Reviews (8)

Great book in search of a better title
Coleman thoroughly reviewed the relevant literature on the transition to new parenthood and how it impacts the marital relationship. That plus his own experience, and from couples he counselled, are the sources for this book, and that wide range shows throughout. Great ideas, wonderful pointers to more good ideas. Coleman aimed this squarely at women and explains why: men aren't that unhappy about the deal they are getting. Most of the book is about what women can do to change themselves to change what they get out of their relationship -- there is some great, detailed information about how to negotiate in a wide variety of situations (unlike Shields admirable _How to Avoid the Mommy Trap_, which really applies in only one kind of marriage). The chapter at the end aimed at men is good, also.
A practical handbook for exhausted wives
Dr. Coleman supplies hands-on solutions to one of the biggest problems women report to me at www.MommaSaid.net: "My husband doesn't help with the kids or the house."
I loved this book!
This is a highly readable, practical, and fun book. Dr Coleman says that he is a former lazy husband and it's not hard to believe since he clearly knows every trick in the trade that men are known to employ. I particularly like that it's well-researched and substantive without getting too academic sounding. As a mother of very young children, I have found his techniques easy to implement and positive in tone. Strongly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. Love / Sex / Marriage    7. Marriage    8. Parenting - General   

Reviews (4)

Well Written - Very Helpful
This book is very well written and an excellent guide if the reader is looking to build a successful, profitable home cleaning business.Susan Bewsey does a good job of outlining the steps you need to take to get this business off the ground, and to maintain the business.She also gives a good general idea of what all the business involves.As far as holding your hand to go get the license, bonding and insurance...no, she doesn't do that.But she does tell you what you need, and where and who to check with to obtain them, and to get more information on them.After all, different country's, states, and even city's requirements differ.If you're going to make it in a business of your own, you need to be able to do some things for yourself.

Disappointed
The book is so basic - no details.For example, you would think it would go into the details of insurance - what the difference is between bonding and liability insurance and advise you as to which you need, and where to go for this, and how much to expect it to cost.Instead the book only says, "This Insurance is important protection" and will "offset the costs of major damages".Same with Licenses.It tells you that you need one - offers no advice as to how to go about getting one, if there are fees, etc. - zero details at all.I was very disappointed in this book.

Good Book
This is a good book, not too original or with the times though, times are changing fast. I would recommend augmenting it with the Suze and Ev method for starting a cleaning business, which is available online. Google it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / New Business Enterprises    3. Business/Economics    4. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    5. General    6. Service Industries Management    7. Small Business - General    8. Small Business Management    9. Small Business/Entrepreneurship    10. Building cleaning industry    11. Entrepreneurship    12. House cleaning    13. New Business Enterprises    14. Small businesses & self-employed   

Reviews (5)

The book is okay
The book was okay but a little disappointing.I will probably use some of the information out of it.

I wish I'd seen the previous review.
Like the guy from Florida, I was enticed by the picture on the cover.But there was nothing like that inside.The contents were much simpler plywood constructions that were far less sophisticated. Bait and switch indeed. This book was not what I wanted.I'm going to send it back.

This book gives you what it says it will....
I bought this book and didn't know what to expect based on the other 2 reviews.I was pleasantly surprised.My husband and I are building our first house and we will be finishing our own basement. This book is giving us some great ideas for that along with other storage solutions. It gives you great color pictures, a list of needed supplies (tools, materials, etc)and step by step instructions.I am not much of a cabinet maker, but the steps are simple enough that I plan on doing some of these projects myself! Some ideas are pretty simple and basic (like the under the steps storage shelf) but it is a great idea that is practical and uses space that probably would have been totally wasted.This book gave me exactly what I wanted and more.My husband, who has made lots of furniture in the past, was also very impressed and rates this book a 5!Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Cabinetwork    3. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. Reference    8. Remodeling & Renovation - General    9. Storage in the home    10. Woodwork    11. DIY    12. Home furnishing & decoration    13. Home Improvement   

Reviews (4)

Needs more depth
This book is filler material, you could find all this info online or in Lowe's or Home Depot.If you have any clue on what you are doing beyond a starter DIY save your money.

Excellent for historic home owners
Finally a concise, easy to read text that any historical home owner should own and read. It is the bible of historical building maintenance! This text should be used by every historical society and historic preservation commission as a guide for recommending proper ways to treat and maintain historic building materials. It would be a wonderful text to suggest to an interested student, as well. Thanks Judith for putting something together that is so user-friendly!

