Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-11
Gaining Time.

IA woman from Washington county this state writes
rs follows to Farm and Homel
have had some experience in housekeep
ing. Often il has seemed to me there was no
time for rest, only as night closed in, causing
me to stop here | may say that frequently
I have labored more than half the night to
get caught up with some of my work. Then
l knew very little how to save time or make
the most of it. One week passes, then an
other, and one can hardly tell why, the time
in each is passed, they accomplishing so
little of what they had planned to do. 1t is
because they do not have sufficient order in
managing more than one kind of work at
once
Here is one way have to gain time in the
morning-and one hour then, when ] am re-
freshed by sleep and strong, is worth two in
the afternoon, when / am tired and need
rest-that of preparing most of the break
fast the night before; such as getting the po-
tatoes ready and the meat cut If coffee is
to be had, | put it soaking so l can get it
settling sooner. If warm Indian cakes are
thought best, biscuit or buckwheat cakes, !
see the meal, flour or buckwheat is sifted If
you never tried this way, you will readily see
what a help it will be- Then all farmers
wives have more or less milk to skim at this
time of year, portion of it to warm for
calves, now and earlier in the season. This
way gives ample time for it without extra
pushing.
Another way is very essential-that of
keeping or having the table set the night be-
fore. There are articles for table use that
are used three times day, l might say ev-
cry meal time. Why is it not lust as handy,
while it saves the handling three extra times,
to wash and place them at once on the table
for qUaiO no In mt thpY,, atrat- II, q nttr,
board. Many pieces you would not move,
only as you would make a change in the ia
blecloth Some say dust and flies are in the
way. Have a screen thick enoughto exclude
the dust, and it will the flies. In so doing !
can get most of my baking for the day done
before breakfast. | think that is quite help
on time. Most men do not want their break
fast until all their morning chores are done.
Where there is much milking they do not
breakfast until about 7. There are two to
three hours for a woman to accomplish
much in the cool Of the day If no baking
for the day is to be done, then there is a good
chance to get considerable hopping done,
which always drags if left till afternoon.
When you are TO have baked meat and
beans, be sure the beans are picked over the
night before and put to soak, the meat put
freshening Then the tedious work will
the next day, always put it sponging the
night before. l knead mine up very hard,
so it saves all that disagreeable sticking to
the hands and board. l mix it up in an eight
quart pan, place towel over the dough,
then turn a siX-quart pan over and set in
warm place. 1t will rise faster when cover
ed. My first work in the morning is to
knead down my bread. AS soon as it is
raised / again put it in the bread pans to
rise the third time. Some mornings / have
had it baked and out of the way by half
past seven or eight.
If il is Monday morning with the prepara-
ton for breakfast made the night before,
how it helps along with the washing There
is much time and labor saved in the driving
and ironing of clothes. In summer let the
white clothes soak until night then hang
them out to get the dew. Soaking and the
dew keeps them white, while the hot sun
scorches them, makes them yellow and look
faded. Be sure to hang them in a breezy
place, so the heaviest articles get the most
wind. Just keep little watch while YOU
are hanging out other clothes, and as soon as
dry bring in and fold. If they are left TO
flap long in the wind, they are worn, some
times badly torn, necessitating them to be
sprinkled, if ever ironed smooth Ordinary
sprinkling is entirely useless 1t takes much
timeto sprinkle, and more time TO iron sprink-
led clothes, Fold sheets separately; pillow
cases and tabe-cloths together. Fold towels
once, lay one above the other till you have them
all then roll tightly. Do your starching with
cold starch. Let them stand two hours, and
you can iron very quickly Unroll the tow
els as you folded them Commence ironing
and folding. Soon you will think it almost
fun instead of drudgery; besides saving the
time of taking one from the pile, then an
other In ironing one you press them all
each time. do believe in saving labor, but
must have my towels ironed and save con-
fusion. 1t brings better order.
In passing from one room to another, be
sure and see if any article needs to be car
ried out or in as it may be. That will save
steps in, making the change purposely. If
we all would think more what is to be done
next while performing a piece of work, Sc
as soon as the present one is finished we
could take hold with the same interest we
had while doing the first, it would help much
in dispatching our work. l save myself all
the steps l can, and use more headwork and
less steps than once did. The daily pac-
tice of the above l have found very valua-
BILE. intend to do my heaviest work for
the day all in the forenoon, and rest after
dinner by doing the sewing for my family.