Full Time Worker, Full Time Housewife.

I want to start off by apologizing for the lack of entries in this blog. I had been discouraged after fighting with trying to support multiple images in one post. I have a "How - To" I'd really like to post but it would be so much better WITH pictures. So that's something that I'm still trying to do and afterwards I'll have my first "How-To"!

Anyway, Today I'm going to discuss a topic that relates to my everyday life. Every week I work 40+ hours at a job located 20 minutes away from my apartment. I work in retail, so my schedule jumps around everywhere. I may have Tuesday off one week and I may we working it the next, and I may work in the morning one day and work a closing shift the next. So It's really hard for me to keep on a routine at home. Sometimes I come home and it's 10pm and I still really want to stay up and get my personal things done, and the next thing you know, it's MIDNIGHT! Keeping up with this is still a work in progress, and I'm sure there are a ton of people reading this thinking "She's explaining my life to the last detail!", because it's so common. But I've established a few ground rules in order to get it to work for me without letting my apartment get Hoarders-esque. Hopefully this will help you!

Focus On One Thing At A Time

Sometimes it is so overwhelming, seeing your home "lived in" after letting it go for a few days of hectic, extra long work days. So much to a point where you may not even want to start because you feel that you won't make it anywhere. When I get to this point, I say to myself "just clean ONE thing." and I imagine if at the end, if I'm over trying to clean I'll let myself just relax and go on with my day/night. Once I'm done cleaning one thing (ie. Wipe down countertops!) I start feeling productive which motivates me! This works SO well for me. Next thing I know, Kitchen is spotless and I'm eyeing the bathroom!

The 15 Minute Rule

This is another 'brain tricking' idea. Especially if after a day of work, I'm feeling spent. I'd say this works best for things that take up more time. For example, Ironing, Organizing and small projects. Negotiate with yourself that you'll do this task for 15 minutes and that's it. Most of the time, if you're really into what you're doing after 15 minutes have past, you'll stay doing it until the end. If you're just not feeling up to continuing with your chore after the 15 minutes are up, you're free to stop without any guilt! Most of the time, you'll finish whatever it is you started, but if it's awfully mind numbing, you're out of jail and back on the couch watching your shows!

Rotate Your Chores

When I first moved out, I found myself doing the same tasks every single day, because I didn't want to get behind on them, but as the days went by, I realized since all of my time was spent in one room doing one or two things, all the rest of the stuff started piling up, and it became overwhelming, where do you prioritize when everything needs to get done all of a sudden?! I try not to put an absolute schedule on what I do each day for the sake of my sanity, but if it works for you, I would suggest designating every day to do one type of chore. If something is a mess (crumbs or coffee stains on countertops) Don't wait till it's on your agenda, DO IT, but dive into that area deeper when it comes up on your rotation. I focus first on my kitchen, since I spend a lot of time in there, switch it to the bathroom usually since this has a lot of items that need attention, and then pick between our bedroom, the living room, and I combine Laundry and Vacuuming. As I said, I don't keep it strictly in this order, but focusing on one area of chores is easier to do than thinking you need to touch the whole house!

Do The Small Stuff In Between Work Shifts!

I may not have time when I first wake up to get the laundry done and start working away on the bathtub, especially if I have to get to work in roughly an hour or two. So in this time, I like to get the small things done. Thankfully small things always make the bigger tasks easier, because, well, the smaller things are already done, giving your cleaning a full effect. Putting Clothes away, loading the dishwasher, cleaning the counter tops, picking up the living room, things like that. I like to call it "Around The House" chores, because I usually do it between walking around the house getting ready and gathering my things for work. This ultimately works the best if you are a good multitasker. When I get home I also do this, but I feel less rushed. If I get in late, I don't force myself to do much, but I do at least one thing !(see "focus on one thing")

Don't Clutter When You Come Home

I often do this, and I've been so much better now that I've focused myself on NOT doing this, and that's leaving my stuff sitting where it shouldn't be when I get home. I tend to hang my coat on the back of a kitchen chair and put my purse on the kitchen table and whatever else I had in my hands. As many wise women may have said, "Everything has a place, and it belongs in that place". Before I let myself sit down or great my fiance (if he's there before me) or even pick up my kitties, I put my coat in the closet, keys on the hanger, purse in my room. Sometimes I have that urge to just drop everything and enjoy the purring kitties at my feet, but I fight it and get it done, because I know if I don't, it'll only make my cleaning that much more annoying.

(The Next 2 are quite silly, but I truly use them and they are effective!)

Do Chores In Style

Don't laugh, but I find when I pick out a cute 'housework' outfit, it makes my chores more fun, especially if it's my day off and I'm planning on spending it fixing up my home and making dinner. I'm infatuated in vintage trends, and one thing I love to do is hold my hair up with a scarf. Not only does it hold up your hair while you're cleaning, but it makes you feel like you fit the part of Vixen Housewife fixing up her home for her husband! Every single girl can relate to how an outfit can set your mood and your character!

