The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything

By Martha Stewart

“An easy-to-navigate and attractive guidebook covering a wide array of topics, from organizing the entrance to one’s home to traveling with pets.” —Publishers Weekly

Martha Stewart is America’s go-to source for the best answers to nearly every question. As an authority on the many worlds upon which she’s built her domestic empire, she can advise on everything from creating a cutting garden and setting the table to playing classic lawn games or building a campfire. Whether it’s organizing, celebrating, cleaning, decorating, or any number of other life skills, these are the time-tested, Martha-approved strategies for frequent challenges and basic how-to knowledge that everyone should have at the ready. Also included are plenty of solutions for the not-so-common conundrums, such as how to transport a decorated cake, bathe a cat, or fold an American flag. With hundreds of expert tips and useful insights in an easy-to-follow format, this is the manual you need to learn how to do everything—the Martha way.

“This most recent compendium provides everything one might expect from a Stewart manual—clean and elegant design along with detailed instructions. For everyone with similar DIY experiences, and anyone looking to get started.” —Library Journal

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781328927330

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart is America’s most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher, and the author of more than 100 books on cooking, entertaining, crafts, homekeeping, gardening, weddings, and decorating.

Book preview

The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything, by Martha StewartThis book, an edited compilation of many of the many thousand “Good Things” and helpful articles I and my extremely talented staff of Martha Stewart Living have worked on for three decades, is dedicated with love and thanks to those very colleagues who always find the time to do everything in the best possible fashion! Thank you all very, very much.The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything, by Martha Stewart; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Boston New York 2019; Produced by Melcher Media

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.

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.

1

KEEP

Keep important items and put them in their proper places—or assign them permanent homes.

2

TOSS

Toss out products that are no longer useful and paperwork that’s no longer required (see How Long Should You Keep Records?, page 35).

3

DONATE

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).

4

SELL

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.

ANNUALLY

Sort through clothing, shoes, and toys; give unwanted items to charity.

After filing your tax return, do a thorough inventory of stored financial documents; shred anything you no longer need.

Sort through spices and discard expired ones; replenish as needed.

Go through utility spaces; restock equipment, tools, and batteries as needed.

Time-Management Tips

The key to staying organized is taking advantage of the occasional spare moments in your regular routine. If you have . . .

10 minutes

Clean out your handbag, purse, or backpack.

Organize credit-card receipts.

Sort through catalogs and magazines.

Clear your email inbox.

Bag up recyclables.

Take an inventory of cleaning supplies.

30 minutes

Refold sweaters.

Straighten a linen-closet shelf.

Organize one drawer.

Update a bulletin board.

Sort through toys and redistribute them.

Update labels for containers.

60 minutes

Take an inventory of your pantry.

Clean out the refrigerator and/or freezer.

Sort through clothes closets, looking for items to repair, clean, or donate.

Rearrange books.

Sort through financial records.

Back up photos or computer files.

Straighten out boxes or bins in the garage, attic, or basement.

How to Organize

Entryways

Clutter in the entrance can stifle the flow of your home well beyond the front door. What to do with all the sundries that need stashing? Create a space that’s practical as well as pleasing to the eye. An all-in-one unit such as the one shown on page 12 is just one very convenient option. Read on for other ways to make your own entry (and exit) point as pulled together as can be.

The Five Essentials

Whether you have a grand foyer or no real entry at all, you can maintain order and a consistent routine with a few simple elements. Just how you go about implementing these entryway items will depend mostly on the physical footprint of your space. For example, if you have a dedicated hall closet, you may be able to forgo the hooks; if you don’t have room for a console or other table, you can mount a shelf or a floating ledge.

1. Hooks

Even if you do have a coat closet, wall-mounted hooks are an efficient way to hold everyday items such as scarves and dog leashes; plus they allow raincoats to dry off. Be sure to arrange some hooks within reach of any little ones, too.

2. Baskets

Corral items big (such as umbrellas and soccer balls) and small (like loose change and sunglasses) in coordinated containers. You can even designate a cubby for each member of the family, or for each category of gear—sports, pets, beach, and such.

3. Table or shelf

You’ll need a horizontal surface to house small items, as well as a place to set down bags and totes as you come and go. Console tables have slender profiles; credenzas offer hidden storage. Shelves allow for customization. Or let a bench do double duty (see page 14).

4. Bench or other seating

Besides being an inviting addition to any entry, a seat has the practical purpose of providing a place to sit when putting on and taking off shoes. Many benches offer storage underneath, either with built-in cubbies for shoes and other everyday items or space for tucking in your own baskets or containers.

