine how pretty the Tableaux could look if she followed the rule of "inventory must be less than storage"

Very much agree. This kid isn’t “FuckingStupid,” she has some form of ADHD.

Honestly, even if the parent/child choose not to go the medication route (a good choice), it’s so helpful to have the diagnosis to get rid of the guilt and shame. Just knowing that “focusing” is going to be a primary challenge, even though most people can do it without trying, is a huge help. Having the freedom to accept that the “easy stuff” isn’t going to be easy is life changing in a good way.

I would not have wanted to be medicated, but if someone had taught me in middle school how to use something like Getting Things Done, I think it would have been a huge help to me in College and my early professional years. I do OK now, but I wish I’d spent my teens developing reasonable planning habits, none of that “put the date the huge project is due into your planner on that date!” bullshit that helps nobody.

Second big change: make sure the physical environment is geared toward an ADHDer. This book is a fucking godsend: https://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Solutions-People-Revised-Updated/dp/1592335128. Seriously, it is just the best. Rule number one: ease of stowage trumps ease of retrieval. Bear that one thing in mind when organizing and planning physical spaces, and 70% of the frustrations of day-to-day life with ADHD just go away.

I think the next change, to the “ADHD” diagnosis will be to add the slash into the acronym (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder for AD/HD) because hyperactivity is not always present. The next change will be getting rid of that last D, because it’s not a disorder so much as a difference that those who have it need to take into account.

I’m honestly not sure if we aren’t in our own way more suited to life in Consumer Culture and Attention Economy land. At least we feel the pain and anxiety right away rather than “powering through it” and bottling it up.

There are TONS of people who struggle with it. It's disappointing that she wasn't more understanding. I HIGHLY recommend, as a very first and cost effective step, reading Marie Kondo's book . It discusses the psychology and importance of a clean and tidy space. Her Netflix series is really great, but doesn't conquer the same issues as her book.

This book discusses the importance of a clean sink and the impact it has on everything else in your space! Good luck!!

If you want a reference book that will cover how to do anything you need to do around the home I highly recommend Home Comforts by Cheryl Henderson and Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. I don't whip them out terribly often because the internet exists, but if I want to know the best way to do something they're always waiting for me. I grew up with a single mom who knew how to keep house but was just too busy to do so regularly and didn't teach us much of anything.

I finished this one recently, it's pretty cool

I am new to the minimalist lifestyle. I was recommended reading the book Goodbye, Things. It’s 5 hours long Auto and probably a shorter read if you get the book. I highly recommend it for you and your spouse.

In the book he gives 52 ways for becoming a Minimalist. I can’t remember them all but here’s a few: Get rid of anything that is broken, needs fix, junk or that you have two of (obviously clothes do not fall into the later category. Get rid of something right now There won’t be anything that you regret tossing If you ask yourself would I buy this again if your answer is hell ya keep it if it’s not toss it.

That’s about all my little brain retained. ��

Oh when in doubt throw it out Don’t make up creative reasons to keep things If you have a hard time tossing something out put it out of sight for a while. If you think of it 5 times in a month-keep it. If you don’t toss it. Use auction sites to get rid of hard items for you to get rid of (ebay) Don’t get hung up in the price you paid for it. Ok that’s truly it. Read his book. Get your So to read it. Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393609030/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tbZsCbDV13V4P

Hi!

I own a fashion company focused on foundational wardrobe pieces. Here is a brief look at how I would build a capsule for myself:

1. List all the activities that you participate in. For example, work, gym, going out/nightlife, errand-running, specialty items (like formal wear or specific sports like skiing).
2. Think about the dress codes / how you want to dress for each category. For example, do you work in a “businesswear” office, but like to dress very casually on the weekends? You’ll need two separate wardrobes for this.
3. List out actual outfits (you own) per activity that a) You feel great in b) you like the style of
4. Think about what items you need to create more outfits like the ones you listed out above
5. Think about how many of those outfits you *actually* need based on how much stuff you want to own, the size of your housing space, how often you do laundry.
6. Purchase those items that you need.
7. It’s easiest to buy shapes that flatter you, in neutrals, that you can wear in a lot of different combos.
8. Check out The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for more help - and/or reply t to this with additional questions - I can expand on the above!

For me, it was when I read "The life changing magic of tidying up" by Marie Kondo (Amazon link).

Which I found out about from some reddit post about the best way to fold a shirt or something.

Anyway, I realized that a lot of possessions didn't equate to happiness, and then used that as a litmus test when purchasing things. e.g. "Do I really want this? Will it make me happier? Will it just be momentary? What else could I do with that money?" Sometimes the answer is yes, but I spend much longer thinking about buying something rather than impulse buying now, because otherwise I'll be holding yet another item in 6 months time going "nah, this doesn't bring me any happiness" and throwing it out.

