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Blessings of Habit, Home School, Homemaking, Inspiring, Pre-schoolers, Who's the mom here?, Wisdom

Spring into Cleaning With – Everybody!

Posted on March 13, 2011December 2, 2017 by Katharine

Okay, girls, today our fast-clean project is this stuffed coat closet. Oh, we have so much to do to make it better! Here, Little Mary, you can play with all these wonderful wooden hangers. Can you pile them onto the couch for mom? Great! Thanks!

Hey, Big Sis, look at Daddy’s old umbrella–it needs mending. Write that on the list for me, will you? First write “mend”, then I will spell “umbrella” for you, okay? Thanks!

Oh, look, here is the glove you were looking for, Leah! I’m so glad we are cleaning this closet out. Maybe we’ll even find some MONEY hiding in here. Run and put the glove with your other one, okay?

Oh, I wonder what is in this box–Would you look! It is empty except for one cap. What a waste of space, and just when I was thinking we needed a bigger closet! Are you back already, Leah? Take these road atlases over to the couch beside the hangers. Yes, that’s right. Thanks! No, Little Mary, those are grown-up books. Good girl.

Okay, this other box has candles in it. Can you tell from the lovely perfume coming from it? Here, everyone sniff and tell me what it smells like . . . Right! Just like flowers, isn’t it? Good job! We’ll set it on this big chair, and don’t you let me forget to put it back, when things in there are dry.

What else is up on this shelf? Daddy’s two good hats are dusty. Big Sis, do you know where the whisk broom is? Get it for me, please. Thanks. I didn’t know I would need that in here. Leah, could you bring me back the big box? Yes, that’s the one. Let’s put Daddy’ good hats in it, since he doesn’t wear them often. That will keep them clean and keep bugs off them. Oh, here’s that broom. Good. Now we can clean the hat before we store it. Won’t Daddy look sharp in this new, clean hat? What? You want to try it on? Okay, but let Mommy help you–Whoa! You look just like Daddy!

You know, I think I will pull all the coats out of here before I wash the shelf. I don’t want to get soap on our good coats, if I spill. We’ll lay them across the back of the couch. There. Much better for the coats, and you help me remember to take this graduation gown to my closet, okay? Okay!

Big Sis, how are we for time? Fifteen minutes? We need to hurry more.

Little Mary, would you like a job? Can you carry out all the umbrellas off the floor in here? You can? Great! Leah, you help her with that huge one. Yes. Good.

Big Sis, hand me the step stool. Thanks. Let’s see if Mom can fit up inside this little closet. Oh, sure, I see we need to wipe the shelf, so here goes. Can you fetch the fan from the dining room? I want this to dry fast so we can put everything away before the timer goes off. Do you know why it should be dry? Yes, the box could stick to the shelf. That would be a big mess. I think I will clean this door, too. Somebody handled it with grimy hands. Too bad!

Now to sweep the floor right quick . . . There!

Let’s put the coats back and let’s be sure to check all the collars. Uh-oh, Daddy’s trench coat needs dry cleaning, see? Look at that. We’ll take it out to the car in a while. Everything else looks good, so back it goes, into its place. Hey, Little Mary, I’m ready for you to bring me the hangers again. Thanks, Baby. You are such a helper. Okay, let me get the candle box. Now the hat box. We are almost done.

You two put the umbrellas back except for the broken one. Mommy will take care of it. Whew! All that work made me hungry! Who wants a cookie?

There you have it: one session of the new Spring Cleaning plan, in a one-sided conversation, with three imaginary girls helping. Of course, your children are not exactly like these and your words would differ, but do you see how it might work to incorporate children into this job?

They SO need the attention and the teaching. Let’s go for it!

Inspiring, Scripture, Uncategorized, Wisdom

Sunday Scriptures – Home

Posted on March 13, 2011March 13, 2011 by Katharine

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young–
a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my king and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.

Psalm 84:1-4 (NIV)

Blessings of Habit, Homemaking, Inspiring, Womanhood

Spring into Cleaning with Ease!

