House Management - I need a how to course, lol.

[momee]

I've been a stay at home mom for 20 years and still feel like I need a "how to care for your home class"

 

What are you doing/have you done to up your game in caring for your peeps and place?

 

 

 

I'm currently learning about table linens because I was challenged at Thanksgiving time over picking out a tablecloth.  Growing up in a townhouse with a single mom we didn't have much opportunity to really use "linens".  I have women girlfriends now who had moms with dresser drawers full :) that actually laughed when I brought it up.

 

Some times I get frustrated by my lack of skills in the area of homekeeping.  I taught myself to clean by checking out the old housekeeping books in the library - like from the 60s kind of old.  

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by momee

[Alicia64]

I wanted to tell you about something cool I saw on a cruise that I'd like to try: they took linen napkins and wrapped the fork, spoon, knife inside. Then they put the rolled item into a basket at the center of the table. I thought it was efficient and easy.

 

Alley

[momee]

Posting on my own thread, lol, cuz I'm crazy about learning.  I found this and thought I'd share this in case anyone wanted to send me here as a Christmas present, lol.

 

Totally just kidding but can you imagine?  Super fun get away...

http://www.charlestonacademy.com/classes/social-skills

[TechWife]

Posting on my own thread, lol, cuz I'm crazy about learning.  I found this and thought I'd share this in case anyone wanted to send me here as a Christmas present, lol.

 

Totally just kidding but can you imagine?  Super fun get away...

http://www.charlestonacademy.com/classes/social-skills

 

I would enjoy that, I think! That price tag - do you think that's per person or for a group of 12? I don't quite understand their wording. Did you see the book on their website? 

 

One book I have found helpful is Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House . It's an all around reference book that is enjoyable to read (well, at least to me, anyway). 

 

Years ago, not long after I married, I went to the library and checked out just about every book on cleaning & organizing. If you are wanting some reading material for inspiration, I recommend going this route because after you read two or three books, you will find that they all include the same ideas, just presented in a different manner. The different presentations resonate with different people. After you have some fun exploring those books, settle down with the Home Comfort book and think of it as an encyclopedia of sorts - a good reference to have on hand and fun to browse through. 

[momee]

"That price tag - do you think that's per person or for a group of 12? I don't quite understand their wording. Did you see the book on their website? "

 

I don't know but I heard them speak when I was at Monticello for the Heritage Festival two years ago.  They were marketing their business at the end of their workshop - and their idea sounded like a super fun concept.  They call themselves Deans of the Home Academy of Domestic Pursuits.  Reall though, I don't give myself enough credit.  After 21 years at home, I am a stinking Dean too, lol.  I manage this place, I entertain regularly.

 

But tbh, I am lacking confidence.  I don't fee I could host a cocktail party for 12 or to quote the title of one of their classes - "inherit a silver service" (lol, that's not happening!) and actually USE it.

 

I want to grow in those skills and am having a heck of a time figuring out how to.  Maybe I should just practice on my friends, I guess.  

 

I need a mentor, lol.  All the older women in my life are - idk - just not into any of that.  

Edited December 13, 2015 by momee

[Pen]

Posting to subscribe since I cannot use the "follow" today it seems.  Alas I too would like more learning on this and do not have help to add!. 

[Garga]

The kids asked me the other day, "What would you do with your time if we went to school?"

 

I told them I'd finally learn how to really, truly tend to a home.  How to know when to mulch.  How to declutter it.  How to throw a nice party.  How to get kitchen grease off of things. How to do basic repairs.  How to clean it effectively.

 

It would take me years to sort it all out, I think.  And it would be a full-time job.  No wonder women stayed home as housewives while their kids were at school and husbands were at work.  To tend to a home fully takes a lot of time.

 

[momee]

I agree, Garga.  It really does.  I've just moved and learning to plant grass, design flower beds, consider kitchen cabinet and pantry walk in organization, daily meals for 7, laundering, garage organization, holiday decorating, well - all decorating.

 

I mean it, I am overwhelmed sometimes with all I have to learn before I can even act.  Thanks for the post because it makes me remember it is a journey and takes years.

[momee]

As for cooking, I just wanted to share two things that have made entertaining SOOOOOO much easier.

