We are succinctly five months into this pandemic, and things are as slow and dire as ever. As a result, I find that I have far too much spare time on my hands. I am a full-time college student, yet my classes are being reduced and formatted remotely. This has left me with an abundance of time to sit and ponder over my life, my wants, my desires... I've come to quite a few conclusions. One of the more prominent realizations is just how much I adore the concept of the 1950s housewife, and the general housewife lifestyle and aesthetic.
I have very progressive beliefs, and would never begrudge someone who has absolutely no interest in being a housewife (or husband or spouse!). I hope to be able to create and have somewhat of a profession of my own, even with these dreams of being a housewife as well. I do, however, feel very strongly that personally, individually, I enjoy the concept for myself. I love to cook, bake, clean, tend house, etc. I like being submissive to my partner, doing what I can every day to keep them happy and loved and cared for. I like having a purpose that is set and designed for by my partner, able to follow through on tasks in order to feel a sense of accomplishment, purpose, pride.
So what does all of this mean? Well, this desire has allowed me to find something to do with all of my extra time. I want to learn to be a better submissive, a better partner, a better housewife. So, I am going to dedicate each and every day, all of my spare time, to building the necessary skills.
Today is Day 1. Tuesday, August 18, 2020 is the official start to my journey towards learning these things. Here is what I did today:
CLEANLINESS
Taking care of a home takes a lot of hard work and diligence. My current circumstances are not exactly comparable, as I live with my parents and my sister for the time being. Most of my focus is on my spaces - bedroom, bathroom, etc. - and my messes - dishes, laundry, etc. - while lending a hand elsewhere when I can.
In the morning, I start my day by drawing down my comforter to let my bed air out. It kept me snuggled up and warm all night long, and needs some time to refresh before being tucked back in tight. Then, I pull back my blinds and open my windows. It is always so rejuvenating to invite fresh morning air into my space first thing. It always smells like fresh, early-morning dew. I have an essential oil mister in my room, as my mother gets irritated by the smell of candles or incense, so I will add a few drops of whatever scent feels best for the day and turning it on (today, I used a blend of lavender and vanilla for a sweet, floral note).
After, I grab a basket for general tidying. Any trash laying around, leftover glasses/dishes, dirty clothes, items out of place, etc. are gathered and brought down to the kitchen to be put away or disposed of. I haven't started learning breakfast recipes yet, so I had a glass of cold water and a bowl of cereal with some fruit for breakfast. Delicious and nutritious! I clean up any dishes around, put away all ingredients, and do a quick wipe-down of the countertops. Once I am done, I will do a quick sweep around the general living areas to see if anyone left a mess anywhere, fluff up the pillows, etc. I throw a load of laundry into the washer to get started and take out the trash.
Now that the initial tidying has been done, I take inventory for the day. I go through the fridge and take note of anything we need. I gauge how much laundry needs to be done. I unload the dishwasher if necessary. I water the plants. Once this is done, usually the first load of laundry is ready to be moved over to the dryer, so I go about doing this. Once the first load is tumbling away, and a new load put on the wash, I head back upstairs.
First thing, I make my bed. The sheets have had an adequate amount of time to air out and it always pulls a space together once the bed is made. I close the window and adjust the temperature of the house according to the weather. My mother, sister, and I all tend to get cold rather easily, so I try to keep the thermostat set a bit warmer. The fans in various rooms can be adjusted individually depending on who is there.
Once the bedroom is tidy, I go about washing up for the day. While we are in quarantine, I don't get fully dolled-up for the day, but still like to stay relatively put together. This is when I shower, wash my face, brush my teeth, etc. I will blow out my hair and style it simply (I plan to learn some hairstyles that involve a bit more technique down the line). Once I am clean, I will get dressed. Today, I put on a comfortable pair of pants and a fitted t-shirt. Then, I quickly wiped down the sink and counter in the bathroom, put my wet towel in the laundry bin, and put on my various accessories (earrings, necklace, etc.).
Finally, I will head back downstairs to finish the laundry for the morning. I move the second load into the dryer, fold what is already clean, and put it away in the appropriate bedroom depending on whose clothes they are. If they are mine, they go away into their appropriate drawer/hanger (of course!).
Now that all of the general cleaning is done for the morning, I have some time. First things first, I plan out dinner for the evening. I found an old Betty Crocker cookbook in our pantry, and have decided to go through quite a few of the recipes as a start while I teach myself to cook hearty meals for my family. Today, I decided on the Chicken Paprikash with a side of steamed broccoli and white rice. It was deemed a success by everyone! Once dinner is decided, I make sure I have all necessary ingredients (luckily I did!) and then I have the afternoon to myself. I did some work, answered some emails, prepared some things for the start of my semester, etc.
Once early evening rolls around, I start cooking dinner. The recipe I chose took about 1 1/2 hours to prepare, including several intervals where I simply allow the food to simmer. During these periods, I work on setting the dinner table. We had gotten a lovely bouquet of sunflowers at the farmer's market a few days prior, which made a lovely centerpiece. Overall, dinner was a wonderful affair.
After everyone has finished eating, I pack up any leftovers and clear the dishes. I generally stay tidy while cooking, cleaning as I go along, so it wasn't too daunting of a job. Finally, everything is cleared and clean, and here I am! I will do a bit of tidying around the house before bed, get washed up, prepare for the morning, and then it is time for Day 2!!
What do you think of my starting routine? What did you like? What did you dislike? Any suggestions? How can I tweak it to improve? Are there any recipes, routines, or skills you would like to see me incorporate as I continue to learn and grow? Please share your thoughts and opinions! And, if you are someone who wants to be (or are currently) a housewife (or husband, or spouse) in a similar capacity as I have described, please share your experience or send me a message to chat.
Stay safe everyone! Much love! <3