Have you read How To Keep House While Drowning? (It's short, chapters are 1-3 pages each.) It really helped me reframe my thinking and guilt spiral when it came to "failing" at cleaning, self-care, etc. It's for people struggling with depression, ADHD, and any other issues that make functioning difficult.

https://www.amazon.com/Keep-House-While-Drowning-compassionate-ebook/dp/B08MD9T8XD

Medication is the most effective tool for treating ADHD, for sure, but it's not the only thing you can do. Make sure you eat and drink enough through the day and get plenty of sleep. Figure out what coping mechanisms and lifestyle interventions work for you. Russell Barkley has written books full of evidence-based tools you can use: Taking Charge of ADHD (for parents) and Taking Charge of Adult ADHD (for adults with ADHD). You might find both of them useful. Organizing Solutions for People With ADHD might also be helpful.

While it’s ADHD specific, the tips can apply generally to everyone as well: Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD. It’s about organizing your physical space, time and task management, and more.

Yes, I came to suggest her too! She’s on Instagram and has a YouTube channel too (but I think her TikToks are most helpful for me), has a book on Amazon, and has templates and things on her website.

Check out the book Adulting on Amazon! My dad got it for me when I graduated high school. Incredibly cute book, and it is an easy read and makes the task of “becoming a grown up” a bit more palatable and lighthearted. If you want to add it to an Amazon wish list, I can send it to you!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/153872913X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_TAVhFbQVSWSN5

Yes, I came to suggest her too! She has a YouTube channel and an Instagram too (but I find her TikToks the most helpful), she wrote a book, and her [website](strugglecare.com) has lots of templates and a workbook that look great.

Maybe not exactly what you are looking for, but I did read the book The gentle art of swedish death cleaning which I would recommend.

I don’t know if you have a tiktok (bear with me I know!) but a user there that goes by domesticblisters has a whole series on harm reduction in care tasks that I really appreciate. She also has a book “How to Keep House While Drowning” that helped me when I was in the thick of some pretty severe baby blues. Sometimes it’s enough just to make it though a rough patch.

I don't do well in clutter because it overwhelms me so I honestly throw away as much as I can possibly get away with and embrace minimalism. The less stuff you have the less there is to clean. Having fewer clothes forces you to do laundry more, for example, but have 15 pairs of pants makes it pretty easy to ignore laundry. I found this book to be amazingly helpful. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592335128/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_iHaTFbDW68WRC

It's all about decluttering and living a minimalist lifestyle. Everything has a home and therefore gets out away each time. When you are finished with an item, such as clothes that are too small or outdated, you thank them for their service/for bringing you joy and then you let them go (trash or donation). To start with you go through all your belongings via categories. It takes a while to do but I loved it. We cleared out 3 huge bookshelves of stuff and are actually fairly well organized.

Here's the book off Amazon

Okay, here’s the real tea: buy the book ‘Adulting: How to Become a Grown Up in 535 Easy-ish Steps’. Its like $9 on Amazon and it is SO helpful. book on amazon

In adition to the podcast idea there is a book by Susan Pinsky called Organizing solutions for ADHD, its pretty good

organizing with adhd

One resource you may like is

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308

there is an audio version also on audible. I enjoyed it and recommend it. I dont follow it like the bible but took a lot away from it.

Past that, and these are things that will help in life.

1. Get on a schedule with a set wake up time. Make one of the first tasks you do something along the lines of "Make the bed"
2. When on a schedule make the first thing you have to do before brushing your teeth "Take ten minutes to put up things" (I am not saying spend an hour every night cleaning or to go longer than ten minutes. Just do some small things in that time.
3. There are no one time things you can do. Maybe look more into organizing systems but they are only as good as your ability to maintain them. That starts with habit building and doing some small things throughout the day.

For learning how to make habits easier and work on just incorporating being more organized I would check out "Atomic Habits by James Clear"

It is!!

I got my mom this book a few years ago as a joke, as she's been trying to declutter so my parents can move into assisted living.

I highly suggest this book for the organization side. It works through specific rooms and common problems in an easily digestible way. It also espouses the "do what works for you, not what you think should work for you but doesn't" point of view which is SO valuable for us.

You might be interested in Swedish Death Cleaning:

https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Art-Swedish-Death-Cleaning/dp/1501173243

https://www.countryliving.com/home-maintenance/cleaning/a45190/what-is-swedish-death-cleaning/

I realize you mentioned Amazon already, but I found this one. Hope it helps!

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As a slowly adapting 20-something with a full time job and a new wife, I'm right there with you! I'm happy to compare notes at anytime if you feel the need.

My prediction - The Minimalists are not well liked on Reddit - probably why he's getting downvoted. What was once an honest message turned in to a weird health guru podcasts of jumping on all the latest trends. I found them very hard to listen to.

Another book rec is Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki: https://smile.amazon.com/Goodbye-Things-New-Japanese-Minimalism/dp/0393609030

You might want to think why the person gives you the gift. There is no need for a gift to be useful, oftentimes the only is just that you got and the person giving it to you is happy.

But I understand what you mean, if it would be useful, I probably would already have bought it myself.

I recommend the Marie Kondo book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" regarding this topic. (Yeah, skip woo woo stuff)

You're not alone. I went through a similar situation. I found this book helpful https://www.amazon.com/Adulting-Become-Grown-up-Easy-Steps/dp/153872913X/ref=asc_df_153872913X/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312174407663&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9136723948411641816&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hv...