When it comes to homemaking there can be many different levels and skills you feel you need to achieve in order to find success, but there is no need to feel overwhelmed. In an age where information is abundant and possibly too much, you can begin to feel discouraged about where to begin. Not to worry. I want to offer a simplified approach to homemaking that will bring clarity and simplify your search.
Homemaking, isn’t a lost or even dying art. In fact, I feel like it is in a renaissance of sorts and is becoming redefined by the women and men of the 21st century.
While our mothers and even grandmothers began to move away from their roots in the 20th century, embracing convenience and “saving time”, through more modern products, the current generation of mothers and fathers are turning back to a simpler lifestyle and digging deeper into the challenges that may present.
Taking time each day to tend to your family and home is rewarding, satisfying and brings peace to everyone. By integrating some basic homemaking skills into your daily life you can begin to see the rewards quickly.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through essential homemaking skills, from cooking and laundry to planning and managing your pantry, to help simplify and enrich your daily routine.
Planning – The Foundational Homemaking Tool
As a mom of 5 and a full-time homemaker, planning is by far the tool I use most. I find that when there is a plan in place, even if it changes, we are all able to quickly adapt and move forward. For years, I thought a schedule would be too restrictive and leave me feeling unfulfilled. However, it was when I began to put plans in place that I felt more grounded, stable and actually feel more free.
Putting a plan in place can be simple and un-fussy. One of the frameworks (free printable link) I use weekly, is how we spend our evenings as a family. Each night is designated to certain activities. My husband and I discussed how to manage our evenings, since this is the time we are all in the home together, and we built a framework that is flexible, predictable and freeing. Let me share:
- Monday evening – Mom and Dad have some time to themselves
- Tuesday evening – Mom and Dad have a date night together
- Wednesday evening – Hang out with friends
- Thursday evening – Mom hangs out with the boys and Dad hangs out with the girls
- Friday evening – Family attends church together
- Saturday evening – Mom hangs out with the girls and Dad hangs out with the boys
- Sunday evening – Family night
This is just one example of how you can use a plan to bring a foundational element to your homemaking that is very effective and feasible. Check out this post on how to use frameworks in your home management, homeschool and beyond.
Cooking – An Essential Homemaking Skill
Cooking is something that can intimidate, but doesn’t have to. If you grew up on convenience foods, it can be hard to imagine that food wasn’t always prepared from a box. Cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be the starting place either. Starting in a place where you feel comfortable is key.
First decide what your short term goal is. Do you want to learn how to cook simple nutritious meals? Do you want to bring your children in on the experience? How about integrating 1-2 homemade meals a week? Starting simple, with small goals will get you further down the road instead of tackling the “big picture” all at once.
Once you have decided on the small goal you want to reach, then you will be able to implement the steps to get there. For me, I started by making a menu. This one simple task spurred so many meaningful changes. With a menu, I gained control and focus when I grocery shopped. I could put together dinner after work with less stress. And as a natural byproduct, I saved money because I wasn’t making aimless purchases.
Even though this skill took years to hone, it was a key step in my journey to becoming a homemaker. When you create a menu you give yourself room to be creative, instead of always defaulting to the comfort of the same ole, same ole. A menu can be created on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The sweet spot for me and my family right now is a weekly menu.
A weekly menu allows me to cook very seasonly based on what is most prolific in the vegetable garden. Perhaps for you a daily menu would feel more manageable. Everyone is different, so experiment a bit. Try on different frameworks to see what works best for you and your family. It may not be perfect the first time, but I know you’ll find a good fit and be ready to integrate a new homemaking skill in no time. Which brings me to the next skill.
Pantry and Fridge Management – A Simple Homemaking Skill
Pantry and fridge management goes hand-in-hand with cooking. This is a skill that I didn’t even realize I was putting to use. That being said, you probably are already doing this in some way. Even if you aren’t consciously practicing pantry and fridge management, it is a simple and easy homemaking skill that is actually enjoyable.
When you manage your pantry and refrigerator, not only are you saving yourself time when it comes to cooking but you will inevitably save money. When my fridge and pantry were a disaster, it became easy to purchase unneeded items and have expired or old food lurking in the corners.
It was when I took the time to purge any unwanted items and assess what I had to work with that I realized, it is much less stressful to prepare a meal when I know exactly what I am working with. You also realize what items you use most often in cooking. If you have a bottle of sesame oil that is over 1 year old, you probably aren’t cooking a lot of asian cuisine.
Each week, I briefly comb through my refrigerator and pantry to assess what needs to get used, tossed to the pigs or replenished. Once you establish a routine assessment, the process becomes very fast. Getting a baseline for what you use regularly also allows you to grab items when they are on sale and saves even more money on items you are already using.
