The Complete Book of Home Organization

by Toni Hammersley

Overview

Have you ever wished you had the time and tools to organize your house in a clutter-free, design-conscious, Pinterest-worthy way? From storage solutions and cleaning tips to secret space-saving methods and expert strategies, The Complete Book of Home Organization is packed with the tips and shortcuts you need to effectively organize your home.

From small spaces and apartment solutions to how to tackle a big, messy home with a 15-week total home organization challenge, this book covers it all. The Complete Book of Home Organization spells out everything you need to de-clutter your house, store your belongings, and keep your home—and life—in tip-top shape. With high-quality design, intricate detail, and a durable flexicover—this manual is the perfect gift!

Organize the 30 main spaces of your home, including the living and dining spaces, bedrooms and bathrooms, guest areas, baby and kids’ rooms, utility spaces and garages, entryways and offices, patios and decks, closets and pet areas! Keep track of your pantry, holiday and craft supplies, weekly menu planning, keepsakes, and schedules. From the basement to the attic, this book covers every nook and cranny.

With step-by-step instructions, detailed illustrations, and handy checklists, say goodbye to a messy home and wasted storage space!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681884103
Publisher:	Weldon Owen
Publication date:	06/19/2018
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	146,329
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Toni Hammersley is the bestselling author of The Complete Book of Clean and The Complete Book of Home Organization and the creator of www.abowlfulloflemons.net, an organizing website that inspires thousands of people around the world to get their lives in order. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with her husband and three children.

Read an Excerpt

Tip 2: Divide the Kitchen Into Zones
 
The kitchen functions at its best when it’s set up in zones. There are five main zones: cooking, preparation, cleaning, storage, and food. Everything in your kitchen should fit into one of these five categories. If you have an item that doesn’t fit, it may not belong in the kitchen.
 
A. COOKING Your cooking space should include spices, oils and vinegars, cooking utensils, pots and pans, pot holders, trivets, and other tools.
 
B. CLEANING All things related to cleaning your kitchen should be in this zone, which is typically centered around the dishwasher and kitchen sink. Categories include kitchen cleaners, under the sink items (sponges, paper towels, microfiber cloths, trash bags, dishwasher detergent), recycling bins, and trash cans.
 
C. PREPARATION Everything needed to prep meals goes in the preparation zone. Items might include mixing bowls, knives, cutting boards, kitchen gadgets, blender, and other appliances. Specific areas will form within this zone, like the baking and school lunch stations
 
D. STORAGE Items in the storage zone include food containers, silverware, dishes, glasses, and small appliances.
 
E. FOOD The pantry is considered the food zone. If you don’t have a pantry, designate a few cupboards or a standing cabinet in which to store food items.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Kitchen + Dining

