Green Housekeeping – Book Review

Ellen Sandbeck's Book of Cleaning Tips for Keeping a Green Home

Sep 9, 2009

Like Hints From Heloise for ecophiles, this book is full of clever, good old fashioned advice on living green by decluttering, using green cleaners and simplifying life.

Ellen Sandbeck's philosophy on living green and keeping an organized, clutter-free house is a breath of fresh air for those overwhelmed by the excesses of modern life.

The book, Green Housekeeping (originally published as Organic Housekeeping in 2006) is one of many books on how to live green that have hit bookstore shelves in recent years. Unlike some, Sandbeck's book does not give the impression that going green is about buying the latest eco-gadgets. Instead she asserts the opposite: the best way to go green is to consume less and enjoy life more.

Organizing and Decluttering Advice

Sandbeck's philosophy on green housekeeping evolved from her work as an organic landscaper. She writes about her approach to "design and set up a miniature ecosystem, tend it and tweak it, and watch it balance itself out". The book includes many tips and time-saving cleaning routines to help people create green homes that require less maintenance, have less impact on the environment and leave homeowners with more time and space.

The first part of Green Housekeeping is dedicated to setting up this miniature ecosystem by simplifying and developing orderly habits. No-nonsense Sandbeck offers practical and pithy advice, and many clever solutions for conquering cluttered homes and reclaiming control. This section includes organizing tips, advice on conquering and preventing clutter and "living lightly and happily" by reducing, reusing and recycling clutter.

Green Housekeeping Tips

This is not your average green guide or book of housekeeping tips. Sandbeck's cleaning techniques are focused on managing this newly decluttered home ecosystem and making it as self-sufficient as possible - reeing up time and mental energy. Sandbeck's first bit of advice, to readers overly concerned with maintaining a spotless home is simply: "Try to relax."

In a lighthearted tone, she urges readers to put down the chemical-laden, toxic cleaners and disposable wipes and pick up a new perspective on housekeeping: She advises:"People will find you much more attractive if you smell like fresh baked cookies rather than Lysol."

Green Housekeeping is useful and informative and full of clever, common-sense advice. With well-organized chapters, a bibliography and list of internet resources, and index, the book is a handy reference guide for greening and maintaining (as effortlessly as possible) every area of the home and yard.

Some of the cleaning techniques, like washing clothes in the rain may be a little too green for the average person. But the majority of the tips and advice in the book are simple changes anyone can make to live calmer, cleaner and greener lifestyle without giving up all the modern conveniences and comforts of home.

About Ellen Sandbeck

Sandbeck is a native of California who now lives with her family in Duluth, Minnesota She is an organic landscaper, graphic designer and author.of three other books on green living: the self-published Slug Bread and Beheaded Thistles (1995) Eat More Dirt and Green Barbarians: Live Bravely On Your Home Planet (2010).

The copyright of the article Green Housekeeping – Book Review in Reference Books is owned by Alison Fletcher. Permission to republish Green Housekeeping – Book Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.