1 comments about Shelf Expression: 70 Projects & Ideas for Creative Storage & Display.

1. What a great book. I bought it bargain priced but after having looked through it I'd have paid full price for it! It is chock full of great photography and tasteful decorating ideas, many of which I never would've dreamed of. (Not goofy stuff or out of place junk you sometimes see hung up on walls). The shelving designs run the gamut from country decor(small toy wagon built into wall shelves) to entrance shelving, to sleek contemporary and simplistic Asian looks for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms etc. Really so many different options and a great variety of ideas. If you a looking for inventive ways to decorate your walls, I definitely recommend this book.

No comments about The House-Owners Book: A Manual For The Helpful Guidance Of Those Who Are Interested In The Building Or Conduct Of Homes (1922).

1 comments about The Very Best Home Improvement Guide & Document Organizer.

1. This book is an interesting idea. I found it in a bargain bin, and bought it because it was cheaper than buying an expanding folder. The concept is very cool, and if you are disciplined enough to use it will be a very useful tool for documenting your home.
   
   So what is it?
   
   Well half of the book is an expanding folder. It can expand quite large, and has 10 separate areas for storing manuals, receipts, etc. You will probably need to be selective as to what to store, as if you are like me all of your electronics manuals constitute several inches of paper that would not fit here. It has a cover and elastic band to hold everything in which is nice.
   
   The other half of the book is sort of a formatted notebook with notes and suggestion interspersed throughout it. It has worksheets for comparing various contractors, painters, etc. Some advice on loans, decorating, etc. I'm not sure the advice sections really add much value to the book, but they are interesting. If anything they give you some terminology to use for further research.
   
   A really interesting idea in the book is a section where you draw the rooms of your house. It has various cardboard punch outs for furniture that you can use to map out your room before moving furniture. I could also see it being used when furniture or paint shopping (will this couch fit here, how much paint do I need? for example).
   
   A number of blank calendar sheets are included as well. This could be useful for recording purchase dates (for warranty information), and for recording when work was done.
   
   This book will be very useful for organizing documents pertaining to the home, and for planning on any repairs, or other work around the house. It is not a DIY manual, but more of a document storage and planning tool.

No comments about How to Clean Practically Anything: Third Edition.

3 comments about House Beautiful Storage.

1. This is a beautiful book. That's where it's usefulness ends. It will look lovely sitting on your coffee table. That's where it will stay too because it's useless if you have any kind of monetary restrictions. If you are looking to build your dream house from scratch, go for it. If you want practical ways to use the space that you already have, skip this book. Use the $25 to buy a shelf!!



2. My purpose in buying this book was to inspire me, not to tell me exactly where to hang a shelf. If you want step by step instructions, obviously, this is not the book for you. However, if you enjoy interior decoration as an art form or an outlet for creativity, or, yes, to look at pretty pictures, you will enjoy this book.



3. Alhtough some of the photos may not have been previously published, this book is a pictorial overview of various stylish storage solutions from projects that have been seen in "House Beautiful" magazine. Any repeats are worthwhile in this helpful book, however, that ranges from the simple but classic library in the last home of legendary decorator Nancy Lancaster to the stark utilitarian dressing room/closet in the New York loft of designer Bruce Bierman. Work by interior designers Bunny Williams, Christian Badin, David Anthony Easton, Tom Fleming, Mariette Himes Gomez and Mario Buatta are shown along with architects Hugh Newell Jacobsen, Peter Pennoyer, and John Tackett, among many others. Not a "How To" book, but rather an inspiration for storage throughout the house.

5 comments about Restoring Order: Organizing Strategies to Reclaim Your Life.

1. I got this book because I thought Ms. Norris would share some specific strategies for getting organized. I didn't find any here. Instead, I found that 90 percent of the book was bashing and psychoanalyzing people's shortcomings. I was surprised at how much she put people down. I know I have a problem getting organized. That is why I picked up the book. I don't need to be brow-beat or ridiculed. It appears that Ms. Norris is lifting herself up by putting others down. You won't find any practical help here. Just a lot of psycho-babble. I'd give it a zero if I could.