Posted on March 12, 2011December 2, 2017 by Katharine

Did you read yesterday’s post? Did it make sense? Did it sound hopeful?

Today we will walk through a session of how I keep my house spring clean. Seeing an example will give a better idea of how this method will serve you as you clean your house within your schedule, so here goes!

First, gather the supplies you will need. I like the double sided tote shown here because it can hold supplies and soapy water in one container. I’m not sure I’ll need all of this, but I don’t mind bringing it along. I don’t normally use rubber gloves for cleaning windows, but I know there will be need for them when I do the threshold. Not shown is a roll of paper towels.

This is the front door to my house. We know it is early spring because the tulips in the yellow pot have faded. We know there was a recent cold snap because the geranium is not in its plant stand. You see the trees across the street from us, reflected in the glass of the front storm door. What you do not see is how dirty the glass and the frame are. They really distract from the beauty outdoors with smears and dusty rain spatters. The first step is to spray the glass with window cleaner and wipe down with paper toweling. This huge expanse of glass is hard to make clean-looking, so I am not afraid to spray some cleaner and change paper towels often. I found that spraying the entire door-sized window and wiping quickly, from the bottom up, works best. Then I repeat. After that, open the door and do the inside the same way.

Since the storm door is aluminum with a baked-on paint-like finish, I spray the frame with glass cleaner, too, and wipe it down. I am always amazed at how dirty doors can be, by the handle or knob. I notice a couple screws missing, and list them for replacing, later.

Close up of carved door — Close-up of Carved Door

Next is a close-up of the intricacies of this door. It needs a new coat of paint as the dark green is too heat-trapping for this western exposure. We do not have the paint, yet, so I guess it will keep until the weather warms more. Therefore, I will clean the scrolling designs, which tend to fill with road dust. I use the window spray, again, because in these tight designs, rinsing off soap would be difficult. I use an old toothbrush to scrub gently on the knocker, without any cleaner.

Before going indoors, I notice the threshold is rather dirty. Using warm, soapy water and a scrub brush, I work on the concrete surface and the metal parts. The rubber strip gets a careful wiping with a sponge. I wipe off as much as I can and make note of the tiny crack forming, so we can make repairs.

Inside, the door is not so intricate, but is a flat white, needing washing often. I note the door has not been painted correctly, needing white on the edge, instead of the green. Then I begin at the bottom, using a spray, again.

By this time, a half-hour is nearly over, so it’s time to put things up. What? It doesn’t seem like much? You’re right, using this method makes Spring Cleaning not seem like much, at all.

I’ve been working hard all week and tomorrow is my usual day off, so on Monday, we’ll do this closet, by the front door.

See you then!

Blessings of Habit, Homemaking, Inspiring, Wives

Spring into Cleaning with Efficiency!

Posted on March 11, 2011December 2, 2017 by Katharine

As promised, here is the 30-minute way to keep your house “Spring Clean” at all times. Well, almost—so close that eventually you are going to love your house and love this method, okay? Here we go:

Commit one-half hour per day to this method. (This truly is all it takes. Use a timer. More about the time aspect in a few minutes.)
Before you begin, gather what you need for that day’s job. (The half hour is for cleaning, not fetching.)
Start at the front door. (First impressions mean a lot to you and to all who pass your way.)
Hurry. You get more done that way. (You can blitz for 30 minutes—sweat never hurt anyone.)
Scrub, scrub, scrub. Clean, clean, clean. Conquer all mold, dirt buildup, dead bugs, cobwebs, and anything else you find that you don’t like. Accept nothing less than squeaky clean. (Make it like new.)
Repair. Fix that nagging thing that bothers you every time you look at it, if you can. Make note of anything you need to buy or get help with fixing. Don’t let this step slow you down! (You’ll need a notepad in your cleaning supplies.)
If you finish before the half-hour is up, great! Move to the right or left and begin another area. (When the timer stops, you stop.)
Repeat, tomorrow, beginning where you left off. (Rest from all this busyness, one day per week.)

Get it? I hope so. This is all there is to it.

Just pick a starting place, go around the circumference of your house (except the kitchen, which we will discuss next week), and clean like lightning for ½ hour per day. If you will faithfully quit after 30 minutes, you will begin again the next day.

