Do you know what today is? Yes, it is HUMP Day… half way through the week and halfway to the weekend.
Over the last week, we have been doing some remolding and repairs in the bathroom. We had a small electrical fire in the lights above the medicine chest which turned into a major project. So for about a week, the medicine chest was sitting in my living room. I know what does this all have to do with “homemaking”, right?
It brought back some memories and got me motivated to clean up some of the stuff in the house. My idea of doing chores for many years – since I have lived on my own – has been keeping things neat, a feather dusting and a quick vacuum or sweep. Nothing major except for when I had the urge to move the furniture, then watch out.
When did I go from Saturday morning (or my day off) cleaning to just having things passable. When did I stop paying attention to the details of housework like my mom? I learned about cleaning and homemaking while living with my parents but the lessons never translated when I moved in on my own.
I went on the hunt for some help with homemaking hints, so I could get a refresher course. Here are the 5 best tips, I found….
1. Practice.
Practice doesn’t always make perfect, but things do get better over time. What area do you struggle with – cleaning the bathroom? Practice. Struggling with laundry? Practice. I never thought of these things as skills but in order to get good at them, you need to do them every day (or often) until you get really good at it.
2. Work on one area.
Or at least one area at a time. As much as you would like to, you don’t have to be on top of everything all the time! It would be nice but truth is, it’s a juggling act. Get the bathrooms shipshape, and then the laundry room is overflowing. Then the kitchen gets scary. And so it goes. So take it one step at a time, one area at a time. Then repeat. I struggle because our kitchen, dining room and living room all flow together, keeping them separate seems like even more of a struggle.
3. Give yourself grace.
We all have challenging seasons – maybe a pregnancy, a new baby, illness, job loss, or maybe moving to a new house? These are HUGE so don’t beat yourself up while going through it. It is during these times, you need to slip into survival mode and just concentrate on the bare basics. Honestly, I think I gave myself grace for far too long (5 years of challenging seasons). During these times I have had enough on my hands so I am done heaping more guilt on myself. What about you? Do the guilt gremlins invade your space too?
4. Remember Who you are serving.
Cleaning (homemaking) was always all about pride or for my family’s sake but mostly about people pleasing. When I didn’t do it according to the rules or the script, it was discouraging. I woke up this morning with an AHA! What if I am doing this as service to God—and Him only? It really changes my perspective, the same as my dieting is pleasing to him.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (or family, friends, or neighbors). ~ Col. 3:23
So, with a song in my heart and strength in my hands, I am going to it!
5. Study the craft.
I may not be studying like I did in school BUT I am looking for articles on how to do things quickly, easily and toxic free. I am not saying the dust bunnies won’t still creep in but they won’t linger as long. Pinterest and Google have some great tips to help with the skill of homemaking.
Here are some more tidbits of information I picked up along the way:
- Baking soda gets the smell out of stinky spots.
- Clean the dirtiest areas of the bathroom first and then work your way up the mirrors last.
- Run a lemon through the garbage disposal to freshen the sink.
By learning new tricks, homemaking is becoming more manageable and not a dreaded chore. What are some of your best tips?
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 