2. Does anyone really know why their house fell into such a disorganized chaos? Get some insight into the cause of your clutter.



3. First off, I really enjoy watching Vicki Norris on television and seeing her work her magic. However, I don't think it takes 252 pages to convey the idea that if you are disorganized you need to assess your values and priorities before coming up with personalized systems of organization. I wholeheartedly agree that magazine articles and quick fixes are just band-aid solutions and don't work in the long run.
   
   I faithfully read each and every page until Part 3, Organizing Strategies (pg. 179) at which point I started to speed read because I felt like I was being hit over the head again and again with the same concepts and very similar examples from earlier in the book. Including some self-discovery worksheets would have been helpful because it would make the assessment process tangible.
   
   I still highly recommend it for individuals who need inspiration due to their feelings of being overwhelmed by the enormity of organizing their space.



4. I couldn't find it in her bio information, but I think Vicki Norris must be 'Professional Organizer meets Therapist/Counselor!' This book really helped me understand the reasons behind my clutter and disorganization -- as well as all the reasons (and encouragement) as to why I want to invest the time and energy to build systems that work for my family and me. No little 'stop clutter in 3 easy steps' pandering, but solid recommendations for better living!
   
   She paints word pictures and provides catchy names for organization strategies (I loved 'pruning') that I believe will help me greatly. I'm looking forward to the holidays ahead to start tackling some big projects, armed with Ms. Norris' advice. I even bought books for 5 friends for Christmas!
   
   Thank you, Ms. Norris, for helping me end my disorganization!



5. People find such humor in my well-organized life. Simply, I work well in an orderly environment.
   
   I found Ms. Norris' book very insightful. Beyond my fine tuning the learned tasks of sorting, labeling, storing, and tidying, this book reminded me that organization is much more. Sure, the tasks are important and needed, but the objective is not to exclaim, "I HAVE CLEANED MY ROOM!"
   
   As the book describes, organization enables me to identify and then focus on my priorities - the things the REALLY matter to ME. A great reminder!

3 comments about The Creative Real Estate Investor's Notebook of 525 Rehab, Remodeling, Repair, and Maintenance Secrets (v 2.2).

1. This "book" should be in the "complete idiots guide to..." series. Recommended for the clueless beginners.



2. Landlords will appreciate this valuable resource. I have gained so many ideas and tips on repairs & remodeling. Best of all, they work! As you read this book, you'll see Bryan has years of experience in landlording.
   
   I have recommended this book to every landlord or property manager I know, It's that great. I also recommend Bryan's book called "Perpetual Income". I read it cover to cover.
   
   Bryan has been sharing tips and ideas that the real estate gurus have been charging $1000's for the same information. Thanks Bryan for such another valuable resource. Every book you write make our bottom line look better!



3. It was acceptable for the price paid, but very little jumped out at me as being terribly useful. I thought the penny-pinching techniques went a little too far into the ridiculous. If you follow some of this advice you will waste a lot of time saving a little bit of money.

No comments about Organized Living: Clutter-Clearing Strategies and Creative Storage Solutions.

2 comments about Herbal Home Hints (Rodale's Essential Herbal Handbooks).

1. This book helped me clean everything around the house naturally and organically! Louise's writing style is humorous and whimsical. I highly recommend it.



2. Louise Gruenberg's Herbal Home Hints is incredibly useful and well written. Her formulas are wonderful tools for cleaning naturally with herbs. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in herbalism and natural cleaning and home beautification ideas.

1 comments about Laundry: The Spirit of Keeping Home.

1. I really liked this book. It's short and simple, and inspires me to try and enjoy doing the laundry, rather than making it such a tedious chore. There is nothing really innovative in this book, but it's a nice and easy read for those looking for a little motivation and something to inspire. I like the idea of the "Spirit of Homekeeping", especially since I am a 20 something year old woman who grew up "hanging out" and watching too much television! Now that I have a family of my own, I love the old fashioned ideas of keeping home, and making the daily grind a little more enjoyable.