Homemaking Skills for the Modern Housewife

Traditional Homemaking Skills for the Modern Housewife

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Being a homemaker is a job. And just like any other job there are certain sets of skills that are going to make your life a lot easier – especially when you are in this for the long haul! Here are some traditional homemaking skills that you should implement to make your house more of a home.

Because, let’s face it, no one really “retires” from homemaking! 

If you are a work outside the home mom, you and your husband will have to delegate and share the homemaking duties. Enlist the kids’ help as well. 

Read More: Homemaking Skills Your Son Should Know Before Leaving Home

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Traditional Homemaking Skills

Homemaking Skills: The Big Three 

Read More: Homemaking Skills for the New Homemaker

1. Cooking

The first  of the homemaking skills we need to look at is cooking. I know, to some this word is par with cursing, but it really is necessary at some level. [Unless you are blessed with an amazing income and can hire a personal chef!] The more you can cook at home for your family, the healthier your meals will be and the less they will cost. 

Even if you have an amazing income and can afford a meal delivery subscription – you will still be required to do some meal prep. 

 

Start learning to cook with breakfast. The quality of this meal can make or break someone’s day. Plus, the foods are super basic. Start with frying an egg. Learn how to fix eggs from YouTube! Or scrambled eggs. Or hard boiled eggs. Eggs are full of protein and healthy fats for a great start to your family’s day. Make some simple, healthy overnight oatmeal

As you become comfortable with cooking your breakfast from scratch, try adding cooking another meal completely from scratch. Or check out Katie Kimball’s Kid’s Cook Real Food course for yourself or your kids!

Read More: How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

7 Ways to Fix Hard Boiled Eggs

Cooking for the Freezer: How to Make and Bake Ahead

2. Cleaning

Secondly, your traditional homemaking skills should include cleaning. I know, another curse word. Here again, if you are blessed with an income that can afford a cleaning maid, by all means go for it! 

 

 

Whether you clean up the kitchen after supper or clean up the bathroom when you have a sick kid, cleaning will still be required of you even with a hired maid. 

But you may be so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start. Check out Marla Cilley’s awesome website Fly Lady and walk through her baby steps to a more organized home!

Not only will cleaning help you feel better and more confident about your house, but you will actually make it a home: a place you and your family want to come home to at night. 

Read More: Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home for Spring

Cheap Organization Hacks for Homemakers

Homemaking Hacks for the Lazy Housewife

Being a homemaker is a job - especially when you are in this for the long haul! Here are some traditional homemaking skills that you should implement.

3. Laundry

The last curse word is laundry. Again, with an insane amount of money I’m sure you can hire this out, also. [I don’t think I ever would if I could because I’m not a fan of someone else touching my dirty skivvies. Just sayin’!]

Have fun with Stacy’s freebie from Humorous Homemaking for Taming the Laundry Monster where she offers practical ways to implement a laundry routine that works for you. Otherwise Fly Lady has great tips for laundry, as well. 

To save yourself a headache don’t try to be all natural and homemade-this and $30-that. Just. Do. Laundry. 

After you’ve got doing laundry down pat, then experiment with a natural laundry routine and go as expensive as you want! Just be grateful that you don’t have to do your laundry with a ringer washer or a washboard!

 

 

Read More: My Natural and Affordable Laundry Routine

How to Make Your Own Laundry Soap

Laundry Day

More Traditional Homemaking Skills: Important But Not Imperative

Organizing

Organizing could be synonymous with cleaning. Keeping common areas of your home clean requires some level of organizational skills. But your real organizational skills will be tested when it comes to your pantry or closet. [I’m choosing to ignore that eminent junk drawer.] 

Fly Lady offers great help in her baby steps for organizing as well. Then you and your family must work at “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.” 

Having an organized home makes it relaxing. A haven that your family wants to come home to. It will lower the stress level within your home because people aren’t always losing or looking for things. 

Read More: Cheap Organization Hacks for Homemakers

Accounting

Basic accounting is an important homemaking skill to have because you want to be in charge of your money. As Dave Ramsey says, “You don’t want to run out of money and have too much month left.”

