In my lifetime, homemaking has fallen in and out of favor. Remnants of militant feminism still try to convince us that caring for our homes as a primary vocation is either lazy or unfulfilling. However, I find we’re generally more accepting of one another in recent years. (At least on the point of homemaking.) For whatever it is worth, the pandemic changed the tone of mockery of homemaking and even homeschooling. Also, there are so many beautiful, creative pursuits within the realm of homemaking shown on YouTube and other platforms. I love seeing the resurgence of the art of homemaking.
The truth is that whether we love keeping up the home or detest it, someone has to do the laundry and dishes. If it’s something that must be done, why not do it with excellence and as much enjoyment as possible? Here are a few tips for those of us who want to try for that happy medium:
View homemaking as your creative hobby. If you decided to suddenly take up painting, few people would criticize you. Painting is an art and a lovely way to express your creativity. While I’m not suggesting you give up all hobbies but homemaking, look at the ways you can practice your hobbies within the home. Cooking, baking, organizing, decorating, furniture restoration, antiques — all of these are vocations as well as hobbies. And all of them can be explored on a regular basis within the home.
Decide what you love and excel at it. Even if you want to explore creative pursuits within the home, you likely won’t enjoy all tasks necessary to keeping the home. Perhaps you love cooking, but you hate cleaning the bathroom. Or you love decorating, but you hate planning menus. Choose a few tasks that you actually enjoy and practice them as a creative hobby, pursuing excellence. Those tasks will bring joy and meaning to your day.
Automate and simplify the rest. What about those tasks you simply cannot get excited about? While you’re focusing on the tasks you love, do all you can to automate or simplify the rest. For example, I’m not a fan of grocery shopping at this point in my life. I order my groceries online and pick them up whenever I am able. Some things, like cleaning the kitchen, just can’t be automated unless you hire help. If you can afford to hire help in some areas, that may be a wonderful option! By all means, delegate tasks to your children when you can. In our house, every child does their own laundry. It is simple for me to keep up with just the towels and laundry for my husband and me. Regardless of how well your family helps out, there are always tasks that only you can do. Simplifying your systems will make those things less daunting. Get one set of dishes to make dishwashing go faster. Don’t spend hours planning meals if that’s not your thing. Subscribe to a meal planning service or write down two weeks’ worth of meals your family likes and rotate them.
Remind yourself of the value of homemaking. If you have lost a mother or grandmother, most likely you have fond memories of favorite recipes they prepared or how they always had lovely pillows and a warm throw on the couch or how you always knew they’d be there when you got home from school. Often, those things we remember the most are tied to the home in which we visited or grew up. On the days when I just don’t feel like mopping the floor or cooking another meal, I try to focus on this reality. Those are the things my children will remember most.
Tie homemaking to your love for your people. I hope you’ve discovered something about homemaking that you enjoy. However, if you really can’t think of anything you like about keeping your home, think of your people. Those items you are putting back in their places belong to a husband or children whom you love. As you fix that Pot Roast, think of the family that will enjoy it. Even if you live alone, think about the joy you have coming home to a tidy, clean-smelling home after work. I heard of one mother, who has her prayer time as she does laundry. As she folds each family member’s clothes, she prays specifically for that person.
Realize the freedom you have. If you are blessed enough to be able to have a home to care for and blessed enough to be able to care for it as a primary vocation, don’t brush that aside. As a side note, you may be able to use that home to bless others who are not so fortunate. You have freedom to manage your home according to your own personal strengths and talents. There’s no one to give a report to and no year-end evaluations. You are the owner, manager and designer of your own enterprise of caring for the home you have. Make it a lovely one!