30 Days to a Clean and Organized House

by Katie Berry

Overwhelmed by clutter? Ashamed of your home? Do you wonder where to start cleaning, or feel like you spend hours cleaning but have nothing to show for it? This book, by Katie Berry of the popular blog HousewifeHowTos.com, will show you how. Readers describe it as: - "Life changing."- "The structure and routine I needed."- "A schedule that does not break my back."The day-by-day plan will guide you through every room, every cupboard, every closet of your home. You'll get rid of clutter and clean every surface using the book's checklists and visual charts.You'll also learn how to make your own natural cleaning products to protect your indoor air and keep your family healthy while also keeping your home clean. When you're done, the Monthly Cleaning Routine will show you how to keep your home just as clean and organized in a fraction of the time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Psychology, Ebooks

106 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR

Reviews

[Lynn P · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to devote your life to a cleaning schedule then this book is for you! I found it totally unrealistic, especially having a laundry day. I still put my laundry out so I go with a good days drying weather not the day of the week!

[rachel smart · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unrealistic

The cleaning schedule would be fine if I didn't have anything else to do in the day but I felt it was pretty unrealistic. American focussed and glossed over the difficult part of decluttering, I got fed up reading it. The basic premise of daily routine is good. But her method is just over the top. There are a few sentences which show that she really spends a lot of time cleaning, and I really don't want to do that so this book was not that helpful. Glad I didn't spend any money on it!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It has a lot of practical advice and homemade household cleaners that are more family/environmentally friendly. I think if I had gotten to a place where I had time each day on my maternity leave my house would be looking great. However, I am about to return to work full time and I doubt I will put this book to good use over the coming month. My intention is to KonMari my house at the weekends,/get rid of the clutter and excess then come back to this book during my summer holidays as I do think it could help me get on top of keeping my home cleaner and more pleasant for myself and my family.

[Shahrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frankly I need all the help I can get staying on top of my living space (to say nothing of life in general…) . So when I found out about this book, I eagerly I started this challenge, planning to read the book a little each day as I worked through the challenge. BIG mistake. I keep starting and stopping as I’m confused about things, I’m some cases doing too much and not having time to do what I thought was being asked of me meant I kept quitting. If this is you then Stop! Read the whole thing first from cover to cover and then you will understand where you are going, why and how. Next time I start it I hope to be able to finish it. Even if it doesn’t quite go to the plan, I’ve really learnt so much from this book already. The home made glass cleaner is a winner too! Also it’s worth noting that when I have started this, even just a few days I’m made a really noticeable difference!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delivers what's promised, a schedule and detailed explanation of cleaning and organizing your house top to bottom. Will take more than 3o days, if you are not very high energy, or do not have all day to devote to your house. I enjoy the homemade cleaning recipes in the back.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are like me, your interest (and/obsession) with cleaning and organizing books didn’t end with Marie Kondo! This book is basically a detailed cleaning schedule that I could adhere to if the following things happened: I didn’t work, didn’t eat and never left the house. If anyone can follow this schedule, you will be eating off your floors and doing the white glove test in 30 days. The best part of this book was the homemade cleaning mixes at the end! (Some of these I plan to try.)

[Snicketts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on day four and to be fair the house is looking clean and tidy - even some of the behind the scenes places are clean and organised, but it has taken hours to get to this point. I am assured (by the book) that after the initial blast of input, the maintenance will be much lighter. I reserve judgement.

Written from an American point of view and for a US audience, I'm having to adapt some of the days 'to do' lists to encompass how a Brit house runs (Laundry room???? What fresh horror is that???) but I like the day by day build up and the plan has enough variety that I'm not bored yet. On the whole it seems quite sensible and even possible!

For those who crave tidiness and structure to their days - there are worse books out there!

[1verylovedmom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight forward me to the point. It is an excellent resource to get you home organized and to maintain it. If you are looking for a book that has a clear cut cleaning schedule and how-to do it with fluff this is the book for you. My favorite part the homemade cleansers.

I don't know if I will be able to accomplish everything in 30 days due to my physical limitations but even if it takes me longer I am good with it.

[jessica.vine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointment

Just a few pages. Not what I was expecting at all !!!! Mostly recipes for cleaning products and a sentence explaining , clean, organise and maintain. I already know this . Thought it would have more tips and tricks. Waste of time.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good ideas about cleaning and making homemade cleaning products. Not as much time devoted to the idea of decluttering as I would have liked. While the cleaning routine was good it is challenging to achieve on a daily basis for anyone with a fulltime job and kids.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Fantastic guide to finally sorting out your house and includes a very good system to maintain your newly sparkling house. Enjoy!

[Robin Centola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Moving into a new home and this is just what I needed!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book honestly expects you to devote your whole life to cleaning. It has taken me far longer than the 30 days to realise this was not a sustainable cleaning schedule (and thats during lockdown).

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read along with some friends in a homemaking group, DNF. She expects you to do a LOT of daily cleaning, forever.

