Love Your Home Again: Organize Your Space and Uncover the Home of Your Dreams

by Ann Lightfoot, Kate Pawlowski

A Compassionate and Practical Guide to Reimagining the Home of Your Dreams

In Love Your Home Again , Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski—organizing experts and the mother-daughter duo behind Done & Done Home—ask questions that take into account who you are and how you actually live to help resolve the issues behind the excess and create lasting solutions to keep your home running smoothly. Sharing their tried-and-true systems of decluttering, organizing, and maintaining, along with real client stories, Lightfoot and Pawlowski teach you how to manage your home with their signature "good humor and refreshing lack of dogma" (the New York Times ). Inside you'll You'll be amazed at the time, money, and energy you'll save—all better spent enjoying your space. Get ready to love your home again.

FOR READERS The Home Edit, Beautifully Organized, Simply Living Well, and Real Life Organizing

RISING STAR Ann and Kate are celebrities in the organization world. They are frequently asked to comment on home organizing, staging, and decluttering topics, with recent clips in Women's Day , the New York Times , People, Apartment Therapy , Bravo , CNN, and more. Their celebrity clients include Jenna Fischer, Christina Anstead, and many Real Housewives.

FOR FANS OF For readers who are obsessed with home makeover shows, this is the book for you. HGTV fans will be delighted to learn that they can design their own dream home through the power of organizing.

A DIY PROJECT FOR EVERYONE AT HOME, WHICH IS . . . This book is for the countless people working from their dining room table by day and watching home makeover shows at night. Love Your Home Again will show how you can rethink your own space, working with what you have.

Perfect

Genres: Nonfiction, Interior Design, Design, Self Help

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2022

Reviews

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical and inspirational book detailing ways to organize and decorate every nook and cranny for a stress free, clutter controlled home. Very nicely photographed. I thank Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more from this book. I definitely want to love my home again (although I already do love it) and get more organized, but I don't relate at all to this aesthetic. It's very "subdivision Costco generic home." There are lots of stock photographs of new houses with really organized bins of things and velvet covered hangers 1/2 inch from each other. There's also the standard advice about purging things ruthlessly. Shrug. I already declutter regularly and don't need to be told to give away half of my sweaters. I also try to be frugal in my homemaking and this involved a lot of buying organizers, bins, special hangers, etc. I'm sure it will be a great book for some but I actually prefer my messy house with all of its character to these photos. Everything looks like it's out of an ad for a big box store, not a home, and there's nothing really new in the ideas.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Fancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This will be great for people in new houses with lots of money who like the cookie cutter subdivision look for their homes. I hated all the stock photos of endless stacked processed foods, toxic cleaning products and generic labeled “living” spaces. Buy, buy, buy. Spend, spend, spend. Everything is new and commercial and soulless.

We live in a 100 year old house with cracks in the walls and books stacked to the ceiling and my grandmother’s old costume necklaces used as curtain ties. We buy in bulk, reuse and make homemade. I don’t want to buy all new velvet hangers for my clothes (yes that’s recommended here) and space them each exactly one inch apart. I just want a nice functional, somewhat organized house. I also want it to be frugal and green and to still have charm and character. This book and I are not good fits.

Thanks Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced preview of this book.

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a package of inspiration. The mother-daughter team has worked wonders in helping people manage their homes and now they are sharing their knowledge in a book with helpful tips. “No home is beyond help.” The areas included are: the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, gathering spaces, children’s spaces, home office, laundry, garage and storage spaces.

Everyone needs some good guidance to address the overflowing of extra things in food cupboards, drawers and clothes closets. Many of us have boxes and bags in storage that haven’t been touched in years. They talk about how we tend to buy too many things on sale when it’s not something we need. And then there’s Costco. Yes, this is addressed as well. It’s noted that one-third of Americans can’t fit their cars in garage spaces as it’s crowded with overflows.

They discuss mostly how to sort and decide what to do with extra items. I could relate to how many mugs are seriously needed. Much is written to inspire homeowners to buy less and let go of all the items that aren’t being used. We can all use some serious suggestions on how to say goodbye in a thoughtful way to attachments. It is said that if one can reduce their belongings by at least ten percent, it will be easier to find things.

The book is beautifully arranged with appealing photos. However, many people that need help downsizing are seniors that may have poor eyesight and the print in the book is small. Kindle can help if it is available or strong reader’s glasses may be advised.

