Book Description Review “Even Marie Kondo devotees might find this a far more practical approach to stuff and life.” –Booklist “This book is absolutely fantastic…superbly well done!” ––Dr. Oz Read more About the Author MARTHA STEWART is America’s most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher, and the author of more than 90 books on cooking, entertaining, crafts, homekeeping, gardening, weddings, and decorating. Read more Customers Review: The moment I read the description for this book, I knew I had to have it. I usually buy used books, but I pre-ordered this one. It couldn’t get here fast enough.For me, the heart of this book is the calendar. The calendar breaks down many of Martha’s wonderful ideas into manageable daily tasks and activities. It lets the reader look over Martha’s shoulder and follow along day by day. It’s a condensed glimpse of how she accomplishes so many things in her life. What excites me most about the calendar is that she remembers to include leisure activities. I have often had a hard time balancing chores and leisure. I also often have a hard time choosing what to work on each day, and lately that indecision has been making me pretty miserable. As soon as the preview for the book was available, I started following along with the calendar and immediately started feeling better.This past week I:– did some yoga (using the Ring Fit game on our Nintendo Switch)– organized a list of upcoming medical appointments for myself, my husband & our two sons– bought some citrus fruit (found some excellent pink grapefruit)– shopped at a white sale (found a much-needed big warm comforter)Tonight we’re planning to have a movie night with the kids (sans the suggested fireplace; if I continue following Martha’s suggestions, we should have our fireplace ready to use next winter for the first time in over a decade of living in our house).In short, it’s a relief to follow a simple list of tasks and get positive results. As one lady put it on Twitter, “Martha take the wheel.”The checklists and schedules are the other helpful parts of the book. I have posted a couple of photos from those other sections that aren’t included in the Amazon preview. (Pro tip: Search for this book on Google Books for some additional glimpses of what’s inside.) The book is a little short. I see it as a companion for The Martha Manual. I pounced on that book too, but then it sat on my shelf getting dusty because I had a hard time getting organized enough to apply her ideas to my life. Martha Stewart’s Organizing adds that missing piece. It’s a little early to say, but I have a feeling that this book will finally get me on track. If you’re struggling, it might help you, too.
You can approach organizing anyway you want with Martha’s newest tome, just do it and go about it in small, organized doses. That’s her recommendation.This is a lovely book that makes a great deal of common sense. There are a bunch of pictures that will spur you on to achieve your goals and spark new ideas on what organization looks like: baskets, pegs, boxes, dividers, bins…tip number1 – start with less stuff! Yay Martha, you got it!Included in the book is a monthly calendar with suggestions of seasonal reminders to do: taxes, plantings, various holiday cards or gifts – not just the high holy days in the winter! There is a treasure trove of stuff in this calendar and it exhausted me just looking at it.Fortunately for me, I’m type-A and highly organized but this book just became gift item #1 for a few of my nearest and dearest
Two sections in this book; seasonal by month–things to do to organize your life but organizing not just with an eye to maintenance of your dwelling, but also maintenance of your lifestyle. So in January, when you are likely to be eyeing a new workout routine, sign up for a yoga class. When you are gathering your forms for tax season, schedule an appointment with your advisor. February: a short month, deep winter. Start a knitting project. Sharpen garden tools for later in the season, get a sitter for Valentines Day dinner. You get the drift.Then the second part of the book is organization by subject, bathroom, bedroom, living area, kitchen, entryway.What I love about this book are the calendars and also the lovely photos, which you would of course expect from Martha Stewart. But there are also suggestions of things that can help organize you, such as roll out shelves for your bathroom vanity. And what to store there (such as a first aid kit) and what to put somewhere else because it’s not used as frequently.There are many decluttering and organizing books but this book is very appealing and readable. It follows a bit of the advice of “Fly Lady” who suggests daily, weekly, and monthly routines in a book to keep you from being overwhelmed at any one time and on track. This book is more aesthetic in nature but as such, it’s inspiring.And it’s very practical advice; for example kitchen. What do you keep on the counter? So, Martha suggests putting essential tools in a drawer within arm’s reach of the stove or sort them into crocks by type (spoons, whisks, tongs.)She suggests felt pad glides for on-counter appliances so you can shove them back against the wall when not in use, and forward for cleaning behind the. I never thought of that one–good idea for the big mixer.Lots of small helpful tips, for example, washing your sponge in the dishwasher doesn’t really work so well (this is true.) Put the sponges in a net bag and run them on hot water with big towels.Another hint I can verify; make sure when you are constructing or remodeling your kitchen island, you have an electrical outlet. And install hooks or a towel rod for kitchen towels.Lots of good ideas, very readable book and very nice to look at. |
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