Customer Reviews

Real Simple Solutions: Tricks, Wisdom and Easy Ideas to Simplify Everyday

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I like "Real Simple" magazine but I don't like saving the back issues. (I have enough clutter, believe me.) So the editors of this excellent magazine have compiled all kinds of tricks and ideas into this single volume. It's a lot of fun to read and has some very helpful stuff for keeping your home in order.

The chapters include:

1. Grooming
2. Getting Dressed
3. In the Kitchen
4. In the Office
5. Cleaning
6. Decorating
7. Entertaining
8. Celebrating

1. Grooming includes how to unclog your drain. I am going to go try this; my bathroom sink is not draining properly. Here, you dump a cup of baking soda down and add a gallon of boiling water..

Naturally, the grooming section is homemade recipes for face scrub, toothpaste (?) and fun ideas like freezing aloe vera gel for sunburn relief--if you KNOW you are just going to go get burnt, you might as well prepare.

2. Getting Dressed has hints on mending, washing dainty things,

3. In the Kitchen--not the best part of the book, I thought, some basic recipes and how to use a wine bottle as an emergency rolling pin.

4. In the Office; someone peeked in my desk drawer at work, because there is a suggestion for supplies like toothbrush and toothpast and a lint roller, plus some basic makeup. I have this. They didn't find the hair dryer and shampoo I keep in the office bathroom in case I get drenched or sweated out and have to do my hair over at work..hahah. Another suggestion, spare house keys! Good idea.

5. The cleaning section has a stain removal guide, probably worth the book for this alone.

6. Decorating, lots of tips, but most useful, how to paint a room.

7. The entertainment section has fun things like freezing berries to make colorful ice cubes for summer drinks, and how to buy for a cocktail party.

The book ends with all the marvelous things you can do with dental floss, aside from flossing between your teeth.

Good for the newly-wed or just-got-first apartment couple. This is a pretty volume that would make a welcome gift for just about anyone.

This book reads extremely fast. The page layout is attractive (just like the magazine), but alas this arrangement includes a lot of white space. Many of the tips are too familiar, e.g., sprinkling lemon juice on your fruit salad to prevent browning, and some advice is applicable only to homeowners or parents (I am neither - yet).

Still, there is enough novel advice to make this volume worthwhile for a poor student who appreciates tips for organizing and entertaining. I recommend this for a housewarming gift.

note: book is hardcover.

Love this book! If you're in to modern storage solutions or want the best of the best products... this is your book! Great coffee table book.

I'm a fan of Real Simple magazine, so this book hit the spot for me. It gives you ideas for reusing items. Now I know what to do with the stack of dryer sheets that I'd been saving. There are inexpensive tips and lots of how-to advice. Some may sound familiar, but there's bound to be some you had not thought of before.

The Real Simple book, like the magazine, includes many helpful tips on varied domestic issues. Given that it's a book, I wish more of the tips were more helpful, or more new, or more generally applicable. Some of these tips, I think, are common knowledge. Some only apply to very few people. Still, there's enough in here to make the book a pretty good resource for solving a lot of pesky little problems.

Being a 28yr. old woman, who is not very domestic, I love the book and learned a lot. I would describe the book as a personal/household, "how-to" book. The book features checklists for grocery, kitchenwares, chores, home and auto maintenance and cleaning. It tells the best way to remove stains from everywhere, to do laundry, to decorate, to paint. And they give some quick/easy recipes. However, I don't think experienced moms and dads would be that impressed with most of the info!

what a wonderful book! Full of great, unique ideas, which work brilliantly and beautifully presented. I have used many of the suggestions and every single one has been a success. Every home should have a copy. An excellent gift for newly weds or for house-warming. Highly recommended!

I love all the Real Simple products!!!This book is a great reference item, it tells about how to remove stains, clean, shorten chores and cooking tips.
It is a great book!!!

This book didn't have enough ideas in it for me. I do like the magazine but this book didn't seem to give me as much of a collection of ideas as I expected.

Bought it for my sis. She loves it. Plenty of practical ideas to make everyday run a little smoother.