Making A House A Home
It has been said that we don't plan to fail, but we do fail to plan. This is where the little picture header at the top of this page comes in handy- "Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Clean on Thursday, Market on Friday, Bake on Saturday, and Rest on Sunday" - -whew! Okay, so this work list may no longer apply to our modern standard of living - but it does give testament to the soundness of a planned routine, and it will give you (for the most part) a sense of accomplishment, instead of an overwhelming sense of drudgery, and futility. And these days, when many house-holds have both the husband and wife working outside the home, it can get even harder to make sure necessary chores get done in a timely and efficient manner. This is when a little diplomacy goes a long way. The only solution to this dilemma is to divvy up the chores. I thank God that my husband is a domestic! Okay, so he doesn't enjoy cleaning like The Odd Couple's: Felix Unger, but he isn't a slob like Oscar Madison either. While I was working outside the home, my man pitched in. He was not too proud to vacuum, wash dishes, do laundry, sweep, or even change poopy diapers. A modern man needs to get a good firm grip on reality and roll up his sleeves and help,
if he wants a happy home life [did you get that Tarzan?]. A stressed out and overworked wife is not conducive to a happy home life, that is the plain and simple truth. |
Still, a clean house is not necessarily what I would call a home either. We've all seen the uninviting sterile modern houses, or ultra regal antique filled mansions on magazine covers, which seem to lack that "lived in" feel. Or you may have even visited someone's house where you got the feeling you weren't entirely welcome there. Perhaps the practically new "Welcome" mat, sterilized air, uptight demeanor from the hostess (or host), and the thick clear plastic covering the furniture were all dead give-a-ways. So, what are the elements that really make a house a home? Is it just love and dreams, or is it more than this? On this page I hope to explore some of the ingredients I believe make a house a home, and share with you some pearls of wisdom my mother taught me about keeping house; things I learned from others, books on the subject (not to be discounted) as well as good ol' fashioned experience, forged by the hammer and anvil of trial and error. And that is my goal here, to not only help you learn how to do something, but the why of it, and to help you form your own plan of action that will work for your family.
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