 

They are both cookbooks but I'm finding if you feed people food, the fun naturally follows.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Test-Kitchen-Menu-Cookbook/dp/1933615907

The fajitas menu and the french silk pie make me look like a rockstar in the kitchen ;)

 

and I've been crazy about pie making and this bourbon pear crumble is - incredible

http://www.amazon.com/Four-Twenty-Blackbirds-Pie-Book/dp/1455520519/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450044249&sr=1-1&keywords=four+and+twenty+blackbirds

 

As far as home management - I've resurrected this one because it speaks to 1) my heart issues regarding serving others on a daily basis and 2) is very practical for a large multi-gen family like mine

http://www.amazon.com/Large-Family-Logistics-Kim-Brenneman/dp/1934554499/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450044320&sr=1-1&keywords=large+family+logistics

[knoxinsox]

My sister and I kept checking Home Comforts out of the library when we were first married.  We learned a lot from it, namely, that I am not cut out to be a housekeeper.  I just don't care enough to iron sheets, and have massive inventories of fancy dishes to store and silver to clean.   No chocolate turkeys. Sorry, Martha Stewart.  And no shabby chic, it just feels messy when I try to do it and still have kids tearing thru and toys and school books out.

 

Having less stuff means less time managing the stuff.   Life is too short to be living in a hoarder-ish type of home, but its too short to spend all my time cleaning.    So I buy clothes and linens that don't need to be dry cleaned or ironed, I got rid of clutter and knick-knacks that need to be dusted, and KonMari'd my closets.   I have a cleaning schedule that works when I am consistent, and I put the bills on auto-pay. Its good enough for right now.

 

 

[TechWife]

 

Having less stuff means less time managing the stuff. 

 

I agree with this completely. One thing I did years ago was to get rid of meaningless knick nacks. I honestly didn't want to spend time dusting them, KWIM? Now, everything I have has meaning and it is really minimal. One benefit of this is that the room looks a little bigger because surfaces aren't cluttered up. One end table has a lamp and a coaster, that's it. The other one has a coaster. So much easier to clean than having to pick up multiple little things, dust them, dust the table and then put it all back. 

[KungFuPanda]

I'd relax. If you know how to clean and cook a little, entertaining isn't as daunting as it might seem. I like Sidetracked Home Executives for spelling out how to organize a home in the few hours a day you actually HAVE for that task.

 

For entertaining, start small. Have people for cake and coffee. Use real plates and forks. If that works, level up. Invite people for appetizers and dessert. Make one fabulous thing that's not too tricky and buy the rest. Next time make more things and but fewer. Try cloth napkins and candles along the way.

 

It's about making the effort to do something nice, but not getting too stressed to enjoy your friends. When you're ready, attempt a dinner party. Make something that you're good at that's easy for you. You can cheat and get novelty points. I once made chili and baked potatoes with all the toppings. Everything was made ahead and kept warm in crockpots. WHY would my friends still talk about that dinner? Because I made cornmeal waffles to serve the chili over. I even did that earlier in the day and warmed in the oven.

 

You can DO this. Heck, start a Foolproof Party Ideas thread and we'll help you. I once did a wine and cheese thing. The only thing that required any cooking or effort was making crab dip, slicing cheese, and washing fruit.

 

I used those little clear glass plates from bed bath and beyond to serve stuff all the time. I paid dollar a plate. The plates don't even have to match. Most people are impressed if you just don't use disposable stuff. Most people don't care if you do.

[Seasider]

The kids asked me the other day, "What would you do with your time if we went to school?"

 

I told them I'd finally learn how to really, truly tend to a home. How to know when to mulch. How to declutter it. How to throw a nice party. How to get kitchen grease off of things. How to do basic repairs. How to clean it effectively.

 

It would take me years to sort it all out, I think. And it would be a full-time job. No wonder women stayed home as housewives while their kids were at school and husbands were at work. To tend to a home fully takes a lot of time.

So true! Even knowing how to do it (to my own satisfaction) is moot if one doesn't actually have enough time!

[Mergath]

I second (third?) Home Comforts. It covers a lot of the finicky little things other books seem to forget.

 

Also, I think it's normal to feel like you never really have a handle on this kind of stuff. I constantly feel like I'm a fifteen year old stuck in an adult's body playing house. From what other people have told me, that's a very common feeling, especially if you didn't learn how to do all this homemaking stuff until adulthood. I didn't even know how to boil water until college. Seriously.

