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The art of talking with children : the simple keys to nurturing kindness, creativity, and confidence in kids
Rebecca Givens Rolland
155.413 /Rolland
Home, Self Help
A Harvard faculty member and oral language specialist provides adults with evidence-based tools and techniques to help them have productive and meaningful conversations with children of all ages.
Root, nurture, grow : the essential guide to propagating and sharing houseplants
Caro Langton
635.965 /Langton
Nonfiction, Home
Shows you how to make the most of your favorite houseplants through simple, beginner-friendly propagation techniques, as well as resourceful DIY projects including homemade rooting mediums, seed-bombs, and a self-watering plant pot.
If you are into houseplants and love growing their babies, this is the book for you. My house doesn't get great sunlight (plus, cats!) so I personally don't have a ton of houseplants at home. That isn't going to stop me from checking out this book and reading about nurturing their growth from a single cutting. I'm happy to read it for the beautiful plant photography itself. -Melody
Your cabin in the woods
Conrad Meinecke
690.872 /Meinecke
Nonfiction, Home
"If you've ever imagined a cozy home far from the bustle of a hyperconnected life, you have found a soul mate in Conrad Meinecke. His two classic handbooks, Your Cabin in the Woods and Cabin Craft and Outdoor Living, filled with timeless practical advice and thoughtful philosophy, are combined here for the first time in an heirloom edition. From simple shelters to complex dwellings, from expert guidance on location, materials, and tools to hearty meals to cook in your handcrafted fireplace, Your Cabin in the Woods is both a step-by-step guide to realizing your dream and a vintage escape into the great outdoors for the armchair explorer. " -- Page 4 of cover.
The design of this book is pure nostalgia--the sepia pages, hand drawn illustrations, and a classic camping color scheme. It's been a fantasy of mine to live in a mountain cabin the woods since I was in high school, with 5 dogs. That's not likely to happen (expensive real estate! wildfires!! TICKS!!!), but I *can* live that fantasy out by looking through this fabbo cabin building book. This book tells me all I need to build a 12x14' cabin is 14 softwood logs that are 8" thick and 26' long. I will need a draw shave to strip the bark. Nothing to it! Ah, a girl can dream... -Melody
The folding lady : tools and tricks for making the most of your space room by room
Sophie Liard
648.8 /Liard
Nonfiction, Home
"In this illustrated guide, Sophie Liard brings her expertise together and teaches you how to fold all of your household items, from boxers, leggings, and socks to sheets, towels and even napkins and wrapping paper. The Folding Lady shows you that anything is foldable and shares the inner joy that folding brings and offers extra tips on organizing drawers, desks, snack drawers, cosmetics, and more to make life a little easier and more manageable." -- Amazon.com.
I have 4 loads of laundry waiting to be folded when I get home. That fact plus this attractive cover drew me to pick up this book. It's not just about folding laundry, however. I'm digging the illustrated how-to for folding fitted sheets, the extra ideas and clean lines for how to wrap presents, and the new-to-me storage ideas. This books is great for minimalist living and Marie Kondo fans. Sophie Liard makes folding look fun! -Melody
Organizing for the rest of us : 100 realistic strategies to keep any house under control
Dana (Dana K.) White
648.5 /White
Home
"So you want to keep your kitchen counter clean but you aren't ready to toss the toaster? You want to be able to find your kids' socks but aren't looking to spend your 401(k) on clear bins? You long for a little more peace but minimalism isn't sparking joy? Decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob Dana K. White offers sustainable ideas to simplify and manage your home in Organizing for the Rest of Us." --
As someone who enjoys cleaning and organizing my home (just don't look at my work desk), I was surprised how much I got out of this book! I also got some gratification from reading some things that I already use as a rule. Mainly I would recommend this book for people who struggle to keep their home clutter-free, clean and organized because she really does offer very practical and useful tips that everyone can follow. -Mari
At home : a short history of private life
Bill Bryson
Bryson (A Short History of Nearly Everything) takes readers on a tour of his house, a rural English parsonage, showing how each room has figured in the evolution of private life.