Fascinating Information for lovers of old homes
I bought this as a gift for a friend. He shared it with me after reading it cover-to-cover. Great info for anyone concerned with historic preservation. Not quite the "handyman" book I had expected but nonetheless it proved to be some worthwhile reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural Preservation And Restoration    2. Architecture    3. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. Dwellings    6. General    7. Historic buildings    8. Home Maintenance And Repair    9. House & Home    10. Maintenance and repair    11. Remodeling & Renovation - General    12. Repair    13. House & Home / Remodeling & Renovation    14. House maintenance    15. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Reviews (3)

It is what it is, where it is
I confess: I am a person of clutter. I am not a feng shui* devotee, indeed, this book was my introduction. For me, Jeff Campbell's 'Clutter Control : Putting Your Home on a Diet' is still The Best, but this book has its moments, and is a good refresher forNew Year's resolutioners. Sorry, Shui sisters. I haven't got time, money or inclination to build a Bagua octagon ofChez Tundra - so my "missing gua" must remain AWOL. The kitchen is where the kitchen is - not to be confused with my Home Office or the bath. Still, the remaining chapters of Skye's Shuioffer inspiration and reinforcement for ever-ongoing vigilance against the accumulation of clutter. /TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer
Great Advice!
Easy to read and makes a nice gift. The Feng Shui way of getting rid of clutter is different from the usual organization books!If you are overwhelmed with clutter, this book is a great motivator.I am taking a huge load to Goodwill tomorrow!Enjoy!

Clutter Control Made Easy
Reading this book was my introduction to the Feng Shui philosophy.Most of the book has short paragraphs that will help you reduce clutter immediately.This is a great book for just reading a paragraph or two at a time.Read this book;you'll benefit from it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Decorating    3. Feng Shui    4. House & Home    5. House cleaning    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. New Age / Parapsychology   

Reviews (1)

Good ideas
A lot of the examples given in this book don't apply or do not easily apply but it does give some very good ideas.It sparks a lot of "What if" situations.This book was very good for getting ideas and sparking new ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Built-in furniture    2. Cabinetwork    3. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    4. Design & Construction    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. Home Maintenance And Repair    8. House & Home    9. Remodeling & Renovation - General    10. Storage in the home    11. DIY    12. House & Home / Carpentry    13. House & Home / Design & Construction   

Reviews (1)

Beautiful
I truly enjoy this book on an ongoing basis.It is a joy to own.I love the beauty and artwork of the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christian Life    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Christianity - Christian Life - Home Life    4. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    5. Do-It-Yourself    6. Etiquette    7. Home    8. Hospitality    9. House & Home    10. Psychological aspects    11. Reference    12. Worship    13. House & Home / General   

Reviews (6)

The way we never were.
I first read Never Done in 1988 as a college student studying women's history. I enjoyed it then, and I enjoyed it again this time as a re-read.
Fascinating history
This book is a history of American housework, covering common household tasks, related equipment, and the people called on to do the work.The main topics of the book include food production and processing, food preparation and the evolution of cookstoves, home heating and lighting, the spread of domestic gas and electricity services, water supplies and plumbing, laundry, weaving and sewing, taking in paying boarders, maids, the scientific housekeeping movement and the birth of home economics, childcare, and consumption as an avocation.The book is amply illustrated with black and white reproductions of period paintings, drawings, and advertisements.In addition to a bibliographic note for further study, there is a section of source notes at the end of the book citing original materials, as well as an index. My Book...I think I'll keep her
I first heard about this book when I attended Evergreen State College. The topic of housework came up as we read "Roll, Jordan Roll" by Eugene Genovese.Some of my classmates wanted to know about housework in its relationship to slavery.And the teacher, Nancy Allen, mentioned that a great book on the subject of housework was "Never Done", by Susan Strasser. Nancy also used the book as a good example of source notes that we might want to learn from in our own course work/research.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Social History    3. Sociology   

Reviews (3)

