Love the hair on this new little one.
The Ideal Homemaker #11
#11 From a House to a Home
"An ideal homemaker is able to transform four walls into a home by creating both spiritual and physical beauty therein."
Remember all those old movies where a woman's touch was all that was needed to turn a hovel into a happy home.
Why even Snow White did it.
"In Australia, within colonial pioneering families, high value was placed on women as partners in domestic life... There were thousands of womanless men in the early history of Australia who were desperate for the comfort and support of a wife - a woman who would share the daily toil and make their abode a warm and friendly place to come home to.... With feminine touches such as flowers and curtains, they could lift the spirits in the harsh new environment."
from The Gentle Arts by Jennifer Isaacs. 1987
I thoroughly recommend Jennifer Isaacs book for a wonderful history of women's domestic and decorative arts through the first 200 years of European settlement in Australia.
Also the fabulous Thrift to Fantasy by Rosemary McLeod follows a similar theme from a New Zealand perspective in the period from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Both are wonderful books that I have read again and again.
And here is Calamity getting a lesson in how to make a house a home.
"An ideal homemaker is able to transform four walls into a home by creating both spiritual and physical beauty therein."
Remember all those old movies where a woman's touch was all that was needed to turn a hovel into a happy home.
Why even Snow White did it.
"In Australia, within colonial pioneering families, high value was placed on women as partners in domestic life... There were thousands of womanless men in the early history of Australia who were desperate for the comfort and support of a wife - a woman who would share the daily toil and make their abode a warm and friendly place to come home to.... With feminine touches such as flowers and curtains, they could lift the spirits in the harsh new environment."
from The Gentle Arts by Jennifer Isaacs. 1987
I thoroughly recommend Jennifer Isaacs book for a wonderful history of women's domestic and decorative arts through the first 200 years of European settlement in Australia.
Also the fabulous Thrift to Fantasy by Rosemary McLeod follows a similar theme from a New Zealand perspective in the period from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Both are wonderful books that I have read again and again.
And here is Calamity getting a lesson in how to make a house a home.
" Please," she said softly," could I go there now?"
She had a moment of anxiety, wondering if she would be able to go.
When she had been very small she had never wondered, the mere flash of a bird's wing, a snowflake looking in the window or the scent of a flower had been enough to send her back.
Lying in her cot, rolling about on a rug on the lawn, sitting in her high chair eating her bread and milk, she had gone back with ease to that other place.
And she had not exactly gone back , she had been lifted back by the small lovely sights and sounds and scents, as though it were easier for her to be there than here.
But now she was five years old it was easier to be here than there.
She could not go back without first secluding herself in some hiding-place such as the apple-tree at home, the rosemary tree at the manor-house garden or the willow-tree here, without climbing the steps to the door with the least suspicion of an effort, and that little pang of anxiety lest today she might not be able to make the effort.
And always at the back of her mind nowadays there was the fear that the day might come when not only would she be unable to make the effort, but that she would not want to go back...
But that time was a long way off yet, and meanwhile with relief and unspeakable joy she found herself making the effort and climbing the steps.
They were silvery steps and might have been made of light, and they led to the low small door in the rock that had a knocker on it...
A year ago the door had opened at once, but now she sometimes had to wait a little, and just occasionally felt worried lest this time it should not open...
She knocked, waited a moment, the door opened and she stepped through into the branch of swaying blossoms. Beside her was the dove, and they swung together in the still grey peace."
from The Rosemary Tree by Elizabeth Goudge 1956
Can you remember being that little person, round about the time you started school?
When your little dreamy world was beginning to change?
I found this whole passage about a little girl called Winkle brought back such strong memories for me of the time in my little life when I was beginning to awaken more to the world and my own little world was moving away from me.
Childhood, early childhhood is such a precious time.
And it always brings to mind these lines from William Wordsworth ,
Intimations of Immortality
from Recollections of early Childhood.
Intimations of Immortality
from Recollections of early Childhood.
