Spring Cleaning for the Cleaning Challenged

I grew up in a meticulously clean home, where everything had a place, the décor was always updated in the latest fashion, and we ate a home-cooked dinner as a family every night. I had a Super Mom.

Me? I’m the girl who can’t figure out how to get the grime off the kitchen floor. I sweep up the dog hair only to find giant balls of it five minutes after I finish. I open a cabinet door and things tumble out.

I guess I take after my dad.

Thankfully, people like me can get help—not just the kind where you pay people to come to your home and fix it for you. There are loads of books designed to make things easier for the cleaning challenged, whether you need to learn, get better, or save time. Even the masters can always pick up a thing or two!

Make It Sparkle

With a motto of “clean smarter, not harder,” author Donna Smallin Kuper might have the solution for you. Check out The One Minute Cleaner Plain & Simple and Cleaning Plain & Simple.

For a comprehensive book filled with entertaining stories too, try Clean It Fast, Clean It Right. Learn about decluttering, cleaning tools, and some of the chemicals used in cleaners (and how to be safe).

Go Green

Make your own cleaning products from simple household item with The Naturally Clean Home.

De-Clutter

If you’re overwhelmed or just starting out, try The Organized Home from Real Simple magazine, including artistic pics showing their recommendations in action.

Discover your personal clutter style and get over 1,200 clutter-busting tips in Cut the Clutter and Stow the Stuff.

Be the Master

Who better to provide an encyclopedic guide of over 700 pages than Martha Stewart? The Homekeeping Handbook covers everybody from beginners to those who think they already know it all.

What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for cleaning and de-cluttering? Do you have a favorite book on the topic? Leave a comment to help your fellow ThriftBooks shoppers.

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