5. Doormat or small rug

A mat or rug protects your floors from the elements and provides a soft spot for weary feet. Plus, it affords another way to personalize the space. Choose durable, easy-to-clean wool or indoor-outdoor rugs, or you can stick with coconut-husk or other traditional doormat fibers. Shoes and boots can go in a boot tray to catch any drips.

Martha Must

I keep a basket of nonskid socks by the entrance as part of a no-shoes policy, a custom I picked up when visiting Japanese homes many years ago. Besides keeping your floors clean, it is a cozy option for colder months.

How to Organize Entryways

More Ideas

and Inspiration

If you don’t have a dedicated entryway in your home, improvise by making use of space-saving storage: A bench can double as a hallway organizer and a bookcase can divide a room.

Bookcase to Bench

Turn a minimal bookcase on its side, fit it with casters for easy transport, and top with a custom cushion that plays nicely with the surroundings—above, a patterned floor and graphic wallpaper in the same shade of green. Tuck baskets, shoes, and other items in the open compartments, and hang hooks on the wall above for holding coats, bags, and umbrellas. Add a pillow and it becomes a decorative, utilitarian, and mobile piece with a bevy of uses.

Partition Plus

A prefab storage unit divides the room visually, creating the illusion of a hallway (a runner also helps). Store shoes in the lower cubbies for easy access, collectibles and other decorative objects up top and out of reach of kids, and anything you’d rather hide in matching bins and drawers, making them your own with leather-tab pulls (simply drill a hole in each drawer and attach a piece of folded leather with a nut and screw). Mount hooks on the side for your most-used garments and accessories.

Project

Create a Command Center

Shopping and to-do lists, kids’ school reminders, and other flotsam and jetsam of everyday life tend to pile up fast. That’s why every organized home needs a command center—whether in an entryway, the kitchen, a home office, or some other well-chosen spot. A command center provides a place for everything that needs one (see box below). For a message board that’s equal parts form and function, consider upgrading to Homasote—an affordable fiberboard that’s sold at hardware shops, office-supply stores, and home-improvement centers—or corkboard with inexpensive overlays from radiator covers, also available at home-improvement stores.

Supplies

Radiator cover

Homasote board (see page 41 for the how-to)

Grommet set with screws

Extra-long thumbtacks

Holders, clips, and other optional supplies

1. Mount radiator cover over Homasote board, securing it with grommets and screws in far corners.

2. Use extra-long thumbtacks to reach through the cover.

3. Attach attractive holders and binder clips for loose odds and ends.

Command Center Essentials

Incorporate a month-at-a-glance calendar to keep track of schedules.

Corral business cards, invitations, and homework in easy reach.

Add decorative touches such as photos and postcards to keep it from being too utilitarian.

Edit the board regularly to keep it up-to-date and prevent it from becoming overburdened.

How to Organize

Closets

What do prewar apartments, vintage farmhouses, mid-century ranches, and cute cottages have in common? A dearth of designated closet space—if any at all. Even modern-day dwellings can test the limits of our organizing abilities when it comes to finding space for clothes, linens, and accessories. Take inspiration from these ideas, then tweak them to create smart solutions for your space.

Editing Your Closet

It’s a good idea to do a wardrobe walk-through at least twice a year—such as in the spring and fall, when switching out the seasonal items. Sort everything according to the Four-Box Formula (see page 10).

Start with unused or broken costume jewelry, matchless socks and gloves, and shoes that haven’t seen the light of day in a year. Gather up these things and put them in a pile.

Then sort through every article of clothing and all your accessories, weeding out pieces that might be taking up valuable space. As you go, be on the lookout for anything you might be keeping using the following common (erroneous) justifications:

it might fit again: Try on items that you think might be too small or large, and then pass those along to others who can use them.

It was expensive: Buyer’s remorse is never a good reason to keep something that has no value to you. Assuage the guilt by giving it to someone who will appreciate it (or sell it at a consignment shop).

It might come back into fashion: That might very well be the case, but you might not like it as much—and it might not flatter you as well—the next time around. Hold on only to classic pieces that still fit, as these never go out of style.

It was a special gift: There is no expectation that you keep every gift you have ever received. Instead, honor the giver by finding a good home for the wearables; there is always someone who can use the item, even if you can’t.

Martha Must

I installed valet bars to organize the outfits I will be wearing on trips or to special events, using my own laminated tags to sort the items by laundering method. Tags include Launder by Hand, Do Not Put in Dryer, and Dry Clean.

Closet-Organizing Principles

For such a small space, closets have to accommodate a big mix of belongings. How you arrange them makes all the difference.

what to Hang: Anything that is likely to wrinkle (linen, rayon, cotton dresses) or slide around in a drawer (silks and satins should get a hanger), as well as garments that are pressed or have pleats.

