The Library of Work and Play: HousekeepingGilman, Elizabeth Hale
General
The Library of Work and Play: Housekeeping
Gilman, Elizabeth Hale
Home economics
If the idea of a housework schedule appeals to her, it would be wise
for her to make as slight a schedule and be as little bound by it, as
possible. If, on the contrary, she feels sympathy with the woman who
thought it would be more interesting to do the washing on a different
day each week, she should by all means have a rather detailed schedule
and faithfully keep to it.
A work schedule saves the time and strain which, without it, would be
expended each day in deciding what was to be done; it prevents those
who do the work or help with it from waiting round to be told what to
do; and it keeps one day from being too hard and the next too easy.
But we must not have a schedule which makes the accomplishment of a
certain amount of housework in a given time seem a more important duty
than the little pleasant acts which make the comfort and pleasure of a
home. If the man of the house wants his wife or daughter to walk to the
car with him after breakfast, she should be able to go without feeling
anxious or preoccupied. The coming of an unexpected guest should not be
thought a torment and a calamity because it disorders a schedule. When
a small head is thrust under one's elbow and a small voice says, "'Want
to be loved now," confusion to anything which inclines us to say, "Run
away, you bother me."
A household run on a strict schedule becomes an institution, not a
home; on the other hand, a household in which the work is done at any
time or no time is neither clean, restful nor knit together with the
bonds of mutual service and mutual compliance.
Housework is some of it daily, and some of it periodical. Bedmaking is
daily; sweeping is periodical. There is also work which may be done
by the workers in the house, or by others coming from without. In one
family the laundry work, bread making, window cleaning, floor polishing
and the like will be done by those in the house; in another, these
things will be done out of the house, or by people who come in to do
them.
(_a_) DAILY WORK
The following is a list of daily work in an average house. Besides
these things some piece of periodical work is done each day.
Fire made or made up.
Shades rolled up; windows opened a few minutes; suggestions
of yesterday removed.
(In summer, veranda arranged.)
Breakfast prepared, served and cleared away.
Pantry and kitchen put in order.
Menu made and orders given.
Downstairs rooms put in order.
Bedrooms put in order.
Bathroom put in order.
Accounts.
Preparations for second and third meals.
Second meal served and cleared away.
Rest.
Third meal prepared, served and cleared away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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