Out of the three books I read on this topic this week, this one was clearly the best. Direct, practical advice to help you get your **** together and make (and keep!) your house clean again. I loved the inclusion of ready-to-use lists you can just apply to your own space, for every room of the house - and I'm definitely going to be using them all right away!
This book would make a very nice gift for a new university student who just moved out of their parents house, or a young couple overwhelmed with the cleaning necessities of a brand new home.

This had so many great ideas and tips on how to keep your home organized. I'm a huge fan of keeping things tidy and clean. Karissa had so many good points on how to keep your space welcoming. I definitely had notes throughout the book and have tried some of these.

"The Home Reset" is just what I needed with my favourite time of year—Autumn and Christmas—around the corner. It’s filled with inspiration and motivation to help get the house in order. The book is organised by room, so it's easy to pick where you want to start, and each section is split into four useful parts: reset, habits, systems, and tutorials. There are lots of actionable tips, along with advice on building and maintaining habits that suit your lifestyle. The checklists are a great bonus and will definitely come in handy!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. The pictures are beautiful and the book is filled with great ideas for how to better manage a home so as to not get overwhelmed.

This book was very easy to look at, the formatting and graphics were great. I really enjoyed this book, and will be getting a hard copy!

A beautiful and comprehensive book I would recommend to anyone who is overwhelmed by their space! It was well set up and had clear and detailed steps on how to clean, care for, and set up your space for optimized enjoyment. It felt like an empowering tool!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was well organized and easy to follow, but it didn’t provide much new information from what I typically do already. I was hoping for some new ideas and structures for organization and cleaning!

I loved the way this was written and could really relate to the author as I also have a chronic illness that means looking after a home can feel overwhelming. I must admit that I already do most of the tips mentioned but it did make me want to go and clean which is why this book is worth its weight in gold!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Loved it! I thought it was so well organized and practical. I loved the author’s voice and how she didn’t pretend like she was perfect and had it all together. It was a very human approach. I loved the checklists and how she broke it down into habits.

Let me start with saying: I don't want to brag (I do really!) but I already do most of the things in The Home Reset. And let me tell you: it works!

I'm always on the lookout for tips for improving the way my home works. So it's not surprising I've learnt a few good habits already (I'm OLD!). So although I didn't learn much that was new to me, I really enjoyed The Home Reset. And that's saying a lot, because I was afraid it might be heavy on the nice photos but light on the practical advice. In fact, you get plenty of both. It's pretty, practical and doable.

I also love the way it's written:

"Life happens. Clutter happens. Have an emergency plan system in place: when you begin to notice a chair party [note: i.e. a chair piling up with discarded clothes] in the corner, aim to tackle it before it turns into an abstract art piece. Notice and acknowledge it, and plan a time (that day) to tackle it. Set a reminder on your phone or an alarm if you have to. If your executive function just isn't executive-ing, listen to a podcast or watch a show while you make yourself do it."

You can definitely say this is aspirational; few people have the time or bandwidth to keep their homes perfect all the time. But The Home Reset makes it feel doable. More importantly, it focuses on small habits to build on. I've had my own home for over 35 years, and now I'm retired, so I've had the time. I recommend this for anyone earlier on their life path who wants to set up good habits to live in a warm, cosy and functional home.

I like how realistic it is, and how applicable the advice is for just about anybody. The cleaning products recommended are basic products available worldwide, not brand products only available in a few countries. It recognises that not everything can be controlled (for example, if you have a teenager who won't fold clothes and is happy to dig their clothes out of a hamper, accept it!) And it details cleaning systems that make cleaning each room a step by step process that is not overwhelming.

In other words, it's realistic and practical. For example, it goes beyond the usual organising tips. I've only recently figured this one out myself: you can organise both by category AND by usage (see p. 103). In my case, I've long been organising my bathroom by category. I have a unit where I store everything in [labeled] containers, by category (for example, all pills in one container, ointments in another, tooth-cleaning products in another, hairbrushes in another, etc.) Yet the counter was always full, because I'd leave out the products I use every day (the pills I take before bed, favourite hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste, the coconut oil I slather on my face every night, etc...) rather than rooting through all the different containers where they 'live'. Then I realised what I needed was to clear out one shelf, in the unit above the sink, for all the 'currently-using-every-day' items that usually gather on the countertop. I open it when I come into the bathroom before bed, go through my routine putting everything back on the shelf after using it, then close the door. Clean counter! Yes, you can do this with a caddy or tray, but those just get full up with things you're no longer using every day, and they still make the counter look messy.

