An Interview with Cindy Harris

You only have to open a magazine or turn on the TV to be reminded that housework is hot! Ryland Peters & Small are delighted to publish 'Keeping House' by Cindy Harris, a beautifully simple guide to creating domestic bliss. Here Cindy tells us how the book came about and why it is so useful, whether you live in a studio flat or large home.

Tell us how you came up with the idea for 'Keeping House'?
I came up with this idea long ago, when I was rearing my young sons and running three houses in Los Angeles. Life was hectic and our unskilled help needed guidance. I wrote several booklets to explain the best and most effective ways to run a household?what to do on a given day, how to iron clothes, how to preserve food, how to make the bed, etc. My friends asked for copies of these booklets and, later, so did my daughters-in-law.

Today, in this highly computerized world where life seems to be spinning out of control, we all need a structure, a balance to ground us in normal, everyday life. Wherever you live, whether it's a palatial house, small bachelor pad or cottage in the country, a routine needs to be established. This, above all else, makes life simpler and easier to handle.

Why do you think it will be useful and for whom?
Everyone! The college-bound student who hasn't a clue as to how a home should be cleaned and managed and the new bride. And, of course, there is the newly-divorced man: they truly don't have a clue! Also, the housewife with three children who feels overwhelmed and has no time to go rummaging all over the place for instruction booklets on how to keep her house in order; she, like the others, needs one book where she can find everything she needs. No matter what age or job, everyone has a home to care for and that home has to be maintained regularly and with ease. This guide is intended for all of us; it is meant to be the 'classic,' the standard for maintaining the place where you live.

Click here to read part two of this interview with Cindy Harris.