[RootAnn]

I agree with this completely. One thing I did years ago was to get rid of meaningless knick nacks. I honestly didn't want to spend time dusting them, KWIM? Now, everything I have has meaning and it is really minimal. One benefit of this is that the room looks a little bigger because surfaces aren't cluttered up. One end table has a lamp and a coaster, that's it. The other one has a coaster. So much easier to clean than having to pick up multiple little things, dust them, dust the table and then put it all back. 

 

This is me! Except my SIL is a knick-nack queen & changes them to suit the season. So, that's the type of gift I used to get from FIL & SIL every year.  :ack2:

 

Good luck, OP. I just try to keep the place clean & cook yummy food. I find that makes family & guests happy enough, even if I don't have matching table linens, fancy dishes, or scented soaps in the bathrooms.

[Kathryn]

I was totally going to start a thread like this in the morning. I feel like so much was lost between my grandmother (housewife) to my mom (divorced working woman) to me. And I don't feel like I'm passing along what little knowledge I do have in this arena to my kids.

[TeenagerMom]

I don't know a lot of that stuff, and you know what?  I've decided I really don't care.  Our house is reasonably clean.  We eat fairly decent meals.  I have absolutely NO desire to entertain in my home but I can put together an awesome party at event venues, but outside of basic black or white table linens, I don't fuss with a lot.  Simple is elegant.

 

I am finding I much prefer to spend my very little free time sewing or gardening.  That's what I intend to pass on to my kids.  In the long run, it won't matter if they can press a perfect crease, but it may matter if they can grow their own food.

[HS Mom in NC]

 I grew up on a hobby farm and had a mother who managed a household very well.  To fine tune things because I was homeschooling   I read this book around 2000 or 2001.   http://www.amazon.com/There-Life-After-Housework/dp/0898794617/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450071382&sr=8-2&keywords=Aslett+is+there+life+after

[Garga]

I grew up on a hobby farm and had a mother who managed a household very well. To fine tune things because I was homeschooling I read this book around 2000 or 2001. http://www.amazon.com/There-Life-After-Housework/dp/0898794617/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450071382&sr=8-2&keywords=Aslett+is+there+life+after

The reviews of this look promising and it's at my local library--have it on hold and will check it out.

[kewb]

I am a lousy homemaker. I hate cleaning, sewing, gardening, ironing (I don't hate it once I am doing it but I am not ironing linens), shopping for accessories, all of it.

I have tried my hand at many homemaker things and I realized that I would like to be able to hire people to do these things. Since I am not in a position to hire my garden is a survival of the fittest garden, our clothes are clean if not always pressed, there is food to eat even if it is not served on a beautifully set table, and I am happy.

[HS Mom in NC]

The reviews of this look promising and it's at my local library--have it on hold and will check it out.

 

I think the sections on coordinating cleaning jobs and how to do each cleaning job as efficiently as possible (particularly washing windows) make it well worth the read.  One big mistake too many people make is choosing to not learn how to do well the jobs they most dislike.  Let's face it, you've got to do it anyway, so spending a little time and energy up front learning to do it really well, really fast from here on out is well worth it if you ask me. 

 

As I recall, that's the book that also talks about which household furnishings require the most effort to clean, so it's worth taking that into account when deciding which to buy.  If you love and adore the furnishing that's higher maintenance, get it.  If you're on the fence between two, one being higher maintenance and other being lower maintenance, I suggest getting the lower maintenance.  That kind of thing.

 

[HS Mom in NC]

I am a lousy homemaker. I hate cleaning, sewing, gardening, ironing (I don't hate it once I am doing it but I am not ironing linens), shopping for accessories, all of it.

I have tried my hand at many homemaker things and I realized that I would like to be able to hire people to do these things. Since I am not in a position to hire my garden is a survival of the fittest garden, our clothes are clean if not always pressed, there is food to eat even if it is not served on a beautifully set table, and I am happy.

It's good for the economy if you hire it out.  Plenty of people are thrilled to get the work. So there's nothing wrong with how you do it and how you do it benefits others.

