From Publishers Weekly
This extensive, phenomenally organized volume lives up to its title: with this household handbook, there's no need for another. The book even manages to make such dry subjects as loading a dishwasher and installing lock sets reader-friendly and reasonably interesting. The chapters—beginning with cleaning and going through laundry and clothes care, food and the kitchen, decorating, storage and home office solutions, maintenance and repairs, home finances, and safety—are logically subdivided to help readers find topics quickly. They feature frequent boxes containing helpful suggestions ("keep a sponge mop just for rinsing floors; it is almost impossible to get all the cleaning solution out of a mop"), time savers ("paint large areas more quickly with the help of a power roller"), dollar stretchers, safety tips and advice on how to shop for specific items. Diagrams, checklists and focused sidebars (such as how to hang pictures, in the home decorating chapter) round out the detailed coverage. Neat freaks will pore over this work as if it were a suspense novel; the rest of the population will be glad to take its easy-to-follow advice as needed.
(Apr.)
Product Description
For more than 100 years, the professionals at the Good Housekeeping Institute have helped readers keep their homes in top shape. This complete guide offers the Institute's expert advice everything homeowners need to know, from cleaning a floor to fixing a leaky gutter.
The professionals at the Good Housekeeping Institute present practical, easy-to-understand, and simple-to-implement advice on every aspect of maintaining and managing a home. The Institute's directors have researched and tested all the time, money, and energy-saving tricks in the book, from choosing a vacuum to removing wallpaper, from getting rid of stains to keeping your family safe, and much more. Throughout, homeowners will find vital hints and tips, color-coded by category for quick reference, plus checklists, charts, and step-by-step illustrations ranging from the anatomy of a door lock to maintaining a beautiful lawn. A Selection of the Bookspan Book Club.