Home

The traditional 'nuclear' family home is a problem: it places unfair and unnecessary burdens on women (and men too), it entrenches inequalities, it entraps us financially and it hinders certain kinds of child development. Also, it doesn't seem to make us very happy. And yet throughout history and around the world today, forward-thinking communities have pioneered alternative ways of living - from the all-female 'beguinages' of medieval Belgium to the matriarchal ecovillages of contemporary Colombia; from the ancient Greek commune founded by Pythagoras, where men and women lived as equals and shared property, to present-day Connecticut, where new laws make it easier for extra 'alloparents' to help raise children not their own.

Some of these experiments burned brightly and briefly; others are living proof of what is possible. Everyday Utopia upends our assumptions and raises our sights by gathering these and many more inspiring examples together, arguing that many of the most important and effective ways of changing our lives and the world are to be found in the home. The result is a radically hopeful and practical vision of more connected - and contented - ways of living.

How do you place a bed in an awkward room? How can your space help you be more focused and more productive? How do you set up your room to make you ready for romantic love? Our homes have an outsized impact on our wellbeing, so answering these questions is more important than ever. Luckily, interior design expert and TikTok sensation Cliff Tan is here to help!

Cliff has become an internet sensation with his videos demonstrating the principles of feng shui from chi (energy) to the command position - and he has put his wisdom into a book for the first time. In Feng Shui Modern, Cliff explains the concepts of feng shui and then uses expert tips and practical diagrams to show - room by room - how our own styles, colour palettes and furniture can be used to maximise any environment.

This is a book for anyone who feels overwhelmed by life and is looking for an accessible and gentle way to care for their home - and themselves.

Have you ever looked at a pile of dishes in the sink and wanted to crawl back into bed? Or found yourself staring at the overflowing recycling bin thinking, Why is my life such a mess?

But what if we stopped seeing a clean house as a reflection of our worth and instead as a kindness to our future self?

How to Keep House While Drowning will introduce you to six life-changing principles to revolutionise the way you approach domestic work, all without a single to-do list. Most importantly, it will help you get free of shame and guide you in coping with stress... and that ever-mounting laundry pile.

Although the author of the book, Kay Smallshaw, was herself a career woman (she was editor first of Good Housekeeping and later of Modern Woman) she knew that she was in the minority and that most women were at home wishing that the new labour-saving machines were indeed more labour-saving and that pre-war standards could adapt to a post-war world. But this was not to happen for another twenty years; meanwhile Kay Smallshaw's readers continued to keep up appearances and to go on running their homes to the standards of the time when they had both cook, maid and daily help.

Why did the flushing toilet take two centuries to catch on? Why did medieval people sleep sitting up? Why did gas lighting cause Victorian ladies to faint? Why, for centuries, did people fear fruit? All these questions - and more - are answered in this truly intimate history of the home.

'This book is a little bit about me and a little bit about you.' Being known as The Label Lady and having a business that revolves around organisation, you might think that I have everything all worked out but that hasn't always been the case. I went from working full-time as a nurse, with three young children and suffering from overwhelming anxiety to setting up a business that helps people organise their lives. Organisation has always been something I have used to help bring order and calm to my life, it has soothed my anxiety and helped me to focus on achieving my goals.

That's exactly why I want to tell my story whilst inspiring others to do something for themselves, whether it's a small change like organising parts of their home (a cupboard is a great start!) or pursuing a long-held dream. I want to take you behind the scenes of my own story whilst also sharing tips, hacks and takeaways that have helped me on my journey and during life's most challenging moments. I will show you how you can organise, list and label your life to achieve your own dreams. 'Sometimes the best person to take a chance on is yourself.' Jemma x

Love yourself. Love the planet. We are facing an urgent climate crisis and we must all take action now. However, it can be difficult to know where to start when bombarded with overwhelming facts and statistics every day. We all want to make a difference, but what can we do? Minimal makes simple and sustainable living attainable for everyone, using practical tips for all areas of everyday life to reduce your impact on the earth.

Leading environmentalist Madeleine Olivia shares her insights on how to care for yourself in a more eco-friendly way, as well as how to introduce a mindful approach to your habits. This includes how to declutter your life, reduce your waste and consumption, recipes for eating seasonally and making your own natural beauty and cleaning products. 

In 2005, childhood friends Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill set out to convince people of the power of good design and its ability to influence our wellbeing. They founded The Modern House - in equal parts an estate agency, a publisher and a lifestyle brand - and went on to inspire a generation to live more thoughtfully and beautifully at home. As The Modern House grew, Matt and Albert came to realise that the most successful homes they encountered had been designed with attention to the same timeless principles: Space, Light, Materials, Nature and Decoration. Matt tells the stories of these remarkable living spaces and their equally remarkable owners, and demonstrates how the five principles can be applied to your own space in ways both large and small. 

THE NEW BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BOOK OF HYGGE

A gorgeous guide to the Danish art of creating a cosy, happy home.

