This blog post is all about real, practical, beginner homemaking tips for the new homemaker! No fluff here, just helpful tips and advice that you can apply to your homemaking journey right away!
When you’re a new homemaker just starting out on your homemaking journey, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never get the hang of things. I remember how I felt, trying to balance everything and often feeling like a failure! Now after almost 16 years of marriage and homemaking, I feel like I have finally figured out how to be an efficient homemaker – although I’m certainly far from perfect!
First of all, you don’t have to be a full-time homemaker in order to be a good homemaker. The art of taking care of your home can be learned by anyone, whether your are home full time or not. And there are few things that as a beginner homemaker, you simply may not have learned yet.
You may also enjoy :
- Simple Homemaking Hacks And Tips For Homemakers
- Cultivating A Cozy Home In Simple, Yet Important Ways
Beginner’s Guide To Homemaking
Within these beginner homemaking tips there are some basic homemaking skills that, when you know how to do them, make you feel more confident and equipped for the job. I have put together a “beginner’s guide” of sorts, to help get you started!
The areas of homemaking we are looking at in this post are:
- Basic Cooking Skills
- Grocery Shopping 101
- Cleaning Tips
- Creating a homemaking routine
- Treating homemaking like your job
- Seeking homemaking advice
Let’s get started!
Basic Cooking Skills
In my opinion, one of the largest obstacles new homemakers face when it comes to cooking, is the never ending supply of fancy recipes and creative meal ideas available today. Don’t get me wrong, I think that trying out new recipes and being creative in the kitchen is a good thing. But if you’re brand new to cooking, you’re not ready for all of that! You need to master a few basic things first, and that’s what I’m talking about today.
Being able to confidently put together a delicious, healthy meal for your family is very rewarding and does not have to be complicated! Here are a few basic skills to help you cook a simple, balanced meal that includes a protein, starch, and vegetable component.
1. How To Cook A Chicken In The Oven
Of all these beginner homemaking tips, cooking a chicken is seriously one of the easiest! I remember feeling intimidated by this because I was always worried the chicken wouldn’t be cooked enough and I would give everyone food poisoning! However, a good digital meat thermometer takes care of that, as it will show you the exact internal temperature of the chicken so that you KNOW it’s cooked right.
Cooking a chicken is a great way to provide a healthy, tasty protein source to any meal. Plus, there’s nothing like the smell of chicken cooking in the oven!
There are only a few simple steps to cooking a chicken:
- Make sure your chicken is thawed, then rinse it under cool water and pat dry with paper towel.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up.
- Baste and season the chicken however you prefer. I like to melt a little bit of butter and stir in some dried seasonings like garlic, oregano, and salt. Then with a basting brush, apply the butter mixture all over the chicken to evenly coat. (There are tons of different ways to season a chicken, but you don’t need to overcomplicate it. Keep it simple!)
- To help keep the chicken moist, pour a small bit of chicken broth into the cavity of the chicken. You could also add herbs, lemons, or garlic, but this step is purely optional.
- Tie the legs with twine: This is also totally optional! To be honest, I never do this. I don’t often have twine laying around, and my chickens turn out perfectly fine without this step.
- Put the lid on the roasting pan and bake in a 350° oven for about an hour (depending on the size of the chicken). Here is a good resource to figure out the cooking time for your chicken.
- Once the chicken is cooked, let it sit with the lid on for a few minutes before carving.
2. How To Cook & Mash Potatoes
Potatoes are a great starch option because they’re affordable, filling, and everyone loves them. Mashed potatoes are one of my kid’s favorite things to eat! Making them from scratch is a very easy task, so don’t be tempted to buy the boxed mixes which are no comparison to the real thing!
Here is how to make creamy, delicious mashed potatoes:
- Peel your potatoes and chop them into chunks about 1″-2″ in size. (This does not have be exact – just chop them up into “small-ish” chunks.)
- Place them into a large pot and fill the pot with water until it covers the potatoes by an inch or so.
