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Homemaking is a great way to serve our families! As new homemakers, we may find ourselves trying SO hard to keep our house clean, cook tasty and nutritious meals, and do whatever else we deem as necessary domestic duties. If we sit and rest or spend too much time on Facebook, we may find ourselves feeling really guilty that we are not hard at work, but honestly, we all need a break now and then.
Hopefully, by now you have an understanding of what we at The Homemaker’s Cottage consider the perfect homemaker (hint: it’s not what you think!) My vision of being a perfect homemaker may not be the exact same as yours, and that is fine because homemaking is not a contest.
Maybe all you are able to do is wash dishes and fold laundry, whereas someone else can clean her whole house in one afternoon. Nobody is better than another, and we can’t compare ourselves to other homemakers because we are all different, with different strengths, abilities, and weaknesses.
Whether you are a seasoned homemaker or one who is just starting out, I’m sure we can all agree that it is hard work. Many people think homemakers watch TV all day or something like that, so they can’t understand when we say we’re tired or have no energy.
I try to make sure my house is always tidy and ready for visitors, but sometimes I make homemaking more of a priority than it should be.
Wait, what?
There are days that I am so tired from a restless sleep (thanks to barking dogs next door!) or am not feeling well, but I am determined to make my house clean. Other days I try to do too much and find myself ready for bed just after dinner because I wore myself out. Why do I do that? Because I become obsessed with making sure my husband comes home to a clean house. I don’t want him seeing dishes in the sink or dust bunnies on the floor. I don’t want him to walk to our room and see a basket of unfolded clothes on the bed, or toothpaste spackle in the sink.
I become too focused on how I think things should look, that I forget about another appearance…mine.
Sure, the house may look nice, but I am a walking zombie with crazy hair and tired eyes who can barely make conversation because I am so weary. And in all honesty, my husband doesn’t really notice all those “messes” in the house like I do!
It’s okay to give yourself some downtime throughout the day. It’s okay to spend a few extra minutes in a hot bath or shower. It’s okay to read an extra chapter in your favorite book. If we as homemakers don’t make a conscious effort to care for ourselves, how can we have the strength to tackles all the duties involved in being the keeper of the home? While putting others before oneself is certainly an admirable quality, there has to be a fine line between meeting our family’s needs and avoiding our own.
Do what you enjoy
My suggestion is to take some time and spend it doing something you enjoy, or that relaxes you. For me, that is reading or knitting, which I could easily spend all day doing!
There was a time that I didn’t read a single book for months because I felt like I should be doing more important things, but reading is something I have always loved. I had been so focused on creating the perfect home that I didn’t allow myself to do something I enjoyed and had been missing. Since then I have made it a priority to set aside time for reading every day and am careful to choose books that will enrich, uplift, or encourage my Christian life.
I certainly don’t spend hours reading (although, I sure would like to!), but I spend a few minutes reading at breakfast and lunch. Then once my chores are done for the day I give myself permission to enjoy an hour or so of reading. Not only does the downtime give me a much-needed break, but since I am careful to select only God-honoring books, I know that I am feeding my mind and spirit, while also doing something I love.
Think about your day as a homemaker. Do you find yourself wrung out and tired? I hope you see the validity of taking some time for yourself, in any way that you see fit. The trick to maintaining a balance between meeting your family’s needs and your own is to still serve others first but not to completely ignore yourself.
If you are struggling to find time for yourself, I suggest establishing either a homemaking routine or a schedule.
Hello, friends! I’m Christina, a twenty-something wife and homemaker from rural Ontario, Canada. I am a full time homemaker and I feel like it truly is my calling. When I have spare time I enjoy reading Christian fiction, blogging about homemaking and modest fashion, sewing and knitting, hiking or snowshoeing with my husband, and spending time with my chickens.
Hi!!
I’m interested! I’m a grand mother, but once I was a homemaker. Those were the happiest days of my life actually.
These days I think there is a shortage of homemakers in developed countries!
In the USA there are only 30 per cent of full time homemakers left. I think it’s part of the problem. I learned that traditional families was a means of preventing Oligharchy. I learned it from MIT. It goes all the way back to Greece where democracy was born. The mothers of that day were called “The Keepers of Athens gates. They were celebrated and music, art and literature were produced to honor her. Greece accelerated in maths and sciences too. Later as people moved away from traditional family it was called a nuclear family. I think they are the foundation of your country like atom or cells, and I think the unseen work they do is what the rest of your culture is built on. I do believe they keep oligharchs at bay too, as they live more moderate lives and the Oligharchs don’t profit. I also think with women in the home it allows men to be able to negotiate their wages with employers, which makes them more valuable, because they are no longer a dime a dozen. (Supply and demand). I think it returns power back to the people, and it springs from the bottom up rather than from the top down.
I’m growing old and the clock is ticking for me. Please carry on the culture of homemaking and fire up its value, that I believe it’s lost.