HOW TO HANG: Use the right type of hanger to extend the life of your clothes.

Coats need broad wooden hangers to keep shoulders aligned and garments in shape.

Silk blouses, cotton shirts, and vests need smaller (but still sturdy) wooden hangers.

Pants made of wool and other sturdy fabrics are best suspended from the waist on hangers fitted with clips (as shown on page 18); more delicate items can be folded over a wider hanger’s bar, preferably one that’s lined with cushioning velvet.

what to Fold: All knitwear, cotton T-shirts, and sportswear (preferably in a separate drawer) should be neatly folded, plus jeans and casual slacks if there’s not enough room to hang them.

what to PUT AWAY: Lingerie, scarves, ties—anything you aren’t planning on hanging or stacking on open shelves can be tucked into compartments.

For storing these items, drawers are just one option; lining up bins on a closet shelf is another alternative. Either way, sort these items by type or color (such as the socks on page 18).

Tip

When editing your wardrobe, it can be hard to be objective, especially when parting with sentimental items. Invite a trusted friend over to help make the tough decisions.

Custom-Closet Configurations

If you are considering having a closet built to suit, start by taking stock of your wardrobe. The guidelines in this chart should help you get a sense of how much space you’ll need, but be sure to leave extra room for future purchases—and space-hogging winter clothes.

How to Organize Closets

Martha Must

Clothing needs room to breathe, as overcrowding causes wrinkles. That’s why wooden hangers are the only option for me, not those skinny hangers that are reputed to fit two or three times as many garments in a closet.

Form and Function

Design your closet with equal parts efficiency and enjoyment in mind. Grouping items lets you achieve that goal.

Arranging like items together creates visual harmony in your closet. It also eliminates the need to hunt anything down—and lets you put together an ensemble with ease.

You could group by kind—tops, pants, skirts, and dresses, for example—or by color, from light to dark. The optimal method? Do both, using the pants shown on page 18 as inspiration.

Apply the same organization to accessories, keeping frequently worn items on open shelves and the rest stored. In the photo below, the shoes are further grouped by kind (ankle boots vs. high-heeled sandals). Change the selection according to the season.

Don’t overlook any tucked-away items, which are also amenable to being similarly arranged. First do so by type—dress socks and athletic socks in separate compartments, tights and hosiery in yet another—and then by color. Ties, belts, and scarves work the same way.

Tip

Round up all your clotheskeeping necessities—sewing kit, sweater combs, shoe polishes—in one place, either a box or a basket, and place it in or near your closet. The more accessible they are, the more likely you are to sew, shine, and spiff up your clothes.

How to Organize Closets

More Ideas

and Inspiration

If you’re tired of untangling your trinkets or hunting down your favorite hat, or you’ve run out of shoe storage, here are ways to put all your accessories in their place.

DIY Jewelry Dish

Small, decorative plates provide ample opportunity to store your trinkets—and show off your creativity. Try splattering, outlining, or stenciling the patterns shown above, or improvise to make your own designs. You can also vary the sizes and shapes of the dishes (try miniature bowls) to accommodate your collection.

Door-Mounted Dowel

Mount a thin wooden dowel, available at craft-supply stores, inside an armoire or cabinet door and use S hooks to hang necklaces, bracelets, and even rings in a manageable, accessible display. Coat the dowel with semi-gloss paint to keep the hooks from sliding and to blend in with the furniture.

Café-Rod Door Racks

Keep your favorite winter woolens within easy reach by mounting two café rods on the back of a door. Hang hats and gloves from the top bar using curtain clips; drape scarves over the lower one. Come spring, swap them out with seasonal hats, visors, and wraps.

Picture-Rail Shoe Rack

For artful storage for your fanciest heels, line a wall with molding (sold at home-improvement centers). Have preprimed pieces cut to length; paint as desired. Attach (a foot apart) to wall with construction adhesive. Hammer finishing nails every 18 inches (no studs needed), countersink nails, spackle, and touch up with paint.

How to Organize

BATHROOMS

Mornings are hectic enough without having to search for your favorite lipstick. Touch up this busy space with some paring down and a few simple updates. Then you and your powder room can get off to a fresh start.

Streamline Storage

The biggest challenge in keeping even the smallest of bathrooms in order? Taming all the stuff.

At least twice each year, weed out expired makeup and beauty products and eliminate any duplicates, forgotten items, or impulse purchases that you’ve never used.