Rarely will you employ a full-time accountant for basic checking and savings transactions. Learn how to balance your checkbook and bank accounts. Reconcile them monthly or weekly even to catch mistakes or problems early. Take six minutes of your time to watch this YouTube video on how to keep a checkbook

Have your husband be in charge of the accounts if you hate the thought of basic
accounting. But still educate yourself in finances so that you and your husband can make money decisions as a team. You will also want to be able to teach your children money management.  

Want to learn how to save money on your grocery budget each month? Use Crystal’s Slash Your Grocery Bill e-book to shed light on money saving tips and hacks. 

One awesome money handling method is the envelope system. Grab your wallet here for easy envelopes!

Read More: How to Be a Joyful Homemaker

 

Bonus Traditional Homemaking Skills

Preserving Food

These bonus homemaking skills aren’t necessary but they sure can save
you money.Traditional Homemaking Skills for the Modern homemaker

Preserving food is one of those frugal kitchen habits that requires a bit of planning ahead but is a big money saver when it comes to meats. Also, if you have a large family it will be more cost effective. 

I find that with my small family I can affordably buy many things my mom always canned or froze. 

Learn how to freeze produce and meat so that you can buy in bulk when it is cheap. Your main supplies needed are only freezer bags or freezer boxes. Canning is also a great way to put away bulk food but requires an investment in jars and canners.

Use the sun or buy a dehydrator to make healthy snacks out of extra apples, bananas, or meat. You can even dry your own herbs and tea by simply hanging it upside down in bunches in a dry, well ventilated area.

Read More: How to Use a Pressure Canner

How to Can Green Beans

How to Freeze Sweet Corn

How to Freeze Rhubarb

Mending

Knowing how to sew on a button or fix a hole can save you money as well. A simple sewing kit is all you need to sew on a button or stitch up a hole. Otherwise, I just use these simple, cheap iron-on patches for a quick fix – especially on pant legs that are hard to get to. Although, you do need to have an iron for these patches. 

Read More:How to Make Your Own Curtains

Baking

Baking isn’t as necessary as cooking because it usually revolves around desserts. Since sweets aren’t a dietary staple I didn’t think it was an essential skill. But if you do like serving desserts, blessing a neighbor with treats or surprising your co-workers on Fridays baking is a great skill to have. 

Making sure your cupboard is stocked with the most common ingredients is the place to start. Then follow any recipe or even watch those cool step-by-step videos that pop up on your Facebook feed. 

Yes, there will be a learning curve, but with practice you can become a confectionary queen!

Read More: Baking Tips and Techniques

How to Manage Your Pantry Inventory

Cooking for the Freezer: How to Make and Bake Ahead

Extra Bonus Traditional Homemaking Skill

Hair Cutting

This skill requires an investment of a quality hair clippers for your men and a hair scissors (that only gets used for hair!) for your ladies. In the end, this skill can save your family a ton of money! [Though the learning curve may be a bit painful on the ego.]

I learned to cut men’s hair by watching my mom cut my dad’s and three brothers’ hair.  I never saw girls’ hair get cut until I was in 8th grade when I got my hair cut for the first time. Ever.

I learned to cut girls’ hair by watching my hair be cut at the salon after that. I even cut my own hair several times. Yeah…I don’t recommend that. You can save yourself the $20 for the salon and just watch a YouTube video.

I have a son I’ll give haircuts to and my husband shaves his head completely so I don’t even have to cut his! 

Traditional Homemaking Skills Bond Your Family

Together your family can take pride in your home and care for the things in it. Get your kids and husband involved in making your house a home! Show them that you are serious about learning and mastering these skills. Teach them as you learn so they can help you.

When you send your kids out into the world, they will already be a step ahead because you will have equipped them with a few traditional homemaking skills! 

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Being a homemaker is a job - especially when you are in this for the long haul! Here are some traditional homemaking skills that you should implement.

Traditional Homemaking Skills for the Modern Housewife

 

Homemaking Skills to Make Your House a Home
Homemaking Skills to Make Your House a Home
Homemaking Skills to Make Your House a Home
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