{ How I find motivation to take care of my home }

Lately, I have felt the Holy Spirit, impress upon me, the importance of taking care of my home, but also the importance of putting those words down to share with others.  It's almost like this feeling of needing to get through, to remind those of us who are discouraged, that what we do is deserving of recognition and praise.

 

As homemakers, we should be supportive of one another, not judgemental.  Don't assume that just because you do things one way, that is the right and only way to do it.  Be kind, understand that we all live different lives and what I find easy for me to do, may not seem that easy for others.  Maybe I have shortcuts that work for my family, but that would not work for other families.  In other words, do what is right for your own home.

 

With that said, I felt that I needed to sit down and talk a bit about finding the motivation to take care of our homes.  There are going to be times when you will feel that nothing brings you joy, that you could easily sit on the couch, or lay on the bed for hours at a time, without wanting to do another dish, cook another meal, or pick up another sock off the floor.

 

First, I want you to know that, it's normal, and we will all have those days.  As homemakers we are on call 24/7.  We don't get to leave our jobs and go home at the end of the day to relax and have a meal waiting for us.  We push through, sick or healthy, happy or sad, willing or unwilling.....and God knows there are days that seem almost impossible to conquer, but yet we do.

When I got sick beginning of January, I tried to push through, and usually I would, but this time, I was so sick, that I found myself on my bed.  Blanket pulled up tight around my neck, shivering uncontrollably, and feeling the worst body aches I had ever felt.

I remember one specific day, I was in the kitchen trying to fix dinner, feeling so sick, so sore and with a raging headache, that I had to double over and will my body to please, just keep going until the meal was done.

Tears ran down my face, and my sweet boy came out of his bedroom and asked me what was wrong.  All I could say was "I don't feel well.".  

 

He hugged me tight and told me to just leave it all and go to bed, but I felt so guilty for doing that, knowing my husband would be home from work soon, hungry.  Not that he would say anything, I am blessed in having a wonderful husband who has at many times told me to leave dinner alone, and will pick something up for the family.

 

But I just pushed through, got dinner made, hardly ate myself, and quickly took a shower and headed to bed.  That specific incident was out of my hands, I was sick, my body screaming for me to be still.

Yet, other times the motivation is just not there.  Maybe I'm feeling sad, or dealing with a certain battle in my life that seems to be all consuming.  It's those moments that can derail you completely, and if you give in to them, you will quickly find yourself spending more and more time laying around, not wanting to do anything.

So how do I find motivation to do it all?  And how do I find contentment when taking care of my home?

I'll be honest, it's not always easy, it can actually be pretty hard at times, especially when we feel overwhelmed with life in general.  But there is someone we can turn to, and someone who knows exactly what we feel, what our thoughts are and what our struggles are too.  Someone who we only need to reach out to, and ask for strength and the courage and motivation to keep going.

In Hebrews 4:16 it says "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive and find grace to help us in our time of need."

I find that the best way to beat that discouragement, especially when we are faced with a chaotic house that needs our touch, is to just get up and start.  I know, I know, it's hard.  The struggle is real, right? 

But nothing will change until we make the first step and get up, and start tackling something.

You don't have to start with huge tasks, take your time, do a little thing here and a little thing there. You will find that suddenly you start feeling renewed energy, and things start to flow.

God's mercies and grace are new every morning, but they're also always available, all we have to do is ask for them.  The minute you start feeling unmotivated and down, pray, pray immediately, ask God to cover you in the blood of the lamb, and to give you the help to conquer that day.

 

I used to have days, where I would stack the dinner dishes in the washer and start it, but if there was dishes that didn't fit, I would just rinse them, place them in soapy water and leave them overnight.  I didn't want to deal with washing them by hand, I didn't want to deal with cleaning the kitchen, I didn't have the energy, or the joy.

But right after I got sick, and I started feeling the need to just lay around and do nothing, I had a serious heart to heart with God. I asked Him to please remove all negative thoughts and emotions connected with our home, I asked Him for grace to tackle each day, and I asked Him to please instill in my heart the love for homemaking that I once had.

The very next day, I cooked dinner with extra care, taking the time to let the food simmer the time it needed, to season it properly, to not rush the meal just to put it on the table.  My family thanked me and noticed the difference, and so did I.  

It's not that I had been making food that wasn't edible, it is that I was rushing to just get it done, so I could retreat back to my bedroom.

