Back in the olden days, they didn’t have the internet. I wonder how they functioned without Facebook? Well, I’m pretty sure they functioned quite well – and had less of an issue comparing their bread with Martha Stewart’s. Or their bodies with Angelina Jolie’s. And they all did chores.
Back when homemaking was cool (and it’s my mission to make it that way again!), women learned how to keep house from their mothers – who learned from their mothers – who learned from their mothers…are you catching on?
Sadly I hear from women on a daily basis who are struggling to keep their home because they weren’t taught the skills they need to make it happen.
The good news is…we can learn those skills! We don’t have to wallow in our misery in the hall closet eating chocolate. I even developed a Home Management e-course specifically to help women learn how to develop a routine that works, whether you stay at home or work outside of it.
The things we talk about here at Humorous Homemaking aren’t things I’ve made up myself – after all, the Word tells us, “there is nothing new under the sun.” They are things I’ve learned by doing, listening, and reading. I learned through the example of my mother, and now I’m passing the same information along to my children…and to you, because well – you’re here.
So, please don’t take this as “expert advice!” I’m just a homemaker, passing along the age old advice from wise women who have gone before me.
Let’s talk chores!
In the past, based on what I’ve learned from Large Family Logistics and Ma Ingalls, I’ve had one major chore each day of the week.
Why is this something you should consider? Simply this: it helps you stay focused on the task at hand. If it’s wash day, you’re focused on that and giving it your 100% best! Or at least the best you can give it while also wiping noses, butts, and fixing a roast.
In the past, our grandmothers and women like Ma Ingalls had chores for certain days:
“Wash on Monday,
Iron on Tuesday,
Mend on Wednesday,
Churn on Thursday,
Clean on Friday,
Bake on Saturday,
Rest on Sunday.”-Laura Ingalls Wilder
Why? The answer is simple…because it literally took all day to wash. They were doing it outside in a big pot for Pete’s sake! It took all their time and energy for the day.
While this doesn’t apply to us today, it does make sense. Do it in one day – get it done. And focus on others things the rest of the week.
Why would someone have a day to bake? So that they can rest on Sunday. And so that the rest of the week you aren’t heating the house up so that it’s hot as blue blazes. Good gravy, it’s hot.
We probably don’t still need a day to churn or mend, we can still look at this list and say:
Hmmmm, Ma Ingalls had something going on.
Below is my chart for what I do daily (if you click on it and save to your computer, you can print the chart) – take it with a grain of salt, realizing I’m a weirdo. We are going to take each day and really examine it. See what’s going on. See how we can improve.
Our goal is a home that runs efficiently – and happily. Because if Mama ain’t happy, no one has clean panties…or dinner.
Start thinking about how you might be able to streamline your tasks and chores to make them run smoother.
For the other posts in this series, see:
- Wash on Monday
- Clean on Tuesday
- Bake on Wednesday
- Town on Thursday
- Office Day on Friday
- Get Ahead on Saturday
- Chores to do Daily
- Chore FAQ
- What Would Ma Ingalls Do?
- Embracing Your Inner June Clever
Hi there. I was just thinking of the chore of the week poem the other day and stumbled upon this page. I am a single mom with 4 kids, but only one is still home. So I am at a different stage, close to empty nest. However keeping house is monumentally difficult. I am physically disabled and am in extreme chronic pain. On top of this I was in a car accident a few years ago and broke 14 bones in half. I had to relearn to walk. My doctor does not know how I can walk when according to my MRI I should not be able to. I can, but I am slow, it is painful, and I can only walk or stand for very short periods of time (walk about 10 feet, stand for about 3 minutes). Sooooooo my house is out of control. I spend most of my day in a hospital bed in my living room. I take my son back and forth to work, do the grocery shopping, and go to doctor appointments. That’s it for leaving the house. Then at home I make dinner if I’m up to it and occasionally do a load of laundry. When I do any more I do but the mess builds up faster than I can clean it. Well I’ve set new goals. Obviously I have to take my son to work. Other than that I have set the goal of making dinner, doing the dishes, one load of laundry, and clean one thing from the daily chore chart. There will be days I can’t but it will feel so good when I can and hopefully I can slowly get out from under. If I have a specific thing to do each day rather than looking at everything and getting overwhelmed maybe it’ll get done! Thanks for the support.
You’re doing a great job, Mary!!! And your attitude is wonderful! God gives a cheerful heart. <3 <3
Thank you Stacy! I believe God led me to this page. I was thinking about getting organized and just found this page for inspiration. I’m truly grateful. I got diagnosed with Covid on the day I was scheduled to get my booster. Given I have asthma, diabetes, am on steroids, and am overweight it could’ve been so much worse. So after 2 weeks I got my Booster, this past Friday. It wiped me out for Saturday and Sunday. But the other days I have met my goals. They would have been small goals earlier in my life but now they’re big, but reasonable for a “good day” health wise for me. But it has actually made chores exciting for me. I look up what to do, alternate rest periods and work periods, check things off as I go and if I get it all done I’m thrilled. Rather than constantly being depressed that I didn’t get enough done. Thanks for being here and the support. It means the world to me.
I think this is a great idea in *theory* but I’m homeschooling 3 kids – 7th, 5th, and 2nd grades – and there’s no way I can do anything else during the week. I keep up with dishes and that’s it. Saturday is when I Do All The Things. It makes for a tiring Saturday, but school takes from about 8-4 to do properly and then it’s time to start dinner! I think this is something that might change for you once all your kids are school age — teaching 4 will make it pretty hard to run errands or batch cook! 🙂 But you do have a great system for this stage. I enjoy your practical posts.