Take this opportunity to also rotate out any seasonal items—sunburn-soothing aloe in summer, moisturizing creams for itchy, dry winter skin.

After decluttering, arrange only the most-used products on shelves or easy-to-access spots. Put all the rest in a cabinet or coordinated bins (or even in a nearby linen closet).

Decant bulk toiletries into manageable, uniform containers, like the ones shown on page 22, which are stored smartly within an adjustable bathtub rack.

If storage is scarce, make use of free vertical space. Mount shelves in a narrow nook, as shown on page 22, or on the wall above a toilet. Don’t overlook the back of the door, too (look for over-the-door units at housewares stores).

Plan for just two bath towels per person—one in use while the other is being laundered. This not only cuts down on the need for storage, it also reduces your laundering load (and water usage).

Tuck a small stool in the bathroom to reach items kept up high.

Keep It Tidy

Where to put the spare towels and toothbrushes? The following are some ways to keep these and everything else in order.

Apply the grouping principle to store like with like, corralling combs and brushes, shaving products, nail polishes, and other often-used and odd-shaped items in separate containers.

In the same vein, assign a separate shelf or bin to each category of toiletries, as an easy way to keep track of them (and for others to know where to find and replace them).

A single large bin is harder to keep orderly than two (or three) smaller ones; those that stack have the same footprint. Label them or choose bins with clear lids so there’s no guesswork required.

Between lotions, potions, and other spill-prone liquids, bathroom shelves can get dirty. Line each shelf with easy-to-clean, cut-to-size sheets of Plexiglas, or use clear or patterned shelf liner so it blends in with the decor.

Strategically placed hooks happen to be great space-savers, keeping towels within easy reach of the bath or shower. Mount towel bars inside the door for out-of-the-way drying after each use.

Martha Must

Keep a small squeegee in your shower and use it to wipe down the walls, and doors if you have them, after each use; even my grandchildren know to do this. It helps prevent moisture buildup and makes weekly cleaning easier to do.

How to Organize Bathrooms

More Ideas

and Inspiration

When outfitting a bathroom to gain extra storage, don’t be afraid to borrow some fixtures from elsewhere in the home.

Storage Cart

A bar cart makes a superlative stand-in for heftier fixtures. Plus, it’s easy to roll to and fro when cleaning—and the handlebar doubles as a place for hanging a hand towel. You can even (finally) solve the blow-dryer dilemma by looping the cord around an S hook. To make the cart more stain resistant, coat it with glossy paint.

Wooden Tub Shelf

To keep your bathing essentials close at hand, simply cut a board—either reclaimed or from the lumber yard, like this knotted Douglas fir—a few inches wider than your tub. Sand it smooth, then seal with a waterproof finish. Or search out antique versions made of metal, which often expand and have built-in soap dishes.

Multi-Use Baskets

These old-fashioned three-tiered baskets may have been designed for separating produce in the kitchen, but they are just as brilliant at storing toiletries in the bathroom. Group like items (paper goods, exfoliators, and salves are shown here) in each tier to keep it neat.

Space-Saving Hooks

Indispensable in the kitchen (for hanging pots) and the garage (for hanging tools), oversize S hooks are also handy in the bathroom: They let you hang more towels than a single rod allows and can be shifted to meet your needs. Plus, brass hooks pop against a bronze bar and a dark wall.

How to Organize

Kitchens

There’s no need to undertake an all-out renovation to breathe new life into your kitchen. Employing time-tested strategies will ensure the hardest-working area of the house is also the most productive—and the most inviting. Start with these tenets: Make the most of every inch, clear out what you don’t need, and design a space that works for you. Then keep in mind the following lessons.

Keep Things Where You Use Them

Consider this the platinum rule of kitchen organization. Storing things near where they’ll be most used saves on time—important when trying to feed the family during the morning rush hour, getting dinner on the table on a busy weeknight, and even having friends over for a home-cooked meal. Take the open shelves on page 28: Their placement is conveniently located within arm’s reach of the dishwasher for easy unloading.

Also, creating stations will help streamline your daily to-dos. The following are meant as examples; pinpoint your most-common prep and cooking activities to devise your own.

Coffee and tea time: Ease your morning routine by congregating mugs, stirrers, coffee beans, the electric grinder, and sugar and other sweeteners next to your coffeemaker of choice (French press, espresso machine, or otherwise). Keep assorted teas, tea balls and sachets, and teapots in the same vicinity.

Breakfast nook: Stow the bread box by the toaster; have the juicer out on the counter.

Stove supplies: Stash cooking oils, salt and pepper, preferred spices, and key utensils near the stove. Rest assorted items on a tray for a tidy appearance (and to catch drips). Separate metal and wood tools in crocks.