 

If people choose not to hire it out here are a few hints:

 

I learned how to clean as efficiently as possible (see up thread) with great results so I could spend less time doing it.  Chore charts are essential for that too. I know it deeply upsets some people here, but yes, your neuro-typical 6 year old can be taught to do almost every household cleaning job.  Expect more of them, get more from them.

 

If clothing needs ironing, I don't buy it.  I buy cotton knits that can be pulled out the dryer with no wrinkles.  I make sure when I do laundry we're around to pull it out when the dryer buzzer goes off.  If there's no buzzer I have a timer that's set to go off to remind me just before the dryer turns off. I have microfiber table linens for when I entertain as many as 30 people at a few tables. They come out of the dryer without wrinkles as long as they come out immediately. They do go straight to the tables.  No ironing.

 

The exception is my husband's work wear. He hardly ever needs to go on site, but when he does, he needs an ironed shirt and pressed pants. When my kids are 10ish they can opt for clothes that need ironing with the understanding that under no circumstances will I iron it for them, they have to do it themselves.  It works out well because by then they're doing their own laundry anyway.

 

If it can't go in the dishwasher I don't own it.  This includes my Grandmother's silver I inherited.  By rights it was mine, but it didn't fit my lifestyle, so I offered it to other relatives. I remember her other ways that don't involve extra cleaning-her rocking chair and her nativity set that needs dusted when it comes out of the box once a year.

 

 

[Bluegoat]

've talked to my mom about the home ec classes she did in school, and they actually talked about a lot of this.  It was far more in depth than anything I did.  We sewed a bit, cooked a bit, and talked about healthy food a bit.  They really learned to sew, the basics of cooking, and how to clean a house efficiently, budget, all that kind of thing.

[redsquirrel]

I can't imagine anything less interesting than 'housekeeping' as a job.  I know it makes some people's heart sing, but if it doesn't do it for you, then that is fine. There is nothing wrong with you, just do different things! I can't stand gardening and I am not going to do it. I don't need it for food, so I see no reason to do it as a hobby.

 

The world won't come to an end if you don't know anything about table clothes. I don't know a thing about 'linens' and I can promise you it wasn't because the knowledge hasn't been handed down from my grandmother or something. My mom and grandmother wouldn't have given a tinker's damn (my grandmother's term) about linens. It's not something 'everyone' used to know or even care about.

 

I know how to care for the house I own, in that I know how to fix the toilet and a drippy sink. DH can take apart the dishwasher and washing machine and fix them. Last year he figured out how to replace the motherboard of my fancy oven, which saved us hundreds of dollars. Last month, we made a sort of a yearly list of jobs to be done each month, like cleaning the gutters and the windows. Instead of learning how to store linens, learn how to fix a faucet or change out your water heater. Teach that stuff to your kids because that is really useful stuff! 

[Professormom]

I would enjoy that, I think! That price tag - do you think that's per person or for a group of 12? I don't quite understand their wording. Did you see the book on their website?

 

One book I have found helpful is Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House . It's an all around reference book that is enjoyable to read (well, at least to me, anyway).

 

Years ago, not long after I married, I went to the library and checked out just about every book on cleaning & organizing. If you are wanting some reading material for inspiration, I recommend going this route because after you read two or three books, you will find that they all include the same ideas, just presented in a different manner. The different presentations resonate with different people. After you have some fun exploring those books, settle down with the Home Comfort book and think of it as an encyclopedia of sorts - a good reference to have on hand and fun to browse through.

This book is awesome. Really and truly. I was in the same place you are, and this book gave me such direction. I think it helped that she was a professional, someone I could relate to. She is slightly witty and very practical. Actually, her style reminds me a lot of SWB. That is probably why I liked it so much. It is the WTM of homekeeping:-)

[redsquirrel]

This book is awesome. Really and truly. I was in the same place you are, and this book gave me such direction. I think it helped that she was a professional, someone I could relate to. She is slightly witty and very practical. Actually, her style reminds me a lot of SWB. That is probably why I liked it so much. It is the WTM of homekeeping:-)

 

I do actually own that book and, while some of the information in there is useful, I find a lot of it unrealistic. Her lists of what 'should' be done weekly, monthly, yearly, are enough to make anyone :willy_nilly:

 

And, for all her writing about managing a home, she had ONE kid and a NYC apartment and two steady upper middle class incomes. I am willing to bet that they also hired household help to get a lot of that work done. She has a whole chapter about doing just that in her book. That is a very different lifestyle than most. So, while I find some parts helpful, I think much of what she suggests should be taken with grain of salt.  A lot of what she writes about is academic for her. At least SWB actually walked the walk..and admitted to occasionally hiding in the bathroom while eating chocolate chips.

