Vintage Housewife...

[GOK]

...who'd be one eh?

Today I decided to take the day off work and be a domestic goddess. I got up with my partner (no, I shall call refer to him as my husband today, since I am being a vintage housewife!) and whilst he was in the shower, I ironed him a shirt, pressed his trousers and breakfast ready and waiting for him by the time he was dressed.

I kissed him goodbye at the door and wished him a good day at the office (Honey!) and then set about doing the housework.

So far, I've cleaned my kitchen from top to bottom, washed, dried and ironed three loads of laundry, tidied and cleaned the middle floor (front room, bathroom, hallway...but admittedly not my atelier!) and now I am preparing a four course meal for this evening when his sister and her husband visit.

I haven't even started on the top floor of the house or the staircases yet and I am worn out! My poor back is killing me and twinges if I even look at the hoover now! And look at the time - 2.30 pm; I've got five hours to finish the house, the meal and get myself showered, changed, coiffed and made up.

How on earth did women in the golden era manage? And raise a family too? When my children were young I did everything that a 'good wife' should, although I drew the line at tying a ribbon in my hair! Where did I get the time for all that? Were there in fact, more hours in the day 20 years ago?

Darn, I need to get a cleaner! I can't be doing with all this malarky!

My day usually consists of getting up just as Kevin is leaving for work (around 8am), having brekkie whilst checking emails and doing general admin tasks. Then I'll go to my atelier and there I'll stay until Kevin gets home from work between 7 and 8pm.

Cooking is shared between both of us or more likely, we go out to a restaurant! We both do the housework at weekends but frequently find it considerably boring, so get it done as soon as possible! Luckily neither of us are messy, so there's not that much to do.

Which makes me wonder why it has taken me so *&@^^% long to do the chores today! [huh]

Oh well, best get back to it I suppose - I still have to make a starter, fruit punch, dessert oh, and the pastry for the mushroom pie!

Tomorrow I may look retro but I shall definitely be a thoroughly moder Millie! lol

 

[Archie Goodwin]

House husband?

This time last year I got to spend a couple of months as a house husband courtesy of Hurricane Katrina. I had to have something to do with my time, especially as my wife was still working, so I decided to try and be Mr. Mom. Take care of our son, cook the meals, do the laundry, clean, etc. It was really hard for the first few days, but then I got routine down, and it was pretty easy. I mean, when you are at home doing this every day without having to worry about work, you don't actually have to do all of the cleaning chores every day. My mother was a single mother for most of my life, so she had to work and do all of the "Mom" stuff taking care of the house. Now she is retired and stays with us several months every year. She says that taking care of the baby and the housework is a lot easier than her old job, and especially a lot easier than trying to work and take care of kids.

 

[~landgirl~]

I try so hard to be a vintage housework but I am just too darn lazy. Your day sounds incredibly tiresome! What is your secret?? I would love any tips on how to be so motivated!!

 

[Lady Day]

Keep in mind that they wouldnt do everything in one day. The ladies would do a bit a day (as in sweep the living room or dust the den), then re do it again in a few days, or a week later. Heavy used areas (bathroom, kitchen) were cleaned everyday. But even then, floors may have been every other day, or three days.

There is also gardening, and the like. While something was baking, they would sweep the floor, or scrub the tub. While the baby was napping, take an iron to the fresh line dried laundry, etc.

So in prespective, you were doing tons more in ONE day that you had rationed out for yourself. Oh they did TONS, but their plan to tackle it may have been better.

LD

 

[Avalon]

Keep in mind that they wouldnt do everything in one day. The ladies would do a bit a day

Lady Day, this brings to mind those cute kitchen towels that'd tell you what each day was designated for:

The "Dishtowel" Schedule

This vintage towel has a "T" for Tuesday - complete with ironing motif.

 

[Polka Dot]

I've gone on these house cleaning benders before (a.k.a. "Saturday" when I was a teenager) and they can definitely wear you out!

I'll echo the idea of a weekly schedule. My mom tells me how it was for her growing up in the late 40s and early 50s, and basically, my grandma had a schedule: vacuuming daily, laundry on Sunday, ironing on Monday, dusting twice a week, etc.

I hope your dinner turned out well!

 

[GOK]

Oh, I hear what you're saying - back in my domestic goddess days, I used to ration everything out, partly because I grew 90% of our food. The gardening took an awul lot of time, so I had to be very organised.

That said, at least I had the convenience of modern appliances (no dishawasher though); how did/do people cope without tumble dryers and automatic washing machines?

Looking back though, I'm utterly amazed at how much I used to get done! Time seems to be like money - the more you have the more you waste! When I had very little money, I was incredibly good at budgeting but now I don't have to worry about it, I don't really budget at all (the fact that we eat out several times a week instead of cooking is testament to this!). It's the same with time - because I don't have crops growing, kids needing feeding & attention, or a husband that demands his food on the table at a certain hour, I tend to spend far more time working than perhaps I should. Still, it's nice!

The dinner was a huge success but I must admit that by the time we finally got to bed (around midnight), I was completely worn out!

Today OTOH, I'm being lazy - it's 8.47am and we're both still in bed, playing with our laptops! lol

 

[Elaina]

Well we don't have a washing machine, and I don't like putting my clothes in public washers and dryers. I have a countertop hand washer (like you use for campfires) and since I live in an apartment, I hang my clothes on the INSIDE, usually in my bedroom.

