DIVISION OF THE HOUSEHOLD WORK.
It is a perplexing task for young housekeepers to divide properly the
weekly work of the household. Even when I start to write on the subject,
many difficulties present themselves, as no two houses are conducted on
exactly the same plan. What would be the right thing for one home would
be entirely impracticable in another. The woman who does her own work,
or keeps but one servant, must, of course, plan her work quite
differently from the woman who keeps two or more servants. Then, too,
the place and mode of living will influence the arrangement of household
work. For example, in the country the style of living is much simpler
than in the city; the hours are more regular, there are fewer stairs to
go over, less dirt and dust accumulate, and, in short, practically all
the work is done on two floors. This makes the duties of mistress and
maid lighter than in the city house. The pure air, quiet surroundings,
and long, uninterrupted hours make it possible for a woman to accomplish
a great deal of housework in a day, and yet have leisure for reading,
sewing, and quiet thinking.
But, on the other hand, the city housekeeper has her advantages, such as
the house fitted with all modern conveniences; stores and markets close
at hand; and, if extra or heavy work is to be done, easy means of
getting men and women to do it. The changing scenes in the city take
woman out of herself and the narrowing cares of home life, and keep her
interested and in touch with the world, thus making her duties less
irksome than they might be in a regular and monotonous life.
Yet, no matter where one resides, there are certain daily duties that
must be attended to if people would live decently and in order. I will
try to map out programmes of these duties, so that the inexperienced
housekeeper will be able to outline her daily work by them. It is not to
be expected that these programmes will be followed exactly; they are
simply suggestions which each housekeeper may adapt to the exigencies of
her own household.
Every-day Duties.
As there are many routine duties that must be performed every day, I
will treat of them here. Special work will have a day assigned to it. It
is almost appalling to look at the list of daily duties of the
household, when one remembers that it frequently happens that there is
but one pair of hands to do all the work; yet there are thousands of
women who are well and happy in passing their lives that way, knowing
that they contribute to the health and comfort of their families. If
there be system in doing the work, the burden will be materially
lightened. Each member of the family has his or her duties. Habits of
order and punctuality should be cultivated. Being late at meals and
leaving things out of place will increase the burdens of the housekeeper
in a marked degree.
What to do in the Morning.
First, make the kitchen fire; take up and sift the ashes. After brushing
all the dust from the range, wash off the surface with a cloth and soap
and water; then polish it with stove blacking. Rinse out the teakettle,
and after the water has been running from the cold-water pipes for about
five minutes, fill the kettle and place it on the fire. Sweep and dust
the kitchen. Put the breakfast dishes on to heat. Air the dining-room
and set the table; then prepare and serve the breakfast. Clear the
breakfast table, assorting the dishes and freeing them from scraps of
food. Soak in cold water any dishes that are soiled with mush, milk, or
eggs; put the silver in a pitcher of warm water.
Go up stairs and open the chamber windows, if they were not opened the
first thing in the morning. Take the clothes from the beds, one piece at
a time, and spread over chairs or a low screen, so that the air shall
pass through them freely. Beat the pillows and bolsters, and place them
in a current of air. Turn the mattresses so that they shall be aired on
all sides. Leave the rooms to air for an hour, or longer if possible.
Return to the kitchen and wash the dishes; then put them away at once.
Wash the dish-towels in plenty of soap and water, and rinse thoroughly;
when possible, dry them out of doors. Air, brush, and dust the
dining-room; then draw the shades. Make the beds, empty the slops, and
wash and wipe the bedroom toilet china. Put the rooms in order and dust
them. Next wash the basins and the bath-tub, if necessary, and dust the
bath-room.
Dust the halls and sitting-room, and any other rooms that may require
it. Collect the lamps and trim them. Prepare the dinner or luncheon. If
you live in the city, the vestibule and sidewalk must be swept, and
perhaps washed. The earlier this work is done, the better, as there will
be less annoyance from frequent passers early in the morning. If the
home be in the country, the front and back steps and the piazzas should
be swept at the hour most convenient for the housekeeper. In freezing
weather do not, of course, attempt to wash the piazza, steps, or
sidewalk, as the result would be an icy surface, dangerous to limb and
life.
Special Work for Special Days.
