Books |
The Experts’ Guide to Life at Home
Samantha Ettus
By
Published: Jan 01, 2005
Category:
Self Help
The biggest-selling book in the long and distinguished history of HeadButler.com is The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do, by Samantha Ettus.
Huh?
It’s not so surprising, really. We are busy. We need to know how to be effective. At many things. And here is a book that, in short essays of two or three pages apiece, makes us feel less lame about delivering bad news, confronting public speaking, banking our pennies, sewing a button, mowing a lawn, washing a car — in short, getting on with our lives.
Now Samantha Ettus is back, with a narrower focus: life at home. And, again, there are a hundred experts, ranging from Al Roker (on barbeque) to Heloise (on dust). The organization is organic. First, Ettus shows you how to ‘nest’ and ‘protect,’ then how to ‘improve’ and ‘beautify’ your home, and finally how to ‘relate’ and ‘enjoy.’ It’s a huge arc, from getting a mortgage to learning to be happy — read this book in a single sitting and you’ll feel equal parts inspired and exhausted.
But most of all, you’ll feel smarter. I now know how to deal with a contractor, if I should repurpose my living room and why I should get rid of credit cards. (You want the free airline miles? Did you know 75% of the miles earned on credit cards are never redeemed?) The guy who built the world’s tallest snowman — 113 feet, 7 inches — shares his secret. Hot chocolate? Powder is so not better. And I can eat more spaghetti and meatballs without gaining weight if I use turkey instead of beef.
Every once in a while, there’s a total gem of a chapter — like Al Corbi’s ‘Secure Your Home.’ He starts by knocking down the myths. Home is a safe place? Well, 60% of all rapes and 35% of all assaults occur during home invasions. Burglar alarms? Gee, when they go off, the burglar’s already inside. Police? Great, if you’ve got 15 minutes. So how can you protect yourself? Exterior motion detectors. They tell the criminal he’s being watched — which is the last thing he wants. And install a surveillance system. Because a picture is worth a lot of agitated words.
Then there’s the grotty — but necessary — stuff. ‘Preventing Household Pests’ isn’t exactly a chapter you read for pleasure. Rats! Spiders! Ugh! But better to read about them — and deal with them — than have them.
Open your windows! (The air in your home is much more polluted than the air outside.) Got a cough? Dark chocolate could be just as effective as cough syrup. Club soda is a great spot cleaner for clothes — but not for oily stains. Make your own potpourri with coffee beans, cardamom pods and dried fruits. Think of bedroom lighting as jewelry. Paint color on a wall looks two shades lighter than it does on a chip. When hosting a dinner party, cook two things and assemble the rest.
I’m not so sure about some of the expert advice. ‘The most efficient exercise for weight loss is strength training.’ Maybe, but here’s a shout-out for cardio. ‘95% of the world’s bottles of wine are meant to be consumed in the year or two after they are released.’ Yes, and most of that 95% is too awful to drink. But these are small quibbles.
You may never need to do half of the tasks this book covers. Then comes the moment you have an urgent project — from unclogging a toilet to carving a turkey. In that crisis, this guide could be a lifesaver. And for those just starting out in life, it could be even more important. Like….a Bible.
To buy ‘The Experts’ Guide to Life at Home’ from Amazon.com, click here.