Homemaking question
Kate , hard working mother of four left this comment on the last Ideal Homemaker post and I wonder if any of you experienced homemakers can offer some suggestions...
"My mum always used to say, 'You get up, get your work done and then the day is your own." This has caused me heaps of stress over the last 15 years (since having children, hmm wonder if there is a connection???LOL) because quite often I get to the end of the day and still haven't finished all the things I planned to do. I'd be interested to hear how others maintain their homes and still manage to find time for themselves. Do I plan to do too much??? Unrealistic time management perhaps? Or am I too fussy? Maybe my home and family are just too big for one person to manage on their own. I guess I'd just like to hear what others do."
As for me, I think it is important to have an end time for the morning work.
Housework can take the whole day if you let it, I mean there is always something else to do and you would drive yourself mad if you didn't decide when to down tools.
I get up early but I don't do housework then, it's a small house and I would wake everyone.
No, the time before the rest of the house wakes is my time to use as I wish.
Once I start waking people my work begins with the general before school hoo haa.
I don't take the children to school, I don't drive.
They either catch the bus or go with Stephen.
As soon as they all leave I make my breakfast and relax. At 9am I start the Daily Round, you know, tidy the kitchen, do the dishes, sweep the floor, wipe down the bathrooms, make the bed, tidy the loungeroom and so on.
I also put on a load of washing if needed though I try to do the bulk of the washing on Monday and Saturday.
I try to have an idea about dinner early in the day but if not I give it some thought at lunchtime.
I do a more thorough clean on Mondays after the weekend messmaking and again on Fridays.
Mostly I try to be finished housework by morning tea time, around 11am, with a second shift in the late afternoon, bringing in washing and getting dinner underway.
Mondays and Fridays I just devote to housie things so on those days I might have things to do after morning tea.
So I guess on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am until Kate gets home from school at around 3.30 I can devote my time to special projects or gardening or sewing or shopping,or appointments or, ofcourse, doll making
The other thing is, if you don't get something finished, there is always tomorrow.
I make a list of things I want to get done but it's over a week rather than a day unless something is urgent.
The list keeps me more or less on track but having a week to balance things out is so much more managable and life friendly.
I don't timetable my list, I just read through it each morning and see what I fits into my day.
I do try to do at least one unfavourite thing from the list each day - it makes me feel virtuous.
When I worked part time out of the house I still made sure the daily round was done before I left the house, though sometimes it was a lick and a promise.
It meant that I could come home to a tidy house and that's always a blessing.
I tried to organise my work days so I had either Monday or Friday ( or both ) at home.
I devoted one day a week to doing a thorough clean and the rest was maintenance with special jobs done on weekends if necessary.
Much the same as now really but a condensed version on work days.
So any other suggestions?
Yes, there have been lots of suggestions so take a look at the comments and join in the discussion if you have time.
"My mum always used to say, 'You get up, get your work done and then the day is your own." This has caused me heaps of stress over the last 15 years (since having children, hmm wonder if there is a connection???LOL) because quite often I get to the end of the day and still haven't finished all the things I planned to do. I'd be interested to hear how others maintain their homes and still manage to find time for themselves. Do I plan to do too much??? Unrealistic time management perhaps? Or am I too fussy? Maybe my home and family are just too big for one person to manage on their own. I guess I'd just like to hear what others do."
As for me, I think it is important to have an end time for the morning work.
Housework can take the whole day if you let it, I mean there is always something else to do and you would drive yourself mad if you didn't decide when to down tools.
I get up early but I don't do housework then, it's a small house and I would wake everyone.
No, the time before the rest of the house wakes is my time to use as I wish.
Once I start waking people my work begins with the general before school hoo haa.
I don't take the children to school, I don't drive.
They either catch the bus or go with Stephen.
As soon as they all leave I make my breakfast and relax. At 9am I start the Daily Round, you know, tidy the kitchen, do the dishes, sweep the floor, wipe down the bathrooms, make the bed, tidy the loungeroom and so on.
