DO YOU WANT TO KNOW SOME OF THE BEST HOMEMAKING SKILLS TO LEARN SO YOU YOU CAN BE A GOOD HOMEMAKER?
As a mom, one of my goals is to create an environment for my kids to thrive. That’s why I had to learn some homemaking skills to help me achieve my goal.
In this post I am going to show you what some of those skills are, but before we go on, I think it would be helpful for us to define what homemaking is.
WHAT IS MODERN HOMEMAKING?
Does the idea of homemaking have you running for the hills?
What do you think of when you hear the word “Homemaking?”
I know that in some circles the words “Homemaker” and “Housewife” have some negative connotations, but there’s nothing negative about being a homemaker!
Now let me tell you what homemaking means to me.
For me, being a homemaker is the ability to create a warm and inviting environment for my family.
It’s the ability to manage my home and make it a haven for my family members and a place of rest for our guests.
And isn’t that what most moms strive for?
I want my kids to see our home as a place where they feel loved and secure. And one of the ways to do that is to keep a clean and organized home, and to minimize chaos and disorganization.
Basically, I want to create an environment for my loved ones to thrive.
Being a homemaker doesn’t mean you have to know how to bake, sew your own clothes, grow your own food or raise your own animals. Though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things.
My point is that, it isn’t necessary.
You can still be a great homemaker even if you don’t know how to do any of those things.
Another point I’d like to make is that homemaking isn’t just for Christian moms.
It’s for every mom who cares about the atmosphere of her home.
Modern homemaking is for the mom who wants to manage her home well and make the best of the resources she has.
You can be a homemaker whether you live in the city or on a farm outside the city.
You can be a homemaker whether you’re a working mom or a stay at home mom.
Also, you don’t need to live in a house to be a homemaker. Moms who live in apartments are also welcome.
Now we’ve gotten all that out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the most important homemaking skills every mom should learn.
This post may contain affiliate links.If you buy anything using my links, I may receive a small commission.
ESSENTIAL HOMEMAKING SKILLS FOR MODERN MOMS
1. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
One of the most important skill every mom should have is good financial management skills.
Financial stress is one of the main reasons for disharmony in many homes, so it’s really important that you have a good grasp of personal finance and that you know how to manage your finances.
Some of the most important financial management skills to learn are:
BUDGETING
Knowing how to create and manage a budget is one of the keys to achieving financial success.
If you can’t manage your family’s budget, you’re going to feel constantly stressed and unhappy.
It’s tough to thrive in an environment where you struggle to pay your bills or make ends meet.
I know some people think budgeting is a bit restrictive, but it really isn’t.
A budget is basically your spending plan. It’s just a way for you to allocate your money so you can see at a glance where your money goes each month.
If you’re currently operating without a budget, you need to think seriously about creating one since it would make a big difference to your finances especially if you’re struggling financially.
There are different types of budget, but if you’re new to budgeting, start with a simple one and go from there.
Dave Ramsey has some great tips and resources for budgeting. Check it out!
How to Budget Using Simple Zero-Based Budgeting
SAVING
Are you a spender or a saver?
Some years ago, I used to be a spender. I didn’t care about saving money because I had this wrong idea that I would always have money.
So whenever I got some money or a paycheck, I’d hit the mall to buy some new clothes or bags.
It wasn’t until I had some big money problems that I realized the folly of my ways.
A big part of being a smart homemaker is knowing how to save money.
We live in uncertain times so it’ very important that we are prepared for financial downturns.
Some ways to prepare include: having an emergency fund, saving for the future, saving for big expenses and repairs, saving for vacations and other expenses.
A good money manager knows how to put some money away no matter how little.
A money savvy mom knows how to be creative with her family’s finances and to prioritize savings.
So if you haven’t been saving money or not saving consistently, you need to make it a priority today.
It doesn’t matter how much money you make if you end up spending everything.
The most important factor in your financial life is how much you keep.
Let me say that I know lots of moms are full time homemakers and don’t contribute financially, but I hope you are active in making financial decisions with your husband.
REDUCE EXPENSES
As a mom, it’s very important for you to know how to maximize your resources.
Knowing how to reduce expenses and cut costs is such an essential skill every modern homemaker should have.
Finding ways to reduce your family’s expenses would free up more money which you can use to improve other areas of your life.
Some ways to reduce costs include: eliminating some bills or expenses, shopping smart, looking for good deals, buying store brands, shopping in bulk etc.
There are lots of ways to reduce expenses you just need to be a little bit creative and be willing to do some research.
2. HOME MANAGEMENT
Are you a good manager of your home or does life always feel a little bit out of control?
I find it hard to be productive when there’s too much chaos in my home. I like things better when there’s some order and I things are under control.
Of course there are times when life gets in the way and you just have to go with the flow, but I try to keep those times as few and far between as possible.
Some home management skills you need to have if you want to be an efficient homemaker include:
CLEANING, DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING
Don’t you just love a clean,uncluttered and organized home?
I do!
Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible, but we have to keep trying.
One of the best ways to keep your home clean and organized is to have some kind of cleaning routine or schedule and some simple rules for decluttering and staying organized.
