The Art of Homemaking- Organization/Habits

I came across an interesting article by Domestic Felicity some time back that I wanted to revisit for the purpose of this blog. Here are the highlights: (read a full text version here)

Learning the Art of Homemaking: How Long Does it Take?

"While browsing a couple of blogs, I came across a comment which made me smile. I don't remember the exact way it was worded, but here's the general idea:

'I really don't get all this homemaker-in-training thingy for unmarried women. After all, how long does it take to learn to do laundry or change diapers? Can't girls just learn these things in a jiffy and then be free for exciting experiments with their lives until they get married?'

Why did it amuse me? Because the person who wrote this, obviously, knows very little about successful home management. And so, instead of starting a whole new discussion at the comments section, I decided to take this topic over to my blog and give it a good and thorough look."

"The way I see it, successfully running a household is in many ways similar to managing a small hotel: meals have to be served on time, everything must be neat and clean and presentable, with a well-organized routine of work that helps things run smoothly. All this, while staying within the strict limits of a budget. And in countless ways, running a home is so much more than running an hotel, because the homemaker is responsible for the long-term well-being of her family, and therefore must make sure her husband has his needs attended, meals are nutritious and made of high quality products and the menu doesn't become too predictable, her children healthy, educated and occupied with pleasant and worthwhile pursuits. She is also the one who sets the mood and tone of her home with her sweet and soothing presence"

"I know it's impossible to list the many arts a good homemaker must know, and there's always something new to learn. But beyond cooking, cleaning, laundry, budgeting, scheduling, organizing and decorating, there is an important trait a homemaker must have, a trait that cannot be learned and tossed aside, but is only acquired through years of practice. It is patience"

"Maybe your floors are so clean you could eat off them and you cook like a chef, but as a homemaker you need much more than that. You must learn to do the same tasks, day after day, week after week, with joy and contentment in your heart. Sure, technically, it's not very hard to change a diaper. How about ten thousand diapers? Doing a load of laundry is easy. Then why is laundry piling up in people's homes? Obviously, because after the thousandth load, we have a tendency to get bored and just let things go."

Ouch, I know the laundry has a tendency to build up at our house. I found the daily, weekly, monthly housework breakdowns in the book, "Simply Organized" by Emilie , to be extremely helpful once modified to fit our specific needs.
The one area of my home that gets the least attention (and that I need to find a good daily maintenance system for- I love suggestions, hint, hint- LEAVE A COMMENT) is the bedroom that my husband and I share. If the main floor of our home is maintained (Kitchen, Bathroom, Front and Back Porch and Living Room), I am a happy camper BUT the bedroom is really important to my husband. So, at the present I am working on a system for where to put those clothes that aren't just out of the dryer clean but not ready for the dirty clothes basket either. You know, the shirt or sweater you threw on before heading out to church Wednesday night that was worn for three hours? I don't like refolding or hanging it back up with the freshly washed clothes but the floor or top of dresser is not the solution either. What do you do with slightly worn clothes?
I know that for me, a habit of daily maintenance prevents the "getting bored, letting things go" attitude. Here is what a typical day's checklist looks like that I have found to work for the main level of my home:
Kitchen-
(nightly checklist)
Is the sink empty?
Are the counters wiped down?
Is the stove top wiped down?
Is the table wiped down and set for breakfast?
Does the floor need a sweep?

Bathroom-
Is the counter clear of clutter and wiped down?
Is toilet paper stocked?
Does the trash can need emptied?
Does the floor need a sweep?
Is there anything gross on the toilet that needs to be wiped?
(Cleaning toilets happens weekly here not daily)

Living Room-
Quick Straighten before Ara's nap
Quick Straighten before bed
Do any toys, clothes or books need to be brought upstairs?

Porches-
Are there any mail, ads, or papers on the doorstep that I need to bring in?
Did any outdoor toys get left out on the back porch that need to be brought in?
Do the tables need wiped down on the back porch?

I'm still working on the dailies for the upstairs. The Bathroom checklist remains the same as the downstairs but Ara and the Master Bedroom have different needs to which I haven't found a great schedule that works. I'll be sure to post one when I find the winner!

Until next time,