SAVING LABOUR IN THE HOME

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 77, Issue 5, 15 November 1948, Page 531

SAVING LABOUR IN THE HOME

Housewives, most of whom work for long hours each day and for seven days a week, often look with envy on those who enjoy a 40-hour week in industry and commerce. With help in the household practically unprocurable and most labour-saving devices expensive, few housewives see any prospects of being able to reduce their hours of work. But must they accept this as a permanent state of affairs? Are there no ways of lightening the burden of housework except hiring help or buying new equipment? Edith G. McNab, Rural Sociologist, Dunedin, discusses the part that can be played by forethought and planning.

ONE of the first women to study housework and the time and energy spent on it wrote: “I believe strongly that women’s liberation from drudgery lies not so much in tools as in her own methods of work” (1). That remark means more now, among the increasing complexity of modern housekeeping, than it did when it was written.

Planning Use of Time and Energy

Many busy women say they have not time to stop and plan, but working to a plan ultimately may save much more time than is spent on the initial planning. The experienced housewife may be able to plan as some monotonous task is being donewhile washing dishes .or shelling peas—though others find a written plan helpful, particularly at first. The first essential in planning to make the best use of time and labour is to be alert to the possibilities of bettering the habitual. or customary methods of doing the tasks, and of arranging the tasks in the most convenient order. In almost all households conditions are changing constantly, and the best. arrangement of work does not necessarily remain so for all time. Before planning, the housewife must have a clear idea of the value and place of each task in the organisation of the home. She must put first those which she considers most important to family welfare, and subordinate other tasks to them. A plan should not be rigid. Interruptions, especially in a farm home, are likely to be frequent, and the plan must be flexible enough to allow for these. Questioning Convention Often the home maker is guided more by what is considered usual than

by her own good sense in setting herself standards. Questioning of some of these conventional standards is worth while. For example, must the meal table always be covered with a large white cloth? Many people find that the table does not lose in attractiveness when set with table mats, or when the dishes are set directly on a painted or linoleum-covered surface. If the housewife is working long hours already, an ' alternative to the use of large tablecloths will save time spent in laundering. Is ironing sheets absolutely necessary? If they are hung carefully on a line so that they dry straight, and are folded smoothly before being put away, they lose little in appearance compared with sheets which are ironed. Knitted underwear and turkish towels can be treated similarly. Clothing materials and garment styles may be chosen with regard for ease

of washing and ironing. Furnishings, too, may be chosen with a view to ease of cleaning. The results of every task can be looked at and the questions asked: “Is this result worth while in view of the time and effort spent? Is there some other task which would give a more worthwhile result for the same amount of time and effort?” Order of Work The order in which tasks are carried out must be fitted to the needs and activities of the family. Tasks should also be fitted in with one another, so that it is not necessary to stop in the middle of one task to do something quite different. Running between bed making and the ; kitchen to look at something in the oven is Wasteful of time and energy, and with some forethought such a waste of steps usually

can be avoided. Experiment has proved that when several rooms are to be cleaned it is easier to do all the sweeping first and then all the dusting. That is, when cleaning several bedrooms time is saved by making all beds. first,. then sweeping or mopping the rooms, and last doing all the dusting. . . ■ / • . •

Previous planning or part-prepara-tion of the midday meal for.washing day saves time and labour. That is part of the reason why some , women prefer to wash on a Tuesday, as Monday allows time for this preparation. (It also allows time on Monday’for sorting and perhaps soaking the clothes.) Planning all meals ahead makes for smoother working, with no panic-stricken thought at the last minute, about what to have, for dinner. Planning ensures that the necessary supplies are at hand and the time needed for meal preparation is known. ■ The family will probably. be fed better . when meals are planned ahead, for more ’ consideration , can then be given to providing balanced meals. . ’ '' ' ’ ' ' - Planning enables the heavy work to be prepared over the week, so that the work load is fairly evenly distributed and there is no overworking on one day, with a carry-over of fatigue to the next day.

