I didn't understand the significance of caring for a home until I gave up working for a living and started building a slower life which involved housework. In the beginning I thought I was focused on a series of tasks that had to be done on a daily, weekly or monthly basis but about two or three weeks later it clicked and it all made sense to me. I wasn't just doing a group of individual chores, housework was helping me create a home. I could see then that the cooking and baking were connected to the grocery shopping, gardening, chickens, the budget, recycling and family gatherings; cleaning was connected to the laundry, making soap, laundry liquid, green cleaners, home maintenance and the budget; the chickens were connected to the garden, recycling, cooking and the budget, and so forth. The budget was connected to everything. The separate tasks of housework made more sense when I realised it was like a patchwork and the elements worked together to create a simple lifestyle and a better life.
Looking after a family and the family home is one of the hardest jobs around and unfortunately, many of us don't give it the respect it deserves. It's often thought of as being domestic drudgery - hard work that never ends. It's true that housework never ends but if you want to live a simpler life in a home that's a safe haven, doing housework will enable you to do it. If you don't do the work, everything stays the same.
But you can take it in stages.
I keep forgetting to drink enough water so I fill this litre jug every morning and make sure I drink it all before lunch. After lunch it's filled again and I drink that litre during the afternoon. It's working so far.
I don't want you to follow what I do because I have the time to do a lot more than I used to do when I was a working mum and my sons lived at home. I think stay-at-home mums and dads and retired folk could easily do their own version of what I do. If you're trying to simplify, identify the stage of life you're at, work out the time you have available and do what you can with the time you have. One thing's for sure, you'll be able to do something. It could be making your own laundry liquid (it takes 10 minutes), baking a cake each week for school lunches, menu planning, once a week cooking from scratch or any number of things. Pick one thing and start doing it. Once you get that under your belt, add something else . When you transition to a different stage - maybe your kids leave home or you work shorter hours - you can take on more. It's all up to you.
Always focus on being thrifty and do what you can to save money. Reducing your debt will give you more options, life will be less stressful and you can move towards paying for everything when you have the cash, not on credit. There are strategies you can use to help you pay off debt, if you search for "paying off debt" or "budgeting" in my search bar you'll find the ones I, and thousands of others, use. It's not easy but the feeling you get when you pay off your mortgage or credit cards is indescribably wonderful.
Make your home what you want it to be. No one will come in and offer to do that for you, it's one of your power tasks and it can make or break you. All the time you put into your home will make you a different person. It will open you up to the deeper understanding of what home is, it will slow you down to and help you to relax, it will give you a better understanding of debt and it will give you and your family a place where they feel safe. And in these uncertain times, everyone should have that. All the ordinary tasks it takes to make my home the place I want it to be, as well as the thinking, relaxing and silence I cultivate every day changed me for the better. At the beginning of this I had no clue that would happen and it was one of the many things that surprised and delighted me.
My home has become a centre point for me, I am made content and self-reliant by the work I do. I reclaimed my independence here and discovered how to live to my potential. The slower pace helps you see what might be ahead - both the good and the bad. It may not be everyone's choice doing household chores but I have been enriched by it and I doubt I would be as happy as I am without meaningful work to do every day. I don't want to live a life where I don't have to do any work, and I don't want to be dragged down by it either. I know now that if I do the work here that makes my home comfortable and safe, in return I get this feeling of sublime contentment. And I am thankful that homemaking slowed me down enough to discover that.
EXTRA READING:
- Meal prepping is booming
- Knitting and Nalbinding - here's what we know ...
- Old, broken stool restoration
- 92 year old grandmother at the edge of the world
- About 13 years ago Hanno painted our roof with solar-reflective white paint, here’s why
- Home Maintenance - the roof
I hope you're doing well now that we're settling into our cold and hot seasons. We've had record amounts of rain this year and the bush and pine forests surrounding my home have never looked better. Kerry and Jamie are coming over tomorrow and I'm looking forward to a good weekend. I hope you have a great weekend too. Stay safe. xx
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Your words are like a gentle breeze washing over me, reminding me to slow down and focus on what’s meaningful to me. Have a wonderful weekend. Here in Perth we’ve also been having some welcome rain. Autumn is a beautiful time of year. Leiani
ReplyDeleteBeautiful way to put it Leiani -- I feel the sand about Rhonda's posts. ❤️ from spring 🌱 🌸 in the UK
DeleteHi Rhonda, a lovely explanation of a philosophy that have helped me and others find the lifes real meaning away from the commercial noise around us. Yes it is soup season and I am matching lids to bases to have my freezer containers ready for my first batch of pumpkin soup, then maybe a spicy Italian tomato based. Nothing better than hot soup with a toasted cheese sandwich while rugged up on a cold blustery afternoon. Cheers
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has always valued homemaking, your post was beautiful and it gave validation to the workings of a home which returns to us, peace of
ReplyDeleteMind and simplicity.
In doing homework, you're creating a better home for you and the people who might live with you in your house. But what about the rest of humanity?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand your question, Petra.
DeleteI read your Blog in Germany. Here is spring und I have many to do with gardening. I am happy, that i can work outside. In the cold time I worked mostly inside the houe, bit now - I am so happy - i can also work outside again.
ReplyDeleteThanks für your post! It is that, what i feel day for day. contentment.
I think you're a perfect example of working within your circle of influence, rather than fretting about your circle of concern.
ReplyDeleteIf we work to improve things in our circle of influence, it grows bigger. If we spend our time fretting about the rest of humanity, and do nothing, then our circle of influence grows smaller.
Your work has influenced thousands of people! So by quietly working in your own space, you've done a great deal to help humanity!
