Putting Time and Energy in the Bank of Domestic Economy
Woman’s World, March 1921

Time was when spring and fall days brought with them that dreaded thought – housecleaning. Not only did it mean a period of drudgery for the housewife, but a period of upheaval to the comfort and dispositions of the family as well. It meant a tearing up of carpets, a tearing down of draperies, a scattering of long hidden germs. It meant puddles of soapy water, and disagreeable odors from crude, strong cleaning fluids. But times have changed, and so have housecleaning methods. Read more »

Maria Parloa gives homemakers in the early 1900s advice on keeping dust at a minimum.  This is adapted from The Ladies Home Journal, February, 1905.

Dust is the cause of much trouble to the housekeeper.  The air is never free from it.  Dust contains bacteria, yeast, and mold spores.  This article gives tips on sweeping, dusting, and furniture choice to keep the house clean and sweet. Read more »

The Burden of Unnecessary Things

Adapted from The Modern Priscilla, December, 1912

Something that has to do with the cost of keeping house is unnecessary things.  There are all sorts of things brought into the average house which add nothing to the comfort or well-being of the family.  As a result, these things drain the family’s resources – first of money spent on them, and then the time and energy spent on caring for them.

It does not necessarily have to be a bad thing; it might even seem good, but it hasn’t been measured in the light of ultimate return.

It is difficult to live happy, healthy, wholesome lives as long as we continue to fill houses, mind, and time so full of things.  What that thing will yield in happiness and content should be the measure by which we judge whether we should purchase it.

Only by applying this rule and resolutely turning from those things which will take more time and care than they can yield in pleasure or profit, can we cease to cheapen life and make workhouses of our homes.

Labor Savers in the Kitchen

Adapted from The Modern Priscilla, December, 1912 Read more »

Is Your House Conveniently Arranged?

Adapted from The Modern Priscilla, December, 1912

Frugal Homemaking Part 1 may be read here.

The activities of the household are mainly grouped in two divisions: cooking and cleaning. Preparing food and clearing it away; bringing dust and dirt into the house and getting them out again, seem to make up the sum total of this work, which yields wonderful profits when done right. To do it right is the important thing, and that depends a lot on the mental attitude of the homemaker. The courage of your convictions must be asserted in such a way as to adapt the means to the end. And the end is life.

The house must be so arranged that its activities may be performed without waste of time and energy. Let’s sit down and study this house we are living in and see if there is anything wrong about it in any way. Is it inconvenient? If so, why? Are the problems we see something we can change, or do we have to just make the best of them? Read more »

Adapted from The Modern Priscilla, December 1912

If you prefer, you may listen to the article here: Frugal Homemaking

The Cost of Keeping House – From the Standpoint of Time and Energy as Well as Money

Many years ago Thoreau wrote, “When one builds a dwelling-house, it behooves him to exercise some native Yankee shrewdness that he build not a work-house, a museum, a labyrinth without a clue, or a splendid mausoleum instead.” Read more »

Home Life Magazine, December 1911
By Mrs. T. J. Summers

I have found that there is nothing better than a whisk broom to straighten out fringe on napkins, etc.  Place on ironing board and brush vigorously.  This saves time as well as the fringe. Read more »

Adapted from Household Discoveries, 1908 – 1909

What do you do with your pile of old magazines?  Some of these may be thrown away, but in others there will be one or more stories or articles of special interest.  Here is an idea for preserving the content that you want to keep. Read more »

Adapted from Putnam’s Household Handbook, 1916

Most good housekeepers lay out a weekly schedule for the housework, doing laundry work on Monday, cleaning the second floor on Tuesday, ironing on Wednesday, first floor cleaning on Friday, baking on Saturday.  This leaves one day, Thursday, as an extra day.  This system enables one to accomplish more and not get tired out, as the ordinary household can be cared for during the morning hours.  Then the after is left free for entertaining callers, for visiting, or for sewing. Read more »

Women of long ago were kept busy with all the chores of homemaking.  Their work was physically hard much of the time.  They didn’t have the modern conveniences that we take for granted.  Here are some of the important duties that the lady of the house had to complete daily.
Read more »