You make do. I can wash 5 shirts or a pair of jeans and 2 shirts at a time. Underwear gets washed seperately, and I DO do some actual hand washing. I've learned to do 2-3 "loads" a day and I keep up with laundry pretty well. I just do that before I do anything else, and after I clean my room. I prefer clean clothes, and since I make 85% of the clothing we wear, I prefer to hand wash most of it anyway to keep it looking new longer (it's a paradox: do I wash for convience or wash for nice clothes? Then do I want to share germs or work harder?)

It sucks. I keep telling my husband we need a house.

 

[crystalface]

I was a domestice goddess yesterday, kind of. I only have a small area to clean, but it took me at least 2 hours to clean it all, really well. (I have a teeny studio room in a basement, and a teeny bathroom) But I also did three loads of laundry, so that took another couple of hours. The only thing I wasn't able to do was cook a nice dinner along with a lovely cheesecake desert for my imaginary husband (I really would have made the cheesecake though. I just lost my recipe for it though. *tear*)

 

[Lady Day]

The only thing I wasn't able to do was cook a nice dinner ...for my imaginary husband

You have one of those too!?
Mine is named Frank-cool-McBeans. He fights crime.

LD

 

[Rosie]

I would totally be a vintage housewife. I am totally versed in the "womanly arts". Tonight I am having a guest for dinner, hence my being up so early. I have to clean my house because I didn't do so yesterday, I have to pretty-fy myself and still make a three course meal and dessert. The crazy thing is, othere than the cleaning, I LOVE to do this stuff.

 

[LizzieMaine]

These days I do most of my housewifery at houses other than my own. Last night for example, I went to work at the theatre to find that the janitor had sicked out and the place was swamped in empty cups, popcorn, and squooshed Jujyfruits from the Friday night show. So the house manager, the popcorn gal, the ticket seller, and I grabbed vacuums and carpet sweepers and did the fastest house-cleaning you'll ever see before the audience arrived. (And I was even wearing heels and pearls!)

Meanwhile, at home, I have dishes in the sink, wastebaskets that need to be emptied, bottles that need to be returned, a bed that needs to be changed, screens that need to be taken down, and a closet in desperate need of rearranging. Woman's work is never done.

 

[GOK]

Tonight I am having a guest for dinner,

Aaahhh, we had mushroom pie....lol Sorry, couldn't resist that one!

The crazy thing is, othere than the cleaning, I LOVE to do this stuff.

Absolutely - I adore cooking! I get such satisfaction from people appreciating the food I put in front of them. Cleaning.....I like the destination but not the journey!

Elaina - see, that's my point....I don't want to have to do several loads a day! I tend to do three a week (plus handwashing my lingerie and a few other items) and that's quite enough!

When my children were babies, I only had a twin tub and spinner - the laundry quite often took several hours, especially if I was doing nappies. I've done my share of laborious laundry!

Crystal and Lady D - my friend has an imaginary husband; his name is Johnny. Depp. I did however, feel the need to inform her that the only reason she has him is because I turned him down! lol

Lizzie - doing all that in high heels and pearls? That's what you call style!

 

[crystalface]

You have one of those too!?
Mine is named Frank-cool-McBeans. He fights crime.

LD

Mine is John Johnson, he's a tall dark and handsome fella. Maker of film-noir. lol

 

[crystalface]

Crystal and Lady D - my friend has an imaginary husband; his name is Johnny. Depp. I did however, feel the need to inform her that the only reason she has him is because I turned him down! lol

*sigh*

 

[GOK]

Heheh! lol

 

[CanadaDoll]

(Sighs Fondly) Yeah well, I just couldn't decide between Johnny and Orlando so I had to be diplomatic and chose nietherlol

I know what you mean with your back aching GOK, any time my parents go on holiday, I become "Mother" I do all the cooking, Laundry, Cleaning for my older sister, and younger brother,:rage: both fully capable of taking care of themselves. Although I wonder about that.

I look at it this way, when I move out to Ireland for school, I will be neat, tidy, well dressed, and well fed. All on a budget too!

I have found that baking soda is an excellent cleaner for tubs, tiles, and sinks though, cheap and environmentally friendly

 

[crystalface]

I have found that baking soda is an excellent cleaner for tubs, tiles, and sinks though, cheap and environmentally friendly

I'd love to use baking soda... But I can't be bothered with scrubbing. I'm a busy girl so I use Tilex Fresh Shower and Tilex Mold and Mildew sprays. For the sink and toilet I use Scrubbing Bubbles wipes. I need convenience.

 

[CanadaDoll]

I'd love to use baking soda... But I can't be bothered with scrubbing. I'm a busy girl so I use Tilex Fresh Shower and Tilex Mold and Mildew sprays. For the sink and toilet I use Scrubbing Bubbles wipes. I need convenience.

That's me too, but I found if you douse the baking soda with vinegar, let it foam around a little (like those grade school science volcanoes it's actually kinda fun! ) then wipe a bit and rinse, shiny shiny and clean. I really only scrub when it's exceptionally bad, I'm just a little too lazy for that