A fine guide to eliminating clutter through creating convenient storage alternatives
If your house organization is perpetually 'clutter' mode and you lack the organizational skills to do anything but clean up once or twice a year, The Complete Clutter Solution: Organize Your Home For Good is for you. A room-by-room guide broken down into zones shows not only how to de-clutter, but how much time will be involved. Involve other family members in maintaining the structure created in The Complete Clutter Solution and benefit from discussions of organizational bins, hangers and other special tips in a fine guide to eliminating clutter through creating convenient storage alternatives.
WHAT A WASTE OF $$ (UNLESS YOU HAVE $75,000 TO REDO YOUR KITCHEN)
This is the same old tired suggestions for cleaning up your clutter.The suggestions given are to install custom made draws that double and triple pull out.The suggestion for the pantry was to organize cans from little to big (duh) and then group like items together (duh) that's in every single organizing book published so this one is not different than any other.Also the other suggestion was to install a pull out swinging triple door pantry system.Oh is that affordable? If I had $75,000 to redo my kitchen I would install the fancy garbage bin that pulls out of the cabinet and the double drawer pot rack with side lid bins.Come on, don't waste your money on this book or it's suggestions.Very few pictures and all for the rich.I thought Good Housekeeping was for the everyday family.Get it at the library and then return it after you don't read it.

Time to Organize!
Things I like about this book:
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Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Home economics    7. House & Home    8. Housekeeping    9. House & Home / General    10. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    11. Sale Books   

Reviews (4)

Beautiful Photos - an inspirational book
I love looking at the Pottery Barn Catalog, both for the furniture and the style/inspiration that comes along with it.
A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear
"All it does is tell you to buy the stuff at Pottery Barn and how to use it - like we don't already know how to use a bookcase?? Don't waste your money." Enhanced with the showcase photography of Stefano Massei
The latest entry into the outstanding Oxmoor House "Pottery Barn" series, Pottery Barn Storage & Display specifically focuses on how ideas, tips and techniques for keeping, showcasing, and storing everyday necessities just where they are handiest, most accessible, and aesthetically pleasing through creative solutions and practical tips for storage and display in whatever room (entryway, kitchen, bedroom, living room, utility area, laundry, closet, etc) is under consideration. Enhanced with the showcase photography of Stefano Massei, the informed and informative text is the collaboration of freelance writer Martha Fay, media personality and home design expert Carol Endler Sterbenz, and professional interior designer Genevieve A. Sterbenz. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior Design    7. Shelving (Furniture)    8. Storage in the home   

Reviews (3)

Recycled Photos
Taunton needs to take a rest. Their books are usually very good, but lately I've noticed the same pictures appearing again and again. If you've seen their "Built-Ins" or "Storage" books, you've seen it all. This slim volume is a rip-off and an insult to the reader. Do they actually think that people won't recognize the photos? Take it out of the library - don't buy it.

Pleasantly Surprised
I found this book to be full of useful ideas which enabled me tobetter organize my humble abode. I plan on purchasing additional copies to help family and friends create a highly functional and organized living space.I loved this book.

Fabulous, must-buy book!!! Delicious! So fabulous.
I was a "clutter" person, one of those types you might see on 60 Minutes... cats, piles and piles of stuff, old pizza packages, popsicle wrappers. And my closet, wow, what a mess. So I might have been a slob, but I wear good clothes, but my Prada was nowhere to be found and my Hedi Slimane suits, well, let's just say they might have been buried under old Meow Mix or Alpo. So, here I am one day at Target... I buy a nice Fiorucci jean ensemble, one of those fab nesting tables from Thomas O'Brien (on sale, love a good sale!), and then, yes, drumroll, please, I stumble upon this book. The heavens opened. I read this guide, and my life is transformed, tansfigured. My world would now make Martha Stewart proud (love Martha, so wrongly accused!). Truly, this is one book that will get your life organized, spruced-up. It's better than "Cats," and you are talking to one tough customer. I am giving a copy to all my friends this Christmas and a bottle of gin. An insider tells me that Anna Wintour had her assistant buy a copy, but I cannot vouch for that. Run, don't walk. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    3. Decoration & Ornament    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. General    6. Home Economics (Specific Aspects)    7. Home Furnishing    8. House & Home    9. Interior decoration    10. Storage in the home    11. Home & House Maintenance    12. House & Home / General   

Reviews (1)