I also put on a load of washing if needed though I try to do the bulk of the washing on Monday and Saturday.
I try to have an idea about dinner early in the day but if not I give it some thought at lunchtime.
I do a more thorough clean on Mondays after the weekend messmaking and again on Fridays.
Mostly I try to be finished housework by morning tea time, around 11am, with a second shift in the late afternoon, bringing in washing and getting dinner underway.
Mondays and Fridays I just devote to housie things so on those days I might have things to do after morning tea.
So I guess on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am until Kate gets home from school at around 3.30 I can devote my time to special projects or gardening or sewing or shopping,or appointments or, ofcourse, doll making
The other thing is, if you don't get something finished, there is always tomorrow.
I make a list of things I want to get done but it's over a week rather than a day unless something is urgent.
The list keeps me more or less on track but having a week to balance things out is so much more managable and life friendly.
I don't timetable my list, I just read through it each morning and see what I fits into my day.
I do try to do at least one unfavourite thing from the list each day - it makes me feel virtuous.
When I worked part time out of the house I still made sure the daily round was done before I left the house, though sometimes it was a lick and a promise.
It meant that I could come home to a tidy house and that's always a blessing.
I tried to organise my work days so I had either Monday or Friday ( or both ) at home.
I devoted one day a week to doing a thorough clean and the rest was maintenance with special jobs done on weekends if necessary.
Much the same as now really but a condensed version on work days.
So any other suggestions?
Yes, there have been lots of suggestions so take a look at the comments and join in the discussion if you have time.
The Ideal Homemaker #10
So we are half way through the Ideal homemaker series.
#1 The two A's attitude and appearance
#2 Another A
#3 Some are almosters
#4 A place for everything - everything in its place
#5 Meet the minute
#6 The six W's
#7 Plan your work and work your plan
#8 Try the old ways - try the new
#9 How to clean a house - how to keep it clean
and now
#10 Incentive Plan
"An ideal homemaker's activities are well-balanced. though she may be noted for a speciality and devote a major part of her time to one particular phase, she doesn't spend all of her time cooking, or does she concentrate just on sewing, or on cleaning, or on reading, or on outside interests. She reaches out to include in her life stimulating projects which serve as an incentive to her."
from the Art of Homemaking by Daryl Hoole 1962
I think this was mentioned a few times in the comments from the last post #9.
Using the things we love to do as a reward for doing the things that have to be done.
And there is nothing wrong with a reward system, delayed gratification can make the reward that much sweeter.
You know, I don't think my mother ever looks forward to doing "the work" as she calls her housework but she very definitely enjoys her home when the work is done and up to date.
She enjoys giving the house a good go over so that she can then enjoy the comforts of a clean, tidy, pleasant home.
I read in a 1940s housekeeping manual the advice to get an early start on the housework and have it finished as early in the day as possible so you can enjoy most of the day without " the work" hanging over your head.
Get it done early so you have the rest of the day to concentrate on those " stimulating projects' or playing with children or visiting friends, whatever.
Although there can be joy in the process of cleaning and tidying, and different people have different jobs that they particularly like to do, I think often the real payoff is in the job being finished, a little bit of the world put right even if it's only for a short time and even if no one else notices.
I never look forward to the washing up but I do like the kitchen all tidy with a clear sink.
I also like the magic of dirty dishes into the soapy hot water sink and clean shiny dishes coming out.
I like the way the dishes almost dry themselves when the washing water is really hot.
And I like the warmth of the water on my cold, slightly arthritic hands in the winter.
I like the triumphant wiping down of the sink when everything has been dried and put away.
I love walking into the kitchen and not seeing the accusing looks from dishes waiting to be washed.
My husband likes to clean the hearth of the kitchen fire really thoroughly.
Me , I'm happy to just give it a sweep over.
Sometimes the pleasure of the job is knowing the work we are doing will give the result we want, with a little effort and not too much thought.
Instant and delayed gratification all wrapped up together.
