The best home organization books

Joni Hilton Author Of Housekeeping Secrets My Mother Never Taught Me
By Joni Hilton

Who am I?

I’ll admit it: I love the domestic arts. As a natural klutz, I knew sports would be out and I focused on organizing, cooking, gardening, cleaning, and decorating. My mother knew all the old-fashioned tricks and I collected the new ones. Today I have several thousand followers on my youtube channel, where I share life hacks, housekeeping hints, and even motherly advice as the Youtube Mom. One of my sons said that none of his buddies knew how to do laundry, cook, iron, etc., and suggested I have a channel to fill in the gaps for Millenials. Having hosted a TV talk show in Los Angeles, this appealed to me right away. And, you guessed it, lots of moms and grandmas write in as well, saying they never knew those tricks themselves. It’s truly gratifying to share these time-and-money-saving ideas.

I wrote...

Housekeeping Secrets My Mother Never Taught Me

By Joni Hilton,

Book cover of Housekeeping Secrets My Mother Never Taught Me

What is my book about?

There’s an easy way and a hard way to do almost everything, and the Youtube Mom, Joni Hilton, shares time-saving tricks, DIY secrets, and hundreds of tips to make your home more organized and beautiful—a place where you’re delighted to invite guests. Whether you live in a dorm or a mansion, this book will surprise you with clever ways to run your home. What’s the secret to laundry, cleaning each room, time management, and getting the family involved? Even moms and grandmas will love this book.

The books I picked & why

Shepherd is reader supported. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our website. This is how we fund this project for readers and authors (learn more).

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life

By Deniece Schofield,

Book cover of Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life

Why this book?

This is a terrific book by a woman who has toured extensively lecturing on this topic. I love to include humor, and so does Schofield. You’ll be highlighting lots of her ideas, and wondering why you didn’t think of them sooner. For example, she keeps the can opener by the canned goods, to save steps. Duh, right? A mom of five, Deniece knows plenty!

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life

By Deniece Schofield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Confessions of an Organized Homemaker as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The secrets of uncluttering your home and taking control of your life: hundreds of ideas and techniques on how to unclutter their homes and take control of their lives.

Explore
Topics
Genres

Cleaning Plain & Simple: A Ready Reference Guide with Hundreds of Sparkling Solutions to Your Everyday Cleaning Challenges

By Donna Smallin,

Book cover of Cleaning Plain & Simple: A Ready Reference Guide with Hundreds of Sparkling Solutions to Your Everyday Cleaning Challenges

Why this book?

This is a great roundup of cleaning ideas. Donna is particularly good at stain removal (even from window blinds), tool recommendations (which vacuum for which job), and safety (how to prevent mold and mildew). I’m a very visual learner, so I love all her charts that simplify so many tasks. She’s also not afraid to get into the chemistry of why things work.

Cleaning Plain & Simple: A Ready Reference Guide with Hundreds of Sparkling Solutions to Your Everyday Cleaning Challenges

By Donna Smallin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cleaning Plain & Simple as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn how to clean smarter, not harder, and you'll have more time to do the things you love. With plain and simple advice on everything from dusting and swabbing to polishing and vacuuming, best-selling author Donna Smallin shows you how to make the most of your valuable cleaning time. Hundreds of quick tips and practical solutions for every imaginable cleaning situation promise you the sparkling, healthy environment you want for your family.

Explore
Topics
Genres

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

By Marie Kondo,

Book cover of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Why this book?

Kondo has launched a whole movement of throwing away anything that doesn’t spark joy. This is a good book to know about, read, and consider. It inches you toward having less “stuff,” and really deciding which things to keep and which things to get rid of.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

By Marie Kondo,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?


Marie Kondo will help you declutter your life with her new major Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Transform your home into a permanently clear and clutter-free space with the incredible KonMari Method. Japan's expert declutterer and professional cleaner Marie Kondo will help you tidy your rooms once and for all with her inspirational step-by-step method.

The key to successful tidying is to tackle your home in the correct order, to keep only the things you really love and to do it all at once - and quickly. After that for the rest of your life you only need…

Explore
Topics
Genres

Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life

By Martha Stewart,

Book cover of Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life

Why this book?

This is a large, hardback coffee table book, unlike my other picks. Nice to browse through for the beautiful photos and the advice from a woman we’re all familiar with, who has elevated housekeeping to an art form. For example, for those with a “no shoes” policy, Martha advises putting pretty stones from a garden center in your mud room, so people can place their footwear on the stones to allow snow, etc. to drain through.

Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life

By Martha Stewart,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Martha Stewart's Very Good Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Inside these pages Martha shares all her best good things - the original life hacks for the home - to make your life easier, more fun, more delicious, and more efficient. These practical tricks cover all areas of Martha's domestic expertise, including cooking, crafting, gardening, organising, entertaining, and more. From clever ways to solve common problems (use lip balm to lubricate a stuck zipper) to time-saving tricks (label window screens to avoid confusion when they come down for cleaning) to stress reducers (colour-code kids' bathroom gear to make mornings less hectic), every one of these ideas will make you wonder,…

Explore
Topics
Genres

The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own

By Joshua Becker,

Book cover of The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own

Why this book?

This is the book for people who want to truly embrace minimalism. Becker offers a spiritual approach to living with less, and really knows how to motivate his readers to slow down, live deliberately, be grateful, and donate generously. Even tips on staying out of debt. It will affect many aspects of your life, not just organizing. You simply feel like a better person after reading his book!

The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own

By Joshua Becker,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The More of Less as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Don’t Settle for More
 
Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter, and we tire of cleaning and managing and organizing.
 
While excess consumption leads to bigger houses, faster cars, fancier technology, and cluttered homes, it never brings happiness. Rather, it results in a desire for more. It redirects our greatest passions to things that can never fulfill. And it distracts us from the very life we wish we were living.
 
Live a better life with less.
 
In The More of Less, Joshua Becker helps you...
 
• Recognize the life-giving…

Explore
Topics
Genres

4 book lists we think you will like!

The best books on how to be a single mom and stay sane
The best books on getting rid of clutter
The best books on minimalism, materialism, & getting by with less (so you can enjoy life more)
The best books to inspire climate action

Interested in home economics, cleaning, and homemaking?

7,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about home economics, cleaning, and homemaking.

Home Economics Explore 7 books about home economics
Cleaning Explore 7 books about cleaning
Homemaking Explore 6 books about homemaking

And, 3 books we think you will enjoy!

We think you will like Breathing Room, Inheriting Clutter, and Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui if you like this list.

Book cover of Breathing Room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home Book cover of Inheriting Clutter: How to Calm the Chaos Your Parents Leave Behind Book cover of Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui: Free Yourself from Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Clutter Forever