Secrets of an Organized Mom—From the Overflowing Closets to the Chaotic Play Areas: a Room-by-Room Guide to Decluttering and Streamlining Your Home for a Happier Family

Mothers can feel like life is running on a never-ending loop. Just when one problem or responsibility is overcome, another trips us up. But help is on the way: Barbara Reich has all the strategies for staying ahead of the curve—and she’s wrapped them up into four easy steps that can be applied to any organizing project: 1. purge, 2. design, 3. organize, and 4. maintain.

The keys to Barbara’s success are simplicity and consistency. Room by room, she takes readers through the most problematic areas in the home— from the tornado-struck play area to the packed basement or storage unit. Barbara shows readers how to approach organizing in manageable bites— many of which can be dealt with in two hours or less. As the mother of thirteen-year-old twins, Barbara offers insight into the lives of crazed moms as only a mother could with tips like these:

‧ When it comes time to clean out the toy bin, keep only what your child plays with— educational toys “exist to make you feel guilty.”

‧ Throw away those kitchen gadgets you never use. A streamlined kitchen can mean the difference between another night of take-out and a healthy family meal.

‧ Your child doesn’t need to attend six birthday parties in one weekend. To avoid social overload, Barbara preaches the power of “No”—and there’s no need to follow it up with a why.

‧ Having trouble parting with your child’s artwork from three years ago? Scan or digitally photograph everything and create a gallery on your computer.

Combining the humor of a sympathetic friend and the no-nonsense advice of a true type-A personality, Reich offers clever, appealing solutions that are genuinely achievable for everyone.