If you're looking to simplify, declutter, and organize, Conran's Essential Storage gives tips so fundamental you'll think you should have known them a...moreIf you're looking to simplify, declutter, and organize, Conran's Essential Storage gives tips so fundamental you'll think you should have known them already like using square containers is a more efficient use of space than round ones. While some of his information may not be new, his straightforward guidelines will help you to review your possesions, figure out levels of storage (frequent use or long-term), evaluate types of storage, and store items area by area. It's worth reading.(less)
With attention to different types of layout, area by area evaluation and tips, and considerations for decor and furnishings including lighting, decora...moreWith attention to different types of layout, area by area evaluation and tips, and considerations for decor and furnishings including lighting, decorative strategies, furniture arrangement, and how to build in flexibility and use redundant space, this book is full of helpful and simple tips.(less)
For those folks who sew, bead, scrapbook, knit, etc. and have all their supplies tucked into closets, plastic bins, or various bags and baskets around...moreFor those folks who sew, bead, scrapbook, knit, etc. and have all their supplies tucked into closets, plastic bins, or various bags and baskets around the house, I was hoping Organizing Your Craft Space would offer ideas about how to organize multi-craft areas. It doesn't really. Instead, the introduction and getting started sections offer very regimented advice about how to go about planning one's space with step by step directions that would drive me crazy to follow. Then the books chapters focus on stained glass and mosaics, rubber stamping and stenciling, scrapbooking, paper crafts, bead, yarn crafts and needlework, and quilting. If you have hundreds or thousands of rubber stamps to organize or you just work in one of these mediums, the section related to your art form could really help. If, however, you are one of those folks who does tons of different things and need a way to combine your materials into a multi-use space, this book is not particularly helpful. It's still worth looking through the photos, even if you don't read the text, because you might apply some of the storage and organizing principles to your own art form.(less)
Stylish Storage offers alternatives to premade mass-produced storage ideas. With step-by-step directions about how to build cubes, display shelves, ha...moreStylish Storage offers alternatives to premade mass-produced storage ideas. With step-by-step directions about how to build cubes, display shelves, hanging reading pouches, tool bags and more, Stylish Storage: Simple Ways to Contain Your Cluttergives handy and creative folks a way of creating storage that works for them. The instructions are adaptable for different sizes and materials. The photos in the books provide tons of great storage ideas for everyone, whether you'd choose to follow their building instructions or repurpose garage sale finds. If you're looking for creative storage ideas to contain clutter and display your belongings, this book is worth a look.(less)
I wanted this book to be fabulous. So many of my organizing clients need help figuring out how to create sewing or craft space and most organizing boo...moreI wanted this book to be fabulous. So many of my organizing clients need help figuring out how to create sewing or craft space and most organizing books devote one small section of a chapter to helping with that. Though Dream Sewing Spaces: Design & Organization for Spaces Large & Small focuses specifically on sewing, I expected the book would provide information that could be used for other craft and creative spaces. To some extent it does. It offers advice about cabinetry and specialized furniture, how much room one might want for primary and secondary sewing centers like planning, pressing, and sewing. One of the drawbacks to this book is the pictures, which are used over and over so rather than illustrating a large variety of spaces and layout possibilities, it provides outdated pictures in color and black and color. There is a sewing space inventory that would be more useful if it included more of the possible items one might have in a sewing space (zippers, snaps, batting, or anything much beyond fabric and scissors). The "Space Layout Possibilities" section offers many options to consider and ways of using rooms or parts of rooms, as did the two pages dedicated to wall systems and dividers. The book tries to cover so much ground, like what types of lighting exist and how they reflect off colors, what colors of paint to use, or types of flooring to consider that it doesn't deal practically with many of the obstacles to organization one deals with in a sewing space--like the many sizes and colors of fabric that need to be stored, or that putting buttons in jars or holders on a magnetic strip could leave you with either many containers or too many things stored in too few containers so you'd have to dig through to get what you need. (less)