My kids notice when the house is messy and disorganized. Everyone gets a little bit irritable and home isn’t as much fun anymore.
When that happens, I mobilize everyone to help me clean and restore order to the home.
Don’t think you’re the only one responsible for cleaning and organizing your home. Everyone who lives in the house needs to do their fair share.
I have discovered that when I try to do everything myself, things don’t get done as often as I’d like because I have other responsibilities.
So to combat this, I make cleaning, decluttering and organizing a team effort.
Give your kids chores. The older they are, the more stuff they can do. Even the little ones can pull their own weight if you give them a chance and give them clear instruction.
Being a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you are everyone’s maid. Everyone needs to be helping out, and yes that includes your husband too.
If you are struggling with cleaning and decluttering your home, checkout the post below for some simple steps to start cleaning your home.
Related: How to Start Cleaning a Messy House in 5 Simple Steps
GROCERY, CLOTHING AND MISCELLANEOUS SHOPPING
As a homemaker, I do all the shopping for my home. That includes shopping for groceries, clothes, shoes and other items.
While shopping doesn’t require any special skill, it can be helpful to have a schedule or a routine. It’s also smart to get in the habit of creating a shopping list.
What I mean is deciding how often you shop, where you shop and how you shop.
Do you prefer online shopping for clothes and shoes? Do you prefer using the pick up and delivery service for your groceries?
Personally, I like to keep grocery shopping to a minimum so I buy quite a few stuff in bulk to cut down on the number of times I shop.
For things like clothes and shoes, I prefer shopping in store because I really don’t like the hassle of returning things, but I also do a fair bit of online shopping.
We have a clothing budget which we spread throughout the year.
But I do the bulk of our clothes shopping twice a year (for the most part), during the summer and winter.
For the rest of the year, I pick up anything else we need whenever the need arises.
Having a system for shopping saves me a bit of time since it means my home is usually well stocked and we hardly run out of food (though it happens sometimes when I am really busy).
DECORATING ON A BUDGET
Decorating on a budget has never been easier with shops like Ikea and others.
While I am no interior designer, I have learned how to combine colors to create an aesthetically pleasing environment.
A good homemaking skill to learn is knowing how to decorate on a budget.
This means knowing where to shop, knowing how to mix and match and combine colors.
I love Ikea and that’s where I do most of my shopping.
I tend to stick to mostly white furniture since they go well with almost everything.
White also works for me since I prefer a somewhat minimalist decor to lots of colors.
Our home is filled with lots of white, grays and some black (though my daughter has a nice pink bedroom).
Knowing how to decorate your home is an important step in creating a sanctuary for your family.
Try to create a home your kids love and enjoy spending time in.
One of the nicest things my daughter ever said to me was “Though I enjoyed my time away, I really missed my room and am so happy to be back.” This was after she spent a couple of days away from home.
I felt really happy at the time and effort I had put into making her room really nice for her.
Since I’m a bit of a homebody, it’s really important to have a nice space to relax and unwind with my family.
You can learn how to decorate even if you think you don’t have an eye for colors or whatever.
There are books and magazines out there that teach you how to decorate and you can always check out Ikea or Pinterest for some inspiration.
MEAL PLANNING
Since I started meal planning a couple of years ago, meal times have become a lot easier.
It’s so nice when you don’t have to worry too much about what to feed your family.
Taking a few hours each month or one hour every week to plan out your meals is one of the smartest decision you could ever make.
The main benefit of meal planning is that it takes the guess work out of meal times and saves you a lot of time since you can prep and freeze most of your meals ahead of time.
If you’re new to meal planning, check out the posts below for how to get started.
Easy Meal Planning Templates:Save Time And Money
The Ultimate Guide to Meal Planning For Families
Also check out these highly rated freezer containers for storing your prepped meals.
3. HOME ORGANIZATION
How do you keep your home running smoothly?
There are a few basic homemaking skills you need to help you run your home like a boss.
Here are some of the most important ones:
SCHEDULES AND ROUTINES
Sure you can run your home without creating schedules or routines, but routines take the guesswork out of your day.
No more wondering what you’re supposed to do next or when your’re supposed to complete a task.
Having some routines just makes life a whole lot easier.
Yes, they can get boring and repetitive, but they are really useful for keeping things moving along.
Kids also love routines because they know what to expect.
Your schedule includes managing your family’s calendar, booking appointments and other things that are part of your day-to-day life.
If you really want to be a successful homemaker, consider creating some routines and schedules for your family.
I promise it will make a big difference to your sanity.
TIME MANAGEMENT
We live in an age where we have too much to do and not enough time to do everything.
Knowing how to prioritize and manage your time is an essential skill for all moms.
Since we all have the same twenty four hours, the only way to be productive and achieve your goals is to minimize distractions as much as possible, focus and prioritize!
If I didn’t know how to manage my time, I’d be in a whole lot of trouble as a homeschooling and work at home mom.
With so many things vying for your attention, it’s more important than ever that you develop good time management skills.
Keep track of the way you spend your time and learn to focus on the most important things first.