I also loaded the dishwasher as always, but then hand washed every dish left in the sink, wiped down all the counters, turned the candle warmer on, swept the floor and walked out feeling so accomplished.

Walking into my kitchen the next morning reiterated for me, the need to take joy in everything that I do.  To really feel content in my home and to go the extra mile, so that I don't have to wake up to a dirty, messy kitchen.

I didn't just stop there. The very next day I felt so much better, it was like I could feel this cloud of negativy lifting away, bringing me back to my old self. 

 

All of a sudden I wanted to do it all again, I started organizing, decluttering and cleaning everything in sight. My home no longer felt a burden. 

 

With each passing day, the love for my home grew again.  Now I am back to loving what I do, and being grateful for my home and for these daily tasks that keep me busy, from morning to night.

Be thankful, it is so easy to fall into a pit of despair, but we need to be thankful for each moment.  

I now look at a sink of dishes waiting to be washed, or listen to one of my kids complaining about their day, or my eye catches the basket full of laundry needing attention, and all I can do is thank God, thank Him that I am blessed.

My children complaining or talking loudly and excitedly to one another, means that I am a mother.

The dishes in the sink mean that I was able to feed my family and that no one has gone hungry.

The laundry waiting to be thrown in the washer, means we have clothes to keep us warm.

Everything and I mean everything we do, in our homes, is a blessing.  

{ Taking care of the home and lots of snow }

 

The home is the heart of the family!

Have you ever met anyone who does not appreciate a well kept, tidy, comfy and warm home to retreat to at the end of a hard day?

Homemaking and homemakers are often met with a bit of judgement.  There are those who will never understand why there are so many of us homemakers, who love being home, who have chosen this job over an outside career.  Yes, there are also many women who have to work outside the home, and would love to be able to stay home instead.  I'm not talking about those women, I'm talking about how homemaking in general tends to be looked down on.

I'm not going to go much deeper into that, because I've talked about it many times before, here on the blog.

Today, I want to focus rather, on the importance of caring for our homes, or the importance to ME at least, of caring for my own.

So come on in, and sit with me a little, let's have a chat.

Your family comes home from work and school at the end of the day, and they have a warm home cooked meal waiting for them.

They take their showers, open their dresser drawers and find neatly folded clothes.  Those things didn't appear out of thin air, behind them is a wife, a mom, a homemaker who spent her day making sure her family has everything they need.

Taking care of our homes is so much more than just cleaning a house, although that is certainly important, but it is also about providing a safe and cozy space for your family.  About creating memories, traditions, stories that will no doubt be passed on from generation to generation.

 

I sometimes sit and reminisce about my childhood.  I remember watching my great grandma Ema in the kitchen, her apron tied around her waist, and the front pockets filled with random bits and bobs that she would gather throughout the day.  It would hold her handkerchief which she would randomly pull up to her nose, and then quickly stuff back in the pocket, or tuck it into the sleeve of her cardigan.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit
dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

There is nothing like laughing and smiling, and having a cheerful heart.  Those moments that you spend sitting around the table eating dinner, are moments that will forever be ingrained in your children's hearts.  

Housework never ends.  There is never going to be a time where you look around and say, that's it, all done, won't have to worry about that for at least a week.  Because, there will always be more laundry waiting to be washed, more dishes piled in the sink.

 

 

She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

In this verse, it is clearly talking about the Proverbs 31 woman, and it focuses on how important it is to take care of our homes, and to not be lazy or avoid doing the work.   Sometimes as homemakers we feel that the invisible work we do, has no merit, no impact, no importance.  But that is so far from the truth.

Just as I mentioned last week in a different post, everything we do, even those jobs around the house that we think are trivial or mundane, are to be done with a happy heart and devoted to God.  Worship, remember?  

But housework is not the only job we have at hand, that needs to be taken seriously.  As homemakers it is imperative that we take time to worship, to pray, to spend some time with the Father in conversation.

I used to have a really hard time praying, I couldn't understand why some seemed to have that talent of just opening their mouths and words flowing out smoothly, beautiful words of adoration, and prayers that would leave me wanting to be just like them.   It wasn't easy for me, I seemed to hit a wall the minute I uttered "Father in Heaven".....all of a sudden, there was nothing else I could think of to say.

