Homemaking Routine

I have a basic homemaking routine that keeps my days full and organized, for the most part.

When I wake, I throw back the covers so the bed can air out, and I open the window.

First thing after I get up and use the bathroom, I take my supplements and medication- chaste tree, probiotic, vitamin C, and Zoloft. Once my multivitamin and tonic tinctures are ready, I'll add them as well.

Next I make coffee, tea, and breakfast. This usually involves cleaning out my tea infuser into the compost, because I often forget the night before. I usually blend echinacea with my tea of the day. Breakfast is usually eggs or oatmeal.

After breakfast and my husband leaves for work, I do the breakfast dishes, clean out his coffee grounds into the compost, and finish my tea. Then I will make the bed.

I usually do my morning skincare routine at this point, then get dressed. Once dressed, I put in a load of laundry, then sweep the floors. It's amazing how the floors get so dirty every single day, even though there are only two of us and we don't wear shoes indoors.

Next, if I have to run a quick errand like taking a letter to the post box, I do it now. Then I start the chore of the day. Monday, water plants and clean bathrooms. Tuesday, dust, clean counters and dining table, damp-mop floors. Wednesday, filing and decluttering. Thursday, clean outside the RV. Friday, clean the fridge. If I am done quickly enough, I will do some writing.

I will then take the laundry out and either hang it on the line or put it in the dryer, weather depending. If I notice we need some grocery item, I will go to the store at this point. If I hung clothes on the line yesterday, I will iron them now. I also will work on my sewing and mending.

Then I have lunch and do lunch dishes. After lunch, if clothes were in the dryer, I will fold and put them away. I may do writing after lunch if I didn't earlier, and then take my exercise, usually a long walk with spurts of jogging. After this I shower, then I check the mail. I will do a check of the tanks to see if they need emptying, and likewise with the trash and compost.

I will plan and make dinner now, and after dinner do dishes right away. If clothes were hung on the line, I will take them down now and put them in a bag to be ironed tomorrow. Then I have a free evening to spend with my husband.

There are always exceptions, for example if I need to go to Berkeley Bowl, I know that I will need three hours to do that because it is so far away, so I will postpone my chore of the day and combine it with the one for tomorrow, and laundry will be put in the dryer instead of hung on the line to save time. And I may not do lunch dishes until I do dinner dishes.

It's taken me about a month or so to develop this routine. The main rule for me is that if nothing else, I make the bed, sweep the floors and do the dishes before I leave the house. There are days when I don't do a load of laundry, or don't go out for my exercise, but in general this is what I do. The most important thing to remember, however, is not to be a slave to the routine, to take my time and enjoy my home and the beautiful days I spend here. There is always time to stop and watch a squirrel on the fence, or watch the clouds change formation, or enjoy the tiny birds who peck around our yard. If I were at a job, I couldn't do that, nor would our home be clean and homemade meals be on the table.