My thanks to Ann Lightfoot and Kate Powlowski along with NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with a publication date of September 13, 2022.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed! This is like the new home guide and organizing bible! I love how timeless, clean, fresh, and bright the images are throughout the book. It definitely inspires and makes you want your home (whether it's a house or apartment or just a bedroom) to be organized and decluttered. It has so many great tips! I'll be rereading this a ton and sharing with friends and family.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos are all generic and trendy, but there is a range of good advice here that will apply to different-size homes and different lifestyles. I would recommend this above many similar titles because the authors avoid common pitfalls of the genre. This book is well-organized, isn't too repetitive, and doesn't presume what someone's lifestyle or preferences are or should be.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 … very nice photography of organizing ideas that might just give you the inspiration needed to declutterfy that attic. If I had any suggestion, it might be to have added shopping guide on where to get bins, etc. But overall an aspirational, easy read. Peeks at some beautiful wallpapers, too. And I loved the name of the authors’ business: Done and Done!

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Releases 9/13/2022, I read an advanced reader copy. Declutter, organize, repeat. Beautiful pictures and well written text. But…every item in this WAY organized house is new or else exceptionally clean, no dirt on any of the trainers in that shoe organizer. Everything is overly coordinated as well, in size, color, brand, etc. including the canned goods in the pantry. I kept thinking “who has the money to buy all those containers and then to meticulously label them. OCD is not me…except for switch plates.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sort of disappointed in this one, but I'm a huge Martha-Stewart-organizer-lover and her ways are pretty great. This book seems to encourage you to buy a lot of organizer things, which doesn't really save much money, but can make your house look like a magazine layout. I like the file-folding idea when it comes to clothes/hats, and constantly asking yourself how you use your space (which I think is important).

However, the "sure, book and movies are great, but are they all worth saving?" ---I don't need that kind of negativity in my life.

My advice, hold onto the things you love and find creative ways to store them.

And buy a label maker :)

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It doesn’t take much extra stuff for a home to feel cluttered. According to professional home organizational experts Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski, reducing your stuff by only 10% can make a space feel more open and manageable. But they don’t want to stop at just reducing your stress by that 10%. They want to show you how to go through all your spaces, sort through everything you have, make decisions about how that stuff will best serve you, and create a new and usable space that will bring ease, beauty, and freedom to you and your family.

This mother/daughter team created their own business as Done & Done Home to help people declutter and reorganize their homes, and now they have taken all their professional insights and published them as Love Your Home Again, so anyone can create a manageable home with some hard work and by asking themselves some difficult questions.

The authors go through the home room by room, offering specific tips for each room. But the basics are the same, no matter where you are in your living space. First, they want you to ask yourself how you want to use the space. But no idealized lifestyles are allowed. They want you to match your home with how you really live. Then gather everything together, put like items together, sort through it to decide what you really use and what you can give up, and then put everything back in a way that will make it all most useful.

They have key concepts that they start from. They believe in Owning Well, or buying the best quality item you can afford and then caring for it so it will last you a long time. They warn you that while decluttering, it will get worse before it gets better. And they get real about sunk costs, the money you’ve already spent on items and can’t get back. If you’ve spent a lot of money of cleaning products that you hate, then that is money you can’t get back. You can keep using the products that you hate, you can let them sit around forever, or you can just let them go, releasing yourself from having to use them and freeing up space for a new cleaning product that you love.

But they are not asking you to get rid of everything you love. The things that you have kept because they have sentimental value they call “Save Forever,” and they have you collect those items from the various rooms as you are decluttering and creating a space for those beloved heirlooms and memories where they can be displayed and enjoyed instead of hidden in a drawer or the back of a closet.

They start with the kitchen, the busiest and often most stressful room in a home. They walk you through each drawer, each cabinet, the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry, and they help you figure out what you use most and where best to store it. They help you clear out all those old spices and make the snacks easily accessible. They help you decide which of your small appliances need to be kept handy and which can be stored in a deep cabinet, or even donated to someone else who may need it more. They encourage you to use glass storage containers, so you can easily what pasta you have for dinner tonight and if you need to buy flour the next time you go grocery shopping. They help you make the space usable, so meal prep is easier and more enjoyable and cleanup is easier.

From there, they take you to the bedroom, to help you create a restful space and get a handle on your closet clutter. They help you make the bathroom a space for self-care and stress-free mornings, helping you manage all those beauty products and helping you stay organized even in a very small space that is shared by many. They help you think through your Entry Space, your Gathering Spaces, your Children’s Spaces, and Home Office. They help you make peace with your Laundry, Linens, Cleaning, and Utility spaces and make the most of Storage Spaces like your attic, basement, and garage.

Throughout, they help you make difficult decisions, to set you up for success by only keeping what you will use. They encourage smart storage solutions with clear labels. They make eco-friendly suggestions and include reminders on how to keep things uncluttered moving forward. And throughout, there are stories from some of their actual clients who have found success with the Done & Done Home methods, and there are beautiful, aspirational photos of well-managed home spaces to inspire creativity and functionality.

