Housekeeping All Day

LOC: A Mother making a pie for her family, Indiana, 1937.

It is so nice to just be busy at home.  Yesterday I needed to wash our kitchen and bedroom curtains.  I was productive as I cooked and cleaned and visited with the family. I did not get a chance to do the curtains until late in the afternoon.   I used a step-stool to reach the curtain rods.  This made my husband worry that I might fall so he took over the work.  Soon the curtains were in the washing machine.  The rooms looked so empty without the pretty curtains.  Later in the evening, I managed to get the curtains back up and everything was fresh and clean.

All the lovely work of keeping house reminded me of my Mother. She worked at a calm and steady pace. She always looked so nice, whether she was at home or out in the community.  She made homemaking look natural and easy.  She made it look pretty.  

Mom would sweep the floors and wash the counters.  She was always keeping things in order as she talked to all of us.  When she got tired, she would rest in the recliner or couch.  As soon as she heard the bell from the dryer, alerting her that the machine was finished, she would get right up and tend to the laundry. She would promptly fold and put away the clothes at a slow and steady pace. 

If company came by, Mom did not stop what she was doing. But she would offer the guest refreshments and have them sit at the table while she did her kitchen chores. She would talk and entertain her guests and they always enjoyed visiting with her. After her work was finished, she would sit and have tea or hot chocolate and a little treat with her company.

At the end of the day, she would sit in the living room and enjoy a quiet evening at home.  By this time, her kitchen was beautifully clean. Everything had been put back to rights from the dinner.  It would not have entered her mind to leave dishes in the sink, or to allow her kitchen to be a mess.  She had cleaned after each meal and it always looked neat.

You never would have known that my Mother had health problems. She always did the duties of home with a smile and good cheer. Her example has always inspired me.

These days, the lesson of homemaking in a gentle and pleasant manner seem to be forgotten.  The old ways of keeping house, of doing the chores, and of persevering through difficulties takes time and effort.  If we could only remember the routine of our Mothers and Grandmothers, we could continue the tradition of keeping a lovely home, and pass this on to the next generation.

Blessings

Mrs. White

From the Archives - 

My Mother's Example - A Home Without Clutter.

Motivation and Cheer to Do the Work - Housekeeping - with a Will.

Old Fashioned Thrift in Hard Times - A New England Winter on a Small Income.

 

- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

 

For happiness and cheer in the kitchen:

Mrs. White's old fashioned cookbook focuses on serving meals and setting the table in a humble home.

"Serving in the Kitchen: Cookbook with Recipes, Advice, and Encouragement for the Christian Home"

152 pages, paperback