Special Tasks' x When, a task, is begun all tools, utensils, and supplies should be at hand and, conveniently grouped for use. ’;. Much time and energy . can be wasted by stopping and retracing steps to look for and collect articles ' which should have ; been assembled beforehand. Much labour can be saved if equipment , and ingredients are kept where, they are used most often. Storage space should be so used , that it! is never r . necessary to move an article to? get at another behind or below it./ Builders and carpenters seem to feel that shelves must always be equal distances apart, taking no account of . the „fact that articles of varying sizes must be stored. > Racks on the insides of . cupboard doors, and perhaps a * halfwidth shelf, between two others, may be -added by the handyman of the family to provide for storage of small articles. Those which are in daily use should be stored within reach, so that climbing is not necessary to reach them. , . .

It may even be worth while to have two of one kind of small tool (for instance a knife) if it is needed frequently in two different places, for that saves walking from one place to the other to fetch the tool each time. Using the wrong tool for a task usually

means wasted time and energy; choose the tool which will give the best results with the least expenditure of time and labour. Tools and utensils must be kept in good order if they are to be efficient; a sharp knife for peeling saves time, is easier to use, and helps to prevent waste.

Letting the left hand do its share reduces the time required for many tasks. Try dusting, polishing, or washing windows with a cloth in each hand. Use both hands to set and clear the table and to sort laundry.

Superfluous Movements When , examining any particular task, consider whether any movements are being . wasted, either in carrying out the work or in collecting and putting away tools and materials. Once motions are recognised as superfluous, measures can be taken to reduce this waste. ■ 7 This may be applied to dishwashing. Usually the worker holds the dish being washed in her left hand, washing with the right, so the clean dishes should be put at the left side of the sink. If the washed dishes are drained at the right, the worker has to change the plate to the right hand (a wasted movement) or bring the left hand over in front of the body, which is both awkward and a waste of motion.- Experiments have shown that the best arrangement , is dirty dishes at the right of the sink and clean ones at the left. The cupboard for clean dishes should be at the left of the sink so that they do not have to be carried elsewhere after being washed, and one handling is enough for drying and putting away. .. • The dish cupboard should also ■ be near the dining ..table so that as little walking and handling as possible ,are involved in setting the table. If there is a separate dining room, the cupboard may be made to open ; from either side. If it is impossible to have the cupboard at the left of the sink ■ and the dishes must be - carried to the

cupboard, place them on a wagon as they are dried and make one journey instead of several.

Conditions of Work

The time taken to do work and the degree of fatigue which results are affected by the conditions under which the work is done. Much of the home maker’s time is spent in the kitchen,

so this room should be well ventilated and well lit by both natural and artificial light. A stuffy, steamy room reduces working efficiency and increases tiredness. Windows on two sides of the room give better ventilation and light than a window in only one wall. The position of the artificial -light is important. Usually when electric light is installed there is one central ceiling light, which, means that tasks at the stove or sink are carried out with the housewife’s back to the light, so that the work is in her shadow. Under those conditions the work : is slower and more tiring and accidents are more probable'. Separate lights over the stove , and sink may be well worth while and may not cost more, for ', light concentrated where . it is needed can be supplied by a lowerpowered bulb. ' The ■ new . tubular fluorescent' lighting is good, especially in the work rooms of the home. ' Anyone who has worked at a sink or washtub which is too low soon realises how much the stooping increases fatigue. Sink, bench, table, and tub heights should be such that the worker does not have to stoop or hold her arms uncomfortably high. Poor posture is a sure way of making the worker tire quickly. For a woman of average height the first figures in the following list of heights for equipment will be found comfortable, and the second figures give heights for a tall person. . Table top for sitting work 26 to 30in. Table top for standing * work .. . . . . 33 .to 38in. Kitchen sink (to top) . . 34 to 39in. Washtubs (to top) .. 36 to 40in.