On Monday, as soon as the water is warm, put the clothes to soak in
strong suds. After the breakfast dishes have been washed, begin to wash
the clothes. While one boilerful is being scalded and a second batch of
clothes has been prepared for the boiler, put out the line. Now put the
scalded clothes in the rinsing water. Take nearly all the hot suds from
the boiler, and replace with clean cold water, putting the second batch
of clothes to scald in this. Rinse the first lot and put on the lines to
dry; continue the work until everything except the flannels and colored
articles have been washed. While the coarse towels are being scalded,
wash and hang out the flannels; next wash the colored things. When all
the clothes have been hung out, empty the boiler and wash and wipe it
until perfectly dry; also clean the laundry. Now take a luncheon. Do the
chamber-work, and then prepare the family luncheon or dinner. The
brushing up and dusting must be omitted to-day. After the noonday meal,
wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen. Bathe, and change your
clothes; and after resting, take the clothes from the lines and sprinkle
and fold them. Flannels must be taken in while they are still slightly
damp. Iron the flannels, and after that prepare the evening meal. In the
short winter days it will be best to wash the flannels and colored
clothes before the white articles, as the more rapidly a woollen or
colored fabric dries the better it will look.
On Tuesday, directly after the breakfast dishes have been washed and the
dining-room put in order, begin ironing, starting with the plain pieces,
such as sheets and pillow-cases. As soon as the irons work smoothly,
iron the starched clothes. In about two or three hours the fire must be
replenished. When this is done, and while it is burning up, do the
chamber work. If all the ironing cannot be done in the forenoon, finish
it, if you can, in the afternoon. The meals for washing and ironing days
should be as simple as possible.
Where one Servant is Kept.
If there be one servant in the house, the mistress can make these two
days less burdensome, if she herself will wash the breakfast dishes, put
the dining-room in order, and make the beds. If there be children in the
family, they can be taught to do the lighter work. In suggesting that
the chamber work be left until the fire is renewed, it is supposed that
hard coal is used. If wood or soft coal be used, the fire will have to
be replenished frequently; and since these substances burn much more
readily, the time for chamber work will be limited unless the draughts
be closed. Wednesday is often taken by housekeepers for a sort of off
day; but if, as is the case in many Eastern towns, Thursday be the
servant’s day out, it will be better to sweep on Wednesday, and have the
lighter work done on Thursday. Once in two weeks should be often enough
for a thorough cleaning of most of the rooms in a well regulated house.
A room properly cleaned will be in a better sanitary condition at the
end of two weeks than one that is only half cleaned every week. If the
floors be of natural wood, or be stained or painted, the dust and lint
must be wiped off with a dry cloth every few days, but if the floors be
carpeted the thorough sweeping once in two weeks should be sufficient,
except in a sitting-room or dining-room. I will give the method of
cleaning a room properly. These directions, slightly modified, apply to
all rooms.
Cleaning a Room by System.
Remove the draperies, and dust and remove all small articles. Dust all
the furniture, removing the lighter articles and covering the heavy
pieces; dust and cover the pictures. Brush the walls and ceilings, being
careful to remove all dust from the tops of the doors and windows. Brush
all dust from the window frames, ledges, and blinds. If there be rugs on
a bare floor, roll them up and put them out of doors to be beaten and
aired; then sweep the floor with a soft brush. After all the dusting and
washing of windows has been finished, rub the floor with a soft, dry
cloth. If it be a stained or painted floor, wipe it a second time with a
cloth slightly dampened with kerosene; or if it be polished, do the
polishing at this time. If the room be carpeted, sweep it with a clean
broom; if the carpet be very dusty, sprinkle over it, before sweeping,
corn meal or sawdust, slightly dampened; or, if it be more convenient,
take dry salt. Let the dust settle, then sweep the carpet a second time.
Now dust the room, wash the windows, and remove the covers from the
furniture and pictures. After this has been done, put two gallons of
tepid water in a pail with four tablespoonfuls of household ammonia.
Wring a cloth out of this and wipe the carpet, rubbing hard to remove
any dust. Beat the rugs by spreading them face down on clean grass or a
smooth board and beating with a switch or rattan beater. If it be
impossible to lay them flat, hang them on a line and beat them. Place
them on the floors, and put the furniture, ornaments, and draperies in
place. Clean one or more rooms in this manner on Wednesday morning.