My comments in the group back in 2018 about it:

Day one:

I sort of started yesterday but only with the daily job. The way it works is it focuses on three parts -- one catch-up cleaning job, one organizing job, and daily cleaning jobs. Every day you do a list of things that should take no more than 30 minutes a day after the first day (where she admits it could take you hours and hours). Then you have one special cleaning job of that day and then an organizing job. The first day you just have the daily stuff and a cleaning job.

The daily stuff (if I remember it all) covers four areas and is:

Bedroom:

make bed
pick up floor (sweep or dry mop as needed)
put away things on the nightstand
put clothes in hampers or where they belong

Bathroom:

clean sink
buff faucets and mirrors
use a disposable cleaning rag to wipe toilet seat and rim
pick up floors
sweep/mop as needed

Kitchen:

empty dishwasher (we don't have one so I put away clean dishes)
clean sink
corral clutter in one tidy pile or area
spray and wipe counters and appliances
spot clean the floor
sweep the floor

Living room:

tidy the couches and pillows
pick up items on the floor
put away books, magazines, DVDs, games, etc.
take any dishes to kitchen
sweep as needed

Yesterday's task was to take everything out of the spice drawer, toss expired and old stuff, clean the drawer and put it all back. I did that but I don't toss old spices so I just sorted out empty ones to clean and fill with my own blends and washed the drawer and put the good stuff back in nicely.

Today's is supposed to be cleaning the fridge and she hard core cleans the fridge (including unplugging it, putting everything in coolers, washing all drawers and shelves, moving it to clean behind it, vacuuming the coils, and on and on). I may do a lighter version of that because my fridge is a mess and crammed full of stuff and as it is it will take me an hour and I just don't have 4 hours to perfect my fridge today. :) Baby steps? LOL

And then there will be one organizing thing. I think today is to organize the junk drawer but I find that overwhelming because we have like 7 enormous junk drawers, not one! Maybe I'll organize one of them today????

Day three:

I didn't make it past day two. F***ing 5 hour fridge cleaning assignment...... ;)

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berry's book is recommended for anyone who struggles with organization and maintaining a clean home.

The author presents strategies in a clear and easy-to-follow way, motivating readers to believe they can achieve the goals outlined. While the book doesn't guarantee success, it fosters a positive attitude and inspires readers to create an organized and clutter-free space

The key is to take action and be persistent. Even if setbacks occur, the book encourages readers to recommit to the process and adapt the advice to their
specific needs. Overall, it's a quick and valuable resource, offering practical tips that can be customized for long-term success.

[Little Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very different kind of book to my normal reading genres but having put our house on the market, and looking around at all the accumulated treasures packing out every room, I hoped this would give me a much needed push. And it did. I have been working through a really comprehensive order and finding that it really works. I've customised it slightly to suit our home but by following the three stages, each day, you can see a marked difference. It's a great book for dipping in and out of too.

[William Doo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually clean my house every week. I wash dust, wash floors and vacuum carpets. But recently I faced the problem of cleaning the sofa and only made stains. Luckily I managed to find a company called sofa cleaning glasgow and contacted them immediately. In just half an hour, my sofa was completely free of stains and was as good as new. For me, this is now an excellent solution for effectively cleaning upholstered furniture.

[MRS TRACEY CROOT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal if you don't have to work

Great cleaning routines and the home made cleaning product receipes are ideal for people who don't want to use chemicals. Downside is that I think it would be hard to maintain the regime whilst working full time unless you don't want a life other working and cleaning

[Paulene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found that this book gave very practical advice on how to clean and organise your home. I adapted the schedule to suit my own lifestyle as I do not wish to spend my spare time just cleaning, besides my house does not get massively unorganised.

I just liked the idea of having a rotating schedule for my cleaning and doing a little each day rather than having big cleaning days.

[E A BAKER · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy way to organise cleaning

A very clear and easy to understand, daily and long-term cleaning routine, devised to help
keeping your home clean and tidy. A great help for keeping it in order and making it simple.

[Elspeth Nicol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book for getting organised


Very helpful and useful routines and tips for keeping the home clean, tidy and super organised. I keep referring to this book over and over

[Nikki Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who wants or loves clean!

Quick easy read. I Love the homemade cleaning recipes! I can't wait to try them out! Great way to start the new year

[Sharon Samways · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some good ideas

[Tina L. Winkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful tips!

Who doesn't love a clean, organized home? For me, it makes me feel so peaceful. Katiie's book is chock full of practical tips...love it!

[Cheryl]

I purchased this book, Kindle edition, so I could use it to refer to over and over again. I found it very helpful in directing my sometimes completely disorganized home keeping.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful how-to book on cleaning and maintaining your home. Helpful recipes for DIY cleaners.

[MRS J A HAGUE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, easy to read and seeing improvement already.

Really easy to read with everything clearly set out. Looking forward to a tidy, clean house.already looking better after day 1.

[Virginia M. Riegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed and complete!

One of the most complete books on the subject I've read recently. Includes common sense steps and cleaning tips and recipes. Recommended.

[Harli Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeking new year motivation...needs to be put into practice

[starlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, new ( to me) ideas.

Love that she gives step by step instructions. Where to start cleaning and a schedule. Also included recipes for cleaning products.
Thank you Katie !