All these thoughts racing through my mind, things I needed, things I was worried about, or friends and family I wanted to pray for, but the words seemed stuck somewhere within me, not quite able to release themselves into the Lord's hands.

 

Then I realized that it all comes with practice.  The more you speak to God, the more you interact, and spend time in praise and worship, the easier it gets.  Nowadays, I open my mouth and it just comes pouring out, it's a conversation between close friends, but one where the other party knows me intimately and knows everything I need, want, worry or have questions about.  It's a glorious feeling!

And so as a homemaker, my job becomes also about teaching my children the important of prayer and time with the Lord.  They're certainly not going to learn that outside our home.  

 

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.   Impress them on your children. 

Talk about them when you sit at home and 

when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

Show God's love in everything that you do.  Pray for your home, pray for your husband and children, and show grace when needed and warranted.  Not everything needs to be a battlefield and you don't always have to be right.  Understanding, compassion and second chances go a long way in making a happy family.

Your work as a homemaker is important, for God sees the invisible work we do.

I hope these words remind you to think, about what it means, to keep a home for your family.  

As I sit and type these words, the snow continues falling outside.  Just like much of the country right now, we are under a winter storm, receiving tons of snow and ice.  It is beautiful, but it is cold!

Which means, tons of hiding under soft blankets, not just us but our sweet Elliott too.  Is there anything sweeter than a beautiful cat snuggled under a blanket?

I know most people prefer summer, and can't stand the snow, but I for one love snow.  It's cold but it turns everything into a wonderland, at least in my eyes.  

Everything has practically shut down, Curt is home today and possibly tomorrow too.  The snow keeps falling but the roads are extremely icy, which make driving really dangerous.  And so we stay inside, drink copious amounts of coffee, eat yummy food, stare out the window watching the beautiful scenery and the animals coming by to eat.

 

I'll end this post with some photos of our deer, we have about 23 that come by our yard looking for food every day. 

 

 

And even if it's snowing, we still tend to them, and the other animals in the neighborhood that seek food and shelter on our property. 

Hope you enjoy these photos, I for one love watching them come by, watching them eat. It's the only time I get to be up close and personal with these beautiful animals. 

 

If you're also dealing with this snow and winter storm, stay safe and stay warm. I pray God protects you and your family. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{ Homemaker Series - Old Fashioned Homemaking }

“Every woman or girl who studies homemaking does it because she knows that some day, from the bricks or stone or wood that go to make a house, she must create a home. The house may shelter the family, but home is what makes life easier and better for each member of it; home should give health to the tired body and nerves and refresh the mind. The home must have a certain sense of harmony that will bring a feeling of pleasure to all who come into its circle."

- The Home And Its Management: A Handbook In Homemaking With Three Hundred Cooking Receipts

Old Fashioned Homemaking

I've often been referred to as old fashioned.  Some of those comments come from a place of love, such as family members, but I've also received those comments from a place of criticism, as if being old fashioned is something to be looked down upon.

I can only speak from my experience, and everything that I have ever learned about being the homemaker I am today, was extremely influenced by 3 women, one more than the others, and probably because I spent a lot of time at her side.  Sitting at her feet when I was just 5 years old, and then later on in life, sitting around the dinner table, sharing a cup of tea and listening to her stories.

The women I'm referring to above, are my stepmother Manuela, my grandmother Odete and my great grandmother Ema.  My great grandmother was by far, the most pivotal women in my life, and in molding and forming the woman I am today.

She was born in 1906, right at the turn of the century.  She lost her mother to cancer when she was but 4 years old, and then her older brother to a freak lightning accident when she was about 8.  From that moment, she became the woman in the house, caring for her father and her younger brother.

She would clean the house, and fix the meals and still go to school.  I've always had the utmost respect and admiration for her.

Later in life, as she got married and had my grandmother Odete (her only child), she became the matriarch of our family.  She lived with us for many years, took care of my brothers and I while my dad and stepmother worked.  Fixed meals for everyone, cleaned, did laundry and always with a smile on her face.

She was the epitome of an old fashioned homemaker and I would only wish that I could turn into, a tenth of the homemaker she was.

Homemaking is homemaking, and I think it's self explanatory.  To keep a home, to nurture your family and your belongings, to take time to make sure that there are meals on the table, clean laundry and a clean house to live in.

So what exactly is old fashioned homemaking and how does it apply to our day and age?

