Melissa Dilkes Pateras is the most competent housekeeper/DIY project master/home repair genius that you’ve ever fantasized about being. Once she followed her kids onto TikTok and began sharing her years of knowledge, she found a community eager for her approachable, often tongue-in-cheek advice on everything from balls—Dryer balls, that is—to why color-coded closets are a spiritual experience. In a dirty guide to a clean home, she steps off TikTok and onto the page to take us through organizing, cleaning, laundry, repairs, and beyond. Along the way, she shares strategies, tips, and tricks for keeping house, and reminds you that you’re not supposed to know what you were never taught. She doesn’t care about transforming our homes into minimal, beige Instagram posts; she simply wants to help make your life easier, whether you’re terrified of your laundry pile or feel that you have an inner handyperson who’s been longing for their moment.