Managing a Large House

A New England Cottage, 1800's painting by Edmund Garrett.

 

In the 1950's it was common for many houses to be small and manageable. These were little ranch houses with 3 bedrooms and a bath, in family neighborhoods.  In this time period there were modern appliances to help with the housework.  It was possible for the routine duties of housekeeping to be handled by one person.  Today, I am noticing the construction of larger houses. There is a great deal of work and upkeep to manage such homes. 

As I think about what it is like to take care of a large property, I am reminded of a beautiful old house we used to live in, many years ago.  I hope this will give you some ideas.

First, I will tell you about the house. I was the mother of three small children, with a blessing on the way.  We had just rented a large 1800's Victorian house near the ocean in Massachusetts. The home had 3 bedrooms of servant's quarters on the third floor. There was an enormous wrap-around porch and an oversized front door. The main entryway was very large with a big fireplace. A bench was by the hearth for sitting to get warm, or to wait while a maid notified the mistress of the house that a visitor had come. 

To the left of the front door was a formal dining room. It was cozy with old fashioned wallpaper, windows with thick drapery, and a door leading to the porch. The entire house was furnished with old items that were worn but solid. Across the wide entry hall, on the other side of the house, was a large living room. It had a big fireplace on the back end of the room. Windows were all around 2 sides of the room, which showed a view of the porch. 

Back in the entry hall, near the front door, was a wide staircase. After walking halfway up, there was a landing to stop and turn to the left before continuing up the next part of the steps to the second floor. The back wall contained a stained-glass window. 

The downstairs rooms were dark without much light, until one went down the back hall to the enormous kitchen. It had a finish of burgundy counters with dark wood cabinets. But the most beautiful thing about this room was the large picture window, behind the breakfast table, which showed a stunning view of the ocean.

Off the kitchen, there was a laundry room, bathroom, and back entrance to the porch.  Just around the corner from this was a servant's staircase to the second floor, followed by another set of stairs to the third floor. 

There were three bedrooms on the second floor, along with two bathrooms and a large fireplace in the center of an open foyer. 

The three fireplaces were the main source of heat for the entire house and looked like it would keep the house warm and cozy. This would have required domestic help to keep the firewood loaded and the home-fires going.  The house also included a modern oil-heating unit but was still difficult to stay warm all winter without the use of the fireplaces. There were doors on every room, including the kitchen, living room, and dining room. This helped close them off, when necessary, to keep the warmth and coziness of heat inside each of the rooms. 

At first, I could not even imagine how I would ever keep this house clean! But something wonderful happened shortly after we moved in. Relatives came to pass part of the winter with us.  We gave a second-floor bedroom (with a large picture window) to my parents. They had a peaceful and lovely view of the ocean.  A third-floor bedroom, right near the back stairs to their room, went to my teenage sister.  They were in the process of relocating and had just sold their house. It turned out to be such a wonderful blessing to have them there with us for a few months. There were many people to help me with housekeeping, cleaning, shopping, and kitchen work.  

During those lovely months in that great big house, we enjoyed homeschool days, welcoming company, baking and cooking, and helping each other. When the baby was born, my parents were there to help make special meals. The first night home from the hospital, a dinner tray was brought to my room so I could rest in comfort with the baby beside me in a bassinet. I knew my other three children were being well cared for and were much loved. I enjoyed hearing the laughter, talks, and play in the other rooms throughout the house while I recovered.  The routine of home and order continued and there was happiness.

My sister told me recently that her favorite memory of living in that house was seeing me sewing in the old dining room by the dim lamps. I was making dresses for my girls for Christmas. It was so cozy to have the snow falling around that large house while we enjoyed an old-fashioned way of life. 

When it was time for our relatives to move to their new place, we missed them greatly. I was thankful, however, that my husband was able to be home a great deal of the time.  I remember bringing him the 2-year-old so I could make lunch. That little boy loved sitting with his father!  Or I would bring him the baby to hold just so I could take a shower.  I was always quick because I loved having the children with me and near me.  

Without that extra help from my parents, I had to think of ways to maintain the house.  It was too much work for any one person! There would be stress, worry, hassle, and poor health if I tried to do it alone.  

I will share with you some ideas that I have found to be helpful:

1. Divide the Work

We should have a written outline of the daily and weekly work that needs to happen. This can be divided up among family members based on their skills and abilities. For example, a 5-year-old can fold laundry. A 7-year-old can sweep floors, etc. 

In large homes, you might even consider assigning certain rooms to family members as their responsibility. For instance, a 10-year-old could dust, vacuum, and tidy 2 of the bedrooms, as well as the living room. 

When everyone is working together, they are forming a bond of unity. Each child will also learn to have a good work ethic and a dependable character. 

If the work is shared among the family, it will free up a great deal of time and energy. 

2. Close up the Rooms

When there are too many rooms to manage, some can be closed up for a season. This would be done by giving the room a thorough cleaning and then covering furniture with sheets to protect them from dust and damage. Then simply close the door.  Later, when the room is needed again, it can be "opened" by removing the sheets and doing a quick cleaning. 

3. Add Maid Service

In cases where it is not possible to manage all the work, it makes sense to hire domestic help.  This helps provide work to someone in need while helping the lady-of-the-house manage her home without being overwhelmed. 

4. Invite Relatives to Stay

This is my favorite option. When there is plenty of room it is so nice to have family come and stay. In the old days, an aunt, grandmother, or cousin in-need would come and help the family in exchange for room and board. One would want to make sure the relatives were of good character, honorable, and dependable. Their addition to the household ought to be considered a blessing and not a hindrance. I imagine a dear grandmother who loves to cook and bake. She has a pretty room, with a view of the landscape, all to herself.  When she finishes helping for the afternoon, the children often find her reading the Bible in a rocking chair. They are grateful for her company and help in keeping house for her beloved family.

There are many ways to manage a large house. We have to consider our standard of cleanliness and order. Do you have high standards or moderate ones? Consider what is most important and what you are capable of doing.  One does not want to be fretting, nagging, and suffering to keep to a higher standard than is possible. When a housekeeper is able to face the day's work with a sense of calm and cheer, her level of work is right where it should be. 

Whether the house be small or large, the same routine of daily and weekly work is required.  Even though it takes much longer with a large house, it can be a lovely way to spend one's days. May you find a way to manage things beautifully with joy and a love for family.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Old Time Manners - Waiting for the Door to Be Opened.  

A Simple Life - How to Stop Buying Things that Clutter up the Home. 

Ration Books from 1942 and helpful advice - Adapting to the High Cost of Living.

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Find cleaning inspiration and encouragement in Mrs. White's book, "Gracious House Keeping."

"Gracious House Keeping: Advice, Encouragement, and Cleaning Help for the Christian Housewife."

Complete with Encouragement and Work Charts to cheer you along in your homemaking!

115 pages, paperback.