Do-It-Yourself Organizing for Dummies

By Sandra Munson
Wiley Publishing, $19.99, 200 pages

Starting off the book, Munson offers a sound bit of reason: “Back in the day, it wasn’t that challenging to maintain a tidy household, as people didn’t have many belongings…” With the general cost of consumer goods locked in affordable ranges, it is no wonder that folks have acquired more things than they can handle-items which cannot be found when they are indeed needed-thus the birth of a billion-dollar industry: home organization. This book touts that folks can be the masters of their clutter and save money by doing it themselves. Unlike many other books in the same genre, this handy yellow volume provides step-by-step pictures and full descriptions of the tools and materials being used.

Munson does not make the mistake of merely showing how to gain a neat “look,” but points out the most essential facet of organization: pre-planning. A “goal” for the room should be decided and the non-functional “things” in the room taken out. This accomplished, the practical furniture/shelves/nooks can then be visualized and assembled. In addition to improving the organizational process, Munson provides some inexpensive “green” ideas such as using a reclaimed interior door, painting it and laying it across two short file cabinets to make a surprisingly good-looking (and functional) desk. With an emphasis on personal discipline and cutting down waste, this how-to book comes off as entirely useful.

Reviewed by Meredith Greene