White - How to manage your home without losing your mind: dealing with your house s dirty little secrets

Praise for How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind

How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind is the most entertaining home management book I have ever read. I told my husband, I cant believe I didnt fall asleep once while reading a book about cleaning! Instead of overwhelming the reader with an extensive list of things to do, Dana humorously eliminates your guilt while providing simple, actionable steps that will make a profound impact on your home. Since I implemented Danas strategies, my house is cleaner, more organized, and most importantly, more peaceful.

A LEA M ILHAM
A UTHOR , P REP -A HEAD M EALS FROM S CRATCH

Although life was so overwhelming that the thought of reading this book exhausted me, I read it anyway, and something clicked. Cleaning once wasnt working for me. By doing the same small tasks every day, Im finding that my house is getting cleaner and Im hating the thought of housework less. While my house still has a long way to go, Im thrilled with the progress Ive seen and hopeful about the future!

L ISA T HOMPSON
B LOGGER , F UN H APPY H OME.COM

A hilarious, practical, yet brutally honest look at the way we manage and keep our homes.... Danas way of deconstructing our fantasies about cleaning and organizing, followed by practical advice and wisdom, is why this book is a must-own for all those struggling to keep up with their homes. Youll be revisiting her words and tips over and over again.

E RIN C HASE
A UTHOR , T HE $5 D INNER M OM C OOKBOOK SERIES ,
AND MOM TO FOUR MESSY BOYS

Lets face it: reading about cleaning and organizing is more fun than actually cleaning and organizing. I was fully prepared to read, enjoy, and promptly disregard Danas book, but when I began reading, something weird happened. On page 10 I shut the book and cleaned my kitchen.... I later read more and made my way to page 80. I put the book down again and began tackling laundry.... Could a book actually spur a person to action? Could an author actually urge me to be a better homemaker and give me practical ways to make that happen? Yes and yes! Im actually crying thinking about how Dana is such a blessing to me and to my family.

A MANDA FROM I NDEPENDENCE , MO
H OMESCHOOLING MOM OF SEVEN

Its like Dana was writing this just for me! I cant tell you how many times I have searched for the right method that was going to solve all of my housekeeping woes, or been sure I would keep my house clean forever after a particularly deep cleaning of the house.... As someone whose room was once mistaken by police as having been ransacked (it wasnt), I need someone who understands what really makes me tick. In this book, as always, Dana is funny, helpful, and sometimes brutally honest. Thanks for keeping it real!

A NGIE K AUFFMAN
B LOGGER , R EAL L IFEAT H OME.COM

This is not like any other organizing book out there. Dana does an amazing job of helping a disorganized, junk-collecting procrastinator, like me, see that I really can get my clutter under control. She doesnt do it as a know-it-all organization guru but as someone who has been where I am and is in the trenches with me. If youre ready to retrain your brain and start the deslobification process (as Dana would put it), then this book is for you!

S ARAH R OBINSON
B LOGGER , S IDETRACKED S ARAH.COM

I love the approachable, compassionate, and fun way that Dana writes about universal struggleslike housework that is never done! I gleaned good tips (love the Container Rule and Do Easy Stuff First!) but I also gained a better understanding of those in my family I may have labeled as slobs along with how to approach them. (Hint: do not give them more stuff!)

J AMI B OYS
B LOGGER , A N O REGON C OTTAGE.COM

Theres so much in the book thats insightful, humorous, and time-tested. I especially like the term procrasticlutter. My house is full of it! This book has really helped us look objectively at each room, drawer, and shelf in our home. As I write this, the dishes are put away and my kitchen is clean. What a wonderful feeling and a great way to start my day.

J ANET D UNLAP
P ROFESSIONAL HOUSE CLEANER, SOON-TO-BE EMPTY NESTER, AND MOM OF SIX

I have read every bestselling book out there to help me get my house under control. I can identify the stuff in my home vs. the items that bring me joy. Ive worked through how-to checklists and posted purging questions to help me make decisions wherever Ive decluttered. And even though I found valuable tidbits in all of them, none gave me hope for a real change in my householdnot until I read How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. The Container Concept hit me like a ton of bricks.

S TEPHANIE FROM K ENT , WA
S TAY-AT-HOME MOM OF THREE

Finally, an organizing book for those of us who need it! And its written in a simple and hilarious way that our non-linear-thinking brains can understand and implement.... Dana leads you step-by-step with the heart of a woman who has been there and struggled with the same issues you are currently struggling with. Really, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn the secrets that all those organized types seem to know.

K IMBERLEE S TOKES
B LOGGER , T HE P EACEFUL M OM.COM

Oh, Dana, have you been a fly on my wall? How refreshing to read this book and see myself in it, page after page.... How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind is full of funny, practical wisdom. If you need a remedy for your household woes, this is an easy pill to swallow, because it is laced with humor, real-life experiences, and true solutions. Danas principles will motivate you and change your way of looking at your home. For once, you may just feel like you can get a grip on your home!

A MANDA FROM M INNEAPOLIS , MN
P ROFESSIONAL SINGER, WIFE, AND MOTHER OF FIVE
( INCLUDING TWO SETS OF TWINS )

When I was asked to read a book about cleaning and decluttering, I was a bit hesitant. I felt like a failure already. Did I really need to read yet another book full of tips and tricks that would leave me feeling worse? From the first page, I was put at ease. Its okay just to do the dishes? Really? I didnt have the usual feeling that I needed to just fire bomb my house and start over. Instead, this book gave me hope!... The appendix alone is worth buying the book. I want to print it and glue it to my wall as a life map.

A NGELA FROM C HAPEL H ILL , NC
V OICE AND ACTING COACH AND FULL-TIME MAMA

I laughed my way to a truly clean(er) house! How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind doesnt just tout another organizational method that sparks inspiration and then fizzles. Dana White uncovers the reasons most organizational ploys fail and delivers real, practical, attainable hope! Adjusting my thinking to reality about managing my home has already set in motion sustainable change. This is the first organization book that I have ever read that was written by someone who isnt naturally organized. And I loved it. No judgement, no superiority. Just a whole lot of real, practical help with a good dose of humor and hope.

S HELBY FROM M ONROE , WA
B USINESS OWNER AND MOM OF FIVE

This is the most helpful and entertaining book on housekeeping Ive ever read! I loved getting cleaning advice from one slob to another. Danas tips on decluttering were just what I needed to figure out how to declutter my own space. Living in a small apartment, I have found myself almost buried in stuff. Ive already started simplifying my life using her strategies.

P ATRICIA FROM R ENO , NV
H IGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER AND PART-TIME GRADUATE STUDENT