I very quickly learned once I become tasked with taking care of my own house, that as much as I loved the modern day conveniences and technologies that make everything so much easier, they also often times remove the joy of doing anything at all.

When you have appliances that cook it all for you in a few minutes, that you hit a button and it vacuums the whole house without you having to lift a finger, that dry your clothes for you without the need to hang the clothes outside to dry and therefore eliminating the need for ironing.....it can all be quite exciting and tempting.

However, being an old fashioned homemaker, to me, means actually taking the time to do these tasks to the best of our ability, in a slower and simpler way.

The biggest thing?

Being intentional in our homemaking.  So let me tell you a little of what that means and how you can start incorporating some of that old fashioned homemaking into your life, today.

I call it the shift.

The shift from doing certain things in a modern way, and depending rather on doing it easier, simpler and slower.  I know, you may be thinking that the reason modern appliances are needed is to make our tasks faster because we're all so busy, and while I do agree that some days you may just have to depend on that frozen pizza, that Roomba vacuum, or the microwave to defrost dinner, make it a point to have those times be minimal.

Your first step?

Try not to give into the temptation of the fast paced world around you.  Slow down, intentionally.  Pull back.

I've pulled back from some social media, and nowadays when I have a spare moment, instead of grabbing my phone and scrolling through Facebook, I grab a book and read, or I step outside and mess about in my garden, take photos, bake cookies and so on.

Cooking from scratch

It takes time, but it is also a show of love to your family.  You know exactly what you are feeding your family, you can make healthier meals and there really is nothing like a home cooked meal, enjoyed around the dining table.

My children love a good take out, but they great up with meals cooked from scratch, from the moment they could eat solids.

Today, they are the first to say that they would rather eat my food than go out to eat.

Of course it takes some planning, but that is where menus come in.  I will talk more about this in a separate post, but trust me when I tell you that if you just take a few moments to plan your meals for the next week or two, it will make your life 100% easier.

• Bake cookies with your children, if they're no longer little, then bake them FOR your children and husband
• Make pizza from scratch, it's a fun family activity that everyone can get involved in
• Bake fresh bread
• Meals don't have to be extravagant, something like a roast chicken and potatoes with a side salad, is often more appreciated than a bucket of chicken from a drive thru

I do all of this, not for anything other than I love being a homemaker and I take the utmost pleasure in preparing a meal or a dessert for my loved ones.

This doesn't mean that you have to do this every day, like I do.  If you don't have the time, or the inclination, try starting with just one day a week, maybe on the weekends, before you know it, you will be striving to do it more often than not.

 

Washing dishes

I have a dishwasher and at times when we've had a lot of visitors over, especially over the holidays, it has been a blessing.

Recently it has stopped working, and we have tried to fix it a couple times but it is still not working.  At that point my husband and I made the decision to leave it as is for now.  For some, it would be an absolutely must fix, but for us, and for me who does the housework, it is not a need and therefore not something I want to spend money on.

Indirectly, I was forced to start washing all the dishes by hand.  When it first happened I was frustrated because I felt that no matter how many dishes I washed, there was always more waiting in the sink.

But with some planning, it is now one of my most treasured moments.

I keep the dishes clean, wash as I go, and don't let them accumulate in the sink.  I think back on my great grandmother and the times I would see her standing at the sink, soapy suds flying all over, the tap running with hot water and her hands red, wrinkled and wet just scrubbing, washing, rinsing and methodically placing the dishes in the drying rack.

It is but a simple memory, but it is also a way that I now incorporate that old fashioned homemaking into my own routine.  I often find it the perfect time to pray, talk to God, think, plan, or even watching something on the phone or laptop while I'm working away at the sink.

Laundry

I love my washer, I really do and I am thankful and blessed to have one.  I grew up learning how to wash clothes by hand.

I remember our old laundry area had one of those sinks with a washboard, and I spent many weekend afternoons, scrubbing away at kitchen towels.  We had those big soap bars and the brushes to really give that fabric a good scrubbing.

I don't know why but I really enjoyed that, I'll be honest when I tell you that I still want to get a sink like that for my laundry room, and you better believe that I will use it.

But going back to laundry and old fashioned homemaking.  My great grandmother and grandmother would wash clothes by hand, it would be an all day affair before they even got to hang them out to dry, and then iron the huge pile that resulted from all those hours of work.