001 Reinvent Your Kitchen

002 Divide Into Zones

003 End Your Day with a Clean Kitchen

004 Make a DIY Sink Cleaner Quick Tip: Use Baking Soda and Lemon

005 Clean Out Your Spices

006 Create a "Best Of" Station

007 Think Outside the Shelf

008 Group Your Utensils

009 Utilize Your Drawers

010 Separate Lids from Bases

011 Store Pots and Pans Creatively

012 Keep Dishes Near the Sink Quick Tip: Tote IP

013 Deciutter Counters

014 Maintain Order

015 Design a Baking Station

016 Stock Your Baking Cabinet with the Basics

017 Designate a Drink Station

018 Create a Homemade Cocktail Bar

019 Focus On Your Fridge

020 Make Labels Your Friends

021 Make Sense of Your Freezer

022 Prevent Freezer Burn

023 Go Deep

024 Assess Those Appliances

025 Sort By Function

026 Keep Favorite Utensils Handy

027 Stow Pots and Pans

028 Green Under Your Kichen Sink

029 Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

030 Organize Under the Sink

031 Make That Sink Sparkle

032 Tame the Junk Drawer

033 Maximize Storage in a Tiny Kitchen

034 Add Surfaces

035 Waste Not

036 Go Vertical

Week 1 The Kitchen Challenge

037 Create a Recipe Binder

038 Bin Your Cans

039 Store Medicine and Vitamins Properly

040 Use the "One-Door"

041 Organize Your Pantry

042 Control Your Canned Goods

043 Use Your Doors

044 Start with an Inventory

045 Think About Storage Before & After: Pantry

046 Pack Your Snacks

047 Create a School Lunch Station

048 Plan Meals in Advance

049 Shop Effectively Quick Tip: Thaw Out!

050 Liven Up Your Menu with a Theme Night

051 Utilize Your Freezer

Week 2 The Pantry Challenge

052 Design Your Dining Room

053 Showcase Your Collectibles Quick Tip: Stay Focused

054 Employ a Dining Hutch

055 Table the Discussion

056 Define the Space

057 Throw a Dinner Party in a Small Space Before & After: Dining Room

058 Throw a Casual Party Quick Tip: Eat Outside!

059 Be Ready to Party

060 Store Outdoor Utensils

Week 3 The Dining Room Challenge

Part 2 Living + Storage

061 Set the Tone for Your Home

062 Designate a Place for Common Items

063 Make Over the Foyer

064 Create a Faux Foyer

065 Create a Mudroom

066 Check Off the Essentials

067 Use the Stairs

Week 4 The Launch Pad Challenge

068 Love Your Living Room

069 Develop a Clean Routine

070 Get in the Zone

071 Reorganize Your Bookshelf

072 Catalog DVDs

073 Conquer the Clutter

074 Make Furniture Do Double Duty

075 Build In Storage

076 Live Large in a Small Space

077 Furnish a Cozy Room Before & After: Bookshelves

Week 5 The Living Room Challenge

078 Refresh Your Bedroom

079 Take Advantage

080 Rest Easy

081 Make a DIY Linen Spray

082 Find Storage Everywhere

083 Divide Your Dresser

084 Store Baubles

085 Keep an Open Mind

Week 6 The Master Bedroom Challenge

086 Prepare the Guest Bedroom

087 Stock Your Bathroom for Guests

088 Make Your Guests Feel Welcome

089 Create a Guest Haven

090 Improvise a Nightstand

091 Plan a Perfect Nursery

092 Use An Antique Armoire for Baby

093 Design a Functional Kid's Room

094 Make a Play Corner

095 Master Your Closets

096 Put Shoes on Display

097 Utilize Every Space Quick Tip: Donate It

098 Store Clothes Seasonally

099 Color-Code Clothing Quick Tip: Repel Bugs Before & After: Master Closet

Week 7 The Master Closet Challenge

100 Tidy Up Kids' Closets

101 Keep Tiny Shoes Organized

102 ConLain Accessories

103 Perform a Seasonal Sweep

Week 8 The Kids' Closet Challenge

104 Keep Linen Closets Neat

105 Fold a Fitted Sheet

Week 9 The Linen Closet Challenge

106 Clean Bathrooms Daily

107 Think About Proximity

108 Keep it Fresh with Essential Oils

109 Make the Most of a Tiny Bathroom

110 Store It Right

111 Lighten Up

112 Pay Attention to Detail

113 Turn Your Bathroom into an Oasis

114 Heat Things Up

115 Whip Up a Whirlpool

116 Keep Bathroom Closets Neat

117 Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Solutions Before & After: Powder Room

Week 10 The Bathroom Challenge

Part 3 Working + Outdoor

118 Divide Your Office into Zones

119 Control Paper Clutter

120 Create a Keepsake Box

121 Organize Your Files

122 Follow the System

123 Prep for Tax Season Quick Tip: Track Your Taxes

Week 11 The Office Challenge

124 Create a Homework Center Quick Tip: Binder It

125 Create a Home Office Coffee Station

126 Lock In a Library

127 Corral Craft Supplies

128 Build a Gift-Wrapping Station Before & After: Craft Space

129 Create a Tiny Home Office Quick Tip: Let it Roll

130 Organize Kids' Play Spaces

131 Enforce a Nightly Cleanup Quick Tip: Board the Games

132 Tidy Up the Playroom

133 Piece the Puzzles

134 Stack a Play Table

135 Net a Zoo

136 Pitch a Tent Quick Tip: Learn Your ABCs

Week 12 The Playroom Challenge

137 Love the Laundry

138 Think Outside the Shoe Box

139 Set Up Forget-Me-Nots Quick Tip: Mark a Memento

140 Wash with Care

141 Prevent Dryer Disasters

142 Go Homemade

Week 13 The Laundry Room Challenge

143 Set Up a Home Gym Quick Tip: Deal with Gym Odors

144 Stock Your Gym Bag

145 Keep it Simple

146 Attack Your Attic

147 Pare Down Posterity

148 Benefit from the Basement

149 Use Forgotten Spaces Quick Tip: Mount a Fuse Box Flashlight

150 Build a Mini Greenhouse

151 Keep Basements Clean and Dry

152 Practice Caution with Archived Items

153 Salvage a Shed

154 Get the Holiday Hookup

155 Store Splash Supplies

156 Perfect Your Patio

157 Go Vertical Quick Tip: Use the Perimeter

158 Invest in Outdoor Fabrics

159 Overhaul the Garage

160 Follow Safety Rules Quick Tip: Store Tools

161 Store Seasonal Supplies

162 Keep Clean

163 Create a Goodbye Station Before & After: Garage

Week 14 The Garage Challenge

164 Keep the Car Tidy

165 Stock the Car for Emergencies

166 Rock Your Road Trips

Week 15 The Car Challenge

Index

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

"Her [Toni Hammersley] book dives into minutiae, from cataloging DVDs to separating Tupperware lids from bases for better storage. Lots of photographs and illustrations offer visual references, because we all need goals

The New York Post

"If you haven’t already, you need to add The Complete Book of Home Organization to your must-read list...In all honesty, I love this book. The projects in it are very inspiring and I’ve come up with a lot of ideas for my home based off pages of this book."

Modern Day Moms

"Not only is it beautifully photographed, but it is also super useful. It is organized into three parts: Kitchen and Dining, Living and Storage, and Working and Outdoor. The author realizes that we all want to have an organized home, but that life sometimes gets in the way so she shares quick tips, big plans for when you have more time, and lists to get everything done, which we love."

Westchester Magazine