Prepare the noonday meal, and after this has been served, and the
dining-room and kitchen put in order, rest until it is time to attend to
the evening meal.
The Last Half of the Week.
On Thursday, after the regular work is done, the morning should be
devoted to various odd tasks, such as cleaning the refrigerator, and
inspecting and cleaning the cellar. See that no decaying vegetation,
damp paper, etc., is there. Wash the cellar stairs. Next clean the
kitchen and prepare something for the evening meal; then serve the
noonday meal.
The remainder of the weekly sweeping should be done on Friday morning.
Every two weeks the silver should be cleaned in the afternoon. Many
housekeepers clean silver every week, but if it be properly washed and
wiped each day this will be unnecessary.
As there must be some extra cooking done on Saturday for Sunday, plan
for that on Friday, making all the arrangements possible, so that this
work may be done early Saturday morning, while the fire is at its best.
All the materials for cooking should be in the house on Friday afternoon
or early Saturday morning. If fruits are to be prepared for the next
day’s baking, get them ready some time on Friday. Saturday is usually a
busy day. Extra cooking and cleaning must be done, that the work on
Sunday may be light. Many housekeepers change the beds on Saturday,
rather than on Sunday. If this be the practice, when the rooms are put
to air, remove the soiled linen and spread out the fresh, that it may be
well aired. If possible, rise early enough to clean the steps, piazza,
and sidewalk before breakfast. As soon as the regular morning work is
done, attend to the extra cooking. When this is finished, clean the
kitchen and its closets, the china closets, and the back hall.
A Day of Rest.
Plan to have as little work as possible to do on Sunday, but do not fall
into the error of wearing yourself out on Saturday and making all the
family uncomfortable on Sunday, simply because you would not break the
Sabbath. The woman who manages to keep her family comfortable and happy
on this day, even if it be necessary to do a little extra work to attain
that end, will have a better moral and spiritual influence than she who
makes all the members dread the day as being one of the most
uncomfortable in the whole week at home. In most families on this day
the breakfast is late and the dinner served about two o’clock, the
supper being light and informal. While there are many housekeepers who
still cling to the old custom of having cold dinners, the majority have
a hot one, as it often happens that this is the only meal throughout the
week at which the whole family is sure to meet.
If but one servant be kept, she ought not to be required to perform any
duties after the dinner dishes have been washed and put away. The
remainder of the day and evening should belong to her. If there be no
servant, the housekeeper surely is entitled to what little rest she can
get after dinner, and the other members of the family should find it a
pleasure to prepare whatever light refreshments may be required in the
evening. Remember that there are heavy duties for Monday morning, and do
not leave a lot of dishes in disorder to add to these burdens.
Two or More Servants in a Family.
The round of duties for the week having been thus outlined, I wish to
make a few suggestions to the woman who keeps two or more servants. The
duties must be so divided that each shall bear her proper proportion of
the work. In the case where there are several servants, there is greater
ceremony in the mode of living. Suppose there be two servants, and the
family be fairly large. The second girl must do all the upstairs work,
take care of the parlors, halls, dining-room, china closet, etc. It will
be her duty to care for the silver, glass, and fine china. Every
evening, after the dining-room work is finished, she will go to the
chambers, empty all slops, refill the water pitchers, turn back the bed
clothes, and lay the night garments on the bed. She will draw the shades
and see that there is a stock of matches, towels, etc. In the morning
she will attend to the dining-room, put the breakfast dishes on to heat,
dust the lower halls and parlors, and sweep the steps and sidewalk. The
cook will care for all the lower part of the house, her own room, the
cellar, and the back steps and stoop. The washing and ironing must be
divided between them. It is usual to have the cook do the plain washing
and ironing, while the second girl takes the starched clothes. If,
however, the second girl be required to do plain sewing, the cook does
the heavier part of the washing.
In the matter of the duties of a servant each housekeeper must make her
own laws, but the more servants there are, the more clearly must each
one’s responsibility be defined, and the mistress will save herself an
immense amount of annoyance if she will take pains to divide the work of
the household with good judgment and with justice, not allowing any
dictation in the matter. She should not be hasty in reaching a
conclusion, but should be firm in her decisions.
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