Many of us are spending more time around the house than ever. This can be both good (working in your pajamas) and challenging (staring at the same paint chips and dust balls all day.) Loving the space you’re in can be difficult when a single room functions as a bedroom, office, gym, and day care. We’ve rounded up five books that will help you organize, manage, decorate, and clean your home.
You’ll feel refreshed just looking at the light pink and cream colored cover of Simply Spaced: Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life by Monica Leed. This neatly-styled guide offers room-by-room advice for organizing your home. A large “worksheet” section in the back will help you figure out what’s working in your current space and what areas need attention. The step-by-step instructions will guide you through to the end of every project. If you’re inspired and want to learn more, the resource guide with helpful websites will lead the way. Best for organization.
$23.99, Hardcover
Rock Point
ISBN: 9781631066078
Make any flat surface in your home an art installation with #shelfie: How to Style and Display Your Collections by Geraldine James. This fun guide features lots of inspiring, Instagram worthy photos of well-designed shelf spaces. Whatever it is that fills your home– books, photographs, knickknacks, the random collection of pretty glass bottles you picked up at a garage sale– #shelfie will show you how to display them in style. You’ll find chapters on organizing by color, beautifying a shelf wall, working with recycled and raw materials, and creating clear, uncluttered spaces. With #shelfie on hand, you’ll be ready to shoot, share, and hashtag in no time. Best for social media mavericks.
$19.95 Hardcover
CICO Books
ISBN: 9781782498445
For those looking for a hands-on approach to redefining your space, reach for Farrow and Ball How to Decorate: Transform Your Home with Paint and Paper by Joa Studholme and Charlotte Cosby. This ultimate how-to guide will teach you to think like a pro. Learn how to consider architecture, light, and style when making design choices. Discover when and where to use color (reds are perfect for dining rooms “because they add drama and weight.”) Learn creative ways of applying paint. Get advice about floors, moulding, ceilings, and wallpaper. Be inspired by photos of well-designed interiors. Best do-it-yourself guide.
$39.99, Hardcover
Mitchell Beazley
ISBN: 9781784721589
After you’ve organized your space, make it clean with Clean Green: Tips and Recipes for a Naturally Clean, More Sustainable Home by Jen Chillingsworth. This small book offers advice for when and how to begin cleaning and includes seasonal and weekly checklists. Learn how to mix solutions for every spot in the house. Be kinder to the environment with natural ingredients like salt, essential oils, and vinegar. Shine your stainless steel, scrape the blackened bits of last week’s dinner from inside your oven, treat your laundry to homemade detergent and softener, and fill the air with fresheners. Best guide for cleaning.
$12.99, Hardcover
Quadrille Publishing
ISBN: 9781787135024
For the blossoming homesteader, choose Hand-on Home: A Seasonal Guide to Cooking, Preserving, and Natural Homekeeping by Erica Strauss. This guide will be your in-home encyclopedia for living sustainably. Learn about cooking, preserving, and home care. Let questionnaires and inventories help with planning. You’ll find plenty of recipes for both food and cleaning products. Learn how to bake bread, mix together dressings, or present a full meal. Store food for the winter with the helpful guide to preserving. Make good-for-the-earth cleaning products using simple ingredients and essential oils. You’ll even learn how to set your own soap. Best for sustainable living.
$35.00, Hardcover
Sasquatch Books
ISBN: 9781570619915