Fabelehaven Book 1 takes the reader from the (probably) familiar act of going to visit grandparents, those people you hardly know and aren't sure you...moreFabelehaven Book 1 takes the reader from the (probably) familiar act of going to visit grandparents, those people you hardly know and aren't sure you want to spend time with, into a completely new world full of magical creatures and danger. Mull does a great job of developing the family's relationships, showing the ribbing between siblings, rebellion against rules, and how kids learn consequences in s setting full of unpredictable adventures. Having both female and male child protaganist heroes as the focus of the Fablehaven series makes for a great read and illustrates gender and personality differences without making it a girl's or a boy's world. This is great YA for young or adult readers. The writing is rich and the plot suspenseful with one reveal after another. (less)
Separated into the elements you must consider when designing a kitchen (cabinets, counters, appliances, floors, etc), Kitchens: A Sunset Design Guide:...moreSeparated into the elements you must consider when designing a kitchen (cabinets, counters, appliances, floors, etc), Kitchens: A Sunset Design Guide: Inspiration + Expert Advicefeatures beautiful photos, practical advice, and a thorough exploration of one's options. Especially with kitchens, it's so easy to get caught up in the choices and expense, one might forget to consider whether s/he would actually dust the dishes on all those beautiful open shelves. Readers will also learn about options they didn't even know existed: foot pedal operated sinks, for instance, so you don't have to use your messy hands to turn on the faucet. I found the case studies more helpful than the Q&A with architects and designers, which were so specific to a certain projects' concerns that they offered text to skip over in a book that I was otherwise found very informative and helpful. If you're imagining your dream kitchen, this book will help take the dream from abstract to concrete.(less)
Kitchens for the Rest of Us: From the Kitchen You Have to the Kitchen You Love is totally misleading. The remodeling projects showcased throughout thi...moreKitchens for the Rest of Us: From the Kitchen You Have to the Kitchen You Love is totally misleading. The remodeling projects showcased throughout this book cost $30,000-$50,000. Kitchens for the rest of us? Really? I was hoping for a book that was going to tell me how to update my 1970s kitchen with laminate countertops and fake wood cabinets so that it would be more functional and beautiful. I don't want to hire a certified kitchen designer, an architect, and builders. The rest of us that Lemos is referring to sure don't apply to me. Still, looking through the photos might inspire one who is on a budget to make a wish list, get a higher paying job, or just throw up her hands then burn the house down in the hopes that home insurance might may for a nice rebuild. If you do have the money though, check out this book. The case studies explore a variety of possibilities, have "From Our Wish List" sidebars with innovative ideas, and offer many beautiful dream kitchen ideas.(less)
If you are going to spend a lot of money and time creating a themed bedroom that your child will outgrow in a very few years, this book is for you. Th...moreIf you are going to spend a lot of money and time creating a themed bedroom that your child will outgrow in a very few years, this book is for you. There are tons of photos and ideas for how to create such a space. These rooms are a little too busy being decorative to be restful, in my opinion. My eyes are tired just looking at everything going on in these rooms. But maybe that's just me. If you're looking for inspiration for decoration or storage though, the New Kidspace Idea Book may offer just what you never knew you needed.(less)
Since this book was published in 1988, the difference in what we have access to now in the way of customizable closets is profound. That said, the adv...moreSince this book was published in 1988, the difference in what we have access to now in the way of customizable closets is profound. That said, the advice in this book has definitely stood the test of time. If you're trying to figure out what you may need to do to organize your closets and customize your storage for you, before you buy your Elfa or call in California Closets, read Closets: Designing and Organizing the Personalized Closet. The seven steps to designing a perfect closet will help you. Though the pictures are somewhat outdated, there are plenty of ideas here. (less)