Hello Rhonda, I'm so glad you're blogging regularly again and what beautiful, encouraging ones they are too. I love all the delicious foods you're enjoying and freezing for later Gracie is such a devoted mouser , I hope she keeps them under control for you this season. I needed the reminder about housework being all connected to the aspects of our home and lives. I love a clean home but I fall short in the practice of it. As I washed the lounge room windows this morning, I was so thankful of the Autumn light on them and looking out at my front orchard and happy hens through them. Such a simple thing but satisfying. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouraging us following behind you . ❤❤
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful post. Sometimes we need a nudge to get us into gear again. Your blog does that for me 😉 Have a wonderful time with Kerry and Jamie ❤️
ReplyDeleteAppreciate all the ideas you share...recipes, etc. Thanks for the encouragement!!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Dear Rhonda, thank you so much for another meaningful and beautiful blog. I have followed you for several years and when I was working with children still at home I did what I could but admit to feeling frustrated at times as I wanted to do more! However, 2 years ago I decided, due to various reasons including being very burnt out, to leave paid employment. I was encouraged by the fact that you and Hanno survived without your income. I re-read your blog and books and have gained so much insight from your experience. You write in 'The Simple Home' that 'my home mended my broken spirit' and that is exactly my lived experience. Home has the power to heal in so many ways. I will never be able to thank you enough for the impact you have had on my life. You lead by example and living simply does change us for the better. It also reduces our impact on the planet and provides us with greater opportunity to build meaningful relationships. Simple living and homemaking, I believe, make this world a better place - Carolyn xx
ReplyDeleteYes, Carolyn, I agree, simple living and homemaking can make the world a better place. I think many people are hesitant to dive in because if they leave a job they might not get it back or they have unknown fears that "something" might happen. I've found, and I think your comment demonstrates it too, that we can overcome most things by working hard, budgeting, looking after ourselves and our homes. I was had no clue what would happen when I closed down my writing business but I discovered that the more we work we did here - cooking from scratch, baking, making cleaners, stockpiling etc. the less we needed to spend buying food and other supplies. Over the years I've received many emails from readers who, with their partners, decided that one of them would continue working and one would do the housework and possibly start a family. Almost all of them said it was the best decision for them and they'd thrived with one at home. I believe that almost anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself to take that first step. Thanks for telling your story, Carolyn. It helps show what is possible. xx
DeleteI thought of this post today when our groceries were delivered - usually I rush to put everything away and do it in a really haphazard, cranky way but today I decided to take my time, putting everything in carefully and neatly, wiping shelves before putting the new food in. It made such a difference to how I felt about it afterwards!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love that, Cal. I'm so glad you slowed yourself down and reaped the benefits.
DeleteI was surprised by the comment, "In doing homework, you're creating a better home for you and the people who might live with you in your house. But what about the rest of humanity?" As others have pointed out, Rhonda's blog has had an impact on people around the world by sharing how her life changed through simple living. Some of those changes involved environmental improvements she and her husband made to their own home (solar panels, water tanks, using appliances that use less energy, etc.), but Rhonda also used her blog to provide readers with links to articles concerning environmental issues. This comment also implies that if a person is concerned with working in their home, they don't have any interest in helping humanity at large. That makes no sense to me in general, and no sense at all with respect to Rhonda. I suggest that the commenter look in the archives and read a post that Rhonda made on January 29, 2010. In this post she describes the volunteer work she did at her Neighborhood Centre. I recall that Rhonda volunteered with the Centre for many years. I'm pasting in a few parts from this post that I found interesting: "Our Centre is unfunded and operates with the help of about 30 volunteer workers, fund-raising, public donations and occasional government grants. . . The building is as green as we could make it using the funds we had. We have four water tanks that are plumbed to the toilets and garden hoses, solar hot water and cross ventilation. Next year I'm applying for a grant that, I hope, will allow us to install solar panels for the electricity the building uses. . .Our mission is to work with the poor and disadvantaged but we support and assist anyone who walks through our door and asks for help. We offer a range of services, such as emergency food assistance, free counselling, free legal service, free workshops on various things like frugal and simple living, budgeting, nutrition and making healthy meals on a budget - we do this in conjunction with our local University. We have a community bus that we rent out and Hanno drives to take our seniors on shopping trips and outings. Now we have more space we'll be starting playgroup for young mums with babies and toddlers, we have a sewing circle and teach knitting and I'm working on putting together some cooking from scratch classes. " Rhonda, hope you have a great time with Kerry and Jamie this weekend! Beth in MN
DeleteThanks Beth. xx
Delete🙂
ReplyDeleteA very nice post with so many positives about taking care of our homes. We're retired for a number of years now, although my husband's was due to health issues. I never really worked full time out of the house but worked part time in a library for 8 years before I left. It's reassuring to read your blogs that trying to be more mindful of our home and tasks is so important. Thanks for the blog. Christina ,Tahoegirl.blog
ReplyDeleteFor some reason my comment wasn't going through before so I'm commenting here. Your posts are well thought out and so helpful. Living a simple life does take focus and changing habits for the better. Taking care of our homes is self care at its best. Being mindful of what we do is so important. Today, I made a big pot of broccoli cheddar soup because I had a big bag of broccoli to use up. That will be our dinner with some biscuits. I also prepped 16 baked potatoes into double stuffed potatoes to freeze. Meal prep is so important and helpful.
ReplyDeleteI love that you place value on your home, not the bricks and mortar but unmeasurable value that it gives you and your family and friends. At present, advertisers push life after retirement as endless cruises, dining out and holidays but for many this may never be obtainable. If you can find value in your home with the daily activities than anything found outside is a bonus. Erin
ReplyDeleteRhonda I haven’t checked in for quite a few weeks - the photos of you are wonderful. You look lighter and brighter. And I concur with others who comment: your writing is encouragingly bright. We need that! Thank you for sharing with us.
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