New Homemaking Skills

When I first became a homemaker at age19 I have to admit I was pretty bad. Technically I knew how to clean, cook, do laundry, etc but practically I had no idea how to put it all together and maintain a home.  So we did the wash when we had no clothes, vacuumed when the floor was covered with visible food and thought that Uncle Ben's Broccoli Rice Au Gratin was a meal not a side dish.  5 years later when I quit working to stay home with Jake I had a little bit of a system but still had a lot to learn.  I was still mostly reacting to homemaking and had absolutely no sense of style or decor knowledge.  I have always been a minimalist and like rooms picked up and I am organized.  That was all I had going for me as a homemaker.  Everything else I have picked up along the way over the last 16 years.

Tonight, as I look over my mostly picked up but not particularly clean and slightly chaotic home I realize in some ways I am back at square one of homemaking trying to figure out how to make it all work within the confines of my new normal.  I will need to decide what is a priority and what I will let go.  I will need new systems for keeping track of tasks, papers, and children.

Before I started I imagined that maybe I would figure out how to justify hiring someone to clean my house once a month.  But only 2 weeks in I already know I am going to want that extra money to go to making up meals at Let's Dish or ordering my groceries online.  Put side by side I would much rather do my own vacuuming than start dinner at 5:30 after a long work day or worse yet stop by the grocery store on the way home.

I am often complimented for being a good homemaker.  I am here to tell you I don't have any special formula or magic potion, I just have a system and I follow it every day.  It may take time to create and integrate a new system in my new life but I am confident with the help of my family we can find that new system and be on top of our home once again.

And, I am learning at work that being in the habit of repetitious work it definitely going to be to my advantage.  I do the same things every day.  Could be boring but I am going with peaceful, relaxing, fulfilling.  And if you could remind me of that when I start using the word "boring" I would really appreciate it.