The average height is 33in. To judge the height of a work surface, place the palms flat on it and stand at ease; the elbows should then be slightly bent. If the arms are bent much, the surface is too high; if they are straight, the surface is too. low. To test the height of a sink, stand naturally upright before the sink and place the knuckles on the bottom of it; the arms should then be straight.

If a work surface is too low, blocks may be placed under table legs or the utensil may be stood on a rack resting on top of the work surface. When a surface is too high the housewife may stand on a platform if it is not possible to lower the level. The sink bottom is often the best place to put mixtures which are to be stirred or beatentasks which need a lower surface than most others. A pull-out shelf at the table or bench is often

a convenient way of providing a temporary lower, work surface. A stool, with a footrest, of the right height oh which to sit while working comfortably at the table saves some standing; it is especially useful if the knees can be put under the table.

A little ingenuity can often save much stooping. Try placing the clothes basket on a chair by the ironing board. Have a wheeled trolley for the basket to bring it to a convenient height and eliminate stooping while hanging out the wash.

Spreading Heavy Work

One way of preventing too much fatigue is to spread the heavy work over the days of the week. Plan time for rest each day. Once exhaustion is reached, a much longer period of rest and recreation is necessary for recovery, so it is better to set aside enough

time for rest periods each day and so remain . efficient. When several heavy and several light tasks are to be done, do them turn about one heavy, then one light— than attempting all the heavy tasks one after another. The plan of the house has a big influence on the housewife’s work. Access from one part of the house to another should be easy without the need for passing through work or rest centres. The telephone should be near the living room and the kitchen so that the housewife does not have to go too far each time she answers it. The kitchen should be planned so that in the preparation of a meal progression from one task to another is easy, without waste of steps. Rounded corners, lack of ledges, and cupboards built to the ceiling or. with sloping tops for dusting with a mop help, to make cleaning easier. Finishes for wall, floor, and bench surfaces may be chosen according to the activities which will be carried on, and with regard for ease of cleaning as well as comfort and convenience. . Choice of Equipment Labour-saving equipment can reduce greatly the time and effort spent by the housewife on many tasks, but the home maker cannot always take advantage of the many kinds of tools and equipment on the market. Electric power may not be available or the cost of the piece of equipment may be prohibitive. When it is possible to buy new equipment, careful consideration is required, for not all equipment sold for household use is necessarily labour

saving. When choosing a tool, note its construction, judging whether it is well made and if it can be expected to have a reasonable life in use; find out if the results of using it are worth while, and if it saves time or labour (sop&e alleged labour-saving tools take so long to put together or to clean! after use that they save no time or! work and are worth while only if the results are vastly superior to those of the hand process); consider costs of running a machine and possible costs of repairs and Renewals as well as purchasing cost. ' ?| If the piece of equipment has to be; moved, or carried or held in use, : try it and make , sure that the .-. weight and the length . and grip of the handle; make for ease of manipulation; avoid handles which are too short. Dustpans and. brushes and mops for cleaning the bath can have long handles to reduce stooping. ij Buy only after investigation of the kinds available and full knowledge of how to use the machine to obtain' the best results. Once obtained, equip-! ment should be installed so that ! the greatest possible , use may be made of it and in such a relation to other tools that all possible steps are saved. : J Co-operation of the Household The mother of a family often carries a burden proportionately heavier than that of other members of the family. They may help by carrying out some tasks or assisting in them. By taking a little : thought the other members of the household can do a great deal to

lighten the housewife’s work at the cost of little time and trouble to themselves. Even children can do their bit in the labour of the house, small at first, but of importance to their own development as well as setting free a little of the mother’s time. Children can be taught to put away their own toys and clothes. (This means making sure that there are places to keep these things which children can reach easily.) Their garments may be chosen with the aim of making them independent in dressing themselves as soon as possible. All members of the household can put away such items as books and papers as they are finished with instead of thoughtlessly dropping them where they were used. All except the youngest children can be responsible for part at least of the care of their own clothes. By merely tidying up after themselves other members of