 I'm not asking you to ditch your washers and dryers and start scrubbing all the clothes by hand, but instead, choose to hang your clothes out to dry.

Not everyone has a clothesline or the ability to hang one in their backyard, but you can buy an inexpensive drying rack which can be placed anywhere.  Out on the back deck or patio, on a veranda, even inside.

I love summer time, my dryer is given a really good clean, covered and sat aside for months.  My clothes are dried outside, and if for some reason it is raining or something didn't get dry completely, I bring in my drying rack and leave it in the corner of my living room.

Home Garden

Back in the day, a home garden was an absolute must.  Homemakers spent many hours tending to their vegetable gardens and therefore being rewarded with the freshest of ingredients to provide meals for their family.

This was one of those areas that I struggled with.  The main reason being that we lived on military bases for the first 15 or so years of our married life.

The other reason and perhaps the biggest for me, was that I did not have a green thumb and as much as I wanted to grow my own fruit, veg and herbs, it was just not something I was ever able to do.  That is until I took the time to research, learn and really devote some effort to that part of homemaking

Nowadays I can not go without a spring/summer garden.  My next hurdle will be to learn fall/winter gardening, but that will come.

No matter where you live, you can have a little home garden going, even if you mainly grown in pots, near a bright window in your home, or on a small veranda or porch area.  It can be done.

It is a part of old fashioned homemaking that I feel needs to be brought back.  We live in a time where every other month, we are being told there is a food recall, or new scientific research has determined that the food we consume is filled with horrible chemicals that are not good for our health.

If that is not something you are wanting to do, then consider bringing cut flowers inside and placing in small vases or mason jars.  It's a simple touch that brightens any room.

Compost pile

Consider keeping a compost pile, if you have the room for it in your back yard.  It is a great way to get rid of food waste and giving back to the earth.  Not to mention, it is a wonderful way to create the best soil for your garden.

Start simple by planting a few herbs, those that you use the most, and as you get comfortable you can add more herbs and even start growing some vegetables.

The minute you get to enjoy your first homegrown vegetable, you will never go back.

Sewing

This is one of those old fashioned skills that I am extremely thankful to have learned.  So often I see woman nowadays, who don't even know how to sew a simple button.

I'm not saying that you need to learn how to sew and make your own clothes, although, I will tell you that once you know how to do that, it is a very liberating feeling as well.

What I am saying is that you need to learn how to sew a simple button back on a shirt, or a simple hem on a skirt, dress or pants.  Knowing also how to mend a hole in a pair of socks, can go a long way instead of ditching the socks for a new pack which can cost anywhere from $6 dollars to $15.

Invest in a small sewing kit, and if you've never sewed before, look up some tutorials online to learn the basic sewing skills

Some great tutorials for beginner sewers, are available for free, I'm listing them below:

Tilly and the Buttons
Crazy Little Projects

Additionally, you can look up some free sewing lessons on Youtube, there are a ton of available tutorials.

These are just a few examples of how you can start living the old fashioned way.

Look around your house, take note of the housework tasks you are doing every single day, and think about how you can put more effort, more love into it.

If you can do it without relying on modern appliances, then strive to do so.

More importantly, make a conscious effort to show your children what it is to have love for your home, and teach them, especially the girls, the skills that they will need to take with them into their future as mothers and homemakers.

Homemaker Series - Basic Homemaking Skills - Daily Chores

Becoming a homemaker is often met with apprehension, fear and a little anxiety over everything that is needed to run a home. We watch our mothers/stepmothers, grandmothers or great grandmothers go about their days, and we learn certain things from them, we pick up here and there on the general gist of homemaking. 

When we finally get married and begin making a home for ourselves, things change and they change quick.  You quickly learn that you can no longer depend on anyone else to get things done.  It is up to you to tend to your husband, to your children, and to your home.

It can be overwhelming and scary, but it doesn't have to be and that's what we're going to talk about today.

Homemaking in itself encompasses a myriad of other smaller chores and tasks that we have to learn, but it doesn't have to be all mastered or conquered at once.  There are daily tasks and weekly tasks, and tasks that only need doing once a month and others once a year even.

We are going to look at an overall idea of those things that go into the running of a home, and we're going to break them down so they're not so daunting.

Cleaning
Laundry
Cooking and Meal Planning
Organizing
Finances
Routines

Those to me are the biggest and most important when it comes to homemaking.  Of course I have what I call the subcategories, or the extra things that I do but I don't consider a have to know in order to run my home successfully.

