![]() Though completely accessible, it’s really a home reference source - from the varied types of cloth used for washing and drying glasses and bed linen thread counts to the best way to mop wood, vinyl and stone and repairing a torn screen. The level of detail could be considered overwhelming it’s better to think of this book as an encyclopedia rather than a “10 steps” self-help kind. There’s also advice about organization, decorating/room layout, pet care, preparing for a baby and even a thorough moving checklist. For everyone else this is a comprehensive manual about which products and methods to use to best clean, maintain and care for your home inside and out. If bleach, any all-purpose cleaner or just baking soda/vinegar are your steadfast weapons of choice for housework, this will be a waste of time. This book is only for two kinds of people: those who care about the materials in their home and/or those who missed this part of the parent/child experience. Help other customers find the most helpful reviewsĦ0 of 62 people found the following review helpfulīy West Villager (New York, NY United States) – I think this book is wonderful, and I expect to make good use of it for years to come. And I needed all the basic housecleaning help I could get. ![]() On the other hand, laundry stains are my Nemesis, and I went staight to Martha for help. And I didn’t need to be told how to set the dials on my washer and drying, but I’ll bet somebody who is on their own for the first time (some young man entering college, let’s say) needs this sort of information. My library is totally organized, but many parts of my home are an exercise in memory retention, and that is enough organization for me. My tool shop is far more complete than Martha’s suggested basic tool set. Not everything in this book is for everybody. Wherever possible, natural, simple solutions were suggested, like using rubbing alcohol to remove ballpoint pen stains and using lemon juice and salt to clean your good copper pots. What impressed me the most was that this was not an exercise in product placement. If you haven’t a clue what that stray funny-looking sterling fork you inherited was for, you will find your answer here. And there are pages of resource materials. Some things are just touched on, flower arranging, for example, while others are fully treated, such as how to restore a metal lawn chair or what constitutes the basic equipment for a kitchen. There are even sections on how to fix a lamp, unclog a sink, and start a compost heap. Good luck! But there are invaluable things, like how to iron that shirt (saving money on a professional cleaner, to boot), and how to fold those impossible fitted sheets into neat bundles. Granted, there are parts that are a little “over the top” for most of us, for example, how to sort your children’s toys, compete with labeling. Well organized, there are sections for each room in the house, for cleaning and maintenance, and for home safety. Covering a wide range of topics, from how to remove stains to how to buy a sofa, this well illustrated volume offers clear instructions and suggestions for all aspects of home care. Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is the answer, a wonderful encyclopedia of everything you need to know about keeping a house. But how many of us know the tricks of keeping a cozy, tidy house, without all those conveniences and products, and how to protect the things we own and love from wear and tear? We are a convenience society, using everything from prepackaged salad to throw away mops. ![]() The shadows of the Depression and WWII rationing are gone. We have finally reached the stage where many of our mothers and even grandmothers were professional women, not homemakers passing their skills to their daughters (and maybe sons). This review is from: Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home (Hardcover) Beeton, July 4, 2007īy Dana Kramer-Rolls (Richmond, CA USA) – 59 of 64 people found the following review helpfulįinally, a Modern Mrs.
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