Evening star., 1953-01-16
Readers Clearing House
IDEAS OFFERED.


I have enjoyed so much
reading the discussion on
household schedules in recent
RICH columns. I am clipping
them all for mounting in my
homemaking notebooks.
1 have several observations
to make One most funda-
mental one is that a time
table for household tasks is
custom-tailored to that par
ticular homemaker and her
household. 1t cannot be
copied, but can be used only
as an example for other home
makers. In this way, how
ever, it is of great value, and
certain portions. may be sue
cessfully adapted.
It is no secret that home
making is whale of a job
with almost endless variety.
Some of its componentS are
boring and irksome, but many
are delightful and interesting.
How the homemakers feel
about the various jobs she
does, is subject to individual
variation, but it is my feeling
that she tends to make hard
work of tasks she dislikes. and
the jobs she dislikes she does
not do we'll. I think that skill
routs dislike and skill can be
acquired. If you find a task
hard-face it with the queS-
ton, How can I do it bet
ter?" I believe in this way
the distaste will fade as skill
improves. .
I think it is also important
to recognize that never being
done is the very nature OF a
homemaker's job. Floors you
waxed to cleaning brightness
last week are already ac-
cumulating scuff marks, the
same clothes turn up week
after week in the clothes ham
per. If daily cooking and
dishwashing are getting you
down, try to take the larger
view that serving good food
is essential to the health OF
your family.
Planning is important. Take
time to decide what you are
going to do, when and how.
I keep a master marketing list.
a cleaning check list, day-by-
day notes of jobs to be done,
etc. Homemaking involves
such a wealth of detail that I
find it necessary to let lists
remind me instead of trying
to remember everything my
self.
Favorite tricks of my own
are really very simple. I cook
in patches several times a
week, laying the foundation
for several meals. I wash a
load in my automatic washer
almost every day. iron several
times a week. Mending is COM
bined with a weekly TV show.
I try to finish my daily house
work - routine Strengthening
plus some special cleaning
by noon. spend the early aft
ernoon sewing, reading or en-
joying some hobby and rest
ing. Before retiring I straight
en- the downstairs rooms, put
away the drained dishes, fix
lunches to take and in other
ways prepare for the follow
ing morning. An early start
in the day gives me added i'm
petus to getting my work done.
One of the most helpful
booklets I know of is Time
Management for Home
makers" published by the
Household Finance Co. A very
complete text for homemakers
is How to Keep House." by
Mary Davis Gillies. In Love
Is no Luxury" a rather mis-
leading title for a book which
is a study in strengthening
of the family, the author,
Marjory Louise Bracher, says,
good housekeeping and good
family management are in
themselves expressions of love.
They are a form of steward
ship" Let that be an answer
to the women who cry, II hate
housework! It's drudgery, pure
and simple. monotonous. bor-
ing and unappreciated." Sure
ly we have all heard these ex-
pressions or similar ones from
homemakerS, just as surely
never from members of RICH.
X X \
DUST PROBLEM?
mrs. J. M. D., GditherSburg)
Could any Of your readers
help me with a dust problem?
I am allergic to lint and house
dust. My pillows are no prob
lem as I put plastic covers on
them but the blankets are a
lot of trouble, when I shake
them in the dark then put
on my f1ashlight, can see
the lint all over the place
hang them out, also shake
them often. I want some
thing dustproof that will not
cost too much.