- Set the pot on the stove, turn the burner to high and let the water come to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the burner down slightly but keep the water gently boiling for about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. (You can check this by piercing one with a fork.)
- Strain the water from the pot, and use a potato masher to mash down the potatoes. For extra creamy potatoes, pour in about 1/2 cup of warm milk and a bit of butter. Then, use a hand mixer to mix it all together until the potatoes are creamy and fluffy!
3. How To Steam Veggies
There are so many different ways to cook veggies, and they all have a place. But knowing how to steam veggies is a great skill to have, and it’s so unbelievably easy! You can steam fresh or frozen veggies, it doesn’t matter. I tend to buy a lot of frozen veggies, and this is my go to method for cooking them.
There are two ways to steam vegetables: on the stovetop, or in the microwave. What you choose will depend on what tools you have on hand.
On the stovetop: For this method, you need a pot with a steamer basket that sits on top. (A steamer basket is a smaller pot that has the holes at the bottom.)
- In the bottom pot, add a couple inches of water.
- Place the steamer basket on top of the pot with water, and place your fresh or frozen veggies into the steamer pot.
- Cover with a lid, and turn the burner on to high to bring the water to a boil.
- Let it boil, and keep the lid on until the veggies are crisp-tender.
In the microwave: For this method, you need a microwavable steamer.
- Add a couple inches of water to the steamer.
- Place fresh or frozen veggies in the steamer and heat until tender crisp.
See how easy this is? You have now mastered a delicious, healthy and balanced meal for your whole family!
Grocery Shopping 101
You might be wondering why grocery shopping is on a list of beginner homemaking tips, and that there’s not really anything to learn about grocery shopping when it comes to homemaking. However, when you are meal planning for multiple people and trying to stick to a budget, there are a few little things you can do to make that job an easier one.
1. Stick To A Simple Meal Plan
Like I said earlier, there’s nothing wrong with trying out new recipes from time to time. In fact, I think doing that is a great way to have fun with your cooking! But for the rest of the time, sticking to a simple meal plan that only requires basic food items not only makes grocery shopping easier, but also more affordable.
By avoiding a lot of fancy ingredients that you may only use for that one extravagant recipe, you can use your budget to stock up on basic pantry staples that you can use in multiple meals, day after day. Try to make a weekly meal plan where each meal uses some of those simple ingredients. Once you gain a little more confidence in the kitchen, you could try adding a new recipe every couple of weeks, if you want to.
A few examples of the basic ingredients that can be used in many different meal options are:
- Meat – whole chicken, chicken breasts, ground beef, pork chops, canned tuna
- Fresh vegetables – potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic
- Frozen vegetables – broccoli, mixed veggies, corn
- Canned Goods – beans, tomatoes, soups, tomato sauce
- Pantry staples – pasta, chicken/beef broth, rice, seasonings, cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt
Clearly this is not an exhaustive list by any means. But by shopping for basic ingredients that can be used in multiple meals, you will spend less and usually have on hand what you need for a basic meal.
2. Stick To The Budget
If you are a full-time homemaker like myself, (although this wasn’t always the case for me…you can read more about my story here), then you may be living on one income. Even if that’s not the case, sticking to your grocery budget in this economy is crucial. Everything is getting more and more expensive, and it’s really easy to overspend at the grocery store.
As a homemaker, being responsible with your household budget is important. You want to be a good steward of the income your spouse is providing, or perhaps that you both are bringing in. Part of taking care of your home is making sure to use your resources wisely – and this includes money.
An easy way to ensure that you stick to your budget is to get into the habit of making a grocery list, and only purchasing what is on the list. This list will reflect your weekly meal plan, and you will only need to purchase the items you need for the week. Make sure to check for sales, and most stores have point systems you can use and then redeem for money off your purchase. Find out what’s available around you, and take advantage of any savings you can find.