Sewing/Crocheting
Decorating
Gardening
Home Repairs

It's easy to look at those lists and think that it all looks great on paper, but how to apply it, how often, when should you do it, and how to get started.  That's what I'm hoping to help you out with.  As much as I learned from the women in my family, it wasn't until I was in my own house that I realized just how much needed doing.  It was all about first hand experience for me, I knew what needed to be done but I didn't know how often or how many times, and no one really had the answers for me.

Before we go any further, I want you to stop and remember that there are no perfect homemakers.  I've been told before that I intimidate some people, that I look like I have the perfect home and that I'm so good at homemaking.  While I appreciate those kind comments, it is a little strange for me to hear them because I'm far from perfect when it comes to homemaking.  Trust me, there are days that I leave the dishes piled in the sink, there are times that I don't get to vacuuming when I should, there are meals that end up not being made because I had a headache or was too tired.

None of that makes me a bad homemaker, it makes me human.  So keep that in mind when going about your own day, we're all just getting by and doing the best we can :)

Daily Cleaning Chores

Kitchen - Washing dishes, loading and unloading the washer (if you use one) clean the sink, wipe down the counters, sweep, check to see if you need to take out the trash.
Bedrooms - Make the beds, open the curtains and blinds, let in some fresh air, put away any clothing laying around.
Bathroom - wipe counter tops, wipe sink, give the toilet a quick brush, wipe down toilet seat.
Living room - Tidy up, move any dishes to the kitchen, plump up pillows, vacuum if needed.
Laundry room - Do at least a load of laundry so it doesn't pile up.
Miscellaneous - Check mail, put away important paperwork, throw out junk mail.

Laundry

Now here is a task that can very easily turn even the happiest homemaker into a raging yelling, big ol' mess of a woman.  I have struggled and still struggle to this day to smile my way through this one.

And here's the other thing, there is no real right or wrong way to do the laundry.  It's going to be all about what works for you.  Above in the daily cleaning chores I suggested doing at least a load every day so it doesn't pile up, and while that is true, I don't often stick to it because frankly some days I don't have the time to tackle that never ending pile.

Ideally, you want to do a load a day, fold it as soon as it's out of the dryer and put it away.  Realistically, most often than not in between all the busyness going on, the laundry comes out of the dryer into a basket, gets folder hours later, half of it is tossed into the ironing pile because it's now a wrinkly mess.....and the laundry that manages to get folded right away, sometimes sits in the basket for days.

I'm not going to lie and even pretend that this scenario never happens in my house, because to this day, it still does once in a while.

But if you can make it a habit of washing, folding and putting away from the get go, it will no doubt help you in your future homemaking days.  Believe me!!!

Cooking and Meal Planning

I've talked about meal planning in depth, and you can find those posts here on the blog.  Just do a quick search up top for meal planning or menus. 

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of meal planning when it comes to cooking and a food budget.  It will help you immensely but it will also cut dramatically the amount of money you spend at the grocery store.

Figure out what works best for you, whether it's weekly shopping or biweekly or even monthly.  I do mine every two weeks and it's what works for us. 

Plan your meals for that time and do your shopping accordingly.  

Cooking is a task that needs done daily, and it's really going to depend on who lives at home with you or if you have children and a husband etc.  When my children were little, I was cooking 3 meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I was also planning for those on my meal plan.  Now I just plan for dinners.

As they've grown up, they pretty much make themselves whatever they want, so my cooking has been cut down to just one meal a day, which is dinner time for everyone. 

Word of advice, and a good habit to instill from the beginning is to wash and tidy as you go.  Don't leave a huge mess of dishes and ingredients and bowls and cutlery laying around, it is overwhelming and will only lead to an even bigger mess.  I put things away as I use them, for example after seasoning with salt and pepper, I immediately put those back in the cabinet.  After I am done with a mixing bowl I rinse it and set it in the sink, and so on.  I actually keep a trash bowl nearby where I dump anything that needs throwing out during my meal prep....egg shells, onion skins, potato peels etc.

It's easier to dump the contents of the bowl at the end, than make multiple trips to the trash can.

Organizing

I used to be terrible at this during my first few years of marriage.  There really wasn't a place for everything and everything in it's place.  That was just a cute quote used by those I thought of as the master experts in homemaking.

