Top 5 Tips for A New Homemaker
Read along for my top 5 tips a new homemaker should keep in mind as they venture into this season of life.
So you’re a new homemaker? Perhaps homemaking is in your near future? Welcome aboard! It is hard, but satisfying work. It is a splendid mixture of mundane and fulfilling. I believe if our society embraced the family, the home, and the homemaker’s tasks, we would all be happier, and secure.
1. Start with what you have
More likely than not, you already have all the “things” you need to be a homemaker. Start with what you have: in the pantry, in the fridge, in the closet, in the garage. There is a temptation in today’s media heavy world to make everything look a certain way, as if from a Pinterest homemaking board.
Everything has become materialistic, from the coffee machine you own, to the food items you buy, to the way you decorate yourself and your home. This can lead to discontentment very quickly for a new homemaker.
Perhaps, you might even have more than you need and would benefit from decluttering to help you focus! But for starters, do not go out and purchase more stuff as you transition into your role as a new homemaker.
2. Budget your time
Have you ever heard of time budgeting? As you should budget your money, you should also budget your time. Your time is valuable and precious! Consider what your weekly schedule looks like, see what kind of routines and cycles you go through.
Map out your time and work to find a rhythm that allows for productivity and comfort. Do you have a morning routine to set you up for a successful day? Is your evening routine restful or chaotic? How much time do you plan on spending in the kitchen, spending on your computer, spending on your projects.
You have a to-do list (even if it’s not written out) so you need a plan, and budgeting your time is a necessary step in that plan! You can read in depth about time budgeting for the homemaker in this post.
3. Budget your finances
As a new homemaker, you may or may not be making an income. Either way, it is a wise thing for you to know how much money is being earned and spent on household expenses.
The homemaker is usually the one that is responsible for spending money. Buying groceries, cleaning supplies, and everything else that is needed.
4. Pick a project
Don’t lose yourself in the repetitive tasks of being a homemaker. Set a goal or pick a project. You don’t need to (and really can’t) do it all at once. So in addition to all that you are already doing, pick a new project to focus on and grow in.
It can be learning to make bread, committing to master meal planning, or taking up a sewing hobby. Perhaps you’d like to start a blog, like me! The ideas are infinite, and you are bound to find something you enjoy. This new project or goal doesn’t necessarily need to be related to homemaking, but it does need to be worthwhile!
5. Decide on your perspective
Your outlook on homemaking will make or break your experience. You need to decide early on if your perspective will be filled with gratitude, and accepting of the big picture. You can either dread each new day, or greet each day with determination.
Embrace, enjoy, and romanticize your time as a homemaker! There is beauty in not only “keeping house”, but creating a home.
All of us were made in such a way that we desire to contribute and do meaningful work. Homemaking is perhaps one of the most meaningful jobs you will ever hold. But you need the right perspective to recognize that.