After about a month, you will have a new and wonderful habit. After about a year, you will have a house that has been thoroughly Spring Cleaned.

I know, it is not the conventional Spring Cleaning, but I also know, if you are like me, you will hardly know what to do with such a clean house. And if your house is so big, or your arm is so slow, or your interruptions are so abundant, that it takes you two years to make the rounds, tell me: Did your house ever get Spring Cleaned every two years, before? Hmm? This method is not conventional, but is so much more do-able, that it works.

I’ll have company this weekend, so won’t have time to research famous sayings. What I will do, instead, is take you on a visual tour of a couple days of Spring Cleaning at my house, so you can see exactly what it takes.

See you tomorrow!

Blessings of Habit, Good ol' days, Homemaking, Wisdom, Womanhood

Spring into Cleaning with Excitement!

Posted on March 10, 2011December 2, 2017 by Katharine

Lots of places I read about spring cleaning. It can be a big guilt trip. Why?

Long ago, when women did spring cleaning, they had time. Today, women have been robbed of their time. The perceived need for each person on this earth to work for pay has led to no one doing the non-paying jobs like cleaning. Or if someone does clean, that someone is tired and only half cleans.
Long ago, when women did spring cleaning, they had help. No, I don’t mean slaves or servants. I mean neighbors. Today, women have been robbed of their neighbors. Oh, we have plenty of houses all around us, but during the day, they all are empty. The perceived need for each person on this earth to be somewhere else has led to no one being at home. Women used to help each other in a frank and nurturing way. Now women play cut-throat office politics.
Long ago, there was less stuff. If you only have one of each thing you need, it all gets easier. But we’ve been robbed of our contentment. The perceived need for each person on this earth to have more money has led to everyone spending more. Gotta buy something, right? So we load up on quasi-Mediterranean, do-nothing props from Mercenary-Mart to fill our ranch-style mantels to overflowing.
Long ago, houses were smaller. Actually, the smaller house is enjoying a revival, right now, but that will only drive the prices up. How sad that many of the Palladian palaces are sitting empty. That’s one way to keep the dust levels down, but the truth is: we’ve been robbed of any kind of moderation or restraint. Vacuuming literally, for miles, can discourage.
Long ago, women knew how to do spring cleaning. Today we are one generation removed from information about many how-to’s, but I think I can help.

Catch this blog tomorrow for a totally radical way to knock out the spring cleaning without actually doing spring cleaning. That’s right—you will love this plan for a totally clean house the easy way.

See ya’ tomorrow.

Blessings of Habit, Good ol' days, Homemaking, Inspiring, Womanhood

My Grandmother’s Quilts

Posted on March 9, 2011March 21, 2011 by Katharine

I just want to tell you about my grandmother, Laura, this time. I am a grandmother, and when I was little, I always wanted to be one. When I need inspiration, I remember my grandmother, Laura. Life is so different, now, though.

I know she was elderly because she had arthritic knuckles, gray hair, and a craggy voice. She wore a dress at all times, and she wore shoes with thick, high heels that tied on, sort of like men’s dress wingbacks, perforations and all. Do they even still sell those?

She sewed all her dresses. And sometimes, as a gift, she sewed my mother a dress, too. And she sewed the first dress I ever wore when I was very tiny. I know she made these dresses, because she made a quilt for each of her grandchildren. She did not go to a store for fabric for these quilts. No, she used fabric scraps from sewing dresses. When she made my quilt, she was careful to use many scraps from my mother’s and from my dresses.

I look at the quilt she made for me and I see the dress my mother wore to church in summer. I see a dress my grandmother wore. I see my very first, ever, dress I wore when I was tiny.

I don’t know how my grandmother found the time. She babysat three children, to make an income, because she was widowed when my mother was six. She used her entire, small backyard as a strawberry patch and put up all those berries or traded them for peaches and crabapples to put up. She made her own soap on the wood stove in the woodshed for all washing needs, for clothing, dishes, and bathing. She heated with wood or coal. She did laundry in the woodshed using a wringer washer and hanging it out in summer or in the woodshed in winter, when it froze.