[Artichoke]

I'm going all geeky here, but I enjoy reading housekeeping books from the 1920's and 1930's.  This was a time when servants were scarce, and women had to do more work.  Books of this era tend to focus on housekeeping as a science which means a lot of interesting and helpful info.   The plus is that many of these books are free online. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but there are gems to be found here. 

[momee]

That's what I was doing when I was teaching myself to clean, reading books from decades past about cleaning methods - really cleaning, not swipe and swish with chemicals.  But I digress.

 

I think really, my anxiety stems from having to mutli task and LEARN how to do so many of the tasks I'm facing but I guess if I approach it with the right attitude - that it's a journey and I should enjoy the travel - it might be less of ...idk..a burden mentally.

 

I've taught myself to clean, parent, cook and entertain at my current level.  We're functioning fine, I am just chatting it up with fellow moms for support.

 

I do care about table linens, about ironing a crisp pretty collar for my husband, about actually making edible granola, about having cut flowers.

That's a great thing.  That I care.  It's not great that I stress over it sometimes (because I don't know everything, lol).

Thanks for listening.  No one here (in my home) wants to hear about my inadequacy, they just want a happy momma.  

 

Last night it was just the 8 of us, lol.  I saw shrimp at the local food store for sale 5.99 lb.  I googled shrimp and grits, bought the ingredients, doubled the recipe and made some green beans.  We went home, set the table with our Christmas best (took 18 mins total) and enjoyed a night of laughing, delicious food and great family time.

 

I can do this, lol.  I can do this.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2015 by momee

[momee]

"So, while I find some parts helpful, I think much of what she suggests should be taken with grain of salt"

 

Re: Home Comforts

I have checked it out multiple times from the library and my take was kind of the same.  But, it was helpful as part of my arsenal of knowledge.  It was good to read.  I should get it again.

 

I have these two things on my amazon wish list to show what a geek I am about this topic.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449015912?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I31GDBQAVXV25P&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385344708?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I11P8VBF98B54W&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

We know a very, very wealthy associate of my husband's.  His home is near DC.  Extremely wealthy social circle, large house, etc.  He employs a chef, a house manager, a personal assistant, among various other household help (yard crew, decorating crew, maids, caterers, etc.).  I'm not by any means in that financial position, lol, a long way off, but I am acting out (on a waaaay smaller scale) many of those roles in our humble space.  KWIM?

 

Like Home Comforts, they will hopefully be helpful in the journey.  Doesn't mean I'll spend my day being a butler, but I will be growing in my precious role as homemaker.

Edited December 15, 2015 by momee

[TechWife]

This book is awesome. Really and truly. I was in the same place you are, and this book gave me such direction. I think it helped that she was a professional, someone I could relate to. She is slightly witty and very practical. Actually, her style reminds me a lot of SWB. That is probably why I liked it so much. It is the WTM of homekeeping:-)

 

I love that description!

[Bluegoat]

I do actually own that book and, while some of the information in there is useful, I find a lot of it unrealistic. Her lists of what 'should' be done weekly, monthly, yearly, are enough to make anyone :willy_nilly:

 

And, for all her writing about managing a home, she had ONE kid and a NYC apartment and two steady upper middle class incomes. I am willing to bet that they also hired household help to get a lot of that work done. She has a whole chapter about doing just that in her book. That is a very different lifestyle than most. So, while I find some parts helpful, I think much of what she suggests should be taken with grain of salt.  A lot of what she writes about is academic for her. At least SWB actually walked the walk..and admitted to occasionally hiding in the bathroom while eating chocolate chips.

This reminds me of a book I borrowed from the library on frugal gardening.  It told me how hiring a garden designer could save me money.

 

Clearly her idea of frugal was different from mine.  Not to mention, if I scraped together cash to hire help, I'd be hiring guys to dig me beds or do things that I don't have the skill for, not to do the fun part designing the garden.