Have Something To Work For

Clearly tried and true, everyone enjoys work that comes with an awesome prize at the end. For example, last week, I said, If I can get all of these things done and maintained, I'll let myself buy new shoes. If at the end of the week, I feel that I didn't deserve it, I wouldn't let myself get those new shoes (and trust me, I'm very honest with myself!) but if I can confidently say I did a fantastic job with everything I wanted to accomplish, I treat myself. Treating yourself doesn't have to be something huge. It can be a frappuccino at Starbucks! Just something you keep for when you want to indulge.

If you'd like to add any tips that you have, please comment below! I'd love to hear your ideas and maybe try them out!

KB

A Life Tip To Save Money

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I wanted to feature on this blog. And one thing that’s very realistic with my life that could be fun would be cutting costs and ways to do so! I’ll be getting married next year and we’d really like to save up for not only our wedding, but also a nice house for us to live in. Those two things have pretty large price tags and most people only succeed by saving up for years. But it’s not just as easy as saying that and POOF! Years pass and we have our own home. There are methods and skill levels such as everything else we do in life!

So as I pondered what the secret is to cutting costs, I realized it’s not so much secret tips, as it is just a way of life. One life tip we’ll be focusing on is “If you can pay someone else to do it, you can probably do it yourself”. Let me explain!

Do you go to a mechanic for an oil change? Go to the salon for eyebrow waxes, hair coloring and manicures? How about small home repairs? If you take something that you’d usually pay for and think “I could probably do that myself if I tried”, then do it yourself! I come from a family of very handy people. When I grew up I thought my dad could basically do everything, and that’s because he did, and it saved us so much money. He would paint the house (he was a painter), fix the roof, repair the cars, bust down walls and put some up, build sheds (and cute play houses for my sister and I!), fix small appliances as well as the big ones. As long as it doesn’t consist of expensive tools that would cost more to purchase than it is to just pay someone, just do it yourself.

I don’t really hold up to this fully yet, and that’s the point of writing about it, these tasks are something that I will be implementing into my life as I write about them. A few things that I already do at home are eyebrow upkeep and manicures. I know of girls who spend a good amount of money on both of these things. In fact, I used to pay upwards to $15 (with tip) to get my eyebrows waxed at least once every other week. That’s $30 I could be saving for our home! Now I do it myself which is tedious but I’ve taught myself how to do a good job.

All it takes it to teach yourself how to do something yourself, and you’re already saving money. Simple as that!

I would definitely be interested in going further in depth with this life tip since it really is a huge and helpful one. If anyone has anything they’d like to see featured (how to do this…etc.) and I’m sure I know how to do it, I’d love to feature it here. Leave a comment with any ideas!

KB

Welcome To The Offbeat Housewife!

Welcome to The Offbeat Housewife. I had thought up the idea of this blog for many reasons, but simply to share my experience/adventures of the domestic arts in a life that isn't quite that.

When we think of a 'House Wife' most of us imagine a June Cleaver type with adorable aprons over beautiful dresses while she vacuums her already immaculate home wearing a string of pearls. Before Ward gets home she prepares everything and everyone. Dinner is always done on time and the kids are in good behavior with washed hands and homework done.

I'm not your average 'housewife' type. I don't stay home with kids (although, I tip my hat to those who do!). I work a 40hr work week in a fast paced retail store and live with my fiance (soon to be husband) in a quaint apartment. But something about the art of the 50's housewife leaves me intrigued. The Junes of her time made a warm and loving environment for her family out of love. She baked those apple pies to fill her family's belly. Everything was perfect, because she insisted that for her family. There is a lot to say about a woman who can make a place into a home.

In my childhood years, my mother stayed home with all of us. She had six children and a dozen animals yet you would think a family of 3 lived in our home. She was on top of everything and dinner was never a frozen pizza, it was a delicious meal. Coming home from school, I remember seeing her watching her soaps on TV after she had just finished mopping, with the smell of lemon in the air, as well as whatever was in the oven for that night. The whole house was dusted, mopped, washed, straightened and cozy. She made it look so easy, and she rarely took the day off. She did this out of love for her big family and her hard working husband. Her hard work and dedication to her family is a big part of the happiness of my childhood!

So what are my motives? I don't lead the same life as my mom, or many others like her. But I appreciate their talents, skills, and obvious devotion for their families. Not all women find these activities interesting, and that's fine. All women are different, and lovely in their own way. What I want to post here is my experiences trying to find my calling in domestic arts, making it work into my own already busy life and possibly inspiring others in the way. This blog is in no way anything other than my own opinion upon who I am as a "Offbeat Housewife". So there are no facts here, just my thoughts and opinions and there is no need to become offended as the only person being ridiculed here will be myself!

Please feel free to leave a comment on anything you'd like for me to discuss, try, or accomplish. Maybe I can help you along the way if you're in the same boat as me, or maybe you can help me!

Now onto the adventure!!

KB