“Another reason for early rising is, that it is indispensable to a systematic and well-regulated family. At whatever hour the parents retire, children and domestics, wearied by play or labor, must retire early. Children usually awake with the dawn of light and commence their place, while [domestic chores] are usually preferred in the freshness of the morning. If, then, parents rise at a late hour, they either induce a habit of protracting sleep in their children and domestics, or else the family are up and at their pursuits while their supervisors are in bed.”
-Principles of Domestic Science, H. Beecher Stowe, 1866
Along with reading older cookbooks, I also enjoy studying and reading vintage home economics books. Within the pages, we find so many virtues and practical household tips and advice. So vast is the wisdom that our homemaking books of today fairly lack in depth compared to their vintage counterparts. We are so far removed from the disciplined lives of those women in our history. It is rather shameful, at times, to think of how lazy and unmotivated we must appear, if only one could compare our generation to those from, for example, the late 1800s.
It has been a bit of bodily training but it has benefited me in so many ways to rise earlier than my family. At some point, I found myself wishing and wanting my husband to get out of bed at the same time, so we could enjoy devotions together or just have a morning coffee together before the fuss of the day. His job, however, is so sporadic with his work hours that one never knows how much sleep he will get (as he is often called out in the night, sometimes twice in a row, to make house calls). I know he needs his rest. I also see the Scriptures pointing to the woman to rise early – it is my job to discipline myself and not discipline my husband.
My goal is to do most of my challenging tasks in the morning hours – whether it is canning or weeding, food organizing or cleaning out closets. This does get a bit confusing with homeschooling- my schedule is moved around a great deal and I must use my afternoon time for such projects and allot the morning hours for school work and academic studies. The summer brings so much more freedom for me to accomplish my household chores. I am frequently reminded that I must make the most of my time, use my hours wisely or else I will pay the price when Autumn approaches and my tasks are not yet finished. Of course, one never really finished all their household tasks – we just simple cycle through the list and continue organizing, cleaning, cooking and tending to the needs of the home life and family.
{Isn’t this a huge rabbit? This white Angora bunny lives wild on our property and proved a challenge for Lovelyn to catch – but she did! He is beautiful and incredibly fluffy.}
“Another important item in systematic economy is the apportioning of regular employment to the various members of a family. If a housekeeper can secure the cooperation of all her family, she will find that ‘many hands make light work.’ There is no greater mistake than in bringing up children to feel that they must be taken care of, and waited on by others, without any corresponding obligations on their part.
-Principles of Domestic Science;
Habits of System and Order
I know that I must do all my canning and food work in the summer days – this ensures I have food put up for the fall and winter. It also eases my work load when school starts up and I am not able to spend as much time dedicated to straight kitchen work. Canning soups and chilis, meals and vegetables brings me much peace of mind.
{It’s always faster – and more interesting! – with my helpers!}
“The Creator of all things is a Being of perfect system and order; and, to aid us in our duty in this respect, he has divided our time, by a regularly returning day of rest from worldly business. IN following this example, the intervening six days be me divided to secure similar benefits. In doing this, a certain portion of time must be given to procure the means of livelihood,
and for preparing food, raiment and dwellings.”
-Habits of System and Order;
Principles of Domestic Science
Staying on top of the laundry is a daily tasks that cannot and must not be ignored. Pictured above are just a few pieces of delicate laundry which I hand washed at the end of the day. Normally, my clothes line is well-loaded. I make sure we do a load of laundry a day – or sometimes two, if there is a lot of dark and lights. I never, ever wait a day to do laundry. In the winter, I run the washing machine and hang up the laundry to dry overnight by the woodstove. In the spring and summer, I run the machine at night or early in the morning and hang the laundry on the line before breakfast. It is usually always dry, fresh and sweetly scented, by lunch time. I fold it before lunch and the girls are to put away their laundry right after lunch. It is a system that seems to work for us. If everyone puts their laundry away every day, there is only a small pile per person; it is much more manageable, especially for little people who would be overwhelmed with a large chore. We wash our sheets weekly and that does take up extra time. The older girls usually wash their own bedding, while I take up the task of all the little ones on Wednesday and Thursday. I wash our sheets every Monday morning. This is a system of order that works for our family.
{My sweet antique soap saver;
simply place in your running water or bucket of warm wash water and swish your pieces of soap around;
it works wonders.
Pictures beside the soap saver is a poem I am attempting to memorize with the children…}
“The value of time, and our obligation to spend every hours for some useful end, are what few minds properly realize. And those who have the highest sense of their obligations in this respect, sometimes greatly misjudge in their estimate of what are useful and proper modes of employing time. This arises from limited views of the importance of some pursuits, which they would deem frivolous and useless, but which are in reality necessary to preserve the health of body and mind and those social affections which it is very important to cherish.”
-Economy of Time and Expenses
I also must learn to guard my time wisely. Not only is time something you can never have again, it is also something we are held accountable for in Heaven. Are you getting some rest in your day? Our days and hours can become long and wearisome if we do not have proper rest. How are we spending our ‘down time’ or or quiet moments? I attempt to spend at least 45 minutes in the afternoon to read, drink a cup of tea and sit and be still. This is usually during a scheduled nap time. I have found it to be very refreshing for my body and my temperant. It will give me that needed boost of energy to finish off the day, the supper hour and the clean up that commences following.
{a very fast sewing job on a much-needed apron}
These are only a few pointers I have learned along this journey … there is so much to learn as a wife, mother and homemaker. It is amazing how much we can learn every day if we apply ourselves. Tending to the home, caring for a family, raising children and providing good, healthy food and a clean, happy home takes a lot of energy, a lot of purposeful moments .. it should truly be a full time career; a role blessed by God!
P.S. The above quoted book can be found here.
by Gigi
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