the famly can save the housewife much labour. Cleaning the bath is easier if each user wipes it out when finished. Who' has not seen a farmer’s wife wiping up after muddy feet? Remembering to clean or remove dirty boots is a small thing to ask of each individual, and no one likes to see the results of hard work spoiled by a moment’s thoughtlessness on the part of others. Such small, unnecessary tasks, multiplied over the days and the years, add to the housewife’s drudgery. Punctuality at meals is another way in which all members of the household may assist in. saving the home maker’s time. Keeping a meal waiting usually means that little or nothing else can be done until the meal is over. Sometimes on a farm lateness for a meal is unavoidable because of some unforeseen happening, but those who are habitually late should look into the organisation of their work or

agree with the housewife on a mealtime which is suitable for both.

Work in the home may be reduced by buying some things instead of making them. Country housewives do not always have the chance of doing this to the same extent as those who live in towns, though in these days only those living furthest from a town continue from necessity to do such things as make their own butter or bake their own bread. Making the Plan To help in checking the planning, here is a summary of the important points to consider:— Be on the alert to try different methods or a different order of work, and choose the best for regular use. Plan to do the work in the order best suited to family welfare and interests and to the importance of the tasks. Allow definite time for rest and personal recreation. Allot enough time to each task to prevent either rushing or wasting time. Distribute the work over the days of the week. Allow for interruptions. Encourage each member of the family to take a fair share of responsibility. Judging Efficiency To form an estimate of working efficiency in the performance of a task, here are some questions to which answers should be sought:— Is it possible to improve the arrangement or condition of equipment? Are all the things required at hand before beginning, and are they arranged conveniently for the task? Are working conditions comfortable and is the working surface the right height? Is it possible to reduce the number of steps or the amount of stooping required? Are any movements awkward or unnecessary? Is the tool in use the best for the purpose and is it correctly adjusted to the task? The whole object behind a home maker’s attempts to 'plan her work better may be simply relief from overwork, but that is not the only consideration. A housewife may not be overworked but may not be making the best use of her time and energy. The standard of living in a home depends on family and home management as well as on the money income.

COPYRIGHT PROVISIONS

The articles in the “Journal” of the Department of Agriculture of New Zealand are copyright. Proprietors of newspapers and periodicals wishing to republish matter are at liberty to do so, provided both the “Journal” and author are acknowledged. The Minister of Agriculture does not accept responsibility for any of the private and trade advertisements included in this publication. All correspondence relating to the “Journal” should be addressed to the Editor, “The New Zealand Journal of Agriculture,” Box 3004, Wellington. ■

Planned for Convenience

A NEAT kitchen layout which makes for convenience and ease of working is shown in the L-shaped arrangement in the sketch above. The angles of the L have been cleverly utilised to make a handy place for baking. The corner cupboard on the bench encloses an electric beater, and the insides of the doors are fitted with hooks for storing measuring cups, spoons, and other useful cooking utensils. The narrow shelves hold tins or jars for spices, flavourings, and condiments. Cookery books are kept on an open shelf in the angle between the two wall cupboards. The drawer under the bench provides storage for the mincer, butter pats, apple-corer, parsley cutter, and similar kitchen equipment. The cupboard below contains mixing bowls, pudding basins, a rolling pin, sifter, cake tins, and other items required for baking.

Soaps, cleansers, dish. cloths, and mops are kept in the cupboards under the sink, and pots, pans, and roasting tins are arranged in the cupboard to the right of the stove. On the left of the refrigerator a space has been left open under the bench to provide an excellent place for keeping trays, pastry boards, and chopping boards. Sets of drawers on the left of the stove are for storing flour,

sugar, cereals, bread, and bulky stores. The wide window over the sink affords plenty of light for both stove and mixing bench.

—EVA TOPPING,

Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Auckland.

1. Christine Frederick in "New Housekeeping.”