Tuesday Morning Book Reviews: “Restore, Recycle & Repurpose” & “Unstuff Your Life”

One thing that drives me crazy is my life in a mess. I like things neat and tidy. It helps me feel that my entire life is under control, not just the closets. Here’s how it goes. I tidy up a closet to my idea of perfection. I promise myself it will always stay that way. “This time I really mean it!” Then life gets busy and before I know it, mysterious elves (couldn’t be me!) have turned those closets upside down. Argh.Do you share my problem? Then, here are two books that can help. One offers beautiful inspiration, the other offers brilliant tips on how to organize properly.

“Restore, Recycle, Repurpose”, by Randy Florke is loaded with beautiful photos and tips on how to use what you have to organize and decorate your home. “What I really hope you’ll take away from these pages is how much fun it is to create a room on a modest budget and with an eye toward reuse and sustainability,” says Randy.

He takes us through each room offering ideas and inspiration. Yum. Randy encourages all of us to shop in our homes before we hit the stores. A can of paint can transform an ugly piece of furniture into a lovely end table, dresser, etc… You’ll love the photos and tips.

Restore, Recycle, Repurpose is available in hardcover at Amazon ($16.47).

I learned a lot from Andrew Mellen’s book, “Unstuff Your Life!”. The reason those elves get in the closet is because I haven’t been spending enough time really thinking about what’s missing in the closets that would make them more efficient.

Here are actual, real life photos of one of my closets. Wish I’d taken the photo of the closet when it was crammed to the hilt with all that stuff on the floor. But you’ll have to use your imagination. I used Andrew’s tips to use the space more efficiently. I bought storage cases at IKEA to stow winter things. More winter coats went into a storage closet in the basement.

See how tidy everything is? I have room for my hats, scarves in-season coats and our outdoor shoes. Even cleaning supplies are hung up and stored in a basket. I feel sooooo much better. Ahhh.  I still have a few other closets to finish.

Andrew says he’s “the most organized man in America”. I can believe it. While I wish the book had more photos, Andrew has a no-nonsense approach on how to unclutter your life and the organize what you’ve got. His soft cover “Unstuff Your Life” is also available at Amazon ($10.88).

Giveaway!

I have one copy of each of these books to giveaway. Would you like one? Leave a comment in this post and you’re entered. I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday. The giveaway is open to anyone living in the contiguous United States. If you have an organizing tip to share with me, I’m always looking for ways to keep those elves in their place. Share!