Yes, I take domestication seriously. Haha.

But really though, this is a good book to have especially if you have no clue on how to keep a home. And trust me, I’m pretty clueless. The only things I did at my parent’s house back then was make my own bed, and wash dishes, occasionally.

Along with cooking skills, my homekeeping skills are zilch. Nada. Zero.

So I got intrigued when a friend of mine mentioned this book. Who doesn’t want to keep a home like Martha Stewart, right?

It’s a very thick hard-bound book, around 800 pages, full of information on homekeeping. Tips like how to iron clothes (I have not ironed a single clothing in my whole life, promise), how to clean things like the microwave and other appliances, and when to clean them.

To be honest, I haven’t even read half of what’s inside the book.

But my favorite article in the book so far is the “Six Things To Do Everyday”, namely:

1. Make the bed. Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you’ll let other things – such as clothes and paper – pile up around. (Unfortunately, Artie still keeps his clothes on the floor and on the bed.)
2. Manage clutter. Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn’t where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same. (Hear that Artie? It drives him insane that I keep nagging him when he leaves stuff unturned. OMG, I’m turning into your typical nagging wife, lol)
3. Sort the mail. Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.
4. Clean as you cook. Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as your prepare a meal. (Not applicable. I don’t cook since we don’t have a stove yet, hehe)
5. Wipe up spills while they’re fresh. Whether it’s tomato sauce on the cooktop or make up on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.
6. Sweep the kitchen floor. Every evening once you’ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.

I totally agree with #1. Artie finds it weird that I still make the bed even though it’s late in the afternoon (like 4PM, yes, we’re sloths) and it’s only a couple of hours and we’ll be going back to sleep again. But I don’t know, there’s something about a made up bed that makes me feel good.

Surprisingly, I did most of the other items without reading the book. I guess homekeeping is an instinct for women, somewhat, haha.

I fail on #6 though. Sweeping the floor is probably my least favorite chore. I think we sweep the floor like once a week, haha! Thank god our place is quaint.

I still have a long way to go, and if I do find any interesting articles in the book, which I’m sure will be a lot, I’ll keep in mind to share it.

But if you want to get your own copy of the book, the hubby ordered mine from Amazon. But if you live in the Philippines, I think you can buy a copy from Powerbooks.

Buy: Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook
Price: $25.50