the happy homemaker series

I love all things homemaking.  I enjoy cooking, sewing, organizing, cleaning, and other homemaking arts.  I am trying to get better at gardening and quilting.  And I am sure there are other skills I have yet to learn.

I developed a philosophy of homemaking that I use to guide my actions and decisions.

My Homemaking Philosophy

I believe that homemaking encompasses several different areas:  time management, people management, things management, tasks management, and financial management.

I believe that my job as a homemaker is to do those tasks that are necessary to keep a home running smoothly, looking good and functioning well.

I believe that my job as a homemaker deserves the same level of respect and consideration as my husband's job does.

I believe that it is my duty to do the tasks that need to be done so that my home is clean, tidy, and organized so that those who live here and those who visit here will feel welcome, calm, peaceful and loved. 

I believe that the house we live in is not MY home, but OUR home and ALL of us have a stake in its care and upkeep.  

Therefore, I believe that it is my responsibility to teach my children how to take care of their things (and thus help keep the house looking good and functioning well), moving on up to learning how to do the various tasks required in taking care of a home, until they have the knowledge and skills they need to take care of an entire home themselves.

I believe that my husband should take care of his things and clean up after himself, and help with some of the heavier/more complicated jobs around the house, but it is not his job to do my work because I didn't do it.  He works hard at his job and he deserves to be able to come home and relax. Of course, if I am sick, I appreciate extra help.  Fortunately, I usually don't have anything worse than a cold.

I want to have a clean and tidy home, but I also want it to be a warm, welcoming place where people feel free to sit down, move around, do things and enjoy themselves without worrying about if they're going to mess something up.  I do have some rules to keep things taken care of but I'm not going to worry if my coffee table gets a few scratches because my sons are playing with their cars on it.

I believe in learning everything I can about home management and its various aspects, taking what applies to me and discarding the rest.  

I believe that nothing is written in stone and schedules, tasks, priorities and philosophies can change and be adjusted to fit the season of life I’m currently in.