People have been telling me to read Bel Canto for years but it just didn't appeal. I'm not into hostage scenarios, Stockholm syndrome, or opera. But m...morePeople have been telling me to read Bel Canto for years but it just didn't appeal. I'm not into hostage scenarios, Stockholm syndrome, or opera. But my book club voted to read Bel Canto, so I read it. Honestly, I would have stopped if I hadn't had to read it because the beginning was slow. The character building included a bunch of people I didn't think I was interested in. But Patchett's language and imagery created a world I couldn't escape either. As I read further, I was captivated by the relationships between the hostages, between hostage and captor, and that of the characters to themselves. There are some books that are worth reading just because they are so well-written, even if you don't want to know the story or the people in it. This book is most definitely one of them.(less)
Kingston shares the basic tenets of Feng Shui as she outlines the cost of clutter--financial, emotional, and physical. The book is great for helping y...moreKingston shares the basic tenets of Feng Shui as she outlines the cost of clutter--financial, emotional, and physical. The book is great for helping you to identify clutter, look at how it came to be there and how to get rid of it. If decluttering were as simple as simply going through our homes and throwing away things that aren't useful to us, then we could do it once and be done. Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui clearly explains what causes clutter and how to get rid of it. (less)
Have absolutely no idea what good decorating principles are? This book will more than school you in the basics. With guidelines for where to place fur...moreHave absolutely no idea what good decorating principles are? This book will more than school you in the basics. With guidelines for where to place furniture for best TV viewing, how to aesthetically balance chairs and art, and what effect different color choices have on a room. Full color photos on just about every page illustrate many options and ideas, which may or may not correlate to to your taste but which you can generalize to your own home. (less)
I picked up this book when I read Tamora Pierce's blurb on the back cover. Since Pierce creates such strong female characters herself, I figured if sh...moreI picked up this book when I read Tamora Pierce's blurb on the back cover. Since Pierce creates such strong female characters herself, I figured if she loved it, I might too. Love would be too strong a word here, though Eon: Dragoneye Reborn was a page-turner. My problem was that I'd figured out the big reveal that comes near the end of the book by about halfway through so the next 200 pages, I was just reading to find out how she dealt with the book's core secret. The book's main character, Eon, learns about herself and her power as she struggle with loyalty, friendship and truth. Though I would have edited this book to about two-thirds its current length, I still plan to read the sequel. Goodman's attention to detail and character-development assures that even if you've guessed at the conclusion, the suspense is not gone. You'll want to read to the end.(less)
Trying to decide whether to buy rectangular or square baskets? Vicki Payne will tell you how to choose. With many other practical lists and considerat...moreTrying to decide whether to buy rectangular or square baskets? Vicki Payne will tell you how to choose. With many other practical lists and considerations like what can be stored in a basket, strategies for creating an entryway, and ways to get more storage space out of your kitchen by retrofitting existing cabinets, the information in Easy Home Organizer: 15-Minute Step-by-Step Solutions will help those on any budget. She'll tell you everything from how to organize your closet to how to store your china and linens. This is one to buy and keep on your reference shelf for any home organizing projects.(less)
Considering Gold and Williams own a chain of furniture stores, The Comfortable Home offers solid information about what to consider whttp://www.goodre...moreConsidering Gold and Williams own a chain of furniture stores, The Comfortable Home offers solid information about what to consider whttp://www.goodreads.com/search?quer... purchasing furniture, as well as how to maintain it. Their advice is definitely aimed to folks with a high budget for design however. They give examples of how to furnish a living room for the $10,000 one might spend on a vacation. Considering I've never spent that kind of money on a vacation nor do I have it to furnish my home, this advice didn't help. What did help though was their coverage of how to pick furniture and accessories i.e. how tall a lamp should be and how to pick its shape. Even if you don't have the budget they assume, this book offers information you could apply to more affordable options in both shopping for and arranging your home.(less)
