I'm a Domestic Novice!

"Many young wives, like myself, have a lot of catching up to do in the area of domestic arts. The link of knowledge passing from mother to daughter was broken in the previous generation, and often we lack knowledge in the very basics of housekeeping. I was 20 before I could operate a washing machine. And only two short years later, I found myself married, with a household of my own. I'm far, far from having sufficient knowledge!" --Mrs. Anna T. Domestic Felicity


I ran headlong into this problem right after graduating from college. I was 26 and living in my first solo apartment. As I looked around at my new environment I slowly realized that I had no idea what I was doing. How often does one clean out the fridge? What do you use to scrub it out? What about maintaining the heater filter? What is the best way to get a stain off the couch? Are there timetables one should know about, 'cause I didn't!

What about stocking up a kitchen? I didn't know how to shop for many foods, like meat, how to store it or cook it. I simply had never had to consider these questions before.

I was too embarrassed that I didn't already know these seemingly simple things to ask for help. I had a vague understanding of the overall tasks that needed to be accomplished. But, for me, the devil was in the details, details you don't consider unless you are faced with executing a task for the first time. I knew I had to start looking for answers. However, answers can be hard to find if you don't know what questions to ask!

I began my quest with gusto and found a few resources. They didn't have everything I was looking for but they were a good start. I began to find that the more I learned the less I seemed to know. The whole concept of homemaking turned out to be much bigger that I thought it was.

Just a short 18 months later I was married. I had made some progress but I had not hammered out much of my routine yet, there was always so much more to learn. Now I had the task of merging my life with my husband's. Talk about a set back! I was just beginning to finish that task and guess what, we got pregnant 6 months into our marriage! Oy vey!

My baby girl turns 1 year old this week. We moved to a new state and are still getting established. I'm still trying to learn and grow in the thick of everyday demands. I want this blog to be a resource for the myriad questions that most women struggle with as they build their domestic skills. I don't have all the answers, or frankly all the questions, but I love research and I have the time that you may not have. I'm committed to growing myself and helping others to grow as well.

I believe no woman starts out a domestic goddess! Most of us are still domestic novices. I know for sure that I am.