I have been wanting to dig into my home and get it better organized for some time now. We combined two households into one and then bought more stuff. At first, we didn’t know what all we would use or how to make the space work well for us. But we’ve been here several years now, and I think I’ve got a handle on it. But I still need to do the work. As I was reading Love Your Home Again, I found a lot of good ideas and inspiration for creating spaces that will work for us and moving on from all the things that we don’t really use or need. I will be keeping these ideas in mind as I clean and clear, and I will definitely think of those beautiful photos as I create storage solutions that will work. I think this book could be a really good tool for those are ready to dig deep and make smart choices for decluttering and managing their homes. Like other popular decluttering books, it may not be for everyone. But it’s a good place to start, to get some ideas and get some momentum towards a cleaner, kinder, manageable life.

Egalleys for Love Your Home Again were provided by Chronicle Prism through Edelweiss, with many thanks.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

On page 52 the author uses the term “visual chaos” which aptly describes my house. The pictures and practical advice were truly inspiring. I’m not sure I have the energy to even come close to decluttering and organizing what would remain after a “stuff purge” (my own term for decluttering). Nevertheless I came away encouraged to make at least some attempts to tame the mess in my house.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the book is nice and has beautiful pictures, it would have been nice to show affordable ways to organize. The containers, drawer inserts, closet systems, etc. are far too expensive for the normal person. It was more about showing beautifully organized areas and instructing the reader to get rid of things not used or needed.

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt a tad condescending. Made lots of assumptions about who I was as a reader because I was reading this book. Not my fav.

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Nothing I haven’t read before. Nothing I haven’t seen before. Maybe it would be exciting for someone who hasn’t encountered anything like this, but it wasn’t special for me.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski, the mother-daughter team of Done & Done Home, have written this book to help the reader get organized. It's a no-nonsense book with lots of drool-worthy photographs (e.g. even the picture of the messy table of the creative person looks way better than my place). Lightfoot and Pawlowski offer great tips for organizing, and, yet, I found myself nodding along with a lot of the advice (because I have heard it and either am doing it (file folding of t-shirts, for example) or know it's what I should be doing). I was intrigued by the picture of board game boxes on their side (like books on a bookshelf) and want to try that -- perhaps after weeding some games out...

The conversational, casual tone of the book is at once approachable and slightly annoying with its cheekiness. The book is geared to Americans and our excess; the name-dropping of stores (Costco, IKEA, Container Store) and specific products (Kallax, Elfa system) is useful, but it could limit the reach of the book in other countries or the shelf-life of the book if said products are discontinued.

This quick read had good tips and was perfect to borrow from the library. I might borrow it again in the future.

3.5 stars would be more appropriate. (C'mon, goodreads, let us give 1/2 stars!)

[Dione Hanke]

Love Your Home Again is a book about removing clutter from a home that you have been living in for awhile. Most of us do not need this advice when we first move into a new home. But after we have lived somewhere, the space for storage gets fuller each year. Then at some point it is all full and the clutter starts to build up. This book is about what to do then.
This book describes a plan for taking everything out in a room and going thru all of it. The book tells you how to organize the stuff and plans for what to do with each category of stuff. What to keep and what to get rid of. The important question in the kitchen was - have you used it?
What do you do with all the stuff - well this book has recommendations for that too. Minimize what you throw away. Donate as much as you can.
The rooms in your home make up each chapter in the book. When you are done - then the clutter in your home should be gone. It should be like moving into a new home, room for everything. And everything has a place. This will all need to be done again in 10 years or so. Or do it as you live there. I don't think any home of mine would ever look like some of the pictures in this book. But the pictures are good and give us a goal.

[Whitney Pergram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A BIG THANK YOU to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC of Love Your Home Again by Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski. I rate this title a 3.5/5, as it does cover the organizational topics presented in a clear and concise manner. However, as others have noted, the photography used throughout the book is more aspirational than practical. It would be more helpful to include a complete home label guide for decanting and storing all the typical items in a household. The organizational methodology is, in essence, no different than that of other popular methods. All rely on decluttering and storing items properly so that all items are immediately visible when needed and accounted for in an inventory. Even still, this title would give anyone a great jumping off point on home organization ideas.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date September 2022
#LoveYourHomeAgain #NetGalley

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seemed aimed at a person who has a lot more clutter than I do. I've done a lot of work towards decluttering our house over the last decade and have made big strides. I don't have 5 pairs of jeans in my kids' closet and call that decluttered. Also, I drink tea probably 350 days a year and I still have less tea on hand than they deemed an "acceptable" amount of tea to have. And they said they don't know any kids that like building their own Lego creations...that's 90% of my kids' Lego playing! They build sets per instructions but eventually most of them get broken and they make their own thing. AND...there was more than one picture of a whole shelf of VHS tapes...WHO HAS that many VHS tapes still, much less displayed?? Ok, maybe I had more problems with this book than I thought. Better if you are just starting to declutter maybe. And if your kids only build Lego sets per their instructions and no other way.