Added by Beth
Mending life : a handbook for repairing clothes and hearts
Nina Montenegro
The act of mending strengthens not only the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. The Montenegros encourage us to cherish our things by repairing them rather than discarding them. By changing our consumption habits, small mends here and there will extend the life of our garments and other household items. They introduce basic techniques such as patching, but will have options to take it a step further with decorative sashiko stitching. You'll also learn how to darn socks and mend sweaters, bedsheets, and down jackets. -- abridged from information provided
Everything about this title is thoughtfully done. I'm looking forward to spending some time with a few beloved garments during this re-read. -Casey
Clean my space : the secret to cleaning better, faster--and loving your home every day
Melissa Maker
eAUDIO
Nonfiction, Home
In her long-awaited debut book, she shares her revolutionary 3-step solution: • Identify the most important areas (MIAs) in your home that need attention • Select the proper products, tools, and techniques (PTT) for the job • Implement these new cleaning routines so that they stick Clean My Space takes the chore out of cleaning with Melissa's incredible tips and cleaning hacks (the power of pretreating!) her lightning fast 5-10 minute "express clean" routines for every room when time is tightest, and her techniques for cleaning even the most daunting places and spaces. And a big bonus: Melissa gives guidance on the best non-toxic, eco-conscious cleaning products and offers natural cleaning solution recipes you can make at home using essential oils to soothe and refresh. With Melissa's simple groundbreaking method you can truly live in a cleaner, more cheerful, and calming home all the time.
Added by Melody
Unf*ck your habitat : You're Better Than Your Mess
Rachel Hoffman
eAUDIO
Nonfiction, Home
Whatever your habitat, you deserve one that brings you happiness, not stress. Interspersed with lists and challenges, this practical, no-nonsense housekeeping and organization guide will help listeners take control of the mess in their homes.
Added by Melody
The sweet spot : how to find your groove at home and work
Christine Carter
eAUDIO
Nonfiction, Home
"Feel like you're on a treadmill that won't stop? Learn to step off and hit your stride. Not long ago Christine Carter, happiness expert at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, speaker, writer, and mother, found herself caught up in the busyness of modern life: too many conflicting obligations and not enough time, energy, or patience to get everything done. She tried all the standard techniques--prioritizing, multitasking, delegating--but found that she needed a new approach, one that would allow her to live more in that zone we've all glimpsed but can never seem to hold on to: the sweet spot of expertise, efficiency, and ease. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the latest psychological, neurological, and biological science related to happiness, productivity, and elite performance, Carter put herself through the practical paces. Her goal was not to live a stress-free life, but rather to build stress resilience and find a quicker path to calm and confidence. Her trials and errors are our reward. In The Sweet Spot, Carter shares what she calls "the sweet spot equation," a combination of strategies and practices for attaining happiness without giving up success, and for achieving success without compromising happiness. Using a simple formula, The Sweet Spot shows us how to take a brief recess, an inoculation against "The Overwhelm" and the key to converting stress into productive and creative energy institute daily micro-habits that free you up to focus on and enjoy more important things unplug from seemingly time-saving gadgets that can sap our strength, and use technology more strategically prioritize our relationships, making use of the hard science that points out how healthy connections help us thrive. cultivate tolerance for a little discomfort while we build mastery (the skills that make hard things feel easy) and develop the grit to bounce back from life's inevitable setbacks Complete with practical "easiest thing" tips for instant relief as well as stories from Carter's own experience of putting The Sweet Spot into action, this timely and inspiring book lets us in on the possibilities for joy and freedom that comes when we stop trying to do everything right--and start doing the right things"--
Added by Melody
A really good (and relatively short) read on developing better strategies for engaging kids, both the ones you're raising at home and those you encounter in the community. I got a lot of good pointers from this, and loads of conversation starters for all ages, too! -Amanda