A job well done, followed by an admiring glance and then the reward- a quiet cuppa, guilt free reading or sewing or a walk in the sun.
You know, no matter how you feel about housework, most adults have to do some housework at some stage in their lives.
Housework, homemaking skills help make a house into a home.
From student share houses to our own house or flat to an aged pensioners unit most of us have some instinct to care for our space or at least can appreciate that our space feels better and more peaceful when some care has been taken.
And even if we allow ourselves to live in a mess some part of us knows that we would feel happier if there wasn't so much chaos.
#1 The two A's attitude and appearance
#2 Another A
#3 Some are almosters
#4 A place for everything - everything in its place
#5 Meet the minute
#6 The six W's
#7 Plan your work and work your plan
#8 Try the old ways - try the new
#9 How to clean a house - how to keep it clean
and now
#10 Incentive Plan
"An ideal homemaker's activities are well-balanced. though she may be noted for a speciality and devote a major part of her time to one particular phase, she doesn't spend all of her time cooking, or does she concentrate just on sewing, or on cleaning, or on reading, or on outside interests. She reaches out to include in her life stimulating projects which serve as an incentive to her."
from the Art of Homemaking by Daryl Hoole 1962
I think this was mentioned a few times in the comments from the last post #9.
Using the things we love to do as a reward for doing the things that have to be done.
And there is nothing wrong with a reward system, delayed gratification can make the reward that much sweeter.
You know, I don't think my mother ever looks forward to doing "the work" as she calls her housework but she very definitely enjoys her home when the work is done and up to date.
She enjoys giving the house a good go over so that she can then enjoy the comforts of a clean, tidy, pleasant home.
I read in a 1940s housekeeping manual the advice to get an early start on the housework and have it finished as early in the day as possible so you can enjoy most of the day without " the work" hanging over your head.
Get it done early so you have the rest of the day to concentrate on those " stimulating projects' or playing with children or visiting friends, whatever.
Although there can be joy in the process of cleaning and tidying, and different people have different jobs that they particularly like to do, I think often the real payoff is in the job being finished, a little bit of the world put right even if it's only for a short time and even if no one else notices.
I never look forward to the washing up but I do like the kitchen all tidy with a clear sink.
I also like the magic of dirty dishes into the soapy hot water sink and clean shiny dishes coming out.
I like the way the dishes almost dry themselves when the washing water is really hot.
And I like the warmth of the water on my cold, slightly arthritic hands in the winter.
I like the triumphant wiping down of the sink when everything has been dried and put away.
I love walking into the kitchen and not seeing the accusing looks from dishes waiting to be washed.
My husband likes to clean the hearth of the kitchen fire really thoroughly.
Me , I'm happy to just give it a sweep over.
Sometimes the pleasure of the job is knowing the work we are doing will give the result we want, with a little effort and not too much thought.
Instant and delayed gratification all wrapped up together.
A job well done, followed by an admiring glance and then the reward- a quiet cuppa, guilt free reading or sewing or a walk in the sun.
You know, no matter how you feel about housework, most adults have to do some housework at some stage in their lives.
Housework, homemaking skills help make a house into a home.
From student share houses to our own house or flat to an aged pensioners unit most of us have some instinct to care for our space or at least can appreciate that our space feels better and more peaceful when some care has been taken.
And even if we allow ourselves to live in a mess some part of us knows that we would feel happier if there wasn't so much chaos.
The Ideal Homemaker #9
#9 How to clean a house - How to keep it clean
"An ideal homemaker is consistent in applying the best skills and methods she knows. She has a built in self-starter"
Consistency - that is my biggest challenge.
I am a great starter and planner but easily distracted and always ready to move on to the next thing.
I think it's called a sanguine personality, you know like a butterfly flitting from one pretty flower to the next.
Life is so much easier for me when I can be consistent in the daily tasks , so that to a certain extent these things just happen.
Habit and rhythm take me through ( on a good day), the jobs get done and I can move on to special jobs or sewing or gardening or whatever.
How about you?
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