Ebook The martha manual: How to do (almost) everything - Part 1

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Ebook "The martha manual: How to do (almost) everything" to learn how to do different things. Martha Stewart is a fountain of knowledge and has written this book so you can learn almost everything she knows. Whether it's setting the table, carving a pumpkin, or fixing your toilet, Martha has the solution or strategy for you. Chapters include organize, clean, garden and grow, cook, care for pets, and more. Please refer to part 1 of the ebook for details!

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Nội dung Text: Ebook The martha manual: How to do (almost) everything - Part 1

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ORGANIZE THE GOLDEN RULES OF ORGANIZING HOW TO ORGANIZE… Entryways Closets Bathrooms Kitchens Laundry Rooms Home Offices Kids’ Rooms Garages Tag Sales FIX AND MAINTAIN THE ALL-PURPOSE TOOLBOX HOW TO FIX AND MAINTAIN. . . Faucets Drains Toilets Tile Grout Showerheads Drafts Window Screens Walls Doorknobs Wood Floors
Floorboards Wood Furniture Fireplaces Windowpanes Gutters REFRESH AND EMBELLISH SIZE UP YOUR SPACES HOW TO… Hang Anything Arrange Art Create a Gallery Wall Install Shelves Display a Collection Paint Walls and Ceilings Paint Floors Apply Wallpaper Paint Furniture Re-Cover a Chair Choose the Right Rug Position Lighting Hang Curtains Mount Shades and Blinds CLEAN ESTABLISH GOOD HABITS HOW TO CLEAN… Kitchens Bathrooms Floors, Rugs, and Carpets Walls Windows
Upholstery Electronics LAUNDER STAIN REMOVAL HOW TO… Wash Clothes Line-Dry Laundry Handwash Woolens Iron Mend Care for Bedding CRAFT AND CREATE CREATE A CRAFT SPACE SEW: HOW-TO Sew Three Garments from One Pattern Sew Girls’ Sundresses Sew an Apron with Hidden Seams Sew Tassels Sew Pom-Poms Sew Hat Embellishments Sew Tote Bags Sew Fabric Flowers Sew a Duvet Cover KNIT: HOW-TO Knit Mittens Knit Hats and Scarves Knit a Blanket EMBROIDER: HOW-TO Embroider a Pillow
Embroider a Blouse Embroider Samplers Embroider Friendship Bracelets QUILT: HOW-TO GARDEN AND GROW THE GARDEN TOOLKIT HOW TO… Get the Most Out of Your Yard Compost in (and for) the Garden Plant Flowers Grow Roses Winterize Your Plants Attract Birds, Bees, and Butterflies Grow Trees Grow a Vegetable Garden Grow Container Plants Grow Houseplants Grow Succulents Care for a Lawn HOST AND ENTERTAIN SET UP A HOME BAR HOW TO… Serve Wine Create a Cheese Board Host a Weekend Brunch Throw a Cocktail Party Plan a Dinner Party Set a Table Host Houseguests
ENJOY PACK FOR A PICNIC HOW TO… Hang a Hammock Practice Meditation and Yoga Play Lawn Games Hang a Tire Swing Ride a Bike Build a Fire (Inside and Out) COOK PUT OLD TOOLS TO NEW USES HOW TO… Buy and Store Fresh Produce Make the Most of Your Freezer Save the Scraps Prep Ingredients Master the Methods Solve Kitchen Conundrums Brush Up on Baking Skills Frost a Cake CELEBRATE CREATE FESTIVE TAGS, TIES, AND TOPPERS HOW TO CELEBRATE… A Kid’s Birthday Valentine’s Day Passover Easter Independence Day
Halloween Thanksgiving Christmas Hanukkah New Year’s Eve CARE FOR PETS WELCOME A NEW PET HOW TO… Make Your Home Pet-Proof Keep Your Pet Healthy Nurture Pets Tackle Problem Behaviors Provide Seasonal Care Groom Your Pet Keep a Clean House with Pets Travel with Pets TEMPLATES INDEX CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONNECT WITH HMH
Not to be boastful, but I believe I can write a book like this, a manual on how to do (almost) everything, without feeling as if I am overstepping my expertise, or taking on a subject too large for any one person. In fact, “how-to” could be my middle name: I have always been on the lookout for the most practical, appealing, efficient, and sensible way to accomplish everyday and meaningful tasks, and I have devoted my life to discovering and sharing those solutions. Once I find the smartest way to vacuum a room, the most sensible way to plant a tree, the finest way to organize a drawer, or the most beautiful way to decorate a cake, I am committed to teaching that method until I learn another, better way to do such a task. And I am always aware there might be a better way! I do not know when I became so task oriented, but I do remember how quickly my lovely mother, “Big Martha,” could pick string beans; how easily she could iron a shirt, as if it came from a professional dry cleaner; or how organized she could be in preparing our huge, delicious Thanksgiving dinner each year. She was a remarkable teacher, and so was my father, who (like the fictional father in his favorite movie, Cheaper by the Dozen) was an efficiency
expert. There was no time for wasted actions—personal flair could exist, as well as creativity, but only if no time was squandered. We are now constantly told that we are too busy to learn anything new— that we cannot possibly fit a gardening lecture or a sewing lesson or a painting tutorial into our schedules. I vehemently disagree! Put down the cell phone and pick up some knitting needles, a trowel, or even a screwdriver— and make, plant, fix. You’ll be glad you did. —MARTHA STEWART