And she prayed. I mean, she really took time out to pray. She would tell us not to bother her while she prayed, she would go to her room and shut the door, and she would pray.

When we visited her, we played with her one box of toys, leftovers from when our aunts and uncles were little. We loved these odd toys that didn’t do anything except prop up our playtime. She let us watch while she made us rolled-out sugar cookies in shapes like stars, hearts, and flowers. When we asked for colored sugar, she told us it tastes the same. We didn’t believe it.

One wonderful time, I got to sleep with her because I was the oldest and probably would not kick too much. I got to watch her unbraid and comb her hair, which was far beyond waist length. Seeing my grandmother in her gown in the moonlight by the window, combing amazingly long and wavy hair, made her seem to me like an angel. I was in awe.

Then she broke the spell by rebraiding her hair. She never used a rubber band, but simply pulled a strand of hair and wound the end of the braid like a fishing lure. I was filled with questions, then. Why do you braid your hair to sleep? How does it stay in place with no rubber band? I don’t remember her answers, but only my awe and her amusement.

She died about 48 years ago. I still miss her. I still want to be like her when I grow up.

My grandmother's quilt — My Grandmother's quilt

Here is the quilt she made for me. You can see light red and white tiny checked fabric on the bottom, just right of center. That was my baby dress. It had teensy rickrack on it.

Just right of that is a sort of black and pink tattersal with pink x’s. That was my mom’s summer Sunday dress for awhile. It had white lace at the neckline.

Parly out of view on the left is a white with black swirls. My grandmother wore that. There we all are, in one quilt.

Blessings of Habit, Cats, Homemaking, Husbands, Inspiring, Wives

Catch-Up Day

Posted on March 8, 2011March 7, 2011 by Katharine

Ooh, am I tired!

Yesterday was a catch-up day. Several jobs that had waited long enough finally got my attention. It feels so good to have some of it done.

I started the day with the very last of the lavender harvest from last June. You have to realize I had to be 500 miles away for a couple weeks in June, and on the night before I left, I realized I just had to catch the lavender or it would be blown before I returned. So my husband and I spent probably an hour cutting it and dragging it, in baskets, into the house.

Then I disassembled the daybed in our sunroom and lay the lavender stems over both halves of it to dry. I told my husband he would have to turn it every day or two, so it could dry completely. Bless his heart, he already knew it, from harvesting hay as a boy. What a relief!

When I returned, the lavender was dry and the stripping began. It is not hard, just time-consuming and it bruises your thumb. Now I’ve finally finished that job . It made over two gallons of blossoms, the really good stuff. I’ve already sold thirty dollars worth of it and you can hardly tell it.

Also, I worked at catching up ironing. No one likes when the ironing is behind, around here, but least of all me. I have devised a good way to catch up ironing and thought I’d share it with you, here. It’s not so hard and really works for me.

How to Catch Up on Your Ironing

Hurry. That makes it go much faster.
Set aside time to fire up your iron every day.
Iron twice what your family would wear, every day.
Continue until caught up.

That’s it—so easy. For me, since only my husband wears much ironed clothes, if I iron two shirts and a pair of pants for him each day, soon all is done. Now and then I insert something for someone else, but really, most of us wear no-iron clothing like t-shirts, sweats, and the softer denims. It may take a week or two, but it does work.

Another chore was making sure all the bed linens are clean, since we are expecting lots of company this weekend. Several will stay the night to worship with us. Lots of fun, and I cannot wait.

Lastly, I had a few outdoor chores to finish: mulching around newly-planted trees, bringing potted plants indoors because of a cold-snap, composting some waste vegetation, etc.

Here are a couple shots of our cat, Earl Grey, caught in the act of sampling the catnip. I’d been weeding it, and he caught the aroma. (It smells a lot like cat fur, to me.) Anyway, in the second photo, you can see his face better, in his irritated pose.

Earl Grey, irritated — Earl Grey, Irritated

Well, I’m off to do some more laundry! Then have an art class today, with a delightful girl with real talent.

See ya’!