Make your home sparkle!
I was looking forward to reading Mary Findley and Linda Formichelli's "Complete Idiot's Guide to Cleaning" in the hopes that it might provide some cleaning solutions that didn't require either serious scrubbing or harsh, toxic chemicals--things that don't go well with my tendonitis and allergies.
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Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Cleaning & Caretaking - Household Hints    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. General    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. Home Maintenance And Repair    8. House & Home    9. House cleaning    10. Housekeeping    11. House & Home / Cleaning & Caretaking   

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Home Improvement / Construction   

Reviews (17)

Organization Made Simple
The book is good for putting things into perspective - as far as organizing room by room.It is easy to read and understand.The pictures are excellent for giving you ideas for your own home.Things you might not have thought of to use - the items are very reasonably priced in retail stores, so it makes for an economical fix to storage problems.Overall:a good book for the unorganized and organized alike.

Perfect for new home or apartment owners!
I bought this book in the store after flipping through it.If you like Real Simple (the magazine), this book is for you.The ideas in the book are perfect for first-timers who are looking to organize all their stuff as they move in to a new place.I love the photos and suggestions - from cleaning products to furniture ideas to color schemes.One wish I have for this book is that they would have shared the best places to buy these things, but a lot of the products, units and furniture seem like they could be purchased in local department stores or stores like Ikea.

Cool!
Very nice book with excellent photos and tips. Good for europeans that can't suscribe to Real Simple Magazine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Interior decoration    6. Orderliness    7. Storage in the home    8. Home & House Maintenance    9. House & Home / General   

Editorial Review

This book first came out in 1988 and has been in my general "how-to" library ever since. Updated and reprinted in 1994, it is still one of the most extensive household help books I know. It has tips on organizing your home, cleaning, repairing things, gardening, caring for pets, even record-keeping and decorating! Well organized, well indexed, and easy to use, this book is packed with a whole lot of information on practical matters of living, and you'll find yourself keeping it within easy reach! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Truly Lives Up To The Title
This is a great book - perfect for reading cover-to-cover or just the areas you want to read. Illustrations are helpful and are very clear.If you're trying to become more organized or want to save time, you need to get this book!And....it would be a great wedding or housewarming book, too.

Everything you need to know in one handy volume!
While I'm embarrased to admit it, this is the volume I consulted last week to figure out how to sew a button back onto one of my shirts.It also includes all those annoying laundry symbols you can never remember, foodpreparation tips, pet care, how to organize your life, and first aidinstructions.The answer to pretty much any household question you havecan be found in this book.It would make a perfect gift for a son ordaughter who's leaving home for the first time.

a book that lives up to its title
finally, a book that actually delivers all the information it promises to in its title. this is the most comprehensive household hint book i have read (and i am constantly aiming to improve my household skills}.so far,this book has provided relevant tips for my entire house renovation andwhen both the fridge and oven and washing machine broke down the same weekit saved me countless electrician bills. by providingclear guidelines howto identify the problem and even instructions how to fix simplebreakdowns.the text is concise and easy enough to understand - even myhusband is using it as a reference (and he never has patience to consultany book). all in all, i would consider this a perfect book for the newhouse or apartment dweller or even amore experienced one could cull somevaluable information here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family/Marriage    2. General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. Home economics    5. Housekeeping   

Reviews (6)

Uh hello?
For those of you who hire a cleaning service - this is obviously not the book for you.If I hired a company to paint my house, I wouldn't buy a book on how to paint.Common sense, don't you think?
Not all of us are SAHM's with nothing better to do...
than read about cleaning!Wake up!This is reality.Most women work.Most men work.Not all of us working people have kids to stay at home with.Some of us work for a living, which leaves little free time.Reality is that I happily pay a cleaning service to clean my home, do my laundry, etc...once a week.This enables us to enjoy what little free time we have with each other rather than spend it on the drudgery which is housework.You've no room to call the other reader a snob.