[Louise Foerster · Rating 5 out of 5]

With LOVE YOUR HOME AGAIN, Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski offer clear, straightforward, and motivating guidance for living well in the home you have. Just when I thought I'd done a terrific joy of ferreting out the clutter and organizing my house, this book demonstrates a logical way of thinking about how my family and I live and what we truly need. Abashed, I realized quickly that I have a long way to go until I can entertain without panicking and use an office that serves me as well as enjoy the ease, the flow, and the grace of a home that functions with beauty. Smart, timely, and beautifully illustrated, this book is a tremendous asset and resource for anyone living in a house, apartment, anywhere they call home. I received an early copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid, comprehensive guide to home organization! There is a strong focus on decluttering and intentionality in purchasing and keeping items. The "Owning Well" philosophy encourages buying only what's absolutely necessary and investing in the best quality possible. I liked how the authors always centered functionality and practicality over "rules"--the fundamental question is always "what do I actually need from this space?"

The storage and organization tips were a little biased in favor of "innies" (people who prefer items concealed vs. "outies" who prefer to be able to see their items) but there were still lots of good ideas to be had. This would be useful reading for anyone looking to update and refresh their space.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Vivian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tons of photos but the houses all look very sterile and OCD, with white walls and endless labeled bins. I honestly would hate if my home looked like this. I’m so sorry but this is not the home of my dreams. Even if I could afford all these containers I hate the look. I’m sure some people will love it though. We all have our own tastes.

Good inspiration if you like that aesthetic and are new to decluttering and organizing.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance preview. All opinions are my own.

[Maine Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure escapism...exactly one new idea, and lots of gorgeous photos of clear bins with elegant labels, but lots of fun for an hour or two on a Sunday morning, despite the annoying repeated product placement of the overpriced Container Store. An extra star for their tactful, understanding approach to people often labelled as hoarders, and minus a star for the ultra-short section on workbenches and tools, with descriptions that make it clear these are the domains of men-who-aren't-reading-this-book.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this free ARC from NetGalley. I found this book to be an easy day read. I love the sections the book are divided into. One can read the sections which apply to you and skip the ones you don't have. There are a quite a few tips and ideas on how to declutter and organize, but for me it was nothing new. It could be because I've read a quite of these type of books. The pictures were beautiful, but didn't always fit with the text and could have used more explanation.

[Abby Bumpus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book that DID inspire me to get some things organized, but nothing particularly original. Basically just lots of the same advice: use pretty clear bins and get rid of your junk. I did appreciate their acknowledgement that sometimes life is just not picture-perfect, and you can just be thankful for that. Like being grateful for your messy entryway because you’re grateful for the kids that are running in and out making the mess.

[Katie Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was the inspiration I needed right now. With a smaller home and 2 kids, I am often at a loss for how to organize the odds and ends in our home. Some of the ideas in the book may seem obvious but this book helps you focus on how you live in and run your household. The organization doesn’t necessarily need to be aesthetically pleasing, just practical which feels more realistic to reach in this phase of life

[Ginger Hudock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives a room-by-room plan for decluttering and organizing your home. If you have read many other simplifying or organizing books, you may not learn a lot from this book. Love Your Home Again does have great photos, though.. These would be useful for storage decorating ideas. I recommend this book.
I received a complementary advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An attractive and well-organized book that may provide inspiration to those wanting to declutter and thus love their home. Nothing much new here and much of it is common sense. I don't suppose anyone would want to put photos of the usual more mundane homes that much of America lives in so I'd say this is aimed to the upper middle class folks. But I guess that is the genre!

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Mother/daughter team of professional organizers share their insights on room by room organization and decluttering. Book is well written, with excellent information on the topic. Helpful for anyone wanting to take back the mess and control the clutter.

[Edie Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a market flooded with publications telling us how to whip our homes into shape, do we really need another? That depends. Readers of other volumes of helpful hints already know these same tips. But if the suggestions are new to you you’ll find the recommendations helpful.
The book itself is well organized and pleasant to read. If it’s your first venture on topic you won’t go wrong.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A guilt-free version of decluttering your living space to make it more comfortable and enjoyable, with prompts to be thoughtful about what you have, how and where you use it, and how to most effectively place it. These concepts apply to what you purchase in the future and how you take care of what you keep. Hints of Marie Kondo and less extreme than others in the industry.