PLANNING THE HOUSEWORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 170, 19 July 1924, Page 22

PLANNING THE HOUSEWORK.

It is generally the people who don't do any housework who loudly proclaim its healthful effects! At the same time housework would not be half so wearisome if only we made our brains save our feet. Work should be planned so that time and energy are not squandered in trotting from" one part of the house to another. For instance, work in the bedrooms should be carried out in sequence. Don't leave oil* dusting a bedroom and run downstairs and start washing up— go from one thing to another methodically. You'll save strength, time and temper in this way. Then, again, suitable clothes are just as necessary for housework as for any other kind of work. Wear a loosely fitting overall with a belt round the waist —and never wear corsets that in any way impede freedom of movement while working. Then comty slices are an absolute necessity. It's a fatal mistake to wear out old shoes in the house, especially if they have high heels or are "run down." Nothing is more tiring. The best kind of shoe for housework is one with a low, broad heel, such as nurses wear. And make a point of sitting down to a task whenever it is at all possible. There are dozens of things which can be done just as well sitting as standing— peeling potatoes, stoning fruit, cleaning r-bocs—it's merely a question of habit. Once you get into the way of doing things sitting you'll realise how much harder you've been working yourself for years than you need have done. And if you value the appearance of your hands, make a practice of doing all the "dry" work together, and then the "wet" work. For instance, don't blacklend a grate, then wash up, and then ,_.> mil sweep and dust a room. That sort of thing is ruinous to tbe bands. If vim dust a room immediately after washing up when the hands are soft, the dust will penetrate the (pen pores, and harden and darken the skin. If you get into the way of doing all "wets" an.! "drys"' together you won't be for ever washing your hands, aud

life won't be such a giddy dashing from one thing to another. After all, work in office or shop is always planned to save time and energy, so surely method and time saving are equally important in the home, for no amount of work in office or shop is half as tiring as housework can be. Therefore see that you make yours as light as possible.