Baking goods: Keep canisters of flour, sugar, oats, spices, and other staples near the stand mixer, along with baking tools and dry-measuring cups.

Don’t Hide Everything

Besides providing easy access, open shelving helps make the space feel light and airy. It’s less expensive and easier to customize than closed cabinetry. Shelving can also put underused space to work, fitting in where a cabinet wouldn’t. If you don’t want everything on view, opt for a mix: open shelving for items you use often or enjoy having on display, behind-closed-doors for the rest.

Martha Must

I use a rolling cart (above) for portable storage, so I can wheel it to the stove during cooking and park it out of the way other times. I store dog treats and medicine on the bottom shelf, oversize pots and pans in the middle, and crocks of utensils on the top, within easy reach.

How to Organize Kitchens

Maximize Drawer Space

Deal with a hodgepodge of implements in a multitude of shapes, sizes, and storability by providing each tool its own place. Make use of housewares-store compartments, dividers, and liners, and take a step back to think about how best they can be used.

Pots and Pans: Deep drawers can be a convenient alternative to a cabinet for some items, allowing you to reach them more easily. Add a divider on one side for the lids.

Spices: Because spices should not be exposed to heat or light, drawers make smart storage options. Arrange the spices in low racks, as shown above, decanting them into clear same-size jars and adding labels with dates.

Utensils and Knives: Fit out a drawer with bamboo inserts, picking the dimensions to match your needs. You can even find inserts with knife slots (called knife docks) for protecting sharp blades.

Linens: Fold and stack napkins, tea towels, and runners to keep them orderly, using dividers to hold napkin rings or place cards. Tuck pot holders and trivets in a drawer near the stove, where they are needed most (above, they share a drawer with spices, separated by a divider).

Plates and Bowls: If you don’t have enough cabinet space for all your dishware, consider storing it in a sizable drawer; the one below has a cut-to-fit pegboard liner (sold at home-improvement stores) with tall pegs holding each stack in place. Some drawers even come with pegs already installed.

Baking Pans and Cutting Boards: Stacking these items is often the default choice, but not the most conducive to frequent use. Instead, stand them up in a deep drawer (or over-the-oven cabinet), using sturdy metal dividers from an office-supply store or those intended for pot lids.

Junk Drawer: What to do with all the stuff that doesn’t belong anywhere else? Store it in a special drawer—and then tidy it every few months. Keep it from looking messy by giving each type of junk (batteries, rubber bands, and the like) its own container.

Put Your Pantry to Work

The organizing principles that apply to your cooking supplies also work for your foodstuffs—store like with like and get creative with containers. If you don’t have a walk-in pantry, you can rely on cabinets, open shelving, and other clever contrivances, such as the nook shown below. No matter your space, the principles are the same.

Decant dry goods into matching canisters, and label and date each one.

Group foods according to their use or by type. Below, condiments live on one shelf, beans and legumes on another, baking goods and extra cooking oils on a third.

Use valuable floor space for holding long-lived vegetables such as onions and potatoes, keeping them in separate baskets or open bins (never closed containers).

Reserve a shelf for small appliances, tea towels, and other odds and ends.

Use a nail to hang twine or other kitchen staples.

How to Organize Kitchens

More Ideas

and Inspiration

Just because your kitchen is tight on space doesn’t mean it’s short on potential. Rather, maximize your kitchen’s efficiency with these counter-clearing solutions.

Makeshift Island

A kitchen island offers a handy workstation. If your space can’t accommodate a permanent fixture, refashion one from a slender table. Screw casters onto legs for added height and movability; top with concrete, Silestone, or other countertop material (cut to size at the store). Finally, install rods (cut with a tube cutter) between the legs for hanging baskets, and towel bars on the sides for hanging essentials with S hooks.

Vertical Space

Pot racks keep often-used cookware within reach but away from foot traffic. The rack at left is actually a repurposed vintage ladder, which has been hung over a kitchen island, and makes use of S hooks to keep pots and pans close at hand. It adds a rustic touch to a bright and cheery space.

Project

PEGBOARD

Reviews for The Martha Manual

[kglattstein · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great one-two page summaries on almost anything you need to know for living on your own. Good reference for adults who sometimes just wish they knew an easier way or better way to take care of daily chores and maintenance needs.

[dcoward_6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I started this book, I thought I would end up giving it a rating of 6 out of 5 stars! The section on Organizing was brilliant, fix and maintain and clean were also solid. Later on though, I found the sections on hosting, entertaining, and celebrating to be way too basic, and the garden and grow section to not be detailed enough. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and may need to purchase it.