Cleaning Tips
Cleaning tips are the kinds of beginner homemaking tips most people search for. Trying to keep a clean and tidy house is a challenge for all homemakers, whether a beginner or not. This is especially true when you have small children. But when you are a new homemaker, trying to stay on top of the important daily tasks can feel really overwhelming!
When I reflect back to when I first stepped out into my own homemaking journey, I realize that one reason why certain tasks felt hard to me was that there were little details I didn’t think of.
Don’t get me wrong, my parents taught me all the basics like how to do a load of laundry, clean the bathroom, vacuum, etc. But when you’re doing those things as a teenager still living at home, rather than a grown woman trying to maintain her own home, the responsibility is very different. And with that, comes a different way of thinking all together.
Here are some super basic cleaning tips that I have picked up along the way that I didn’t know when I first started. Some of these are laughable, and looking back I just chuckle at myself for not knowing them (i.e. the vacuum tip…you’ll read that in a minute). Others are very practical and just might make your hard work of trying to maintain a clean house, a littler easier!
1. Dirty Laundry
As we all know, laundry is one of those household chores that never ends. And as soon as you think you’re done, you discover that someone has already started filling up the hamper with more dirty clothes! This used to annoy me and I would long for the coveted “empty laundry hamper”. However, over the years and now that I’m raising children, I don’t worry so much about that anymore.
There is the ODD time that all my laundry is done at once – which is usually when my mother takes it home to her house and does it for me there…(thanks mom!) But that’s not regular life, and I have found that one of the best ways to stay on top of laundry without devoting an entire day to it, is to just do a little bit here and there.
If you don’t want to feel overwhelmed by piles and piles of laundry, don’t let the piles get that big! Throw in a load of laundry every day or every other day, rather then letting it all accumulate for one big laundry marathon. This will quickly become part of your daily routine as a homemaker, and will help you stay on top of the laundry situation.
2. Vacuuming
Alright, as promised, here is my laughable story about vacuuming…
When I was a teenager and still living at my parents house, I would vacuum my room and then put the vacuum away. That was it, I never thought any more about that chore and it never occurred to me that vacuums have to be emptied! My dad must have done that part later which I never noticed, so I didn’t know it was a thing!
Fast forward to my beginner homemaking years when my cousin was helping me clean my house. I told her I thought I needed a new vacuum cleaner because mine just wasn’t sucking much up anymore. She looked at it, opened it up, emptied it, and it was as good as new! If you could have seen the look on my face! It was a mixture of awe and embarrassment, but boy did we laugh! Now, this is such a fond and funny memory for me because it just goes to show that when you’re young, certain things just don’t cross your mind. And for me, emptying a vacuum cleaner was one of those things.
I am telling you this so that you can learn from me, and realize that your vacuum should be emptied out very regularly in order for it to work well!
Another great beginner homemaking tip is to vacuum AFTER you dust. When you dust, there will be lots of particles that land on the floor. And if you’ve already vacuumed, that is going to be very annoying. So…dust first, vacuum second. I have also learned this from experience!
3. Keeping An Organized Home
This beginner homemaking tip is short and sweet, but one that holds true. Don’t try and make your house perfect all of the time, because that is not sustainable. Instead, establish some daily habits that will help you as the homemaker feel proud of your home, but not like you have to keep it show worthy at all times.
On of these habits to include on a daily basis is decluttering main areas. I’m talking about high traffic zones, and areas of your home that everyone spends the most time in. This will keep your space tidy and organized, and that feels good for everyone living there!
All you need to do to accomplish this is to start grabbing things as you walk past them. If something is there that shouldn’t be, grab it on your way by and put it away. Because we are creatures of habit, this will eventually become second nature to you. And you will find that at the end of the day, there is less “stuff” laying around, cluttering up your space and mind.
Create A Homemaking Routine
The next point on this list of beginner homemaking tips is all about finding a routine that works for you. As a new homemaker you may be trying to create a cleaning schedule you can stick to, or maybe you’re trying to bust out a big meal prep day each week. Those are both good things, but they don’t work for everyone.
