Spring cleaning by design

Books to help organize your home and landscape

By M. Clare Haefner | Photos courtesy of the book publishers

When the weather warms up and the first signs of spring emerge, I start thinking about cleaning out clutter and opening windows to let in the fresh air.

Deep cleaning is definitely a good idea, but the annual exercise always takes longer than it should because of an underlying issue — I can’t keep my home organized. After a few weeks, I get lazy and stop putting things back where they belong or buy new things without thinking about where they’ll be stored.

This year, I’m trying a different strategy — taking advice from professionals to get and stay organized.

Marie Kondo’s mantra to only keep things that spark joy didn’t resonate with me, but after binge-watching several home design shows on Netflix this winter, I think implementing Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin’s plan of attack to “Get Organized with The Home Edit” will.

Especially if I follow the steps outlined in The Home Edit Workbook: Prompts, Activities, and Gold Stars to Help You Contain the Chaos (Clarkson Potter, March 2021). The workbook outlines 52 challenges and covers every room, making it a great way to tackle home organizing at your preferred pace.

Got a lot to organize? Tackle one task each week. Have company coming this summer? Transform your space in a few weeks. Each chapter includes several smaller steps, with room make lists, check off tasks and take stock of what’s the biggest mess.

While they deem “The No More Junk Drawer” challenge as the easiest place to start, you can begin in any chapter with whatever space you want.

I’ve only completed a couple of tasks so far, but I’m already feeling like I can finally master my messes and keep my home organized for good — one gold star at a time.

My yard could also benefit from thoughtful design. Rather than haphazardly selecting plants I like, I want a plan to follow — one that considers when flowers are in season, and how plants will grow and fill in spaces as they mature. Living in Central Texas also means I need plants that are drought-tolerant and able to withstand blazing hot summers. If they’re low-maintenance, even better.

Looking for inspiration, I came across a great resource — Texas Home Landscaping by Greg Grant and Roger Holmes (Design Originals, July 2011; Kindle edition, November 2021).

While it’s not a new release, it provides just what I was looking for — plans to create attractive beds using plants that grow well in Texas while reducing how much turf grass I have to mow. The book includes 48 designs for all types of landscaping, from welcoming walkways to garden paths to outdoor living rooms. It includes plant profiles, installation guides and renderings of how the landscape will change with the seasons. It also offers tips on buying plants and watering them.

Also referencing Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening and suggestions from some Central Texas master gardeners on which plants grow best around here, I’m looking forward to watching my new plants grow into my perfect outdoor space.

Hopefully these books will provide you with some inspiration to get organized and freshen up your home or yard this spring, too.