A well-organized home—whether yours is a country house, a city apartment, a cabin in the woods, or a cottage by the sea—makes living well that much easier. If the kitchen is smartly arranged, cooking and baking will be more enjoyable. If your bathroom is appropriately stocked and well-appointed, then even guests can use it and feel as if the space is their own. When your closet is well designed—with designated places for shoes, bags, suits, dresses, and pants—then getting dressed will be a pleasure. And when kids’ rooms are neat, with toys and games and learning materials within easy reach, children will stay happily busy (and may even be more likely to pick up after themselves). Good organization applies to all the spaces in one’s home, starting with the entryway, but also including those areas that some of us tend to neglect, such as the garage, attic, and basement. I have spent a lot of time organizing and reorganizing my homes for photo shoots, for television shows, and for my family and myself. This has afforded me the opportunity to test innumerable ideas for making each space livable, workable, and comfortable. In the following chapter, we share some of the very best of those ideas, room by room—even and especially the all-important, hardworking laundry room. We have also distilled decades of organizing advice into what we call the golden rules, which I myself find to be highly effective. My number one organizing principle? Give everything its own place; start there, and you will find the rest comes all the easier.
THE GOLDEN RULES OF ORGANIZING It’s easy to be seduced by the promise of order. So the thinking goes, as long as our keepsakes are tucked away, our desks neat and tidy, and our closets jumble-free, our lives will be similarly serene. Yet most organizing manifestos bear the familiar battle cry— Combat clutter! Conquer chaos!—as if life were a no-win war against all our belongings. Instead, here’s a radical proposition: Toss out the old mantras and view organizing as less a problem to be solved and more an opportunity to embrace. In that spirit, keep these guiding principles in mind as you put (and keep) your own home in tip-top shape. 1. BE TARGETED Rather than tackle the whole house, target one room at a time. Focus first on high-use areas—such as the bathroom or home office. Next address the places you usually ignore. If there’s an overflowing drawer that makes you wince every time you open it, remind yourself that it’s probably less taxing to sort through it than to feel frustrated every day. 2. PARE DOWN It’s impossible to have a well-organized space when there’s too much stuff to fit into it. Take a hard look at your rooms and then edit out what you don’t use (see Four-Box Formula below). 3. UNIFY STORAGE No matter their contents, matching containers make any space more organized. Use woven baskets, metal bins, canvas cubbies, or wooden crates. If you want a matching set, paint them a uniform color.
crates. If you want a matching set, paint them a uniform color. 4. RETHINK FURNISHINGS Furniture need not be used for its original purpose. If you no longer require an armoire to store clothes, turn it into a home office; a bookcase can be an entryway bench. 5. CONSIDER PROXIMITY Keeping items near where they are used will make each room more efficient. Tuck infrequently used items away to clear visual (and mental) clutter. 6. GROUP STRATEGICALLY In other words, stash things that are used together in the same spot. Think spare candles with matches, wrapping paper with ribbon and scissors, and so on. 7. MAXIMIZE SPACE Look high and low for space-making inspiration. Mount a ledge over a door; carve out a nook beneath a kitchen cabinet; put under-furniture spaces to work. 8. STAY FOCUSED Avoid having to start from scratch with your organizing goals each year. Instead, implement a system for staying on top of your spaces, scheduling time on your calendar, and then sticking to that plan (see page 11).
FOUR-BOX FORMULA It’s hard letting go of our possessions, so systematize the process. Set up four boxes and label them “Keep,” “Toss,” “Donate,” and “Sell.” Then get to work. KEEP 1 Keep important items and put them in their proper places—or assign them permanent homes. TOSS 2 Toss out products that are no longer useful and paperwork that’s no longer required (see How Long Should You Keep Records?, page 35). DONATE 3 For everything that remains, ask yourself, When was the last time I used it? Do I need it? If you can’t remember or aren’t sure, the item can go (see Donation Guidelines, page 43). SELL 4 Sell anything of value, either online or via a tag sale (see How to Organize Tag Sales, page 43).
SCHEDULE IT IN Establishing a regular maintenance regime is essential to keeping your home in order. The following timeline is a good place to start. DAILY Sort incoming mail to keep counters clear and paper piles minimal; recycle all junk mail and newspapers immediately. Clear your desk or other workspaces. Hang up and put away clothing, shoes, handbags, and backpacks. Put away toys to keep kids’ rooms tidy. Straighten up the kitchen before going to bed; clear away dirty dishes from the sink and empty the dishwasher, if possible; wipe down counters and sink. WEEKLY Discard any food in the refrigerator that’s past its prime. Empty your wallet of receipts and either file or shred them. Sort through or discard invitations and other notices, jotting down important dates in your calendar and tossing outdated items. File away schoolwork, such as art projects and returned homework. MONTHLY Recycle magazines and catalogs you no longer want; store all others. File paid bills. File important documents for long-term storage (see page 35). Delete unnecessary digital files and back up the rest. TWICE ANNUALLY Toss out old cosmetics and grooming products. Dispose of expired medications. Discard pantry items that are past their use-by date. Replenish first-aid kit.