Making the Most of Storage is full of practical, if commonsense advice. Unlike many organizing books, the writing here is natural and flows well. That...moreMaking the Most of Storage is full of practical, if commonsense advice. Unlike many organizing books, the writing here is natural and flows well. That means the advice is easier to follow. The other great offering of this book is that it takes into consideration that not all people who want to organize their homes have unlimited budgets for remodels and built-ins. Robertson is clear on the reality sorely missing from many decorating and organizing manuals: that the needs in our homes change as children age and adults move into different stages. Rather than locking function or design into a room, Robertson advises how to get the most function from a room and then repurpose storage systems as the needs of the family change. Her title is absolutely apt and this organizing book is great for lay-people exploring all of their design and organizing options.(less)
Princess Cimorene started strong in the tomboy, strong, independent, and outspoken role. I was very excited about Dealing with Dragons. Then I read th...morePrincess Cimorene started strong in the tomboy, strong, independent, and outspoken role. I was very excited about Dealing with Dragons. Then I read the subsequent books in the series. They were okay, but disappointing in comparison. I would have been happier had I stopped at the end of this one.(less)
Though much more substantive than one might expect of a book about princesses, after Hale's Books of Bayern Princess Academy was light reading. Light...moreThough much more substantive than one might expect of a book about princesses, after Hale's Books of Bayern Princess Academy was light reading. Light is good, but if you have read the Books of Bayern and are just trying to get your hands on any Hale you can read, don't read this. Not now. You won't appreciate it as much as you could if you gave it six months, or a year. Put yourself on princess probation for awhile. If you're coming to Shannon Hale or Princess Academy fresh, by all means, give this book a read. Watching the Mount Eskel girls learn everything form their letters to Poise and Diplomacy is fun. The development of the characters, their friendships, fears, and how they handle a totally foreign situation is a great girls' empowerment and coming-of-age tale. For us grown-up readers of YA, it's still a fun story to follow and worth a light read.(less)
Shannon Hale's describes the process of writing Forest Born as being "the single most difficult book to write that I've ever done." I believe that. R...moreShannon Hale's describes the process of writing Forest Born as being "the single most difficult book to write that I've ever done." I believe that. Rin, the main character is the younger sister of Razo the central character of book 3 in the Bayern series. She hails from the same forest as Enna and Razo so readers are familiar with what it means to come from the forest, how one relates to others born and raised there the same we would someone from our hometown. We expect something good from those who are forest born: loyalty, connection to nature, honesty. Where Razo had an inferiority complex, Rin just thinks she may be bad. As she tries to run away from herself, she has to look at who she is and what she does. It's hard to make peace with that sometimes and the book meanders as Rin attempts to discover or abandon herself. This plot could have been resolved earlier. I'd figured out Rin's secret long before she did. Though, it has been somewhat true of the other Bayern books that the reader might gain insight before the protaganist does, in this case it read as if both the author and the character were a little lost. Hale isn't planning to write another Bayern book and hadn't even planned on writing this one. Though I enjoyed Forest Born, I would have been satisfied to end the series with River Secrets. It maintains the integrity of the previous volumes and offers a much more satisfying resolution to all of the characters' stories.(less)
After The Goose Girl and Enna Burning, I was ready to learn more about Razo. He played the role of sidekick and sweet boy in the first two Books of Ba...moreAfter The Goose Girl and Enna Burning, I was ready to learn more about Razo. He played the role of sidekick and sweet boy in the first two Books of Bayern, but now gets to take center stage. I loved reading a protaganist with an inferiority complex? Razo keeps asking, Why am I here? Why would they want me? not only of the King's Own army to which he belongs, but even of his friendships. As with the first two books in the series, we get to watch a character come into his own. As others reflect the good they see in him, he begins to view and value himself differently. A wonderful read!(less)
When I first started this book, I thought I would love it. I was intrigued by Reynie, the main character, a gifted boy living in an orphanage. Soon, h...moreWhen I first started this book, I thought I would love it. I was intrigued by Reynie, the main character, a gifted boy living in an orphanage. Soon, he's taking tests that lead to he-knows-not-what. The tests themselves and his advancement through them had me hooked. Then the book slows way down. I kept trying to get back into it for 50 or so pages, but had to put it down. That's rare for me.(less)
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