One chapter, in particular, caught my attention because it seemed Peter had installed surveillance cameras in my home to acquire his material.  In "Two Rooms That Can Make or Break Your Home Life", Peter deals with the kitchen and the bathroom and gives valuable advice for men who share space with women.  Here are some nuggets of wisdom:

Kitchen rules:

        Pitch in consistently to clean up any general mess that accumulates.  Peter says the most frequent gripe from women is that men don't do their share when it comes to cleaning up, especially after themselves.  I learned, early on in my marriage, a home functions more smoothly when there are no gender labels attached to household chores.  The motto around our house has always been, "When you see a job that needs doing, just do it."

        Take personal responsibility for your own mess.  Peter talks about his personal revelation in this area when one day, for reasons unclear to him, he cleaned up the kitchen after making his Saturday lunch.  "I wish I could tell you exactly what prompted this revelation" says Peter.  "All I know is that my wife's pleasure at my newfound sense of responsibility was and is palpable--and our life, inside and out of the kitchen, has improved because of it."   It's the same at my house, and probably will be at yours.

        Complete all kitchen chores.  Peter tells us that most men think a job half done is good enough.  We tend to bring in the groceries, but don't put them away.  We rinse off the dishes, but don't load them into the dishwasher.  Peter’s best advice?  Once you start a job, finish it.

Bathroom rules:

        Peter observes, "Here is a major truth that men are best off simply accepting:  the bathroom is her domain.  You, the man, are essentially a visitor….that's why it's almost always a good idea to be accommodating of your partner's needs and desires." Here are two "hot spots" of potential bathroom conflict.

        The Sink and the Tub/Shower.  Three words are sufficient here, men:  Keep it clean.  Whether it's shaving stubble, toothpaste remnants or accumulated water, police your sink and tub area after using it.  Clean the trap, even if it isn't your stuff that's clogging it.

        The Toilet Seat.  This is an area where bad male behavior can flush a relationship.  Peter gets it right when he says, "There are some tasks that men are absolutely required to perform in order to make life easier and more trouble free for everyone.  This is one of them.  Sometimes avoiding trouble is the best reason for doing the right thing."  Put the lid down, guys.

Men, if we can implement some of these manly/mannerly suggestions, we’ll have gone a long way toward making our whole household run smoothly.