In my own experience, what has been the most sustainable method of homemaking is creating a daily homemaking routine that is flexible, but covers all the bases. This includes a morning routine for myself so that I feel healthy and energized for the day, as well as a routine for how I run my day.
Sample Homemaking Routine
We all have different lives with different responsibilities, so every routine will be unique. But just as a general idea, an example of a productive homemaking routine could look something like this:
- Wake up a little bit earlier than the other people in your home to ensure you have some quiet time to yourself before the day begins. This is so good for your mental health, and has become a major lifeline for me.
- Establish some “pre breakfast” chores. These might include washing up any dishes from the day before, putting a load of laundry in, wiping off the table, etc. Essentially, this is a time to quickly prep your kitchen and main living space for the day. For me, this whole time takes about 20 minutes.
- Through out the day, be purposeful about picking things up and putting them away. This will keep things from piling up and getting out of control.
- Do at least one main task each day – clean a bathroom, vacuum, put laundry away, etc. A sustainable homemaking routine is all about your daily habits and actions, not whole house cleaning days. There will be times when you tackle everything in one day, but that’s not what your daily routine is about.
- Take breaks throughout the day. You aren’t a machine, and its good to rest and recharge. However, as a homemaker, you have to hold yourself accountable for your time. Make sure your homemaking routine includes some rest time, but also a good amount of productivity.
- Think about what you are making for supper, in the earlier half of the day. If you have created a weekly meal plan, this will be as easy as taking meat out to thaw. If you don’t have a meal plan, decide early on what you want to make for supper so that you have the day to make sure you have everything you need, ready to go.
- Make sure to get enough sleep – this is so simple, yet so important. You need sleep in order to perform well at anything in life, homemaking included.
Treat Homemaking Like Your Job
This is one of the beginner homemaking tips that, in my opinion, isn’t talked about enough. Whether you are a full-time homemaker or not, one of the most important things when it comes to establishing yourself as a homemaker is treating homemaking like it’s your job – because it is. If you have taken on the role of homemaker in ANY capacity, it is your job to oversee the management of your home. That is a VERY important role and it’s a lot of work. Therefore, it needs to be given the time and attention it deserves.
As a homemaker, you directly influence the feel of your home for your family and anyone who enters it. Being a homemaker is a huge blessing and privilege, but doing the job well requires a good amount of self discipline and accountability.
As a new homemaker, it’s easy to let things pile up and then feel completely overwhelmed. But remember, by creating a healthy routine and being purposeful about accomplishing a few main tasks each day, you will learn to manage your time wisely. Treat homemaking as an entrepreneurial venture – you hold the reigns and the responsibility, but you also reap the rewards of a hard days work!
Seek Homemaking Advice
The last of these beginner homemaking tips, is to make a point of seeking advice from older women who have lived this lifestyle for many years. They are a wealth of knowledge and most of them are happy to pass down the things they have learned through experience. Don’t be too proud to accept loving help and advice, as this is truly the best resource there is!
If you don’t have any older women in your family you can go to for support and encouragement, consider asking someone at your church, or even a trusted friend or neighbor. However you go about it, let older women speak into your life and help you navigate this new stage you’re in. You will gain so much by letting them pour into you, and likely build some great relationships along the way!
Final Thoughts
Learning new skills and mastering old ones are a huge part of homemaking! Being a homemaker is actually really fun and provides endless opportunities to learn new things and bless other people. Please don’t let our culture convince you that being a homemaker is a waste of time – it’s actually the complete opposite!
Take care of your home and family, and do it with joy and thanksgiving! The very fact that you have a home and family to care for is in itself, a huge blessing. Try not to let the weight of daily tasks blind you from that perspective.
I hope that all of these beginner homemaking tips have given you some things to think about, and also some confidence to tackle your own homemaking! Remember to be humble and take loving advice, hold yourself accountable in your daily work, and always add generous heaps of love to everything you do!
Blessings!
~Maryann
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