The best Home Decorating books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Honestly, getting rid of stuff is the best advice I can give, despite being someone who loves to hold on to EVERYTHING, just in case.

I know that Marie Kondo doesn't resonate with everyone, but reading her book got me started on the right path. It's easier for me to determine what I really love and want to keep, and what I was holding on to just for the sake of having it.

Then I read this book and I finally felt understood! I have read so many organizing and cleaning books in the past, and nothing ever really stuck. I feel like the author gets me and how my brain works - so between the two books, I at least feel like I'm on the right track. My house is often still a mess, but I look back at old pictures and realize that I've made a ton of progress.

This book was a game-changer for me, although it's taken a while to really see a difference (and sometimes I only realize how much better it is because old pictures of my kids come up on my phone, and I'm horrified by the mess in the background).

The biggest takeaway for me, at least as someone living with three additional mess-makers, was learning to tidy up for the joy of having a clean space. I can't remember exactly how she phrased it in the book, but when I first read it, I rolled my eyes so hard that I almost saw my brain. But it turns out, it's a really good point. When I stop bitching at everyone for leaving messes, and just pick stuff up when I see it (without complaining), our space looks better, I feel better, and my husband and kids actually do start to pitch in more.

That being said, I have a lot left to learn. And getting rid of stuff has also helped a lot - less stuff overall means less stuff that needs to be cleaned/organized. And, like other people have said, don't start with the "big picture", it's overwhelming. Find one space to improve, and as you get into the habit of keeping it how you like it, add another one. Baby steps are key for making good life changes!

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.

Easy stuff first all the way! If you like that approach, you might like this book because it's what the author recommends: https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending-ebook/dp/B072TMNCBH/ref=sr_1_1

The Interior Design Handbook. Good reference book. Can also be used as a coffee table book.

Do I have the book for you! It's called Home Comforts and it will teach you EVERYTHING -- why you should air out your bedsheets every morning, the proper way to wash dishes by hand, why we don't clean "floors first" anymore, the whole shebang. It is an amazing book.

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862/ref=asc_df_0743272862/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312128022127&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17753818244568117656&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031912&hvtargid=pla-416516074040&psc=1

It’s from a book by Twinkie Chan

The pattern is from “Twinkie Chan’s Crocheted Abide a la Mode: 20 Yummy Crochet Projects For Your Home”. I used an H hook instead of a M hook to downsize the finished piece from an ottoman to a pillow. It’s also stuffed with high density/memory foam instead of poly fil.

Twinkie Chan’s Crochet Abode a la Mode

Dana K White. https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending/dp/0718080602/

She has a blog and a Youtube channel. Only keep what you have room for and will fit in its container.

I like to keep a tidy house, but am not a naturally tidy person, so I sometimes find myself feeling like I'm always cleaning as well. First off, I would recommend talking to the BF about the issue you're having. Having a conversation about how you feel like you're carrying the bulk of the house chores might be the first step into getting him to either pitch in when you clean or maybe just pick up after himself a little bit. Having someone else's support (even if just moral) can be huge.

The other thing I would recommend is to really work on a tidy-as-you-go habit with your BF. One book (audiobook!) that helped me to kick start some good tidying habits is this book by Dana K White about how to manage your home and cleaning if it's not something that comes naturally to you. She has a few other books on how to organize and purge (if that's an issue for you as it was for me) and I love her realistic, I've-been-there-before approach that isn't as extreme as someone as, say, Marie Kondo. Since I started cleaning as I go, the baseline of my home is much more comfortable for my liking (which makes end of the day cleaning a lot quicker and less daunting) and instead of feeling like I'm constantly spending big chunks of time cleaning, it's broken up into a few minutes or seconds here that just end up being part of my routine that I almost don't even notice it anymore. Because it doesn't come naturally, some weeks I let the habits go a bit and I definitely notice the difference in how much I feel like I'm having to clean to play catch up to get my house to where I want it to be.

Sorry for the long response, but hope that this method can be helpful for you as it was for me!

I just read "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" and I really thought her matter of fact voice/tone in the book was nice! I definitely took a few good things from the book.

BTW it's free to borrow/read right now on kindle if you have prime. https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending-ebook/dp/B072TMNCBH/ref=sr\_1\_1?keywords=decluttering+at+the+speed+of+life&qid=1660268552&sprefix=DECLUT%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1

Do Dana K White's method with him

https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending/dp/0718080602/

Start with the easy stuff. What is most in the way, what space, closet, drawer is the most bother?

First find trash,

easy donations, duh, why do I even have that?

if something has a home elsewhere, put it away,

If something has no home, where is the first place he'd look?

If he needed this item, would it ever occur he already had one or would he go buy one, instead? Donate that thing.

Also, I’ve donated some supplies to both my local women’s shelter and the local day program who serves adults with disabilities.

Also, you have permission to let the things go. Remember, the money is already spent. So fretting about it won’t make you richer. Instead consider viewing yourself as an optimist! You have lots of interests and that’s fine! Now time to give yourself space and time to work on those current interests.