I've had decades to hone my systems, through trial and error. Take a shortcut with The Home Reset. It's PACKED with good tips! It's largely about repeating things until they become an ingrained habit. Let me paraphrase the most important ones that I have lived by for a long time, that really make life at home more pleasant.

1) Always tidy your kitchen and wipe down the counters before going to bed. Always. Yes, Always.

2) Always go through the living room before going to bed and pick up stray glasses, cups and random stuff that has gathered during the day. (I'm currently working on '... Also, fluff up the cushions on the sofa and fold any throws left lying around'.)

That's it. Of course there's more, but these two things are transformative. You'll get up to a tidy(ish) living and kitchen area, making the start of your day way more pleasant.

So I highly recommend The Home Reset. It would make a great gift for someone starting out in their own place for the first time.

My thanks to the publisher, the author and @NetGalley_UK for providing an ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

NetGalley_UK #bookreview #TheHomeReset

I adored the writing in this book, it was like talking to a friend. She was very real about how life can be and gives just some great suggestions that I hope to implement in my life. It wasn't anything super groundbreaking but had some really easy to implement ideas. She also talks about making the space work for you not the other way around. You have to live in your home so what do you need from your home. I feel like I could totally be friends with this Karissa Barker in fact I would love that!

This was very helpful for thinking about ways to make my own cleaner for cheap and stay somewhat sustainable. I liked how she provides different options for keeping your home clean and organized, but with different options based on how much time you have and how deep you want to clean.

4.5 stars rounded up

As autumn approaching, The Home Reset is exactly what I need. I love how the sections are organized by room and provide info on how to 1) reset, 2) build habits, and 3) create a system. I also really enjoyed how the book approached kid spaces - a very easy way to handle some of the most chaotic places in the (my) home. Thanks to NetGalley, Karissa Barker, and Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds for the advanced copy.

Nicely organized with pretty pictures for every room in your home. Useful checklists and some good cleaning hacks. Not earth shattering but practical.

Who isn’t in need of tips for decluttering and organizing?! The Home Reset is divided into chapters by the type of room (e.g. living room, kitchen/dining room, bathroom, kids’ spaces, etc) + each chapter is subdivided into 4 sections: reset, habits, systems, tutorials.

The book had a lot of great actionable tips as well as advice on how to start/maintain new habits + find out what works best for you. I like her idea of making different cleaning caddies so everything you need is all in a portable bucket/container as you go. The checklists will be really helpful too!

A great guide for keeping your home cleaner and well-organized. Loved the serene presentation and beautiful photos. Recommended!

Thanks, NetGalley for the chance to read The Home Reset. Let me start by saying I love magazines, books, online articles, etc. that motivate me to clean and organize. I love the way this one is organized with tips, tricks and cleaning recipes, as well as checklists room-by-room to simplify the organization process.
I would write more, but I've got an urge to go clean my laundry room now.

Publication date October 2024. Review copy from Netgalley.
I recommend this highly for complete insights into home skills. Not everything Pinterest worthy works for you or your family. Add medical illness or financial difficulties to the mix and it becomes hard to maintain let along tackle large cleaning projects. Using simple recipes for cleaners, a quick and weekly reset; there is hope! Excellent gift for young independent people and for those moving into a first home.


READING PROGRESS
August 30, 2024 – Started Reading
August 30, 2024 – Shelved
August 30, 2024 – Shelved as: netgalley-review
August 30, 2024 – Shelved as: home-garden
August 30, 2024 – Finished Reading

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This was a beautiful guide for how to clean and maintain your home. I will definitely be utilizing some of the tips that were presented! I recommended to anyone who loves organizing!

This helps you reset your mind with calming pictures, refresh and refreshing tips as well as summarising or highlighting the well known ones.
Adorable.