Our parents and grandparents led incredibly different lives to us. Often in married couples the wife would stay home to take care of the children and cleaning. Shortcuts were not required as limited time wasn’t an issue. This is no longer the case and modern housekeeping methods are very convoluted and hazy.
Modern housekeeping is something that can save you both time and money in the long run. Making an effort to keep on top of the housekeeping will allow you to stay organized and chaos free. You will enjoy the bliss of a tidy home that doesn’t leave you feeling tense and unhappy.
How to find a modern housekeeping system that works
What is great is that there are a number of modern housekeeping blogs that you can use to find the system to work for you. http://thatwiselady.com for example, gives you a fantastic overview of the FlyLady system and her own personal FlyLady journey.
If you’re looking to find a way to make a system like FlyLady work for you I’d certainly recommend That Wise Lady as one of the few blogs out there that share the experience of working with this method.
When vintage meets modern
Some modern housekeepers opt for a contemporary twist on traditional vintage housekeeping. Alison May of Brocante Home is one of these housekeepers. She brings the gorgeous back into the practical with her take on what is seen by many as a difficult chore.
She has a number of books you can buy for your Kindle, as well as some PDF courses and membership schemes. Unlike FlyLady her systems are not free, but she has a gentler approach that focusses on the enjoyment of home making.
The fashionable modern housekeeping system
The Konmari system seems to be the cleaning method of the moment. It’s more of a decluttering method, but still should be mentioned due to it’s immense popularity. Women all over the world are raving about this method for keeping their homes in order. It’s a labour intensive method, but certainly works based on the reviews. There are plenty of resources out there for this method, but the key resource is the book. You can buy a copy from Amazon in print, digital, and audiobook format.
How housekeeping saves you time and money
- Keeping on top of chores stops them from building up and getting worse
- You’re more likely to get the support from others if the jobs are smaller
- You spend less on take-out as you have space and ingredients to cook with
- You stop losing things meaning you won’t need to replace them
- Dinner parties become a possibility saving you money on going out
- You don’t misplace important information saving you time finding what you need
- The house smells good meaning less need for scented candles and fresheners
- You stay on top of the laundry so need fewer outfits
Other modern housekeeping options
It’s ok to outsource if you can afford it. There are many reputable housekeeping companies out there that will free up your time to embrace the things you love and build up your career. Using a cleaning or housekeeping company is not a sign of failure in the contemporary world, it’s another benefit the modern man or woman has in life.
If you have teenaged children you could also offer them an incentive to manage the housekeeping. For older teens the promise of covering car insurance costs is a huge bonus, and for younger teens the mobile phone line rental is sure to be an expense they need covering. Make it clear what standard you expect from them and how often they should be doing particular tasks. There are a number of great free printable housekeeping task lists that you can use to help with this.
Modern technology and housekeeping
We’re lucky that technology continues to make our lives easier and automate our tasks:
- Grocery shopping can be done online for most popular supermarkets
- Robo-vacuums make daily vacuuming a task you no longer need to do yourself
- Slow cookers will cook a meal whilst you are in the office
- And a Thermomix will sort out your chopping, sauteing, stewing, and much more
- Smart heating systems mean you can control your central heating in any location
- There are also smart lighting and other home control systems
- The Echo or Echo Dot can be used to create reminders or order on your behalf
- A washer/dryer combo means no more worrying about moving your washing over to the tumble dryer
All of these systems can save you time in your housekeeping routine if used correctly. There is no need to over work yourself when you have so many modern conveniences at your fingertips.