In her book, Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff, Dana K. White talks about decluttering dreams and identities. Chapter 25. That book changed my life. I strongly recommend it.

https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending-ebook/dp/B072TMNCBH

I've started her blog from the beginning, forward. She really sounds like she might have ADHD, to me. She has got a handle on her house and has made a lot of progress.

ok for this its published in a book, it says so right at the top under the name, 'published in' just click that link for more info on the book, then you can search from there to find the book, this is its amazon page but there are probably better deals out there

I have a book called The Real Wood Bible that is great for this.

The Real Wood Bible: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Choosing and Using 100 Decorative Woods https://www.amazon.com/dp/1770850139/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_1B4YYEHEJ60XJBTA7RAY

Greetings,

I will offer my 2 cents.

First penny is to purchase the book Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson as it is a great resource for all types of home questions. https://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862 I created an Excel spreadsheet of all the things I have to care for weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually. You can find tons of lists on line and in the book I recommended, but you will probably have to tailor it to your house and lifestyle so don't be afraid to alter things as you go.

Second penny. Start to learn what issues require a professional and which ones don't. You will save thousands upon thousands taking care of things yourself, however as a new homeowner it might be difficult to know the difference. If you can do it yourself, then do it yourself.

Tablescapes are Bugsy's "thing" -- see "The Art of Tablescaping with the Queen of Theme".

Heavy eye roll. But hey, I'm just jealous I didn't figure out how to capitalize on spreading tchotchkes about a dinner table.

One Yard Wonders by Patricia Hoskins

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1603424490/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KGAYG1FHF16AN3WNZFMX

Start with trash, donate things that are still good but are easy to part with.

If it's broken, torn, worn, doesn't work, throw it away. How long have you had it waiting for you to mend?

How long have you had perfectly good things that you have never used? Donate them.

Do you have things that have a home but aren't where they belong? Put them away, if there is not room, look for trash and easy to let go of things to make room.

For things that have no home, where is the first place you would look for it? If you needed it, would it even occur to you that you had one? If not, donate it.

The next time you go through your things some of the things you kept before will be easier to let go of.

This is Dana White's method https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending-ebook/dp/B072TMNCBH/

Declutter first.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072TMNCBH/

If you can afford it, have someone come in to do your dishes, and laundry, and take your trash out, that you have bagged up, so you can concentrate on thinning out your things.

If you can just sit there and pick trash out of the places around you, get a box for donating things that are still good, but that you don't need, and a big black trash bag.

Don't pull everything out into big piles or empty entire closets. You will get tired and have to stop. Then the big mess will make you feel worse.

At least if you are only picking trash and donations out of places, when you have to stop, it won't be any worse.

When it is cleared out enough, have a room deep cleaned.

Once you have thinned out your things and had rooms deep cleaned, then think about organizing. A professional organizer will probably get you to get rid of a lot more stuff, btw.

It's so good seeing you interested in design, coming from a UX designer background. Architecture and interior design are basically user experience, and your background maybe very useful for you, opening new perspectives in problem resolution and thinking about the user's need and how to express it.
You just need to switch the tools and vocabulary your are using now. You can learn from reading books about it, like this one or this one. Start with your own room, home, as another user suggested. Learn simple softwares (sketchup, photoshop, twinmotion) to start with, and build your journey step by step. You can leanr from existing projects that you like, and breaking down what makes it work.
You can also offer your experience in UX for products involving architects.
Our project Make It Spaceless is basically targetting people like you, that can benefit from design and architecture in expanding their career.

We hope you give it a try, if you really like and enjoy it!

Pretty much have to do it yourself unless you want them to take it all out, google for hoarding clean up if that's what you want.

If you don't want that, https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Speed-Life-Winning-Never-Ending-ebook/dp/B072TMNCBH/

She tells you to start with the easy stuff. She has videos and a blog.

You’ve already got lots of good advice, but if you literally want a book on the subject, check this one out. You can also ask your local library if you don’t want to buy a copy.

You’ve got lots of good advice here, but if you want a book on the subject - check this one out. If you don’t want to buy it, you can ask your local library - if they don’t already have it...many will order books at your request.

The textbook for this could be Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House.

if you’ve never read Home Comforts, it is an absolute treasure. Gives me so much confidence and joy with all kinds of home tasks. Which does not come naturally, I assure you.

Check out this book:

Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862

It has the answer to how to properly clean everything--dishes, bedsheets, litterbox, shower--with instructions for how to make homemade cleaning solutions, how often you should clean items/spaces, et al. It's made a huge difference in my life and saved me money on store bought cleaning aids.

There's a glossary in the back (obv) so you can easily search for what it is you want to clean.

I watched most of the first episode the other night, and have also read the book a couple of times. But if you find that method doesn't work for you, my total favorite decluttering/organizing method is from A Slob Comes Clean, with this book. I feel like her method (you don't make a big mess before things get better, and you don't make everything perfect) are so much more doable for life with toddlers.

Go to Amazon and get a copy of the book Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson it will tell you everything you need to set up and run a household beautifully, and also give you the back story of why we have things like dust ruffles, mattress pads, etc.