A reader and real world person from ohio
First to the "snooty" I'll give mine away.. A reader from USA, Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Gardening    4. General    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. House & Home    7. House cleaning    8. Housekeeping    9. Storage in the home    10. Time management    11. DIY    12. House & Home / General    13. Household hints   

Reviews (5)

Dated Book But Good Ideas
This is more a book for someone who has no idea at all how to get organized and is desperate for ideas. This book is a keeper.
As long as we are going to drag "stuff" home, we might as well learn to at least catalog, organize, and store it safety, and with style. A Wonderful Resource!
I bought this book when it came out in '93, and have referred to it time and again each time I have faced a new organizing challenge.The photos are wonderful, and the book is chock full of different ideas, and styles,for storage.Terrific to read and look through. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Family/Marriage    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Remodeling & Renovation - General    6. Storage in the home    7. Household hints    8. Marriage, family & other relationships   

Reviews (9)

Go from Oscar to Felix
This is one of those perfect little volumes that should have been written long ago. I only wish my brother had one of these when he was single -- the image of his crusty bath towels haunts me to this day!
A reader from Virginia
I received this book as a gift. At first a thought it was a gag and although it is a fun read there are a lot of very solid tips and advice that should ring true for guys, from buying the right vacuum to being a housekeeping commando and whipping through a room in 15 minutes -- cleaning it completely with no sacrifice in the quality of your results. I've adopted many of the book's easiest, most effective "Strategic MANeuvers" and worked them into my daily routine so that my townhouse always looks great, or is at least always within 10 minutes of looking great. What more can a guy ask -- especially a guy who entertains the occasional woman in his home? Highly recommended, dude!

CLAM for Single Women & the Dogs They Rescue
Tom McNulty's Clean Like a Man is full of ideas and tips, and packed with humor.Although I wasn't sure it applied to me, I set about cleaning my house with his advice.My four 60 pound rescued dogs followed my every step.Two pieces of McNulty's advice really stood out:the first was "to clean from right to left."So I started in one corner and did just that...room by room...down the stairs, I wiped off all the mud my dogs had streaked on about 2 feet up from the floor.I carried my cleaning supplies with me.(I didn't listen to The Stones, but I did put on my favorite alternative musician from Chicago, Robbie Fulks).The dogs nearly knocked me off the landing a couple times; we kept going.The second piece of advice I noticed was a real shocker: "If you can see it, you are responsible for it."Mr. McNulty, are you sure?Does that mean if I CAN'T see it I am NOT resposible for it?Hooray!What a freeing thought for a girl!I TRIED to believe you; but I STILL vacuumed under and behind the beds.In all, I think -as a woman- I still cleaned too much.I had to listen to Robbie 4 or 5 times...but the house looked great.
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Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. Home Management    5. House & Home    6. House cleaning    7. House & Home / Cleaning & Caretaking   

Reviews (5)

some disturbing photos
I like the Keep Chickens! book better. This book has a chapter of killing chickens with some disturbing photos in it. If you love your chickens like your dogs, you'll end up taping that section which is what I did.

Nice book!Recommended highly
Friendly style, full of information, & tons of special, vivid photos-- I read this cover to cover in a day and really enjoyed it.A GREAT book for the person who is thinking about starting a small backyard flock.One of my favorites.(The layout is unique, too- engaging and easy to read.)
Great book for the beginning chicken owner!
I read this book cover-to-cover the first day and next morning that I got it from the library. Very clear and easy to understand even for a kid. The book is written with a touch of humor that makes it especially fun to read! There is BEAUTIFUL photography in this book. If you are thinking about getting chickens like I am, or already own them, you won't want to pass this book up! Happy Reading! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Animal Husbandry    2. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. House & Home    5. Technology & Industrial Arts    6. Pets / General   

Reviews (2)

Kitty Tales - a story ofbad hyperlinks
Dont be confused to see people rave about the list of housecleaning methods contained in these night time stories about kitties.Someone has goofed on the hyperlinks attached to the book.Hopefully they'll discover it one day and fix it.For now we'll just have to wait to see what other readers really think of the book

Great Reference!
This is an alphabetical listing of how to clean just about EVERYTHING!It is a handy reference tool, to help clean those items we don't think about very often, as well as better ways to do daily cleaning.He includesdetail listings of items such as fabrics - listing the most common, theircharacteristics and how best to clean them.His entry on "SpotRemoval" goes on for 2+ pages, teaching how to identify the type ofspot, as well as the best treatments.Under "Fall Cleaning" helists 10 items to thoroughly clean on a yearly basis.He even has alisting of things to consider when hiring cleaning help. I bought this bookin conjunction with "How to Get Organized When You Don't Have theTime" by Stephanie Culp.They complement each other well, as thisbook teaches how to clean while Ms. Culp's book teaches time management andprioritizing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - Household Hints    2. Encyclopedias    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House cleaning    5. Reference    6. House & Home / Cleaning & Caretaking