Well, I actually learned this method from Large Family Logistics. So, it’s not mine – I just learn from smart ladies and then spill it back out here. 🙂 Kim has 9 children and started this method when hers were smaller and now some of them are older. She also homeschools and farms with her husband. Her new updated book is coming out this year! 🙂 Wahoo!
Loving this helpful series Stacy! I remember the day we read LHOTP and I read and re-read the page describing Ma’s work week!! Profound. #MaIngallsIsMyHero
She’s mine too!
Hi. I’m curious about your “Daily Tasks” on your printout. When you say “wipe down” kitchen/bathroom counters, sinks, toilets, do you use any kind of cleaner or just a rag/paper towel? How about with the shower? Do you just wipe it down with a rag/towel, or do you, or do you spray it with anything first? Thank you!
Hi Angie! I’m going to cover this in a post all its own, but I didn’t get around to posting it today because our internet was out. I’m hoping to get to it tomorrow. But, to answer part of your questions, I use eCloth to clean the bathroom counters and such. 🙂 In the shower, I just wipe it down with a rag when I’m finished.
Wow, Stacy! You’re like a bottomless well of great ideas. I’m just now getting to this post since I’m also buried in e-mails from blogs I want to get to “when I have time.” Yeah. Like that ever happens…
Anyhoo, I’d vote daily, although you’re probably already doing it because I’m late to the party. 😉
Ha, ha! Yes, I’m doing it daily. And no, I’m not a pit of ideas. I just read a lot of good advice, absorb it and then squeeze it back out here in concentrated form. 🙂
Daily emails would be great!
Thanks, Janelle!
Very timely! I was just talking to my husband about all my grandmother was able to do in her day (making almost all the clothes for a family of 6, canning, cooking at home from scratch 99% of the time, keeping the house clean doing laundry with a ringer washer & no dryer, taking care of 4 children 1 of which was special needs & still found time to be in the word, be at church, baby sit & make the most amazing cakes & desserts !) How was she able to do all this & without ever driving a car?? I’d say #1 she also had daily tasks but a close (even?) second they had no TV and no internet/ iphone….. hum… funny I am seeing a trend of how much time i waste on the internet… I’m going to go do laundry now.. Thanks for the reminder & gentle push 😉
The internet is a deeeeeep hole. I fall into it often. Ha ha! #wheredidthathourgo?
Daily emails would be great! And I second the ironing comment above- I have zero idea what the heck I’m doing. Usually I just throw the shirt back in the dryer with a damp rag and pull it out right away and hang it up.
Ha ha! I make no promises that I know what I’m doing…I just use an iron and get out the visible wrinkles. But, I can try!
I’d love daily emails for this series! 🙂
Thank you, Lisa!
I would love an ironing scope! My mom never- and I mean never- ironed. It’s silly, but I’m not good at it. It takes me forever and my husbands shirts still don’t end up looking as nice as I would hope. I need ironing intervention!!
Really looking forward to the emails next week!
I really don’t do a fancy job – I just get most of the wrinkles out – but I’ll keep that scope idea in mind. Thank you!
Yes to the daily emails!! Loved this post!
Thanks, Emily!
Hi Stacey, Daily emails is fine by me. My other half thinks I’m crazy having a particular day for the “big jobs” (vacuuming and washing our wood floors alone takes a good 2-3hours) but I need that routine to keep on top of everything (hubby works away Monday to Friday – so I’m Mum & Dad to our four rugrats for school, sport & work). Sunday is the only day that I DON’T have to leave the house, so have to admit, I get really annoyed when he wants to go off and do stuff, especially when there is so much maintenance to do around our house that I am not confident in tackling. Any tips on motivating a grumpy and tired Transport (Long-Haul Road-train) Driver, would be ever so appreciated. (have tried the Hunny Do lists – prioritised/costed-time vs money, asked, ranted, involved kids, guilted and now I’ve just given up)
Cheers and thank you Jo’anne xx
When something is really important to me, I sit down and talk with Barry about it – making sure that he knows how important it is to me. And we are generally able to work it out that way. The problem comes when I “assume” Barry knows what I want but he’s just not doing it. Sometimes, we just have to spell it out.
I would love to get daily emails next week!
That seems to be the general consensus. Thanks, Deidre!
Great post! I read that same quote from Little House years ago, and it changed the way I managed my home. I even wrote a book on it called Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers. Go check it out! Thanks for helping women be better at all they have to do. You’re a hoot!
Thanks, Heidi!
Flylady.net has some great organizational tools to help. Have you heard of her? Also, it’s good to have in mind what your husband likes. My husband loves to have dinner ready when he walks in the door and the bed made each day. That’s just his “thing”. So, I try to at least have these two things done each day. Not always successful, but I can try.
Yes – but for whatever reason, I find her kinda overwhelming.
I like the concept of Flylady but I quickly became overwhelmed.
My vote is daily emails too. ?
Great! Thanks for your vote, Larissa!
I enjoy your posts, Stacy. A little humor goes a long way for busy ladies! And, thank you for the recipes…always looking for something different.
Better to laugh than cry! 🙂 Too much crying going on these days. #choosejoy
Great information. I look forward to your posts next week with each day more in depth information.
Thanks!
Sounds like a good idea. I like that you added one load of laundry on the other days because with a family of 6 there is no way I would get all the laundry done in one day!!
Yes! We’ll cover that in depth on Monday.