How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing
Apr 2022 · Simon and Schuster
4.5star
75 reviewsreport
Ebook
160
Pages
family_home
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About this ebook
An NPR Best Book of 2022
USA TODAY Bestseller
This revolutionary approach to cleaning and organizing helps free you from feeling ashamed or overwhelmed by a messy home.
If you’re struggling to stay on top of your to-do list, you probably have a good reason: anxiety, fatigue, depression, ADHD, or lack of support. For therapist KC Davis, the birth of her second child triggered a stress-mess cycle. The more behind she felt, the less motivated she was to start. She didn’t fold a single piece of laundry for seven months. One life-changing realization restored her sanity—and the functionality of her home: You don’t work for your home; your home works for you.
In other words, messiness is not a moral failing. A new sense of calm washed over her as she let go of the shame-based messaging that interpreted a pile of dirty laundry as “I can never keep up” and a chaotic kitchen as “I’m a bad mother.” Instead, she looked at unwashed clothes and thought, “I am alive,” and at stacks of dishes and thought, “I cooked my family dinner three nights in a row.”
Building on this foundation of self-compassion, KC devised the powerful practical approach that has exploded in popularity through her TikTok account, @domesticblisters. The secret is to simplify your to-do list and to find creative workarounds that accommodate your limited time and energy. In this book, you’ll learn exactly how to customize your cleaning strategy and rebuild your relationship with your home, including:
-How to see chores as kindnesses to your future self, not as a reflection of your worth
-How to start by setting priorities
-How to stagger tasks so you won’t procrastinate
-How to clean in quick bursts within your existing daily routine
-How to use creative shortcuts to transform a room from messy to functional
With KC’s help, your home will feel like a sanctuary again. It will become a place to rest, even when things aren’t finished. You will move with ease, and peace and calm will edge out guilt, self-criticism, and endless checklists. They have no place here.
USA TODAY Bestseller
This revolutionary approach to cleaning and organizing helps free you from feeling ashamed or overwhelmed by a messy home.
If you’re struggling to stay on top of your to-do list, you probably have a good reason: anxiety, fatigue, depression, ADHD, or lack of support. For therapist KC Davis, the birth of her second child triggered a stress-mess cycle. The more behind she felt, the less motivated she was to start. She didn’t fold a single piece of laundry for seven months. One life-changing realization restored her sanity—and the functionality of her home: You don’t work for your home; your home works for you.
In other words, messiness is not a moral failing. A new sense of calm washed over her as she let go of the shame-based messaging that interpreted a pile of dirty laundry as “I can never keep up” and a chaotic kitchen as “I’m a bad mother.” Instead, she looked at unwashed clothes and thought, “I am alive,” and at stacks of dishes and thought, “I cooked my family dinner three nights in a row.”
Building on this foundation of self-compassion, KC devised the powerful practical approach that has exploded in popularity through her TikTok account, @domesticblisters. The secret is to simplify your to-do list and to find creative workarounds that accommodate your limited time and energy. In this book, you’ll learn exactly how to customize your cleaning strategy and rebuild your relationship with your home, including:
-How to see chores as kindnesses to your future self, not as a reflection of your worth
-How to start by setting priorities
-How to stagger tasks so you won’t procrastinate
-How to clean in quick bursts within your existing daily routine
-How to use creative shortcuts to transform a room from messy to functional
With KC’s help, your home will feel like a sanctuary again. It will become a place to rest, even when things aren’t finished. You will move with ease, and peace and calm will edge out guilt, self-criticism, and endless checklists. They have no place here.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
75 reviews
William Dickinson
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September 24, 2024
As someone with chronic illness, I've always felt overwhelmed by the idea of keeping a clean house. How to Keep House While Drowning was a lifesaver. The author's approach is so understanding and compassionate, and the tips are practical and easy to follow. I no longer feel guilty about not being able to do everything. This book has helped me create a cleaning routine that works for me and my limitations
Raeosunshine59 Parker
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January 16, 2024
I think someone stole my executive function and buried her in the "OMG! I HAVE COMPANY COMING!" room. 🤣 Thank you for reminding me that I am not lazy. I'm getting older, I'm physically challenged after a car accident, and as much as I hate it, I won't ever function the way I did before the car accident. Your book is opening my eyes to the fact that I need to ask for help and not be ashamed of my situation. I will be reading this several times. thank you!!!
A Google user
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September 20, 2024
How to Keep House While Drowning is a refreshing take on home management. It helped me to see housework as a form of self-care, rather than a chore. The author's compassionate approach is incredibly helpful for those struggling with anxiety or perfectionism
About the author
KC Davis is the bestselling author of How to Keep House While Drowning. A licensed therapist, she is the creator of the popular Struggle Care website, Instagram, and podcast, and the Domestic Blisters TikTok. KC has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, Well + Good, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris, among dozens of other media. KC Davis lives in Houston with her husband and daughters.
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