When I first started reading Heather Solos’ new book Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living , I was a little worried.

With so much information packed into its pages, I worried that this book was going to be a rehash of all the things I already knew about running a household.

But then I realized, that there was still a lot of stuff I needed to learn.

Author Heather Solos (who also writes the excellent blog Home Ec 101) uses this book to teach us how to take better care of our living quarters.  And the best part: She does it with a sense of humor.

For example, read what she has to say to those who say they’re too much of a free spirit to be tied to household tasks:

“Again with the “But I’m artistic!” argument.  Really?  Here’s the thing, roaches don’t discern the subtle difference between laziness-induced filth and that caused by eschewing the cultural norm.  Art is not an excuse for being a slob. Fight the man, make your own cleaning products, weave you own clothes, buy handmade, recycle, up-cycle, stay up all night, sleep all day, dance, paint, sing, whatever. Just wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and take out the trash, you damn dirty apes!“

It’s this sense of humor sprinkled throughout the book that makes daunting household chores seem a bit more manageable.

The book covers all aspects of cleaning your home, taking care of your clothing (including an excellent section on stain removal), some basic DIY solutions for making minor repairs around your house, and an extensive look at what you need to outfit your kitchen and keep it running smoothly.

The chapters on meal planning and cooking ingredient substitutions are especially useful for those of us trying to eat more meals at home.

There’s even a handy section in the back of the book with recipes for homemade cleaning solutions, emergency preparedness checklists, and measurement conversion charts.

While much of the book contains basic information for those of us with a little more experience running a home under our belts, I still learned a few new tips and tricks.   I’ve spent a lot of my adult life doing certain household tasks a particular way, without really knowing why.  Home Ec 101 does a great job of explaining some of the science and chemistry involved in things like cooking and stain removal that really helped me understand why certain methods work better than others. Her book will help you save money and time while taking care of your home.

Home Ec 101 is a fun read that would be a great gift for a young graduate just moving out on his/her own or for a bridal shower gift.  Don’t let the title convince you that this book is for household newbies:  There is enough good info in here to capture the attention of even the most seasoned domestic engineer.

Note: While BetterWay Home Books did provide me with a review copy of this book, the opinions expressed here are 100 percent my own and were not edited by the publisher, author(s), or their affiliates.  This post also contains affiliate links which help support this blog at no additional cost to you.  Please read my full disclosure policy for more information.