I quickly learned that it was imperative for me to become organized if I wanted to run this household without constantly losing important paperwork, or wasting time looking for something I had no clue where it went.

I'm not talking about crazy organization or going completely bonkers with tons of baskets for every single crumb in your home, but there are basic organization skills that should be set in place. 

Paperwork - You definitely want to have a well organized area, or basket or filing system for your paperwork.  Now it is totally up to you how you do that, you can have everything organized by type of bill (utility, internet, car payment etc), or you can do it by month, which sometimes is easier and makes it quicker to get a hang on all the piling paperwork.  Try to deal with the mail as it enters the house so you don't have a huge mess on the counters to deal with later.

Kitchen - I use a lot of baskets in my pantry, that's pretty much the only place I go all out, and I like to organize everything by their use.  Baking, pastas, cereals, snacks and so on.
I also make sure to keep everything neat and organized under the sinks.

I think this is an area that really means different things for different people.  I know plenty who don't organize at all but know exactly where everything is, and others who have to organize down to the minute details of every single item.  So find the balance that works for you, and go with it.

Finances

This is one of the  most important tasks you will have when it comes to running your home. 

In our family, my husband works, but I'm the only that does the budget and pays all the bills, manages our money and so on.  He prefers it that way, but that is not to say that when we're having a difficult month, he doesn't step in and help me or make suggestions.  We work as a team.

I keep a book where every month I write down exactly what he gets paid and when, and then underneath I have all of our expenses, rent, car payment, credit card, utilities and so on.  I write down all the amounts next to them, and tick them off as I pay them.  I also write down next to each all the confirmation codes so if anything is called into doubt, I have the verification codes to prove that it was paid. 

Find a system that works for you.  Another program I use is Dave Ramsey's Every Dollar, I just recently started using it but am really liking it and it helps keep me aware of where all our money is going.

Routines

The easiest way to stay on track with homemaking, is to develop a routine or schedule.  There are things that I do on a daily basis, and they are part of my routine.  For example, here's a look at my usual day:

Wake up and make coffee for hubby and I
Sit on the couch, check email, youtube, blog while drinking coffee
Get dressed, empty and reload dishwasher, wash any dishes by hand that don't fit.
Put away anything left from breakfast, wipe down counters, sweep.
Start laundry, fold and put away anything in the dryer.
Water plants outside, and inside.
Pick up in the living room, tidy pillows open curtains, vacuum.
Open curtains and blinds in bedroom, make bed, put away any clothing laying around.
Check mail.
Check menu plan and take out meats to thaw.
Make lunch and clean up after lunch.
Do homeschooling with Nick.
Sit down for about an hour or two in the afternoon to do blog or computer work, watch some videos, crochet or read.
Start dinner preparation, switch over laundry, fold and put away etc.
Set the table.
Eat with family, pick up table and do dishes, tidy kitchen again, set the coffeemaker for the morning.
Take my shower.
Tidy up around the house again before heading to bed.

I strongly encourage you to add some time for yourself in your daily routines.  It is SO important to carve out some time for doing the things you love, whether reading a book or sewing or crocheting, even watching a tv show.

My days follow pretty much the same routines unless I have doctor appointments, or grocery shopping or other errands going on.

Homemaking is all about knowing the basics and then finding your own groove.  What works for one family may not work for the other.  Just because one homemaker does her laundry every day, it might be easier for you to tackle it on the weekends.  I have me time in the afternoon, but you may prefer it in the morning.  Do what is best and feels right for yourself and your family.

Whatever you do though, just know that there are so many of us out here going through the same tasks, the same chores, the same days, and we're here to encourage and support each other.

Next post will be all about the sub categories, those things that it's good to know but are not absolutely necessary MUST knows for your household.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post and that you found it helpful or informative in some way.  If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I'll answer them best as I can :)

Homemaker Series - What is a Homemaker?

home·mak·er

/ˈhōmˌmākər/

noun  North American

a person, especially a housewife, who manages a home.

When we think about homemaking and the skill of being a homemaker, we often find that it's a skill that is quickly disappearing.  It's almost frowned upon in certain circles, because as homemakers we are looked as just being lazy, not wanting to work, being dependent on a man and so forth.

My hope is that through this series, we can eliminate that stigma or at the very least, teach our daughters, nieces, sisters, friends, that a homemaker's job is just as important as any other job.

