The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-05-11
System In House Cleaning,

Was there ever man who did not shud-
der when his wife began to talk about
cleaning house?" If there was I have
yet to see him.
But house. cleaning has begun to lose
its terrors for me since my better half put
little plan of hers into practice.
"You see," she said to me last spring, u
think there is great deal of unnecessary
work made in cleaning house the wayl We
have been brought up to. have been
thinking it all over, and believe I see a
better way. What's the sein having every
thing topsy-turvey for whole week.
Why not take a room at time, and finish
it before another is attacked? I'm going to
try my plan and see how it works..
1T seems to me have read about some
woman who once cleaned house in that
way" said. "Or was it tina t tho coming
woman would do it in this way? II the lat
ter, who knows but you are the coming wo-
man We have read go much about, my dearl
At any rate, if you make the house. cleaning
period any more bearable than it has been
heretofore you deserve the thanks of all
mankind. Go ahead and try your plan, and
may success attend your efforts"
So Better Half went ahead. But I did
not know when she began. Gradually a
sense of freshness and clean paint. dawned
upoA me. One day awoke fully to the
fact that the house cleaning WAS over. It
had all been done under my eyes, but so
quietly, that had not been aware Of what
Was going on.
How did you accomplish the miracle?"
asked.
"Well, you see, explained my wife, Il
took TO )m at tine, instead Of beginning
with the whole house. began up stairs.
We took up the carpets and put them out
room. After that we whitewashed. Then
wa rnt tho carpets back. and replaced the
furniture-and one room was finished.
We took everything leisurely. 1t didn't
seem necessary to be in a hurry. as it does
when all the house is wrong end up, and
the men are clamoring for place to Rit
down in, unmolested by the raids of the
housewife and help.
When we had one room in order, we
rested for day, and then began on another.
By working in this way, We did not tire
ourselves out as we used to do during the
first two days Of house. cleaning, making it
necessary, often, to suspend operations un-
til we felt able to 60 on again. At no time
was more than one room in disorder. and
at no tine were we very much more tired
with our work than on ordinary days. In
the old way, every night was expected to
find woman completely tired out. By
taking room at time, the work is not
only lightened, confusion avoided and vex-
alton saved, but it is easy to do the work
much more thoroughly as the attention is
confined to small space, and any thing
that needs doing will not be likely o:er-
looked and neglected. Why, I
felt just as fresh on the last day,
when the cellar was cleaned and white
washed as grand wind-up of the house,
cleaning season, as I did when we began
operations. Usually, am sick for week
after, or if not sick, too tired to do any
thing save think Of, and dread next years
work of the same kind. My plan has
proved grand success. wish you'd tell
the readers of the papers about it. Tell
them it isn't necessary to wear themselves
and their husbands tempers out by at
tempting to clean every room in the house
at the same time"
And have done as she wished me to. I
endorse her ideas on the subject, knowing
whereof sperk.