[Ellie]

Martha Stewart has a homekeeping book. People like to laugh at her :-) but she still writes good books. You might be able to find it at your local library.

 

Judith Martin's Miss Manners books have helpful information about things like that, and they're fun to read.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Ellie

[TechWife]

 

 

I have these two things on my amazon wish list to show what a geek I am about this topic.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449015912?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I31GDBQAVXV25P&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385344708?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I11P8VBF98B54W&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

We know a very, very wealthy associate of my husband's.  His home is near DC.  Extremely wealthy social circle, large house, etc.  He employs a chef, a house manager, a personal assistant, among various other household help (yard crew, decorating crew, maids, caterers, etc.).  I'm not by any means in that financial position, lol, a long way off, but I am acting out (on a waaaay smaller scale) many of those roles in our humble space.  KWIM?

 

 

 

I am just as much of a geek as you are because I just added those to my wish list! 

 

As a new empty nester, I've been going back to my "roots" so to speak and paying a lot more attention to the household, my wardrobe, etc.. Homeschooling really threw me for a loop! I strive to create an atmosphere of calm in our house because dh has a stressful job and travels often. I'd like for it to be restful when he is here. I had really lost touch with that idea over the past several years - our home as a retreat from the world, KWIM? At the same time, once I have things under better control, I'd love to start having people over more often. Not really parties so much, but just inviting people over to visit some. Maybe I'll be able to branch out, maybe not.

[Alessandra]

I would enjoy that, I think! That price tag - do you think that's per person or for a group of 12? I don't quite understand their wording. Did you see the book on their website?

 

One book I have found helpful is Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House . It's an all around reference book that is enjoyable to read (well, at least to me, anyway).

 

Years ago, not long after I married, I went to the library and checked out just about every book on cleaning & organizing. If you are wanting some reading material for inspiration, I recommend going this route because after you read two or three books, you will find that they all include the same ideas, just presented in a different manner. The different presentations resonate with different people. After you have some fun exploring those books, settle down with the Home Comfort book and think of it as an encyclopedia of sorts - a good reference to have on hand and fun to browse through.

I like this book too, not just for the info, but because the author inspires with her love of home keeping.

 

Tiffany's Table Manners for Teenagers is another good book, suitable for all, iirc.

[Alessandra]

"So, while I find some parts helpful, I think much of what she suggests should be taken with grain of salt"

 

Re: Home Comforts

I have checked it out multiple times from the library and my take was kind of the same. But, it was helpful as part of my arsenal of knowledge. It was good to read. I should get it again.

 

I have these two things on my amazon wish list to show what a geek I am about this topic.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0449015912?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I31GDBQAVXV25P&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385344708?colid=D3FJOLTGGQG4&coliid=I11P8VBF98B54W&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

 

We know a very, very wealthy associate of my husband's. His home is near DC. Extremely wealthy social circle, large house, etc. He employs a chef, a house manager, a personal assistant, among various other household help (yard crew, decorating crew, maids, caterers, etc.). I'm not by any means in that financial position, lol, a long way off, but I am acting out (on a waaaay smaller scale) many of those roles in our humble space. KWIM?

 

Like Home Comforts, they will hopefully be helpful in the journey. Doesn't mean I'll spend my day being a butler, but I will be growing in my precious role as homemaker.

Adding this to make a nice trio of books

 

http://www.amazon.com/National-Trust-Manual-Housekeeping-Sandwith/dp/014012344X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

 

My go to book for housekeeping/table setting etc is an old (1940's I think) Vogue's Book of Etiquette. Oyster forks, fingerbowls, and proper forms for correspondance. Better at actual rules than more modern books.

[momee]

That looks awesome!  Thanks so much.

[Alessandra]

I have to check Amazon to see if I already have the butler books somewhere. I am such a disorganized housekeeper that I may have bought and misplaced them. If not, I should get them.

 

Here is the newest National Trust verso,($$$$))

 

http://www.amazon.com/National-Trust-Manual-Housekeeping-Conservation/dp/1907892184/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450199561&sr=8-1&keywords=national+trust+manual

Edited December 15, 2015 by Alessandra

[momee]

"I have to check Amazon to see if I already have the butler books somewhere. I am such a disorganized housekeeper that I may have bought and misplaced them"

 

Well, disorganized or not, I'm impressed that you THINK you may have them :)