The best Home Decorating & Design books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

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.

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!!

The best book to read as a developer is The Design of Everyday Things. If every developer read it, the software world would be a better place.

I would sugest geting the 50 dollar and up underground house book by Mike Oehler. It goes into how to safely build a nice underground house. Paul Wheaton has some videos of a few houses built this way.

Commonality of design.

Both are objects meant for throwing by hand. It would follow there is an ideal size for handheld thrown objects, and therefore handheld thrown objects would be the same size.

Same reason doors you push and doors you pull have different handles and it feels wrong when the wrong handle is used for the wrong side.

Read The Design of Everyday Things to learn more.

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!

I've always done piercing designs like what you describe with drills, needle files, and a jewelers saw. You can drill a starting hole where you want, thread the saw blade through it, and mount it into the saw frame. You'll need to have a good holding fixture to keep it steady for sawing.

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I'm definitely not saying buy it from amazon, was just the first link that popped. But this a great book for beginners who are self teaching jewelry and metalworking techniques.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Metalsmith-Illustrated-Handbook/dp/0871922401

Good luck. PM me a photo when you're done with it!

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.

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

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman is a really good general design resource.

In fact, doors that are ambiguous in the direction in which they open are named "Norman Doors" after him.

start with the bible and then the rest is youtube. Prob want to learn gypsy settings for stones. Stamps you can get from harbor freight or Rio grande. Rio is your one stop shop really.

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"

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)

Ergonomic Bible

Some of the info is dated, and a lot more information has been refined/improved since this book came out, but it's the foundation for this whole field.

>one that says things like “5 books, 2 blankets, 1 cooking pot, 1 pair of sneakers,” etc.

This is literally impossible. Everyone has different needs. One person can live with 1 pair of shoes, another needs 5 for 5 different uses.

You're better off just reading this comic and starting from there.

not even joking but when i konmari'd my space, it freed up my mind from so much mental clutter and literally felt lighter after i finished the process. decluttering is a mentally and emotionally cleansing process that i would recommend to anyone.

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

Also, extremely cheap depending on your standards. Used to be for about 50 bucks (which due to inflation is 163.26 today) you could build a hole in the ground, throw down some wood, tar, branches and boom home.

Electric, plumbing, wifi not included.

Although for 5 bucks you could make a composting toilet.

Start with clothing, put dirty in a hamper or directly in washer. Hang up/drawer clean clothing, put your out of seasons in closet/extra closet, basement, attic etc.

Then after that just trash pickup, dispose of stuff you no longer NEED also try not to go through photographs or sentimental things, this often distracts people.

With clothing too I would suggest donating any you don't wear that are still in decent shape, disastrous tears and stained items can be used for rags for cleaning 👍

If you like books and need a muse of inspiration, I would deffo recommend "The Life-changing magic of tidying up: The Japanese art of decluttering and organizing" by Ms Marie Kondo, she's amazing and her book has truly changed my life fr, since I start feeling frustrated and helpless when things get out control and pile ups occur 💜

Here's a link to a buying option, there's also audiobooks if I'm not mistaken, or can be put in PDF reader and read through certain settings on PC and Android/iPhone 👍

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308?ref=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=68ec826b-3f38-4d5f-a7a0-730732540404

Yeah. There is something hilarious about an extremely highly up-voted post calling 85% of all people idiots. Presumably a decent chunk of them up-voted this post.

Also presumably the OP considers them self in at least the top 15% intelligence of all people - and they work in retail...sure guy.

A customer walking into a store they've never been to before will face some level of confusion/disorientation compared to a retail worker where that store is their entire world - they know every corner of it. Doesn't make either of them "dumb as rocks".

I worked with mechanics who struggled with pretty basic math but could take an engine apart with their eyes closed. Which of is more "intelligent"? People are people. We are good at different things.

There's an interesting book, The Design of Everyday Things, which really describes in detail how people interact with objects/environments. A big theme is that if someone is struggling to interact with your object/environment/system they aren't stupid - your thing sucks.

it takes time to learn how to be a functional woman who keeps her home clean, cooks nutritious meals, knows how to shop wisely, and pays her bills. just be patient and know that if you value these things, you will manifest them into reality one day at a time.

also, life style creep is a real thing, and it's not a shameful thing. at 19 i was barely scraping by on ≤$700 a month and had very little to my name. now my standard of living has increased as well as the price to increase my standard of living. there were many times when materialism got the better of me (and still does), but as long as i'm not hedonistic about it, there's no shame in it. overall, my life has improved materially by a lot, and it's better for me than living that ultra-minimalistic lifestyle that some people love. life is about balance, and i will find my way into living a life that sparks joy.

Specifically:

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

More generally, the relationship between squalor and level of effort is non-linear. ie, it take small effort to substantially improve messiness, but maintaining a high level of cleanliness is a full-time job. If you want time/energy available to do other things, you've got to settle for a lower standard. Lot of highly creative people were notoriously messy for that reasons--priorities.

Hi there! I'm a UX/UI Designer and from what I've read you could have what it takes to be a UX Researcher or a UX Designer. One of the foundations of UX is Cognitive Science, the first guy to use the term "user experience" is Donald Norman who has studied (and currently teaches) Cognitive Science for years. You could try reading one of his books (one of the most well-known books in the Design field): The Design of Everyday Things to see if you're interested in the subject.

I'd also suggest maybe doing the Google UX Certification available through Coursera, it's a good introductory certification that'd get you in the right path to apply for a trainee or even an entry level job.

If you have any questions let me know, I'm 30 and I've worked in tech for the last 4 years :)

If you want a purge, nothing quite beats the KonMari method IMO.

Folks have mixed opinions about her purging method, but if nothing else Kondo has a fantastic organization method for going through items. She recommends that one purges their belongings by category rather than by location and that they go through those categories in a specific order--first clothing, then books, then papers, and so on. That way, there is a specific beginning, middle, and end to the process.

Seeing what other people have done, as others have suggested, is an absolutely great start. Also really getting to know the ins and outs of the Material Design system helps a lot, too.

However, if you really want to understand UI and UX, you have to understand the why as well.

For UX, The Design of Every Day Things is an absolutely indispensable resource. It explains why things in the world work the way we do, and how that relates to digital interfaces. For example

For UI, learn and understand basic design principles like emphasis and balance, and how to leverage the grid system & colors in Material Design to achieve those things.

One of the biggest things that I can recommend, that a lot of people sleep on, is motion provides meaning is a key principle of Material Design:

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>Motion focuses attention and maintains continuity through subtle feedback and coherent transitions. As elements appear on screen, they transform and reorganize the environment with interactions generating new transformations.

Tools like Lottie and basic knowledge of animation principles can not only enhance the "polish" of your application but really help reinforce how the application works.

For an example of what all of this looks like when it works together:

Imagine a fragment that slides onto the screen from the right side of the viewport. The Fragment itself has an elevation, which provides a drop shadow in Material Design. This creates a visual connection to the idea of a "material" like swiping one piece of paper onto another. The motion and visual accents also suggest the affordance of being able to also swipe the fragment off in the opposite direction as you would a piece of paper. No training is necessary, the user understands what to expect because of their real-life experience with tangible materials.