With a simple assessment, I am able to quickly pull together meal ideas, jot down a grocery list and even do a mini cleaning each week. You will be amazed at what is still available to eat for meals when you are consistently checking in those containers that are hanging out on the shelves. Starting with a plan is always a great way to ensure success.
Here are a few items that I always have on hand in my pantry or fridge:
- Lemon juice
- Dried beans
- Canned tomatoes
- Anchovies (great for sauces, dressings and pizza)
- White vinegar
- Corn/potato chips
Some of these may seem obvious, but when I run out of one, I suddenly feel limited.
Self Care – An Unexpected Homemaking Skill
Homemaking skills are varied, diverse and evolutionary, but one that, at least for me, that will remain constant is needing quiet time. This may not seem like a skill that needs to be learned, but as I mentioned before, we are in an age of information and immense overwhelm and getting quiet can be a big task.
Intentionally slowing down, breathing deep and paying attention to your own needs is an essential skill that must be learned and practiced for a sustainable homemaking journey. Without giving yourself the gift of a few quiet moments throughout the day or extended time at least once a week, burnout is inevitable.
Right now, in my journey, I choose to wake up before my household does and soak in the quiet space that my home is, when only me and our miniature dachshund are awake. These slow mornings give me the start that I personally need in order to set in motion the positive tone of the day.
Because I wake up earlier than everyone else, I can also get a bit tired early in the day. I do my best to listen to my body and if I am starting to crash, I give make some space for myself to replenish, so I can feel energized for the remainder of the day. This usually comes in the form of a power nap. I set a timer for 10 minutes and find a quiet space to rest.
I take this luxury very seriously and realize that not everyone can take a nap, so, find what works for you. Is it a few minutes in the sunshine? A jog around the neighborhood? Perhaps reaching out to a friend or loved one gives you the boost you need. Whatever it is that you find you will be glad you took the few minutes to replenish yourself to finish the day strong.
Whatever your quiet space looks like, be sure that when you recognize you need a break from honing your homemaking skills, you take the time you need for yourself.
Laundry and Folding – I saved the worst for last 🙁
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Laundry. It can be the nemesis of anyone that does not live with hired help. It never ends. I have often thought perhaps nudists have it figured out. No clothes = no laundry. (Something serious to consider if laundry is a dealbreaker when it comes to homemaking. Just sayin’…).
If becoming a nudist to avoid laundry is not in your near future, then coming up with a simple and manageable system is what you need to tackle your laundry demons.
For me, it is folding. Folding is literally my least favorite homemaking task. However, I hate wildly messy dresser drawers even more, so this became my motivation. Putting a load of laundry on has never been my issue, it is taking the time to fold each piece and then put it away that I avoid like a plague.
One of the quickest and most effective ways to conquer the folding demon, is to delegate. Delegating laundry to your spouse, children, roommate, etc. will instantly relieve your laundry woes, while simultaneously giving ownership to others in your home. Teaching your children how to launder and fold their own clothes at an appropriate age is a great way to teach a life skill and empower them to take part in household management.
If you find yourself in a phase of life where delegation does not seem possible, consider a laundry schedule. A morning load and an evening load. If you put one load of towels/linens into the washer every morning and everyone puts their clothes into the washer at night you can easily manage an entire household of laundry, both washing and folding, alone.
Each morning that you put the towels in the washer, fold the night before’s load of clothes. Even if you have a tremendously large family (let’s say 12+ people), this would be around 36 pieces of laundry (top, bottom and undergarments) each morning. This would take approximately 12 minutes to fold. Do the same with the towels at night. Fold the morning’s towels when you are putting the load of clothes to wash.
Here are my go-to laundry products that I can trust are clean and safe:
- Nellies Laundry Soda
- Nellies WOW Stain Stick
- Nellies Oxygen Brightener
- Molly’s Suds Wool Dryer Balls
Homemaking Skills Take Time
The homemaking skills discussed here, are what I have found to be the foundation of my homemaking journey. The list will vary for each homemaker and evolve, sometimes daily.
Remember to be patient with yourself and give yourself space and grace to make the mistakes it will take to become the homemaker that you know is inside of you.
This doesn’t have to be a fast a furious race. It can be slow and steady. Start small. Like with a daily menu. I’ve created a simple printout that can help you get started. You can check out this post on how to use this free printable in your homemaking journey.
Then increase the scope of your homemaking skills as you feel ready. If you implement 1 new homemaking skill a month, then in 12 months you could have an entirely new way of living life in just 365 days!
What homemaking skill do you find to be the most challenging? Or, what items do you like to keep on hand in your fridge or pantry? Do you have any laundry tips you would like to share? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
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