Our homes should be a place of comfort, a place to feel safe when we shut the door. Somewhere to be ourselves, to unwind and create special memories. Inspired by Danish design and traditions, this beautiful new book from Meik Wiking shares how to turn your home into a sanctuary and live like the happiest people in the world.

With simple tips based on new research from The Happiness Institute in Copenhagen, this book reveals what makes a happy home tick. No matter how much space you have or what your budget is, Meik shows how you can use colour, light and space to create your happy place and celebrate cosiness the Danish way.

Instead, decluttering is about the emotions we put behind our stuff. That's why we can struggle so much with throwing out our favourite mug when it chips or parting with those (very) expensive shoes that we never actually wear…

Sound familiar? If so, experts Lesley Spellman and Ingrid Jansen have the solution. Their Reset Your Home method guides you through your house – room by room and step by step – helping you to sort through your emotional connection to stuff first, then through the practicalities of letting it go second.

Beginning in the kitchen – the room with the fewest emotive items in the home – you'll learn how to strengthen your 'decluttering muscle' as you go, before tackling sentimental items at the end.

Reset Your Home is the tried-and-tested, realistic approach to decluttering for anyone who wants to enjoy a lighter life.

Our homes have fascinating stories to tell. The spaces we inhabit and the objects within them reflect many aspects of our lives and our inner selves. In The Secret Life of Clutter, ten intimate and touching stories take you on a profound journey as people discover what their cluttered homes reveal about their lives, and make life-changing shifts when they start to let go and move on.

The insights revealed in this book will help you understand some of the factors that may be sabotaging your efforts to make more space. It will inspire you to take action and create a home that you love, that loves you back - a home that reflects who you are and the life you want to live.

You'll never look at your clutter - or your home - the same way again.

Spark Joy is an in-depth, room-by-room guide to decluttering and organising your home. It covers every room in the house from bedrooms and kitchens to bathrooms and living rooms as well as a wide range of items in different categories, including clothes, photographs, paperwork, books, cutlery, cosmetics, shoes, bags, wallets and valuables. Charming line drawings explain how to properly organise drawers, wardrobes, cupboards and cabinets. The illustrations also show Ms Kondo's unique folding method, clearly showing how to fold anything from shirts, trousers and jackets to skirts, socks and bras.

Do you sometimes feel that your stuff is taking over your life? Do you ever wonder how it all got into your house in the first place? Does the chaos in your space reflect the chaos in your head? Having done it all - been an anxious clutter-bug herself, studied why we have stuff (headline: we're humans, it's normal) and set up a business to help people declutter - Emma Gleeson understands how you feel. Stuff Happens is her guide to sorting out your relationship with your stuff and finding the right way for you to declutter.

Having things is a part of life. Perfection is not an empty house and minimalism does not need to be your goal. Emma will show you how to figure out a system that works for you and your life (and is good for the planet). Filled with fantastic insights from her own and her clients' lives, lots of sound advice and practical tips, Stuff Happens will give you the tools to manage your stuff while being kinder to yourself.

Laundry no longer has to be a dreaded chore with this guide from the Queen of Clean. Stain removal, fabric softeners, line drying and so much more, whether you're washing family sized loads or taking your dirty laundry to the local launderette consult the Queen for no nonsense advice and great results.

If you're reading this, then we have something in common .... Whether it's a love of getting crafty, meticulously organising or making fun-shaped snacks! I find it hard to sit still, but losing myself in a craft project or tidying a drawer is my form of meditation. It's a chance for me to forget about the things going on in the world around me for a minute. I hope this book helps you to lose yourself for a moment, too - and that you enjoy reading it and even, maybe, having a go at some of the bits inside. Lots of Love, to the moon and back Stacey x

'This book is for you to use as a guide, as inspiration, or even just to read without any pressure to do anything at all! Grab a cuppa and dip in and out of it at leisure. I want you to know that you really do have the skill to do anything you want - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Having your own home is something we all dream about. I hope this book will give you the confidence to pick up a drill, paint brush, hammer or a hack saw and make your space the home of your dreams.' Stace xx

Discover Stacey's Tap to Tidy DIY Method - with steps on how to get started. Each chapter takes readers round a room in Stacey's dream home, and how she transformed each room herself.

Bring order to your home and focus to your busy life. This is the step-by-step method from the social media sensation Tidy Dad. A father of three with a stressful job, Tyler Moore felt his life resembled an overstuffed closet: disorganized and overly busy behind the tidy, closed doors. When it all became too much for their 750-square-foot apartment and his nerves, he set out to unpack the physical and emotional mess around him. He learned that tidying is about so much more than the decluttering of a physical space.

The goal is not 'always tidy' but 'easily tidied' and other principles for lifting some of the mental and physical burdens we feel when managing our homes. Tips for making a 'one-area-a-weekday' cleaning schedule and other simple routines that complement household rhythms and eliminate intensive weekend cleaning. A vital book for the overwhelmed overworked and stressed-out.