So when did I become a homemaker and why did I choose to be one.

I can tell you that I've been homemaking long before I was married.  I guess I was born with the yearning to care for a family, to be a wife and a mother and to have my very own home to potter around in.

Growing up, I would watch my greatgrandmother, grandmother and stepmother, go about their day, and I felt jealous.  I couldn't wait to be grown up and just like them.  Where other girls were dreaming about careers, I was dreaming about the day I would go to the supermarket to get groceries, and then cook a meal for my family.  I dreamed about cleaning the house, I would take all my dolls and pretend they were my children and then line them up and give them baths, put them to bed and pretend I had to go clean.  It truly was where I was the happiest, in those imaginative moments.

I was blessed to have grown up in an era where Home Economics was offered in school.  I learned about nutrition, sewing, crochet and knitting, managing a home, cooking and so many other things.

Tools that I wish my daughter had been offered in her school years.

That is one of the reasons for this whole Homemaker Series.  To be able to help, or at the very least, encourage women to embrace their family, their lives, their homes.  Whether you are a single young woman, or married and struggling with homemaking, whether you are a working mom, or a en empty nester, this series is for you, for us.

First and foremost, I want you to understand that I know homemaking can at times be a daunting, never ending role.  It can feel like you are being taken for granted, or that no one thanks you for what you do.  Believe me, I understand that feeling, and for the first year or two of my marriage, I struggled with it, until I made the decision to look at homemaking through a fresh set of eyes, and to do it with purpose in my heart and love for my family.

It is after all an honor to be a homemaker, and a blessing bestowed to us by the Lord.

I'm doing it for my family, or my husband, for my children and even for myself.  My husband has always made it very clear to me and anyone who listens, that my job is extremely important and that I'm the glue that holds it all together, the one who keeps the home fires going, and the provider of a safe, happy, and calm space for them all.

But again, it IS easy to forget all of that, especially when you're doing your 3rd load of dishes, or switching clothes from the washer to the dryer for what seems like the millionth time.  In those moments, I turn to the Lord and Scripture, because as always, He is right there providing me with the encouragement I need.



Psalm 128:3

“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.“



Proverbs 31:21

“She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.“



Proverbs 19:14

“Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.“


There are so many verses in the Bible to inspire us in what we do.  Here are some you can go through in your own time......Proverbs 31: 10-31, Phillipians 4:8, Colossians 3:23.

Along with encouragement from the Bible, there are so many wonderful resources out there for homemakers.  I want you to go over to Revive Our Hearts, one of my absolute favorite sites on the net, and take a listen to these podcasts on homemaking.  The Joy of Generous Hospitality, The Home that Reflects God's Grace.


There is another wonderful series on Revive Our Hearts, called God's Beautiful Design for Women, and on Day 35, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth talks about how God Himself is a homemaker, how God the Son talked about going to prepare a place for you.

Psalm 90:1 talks about God being "our dwelling place in all generations." He is our home.
Psalm 68:5 says "a father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows is God in His holy habitation."

I tell you, I heard every single word Nancy said and nodded my head vehemently, because it all made incredible sense.  Everything that I've been feeling, and thinking, about being a homemaker, all put into words in a way that makes you go "Oh my goodness, YES, that's it."

See homemaking is not just about making a home for my family and myself, but it's about making a home that reflects the wonderful God we serve.

So my beautiful friends, whatever stage of a homemaker you are at, loving it, hating it, not understanding the need for it, feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by what being a homemaker really is. 

I want you to stop right now, stop what you're doing, stop what you're thinking, and make a conscious decision to start tomorrow with a fresh heart, with renewed purposed and knowing that when you're doing laundry, dishes, cooking, even cleaning the toilet, that you're doing something important, and something worthy and to be proud of. 

I promise, the minute you do that, you will experience contentment like never before :)

Coming up in the Homemaker Series:

Basic Homemaking Skills
Daily Cleaning Routine
Menu Planning
Weekly Home Blessing
Recipes
Making time for ourselves
Time with the Lord

I may end up adding more the list, but these are for sure posts I'll be doing. Also, all the posts will be linked to the Linkbar up above the Header, so you won't have to miss anything.


Remember that the heart of the home IS your very own heart.  You are the heart of your home, and just like the heart in our bodies, if it is not working at it's full capacity, everything else around it starts falling apart. :)