GOAL SETTING AND PLANNING
As a mom, it’s important to have personal goals and family goals.
Every year, I take the time to write out some goals I would like to achieve.
But I don’t stop there. I also try to come up with a plan for achieving those goals.
Whether it’s planning a vacation, birthday party or a holiday, knowing how to plan is a good skill to learn.
Most of the time we are full of good intentions, but the only way things actually get done is if we plan for them.
It’s not much use to have goals or intentions if you don’t have a plan to carry them out.
So learn how to plan your day, plan your meals, plan your calendar for the year or anything else that requires a plan (which is most things by the way).
Some other things you should consider planning include: educational choices for your kids, hobbies, after-school activities, play dates, fitness classes and lots more.
There are so many lovely planners out there that you can use to plan every area of your life including your finances.
Go grab one of them and start mapping out your life.
4. TECH SKILLS
As a modern homaker you need some tech skills to navigate today’s world.
So much of what we do right now is online or requires some use of technology. So knowing how to use technology to manage your home is a must.
You can find lots of free classes or YouTube videos to help you learn how to use technology.
Some basic tech skills to have include:
- Coding
- Photo-editing
- Online book Keeping
- Communicating via email, social media etc
- Making appointments
Learn how to use technology to simplify and organize some aspects of your life.
5. PROBLEM SOLVING AND MAKING GOOD DECISIONS
While you don’t need to be a homemaker to know how to problem solve or make good decisions, having these skills is very important for homemakers.
As the manager of your home, you make a lot of decisions for the family.
For example, you have to make buying decisions, repairs, clothing and other decisions.
You’re also responsible for fixing a lot of things around the home.
Knowing how to solve problems requires you to be quite creative and resourceful.
When you know how to problem solve, you feel more in control and everything doesn’t feel like an emergency.
If you struggle to make good decisions, you should learn how to do it because some bad decisions could really impact your family.
The post below is a good starting point.Check it out.
10 Ways to Improve Your Decision-Making Skills
6. RESEARCH SKILLS
Knowing how to do research and find answers is essential for making good decisions.
Because there’s a lot of misinformation out there, it’s even more important that you know how to find useful and correct information before making decisions.
I have researched everything from medical treatments, foods, educational choices, investing, where to live and everything else under the sun.
Having good research skills means you know where to go to find answers to your questions or solutions to your problems.
The benefit of good research skills is that it often gives you a head a start since it helps you stay on top of things.
This is especially useful before meeting experts or professionals to discuss a problem
So learn how to do some good research and be very vigilant about where you go to for information.
7. CREATING AND MAINTAINING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
This one may sound a bit weird, but I think helping our kids learn and fostering a love for learning in our kids is one of the best gifts we can give to our children.
Far too many kids are graduating from high school ill-equipped to face the real world.
It’s our responsibility to ensure that our kids are well prepared for life and one of the ways to do that is raise children who love to learn.
Whether you homeschool or not, our kids education is our responsibility and we should do all we can to make sure they get the best well rounded education that they can get.
There are a few ways to go about creating a learning environment, but one of the easiest ways is to create a home library and to leave good books laying around to pique your child’s curiosity.
I love reading and I have spent a small fortune buying books.
While I don’t have time to read as much as I used to, I am still constantly learning.
Stock your home library with some of the classics and encourage your kids to read.
Incorporate reading aloud as part of your daily routine and encourage healthy discussions in your home.
This is how kids learn and broaden their horizon.
Needless to say that before you can foster a love of learning in your kids, you’ve to love learning too because kids are more likely to model what you do than what you say.
Some of our favorite classic books for children are:
The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables
The Little House (9 Volume Set)
Some recommended books that talk about learning and creating a learning environment include:
8. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
How prepared are you for an emergency?
Do you have a personal emergency plan for when things go wrong?
What happens if your spouse suddenly loses his job, or someone else gets really sick?
Most of us don’t like to think of bad stuff happening but emergencies are a natural part of life.
So instead of thinking something could never happen to you, it’s better to be prepared.
Some ways to prepare for an emergency include:
- Having an emergency fund to deal with financial emergencies
- Having access to some of your finances immediately
- Having a first aid kit with some important supplies
- Knowing whom you can call for help
- Teaching your kids what to do and how to cope in the event of an emergency.
Having a babysitter or a housekeeper handy can also be a part of your emergency plan.
The idea here isn’t to panic or be paranoid, it’s just to be a bit more thoughtful and to have a plan for when life takes an unexpected turn.
TRADITIONAL HOMEMAKING SKILLS
Besides the eight modern homemaking skills listed above, it’s also a good idea to learn some traditional homemaking skills to enrich your life and make you a better homemaker.
Some traditional homemaking skills you can learn include:
- Creating a laundry system
- Sewing
- Baking
- Dish washing
- Gardening
- Some DIY is really handy especially for a single mom like me
- Cooking
- Ironing
There are lots more but these ones are pretty easy to learn and probably the most useful to a lot of moms.
ESSENTIAL HOMEMAKING SKILLS FOR MODERN MOMS
As you can see, modern homemaking is quite doable for most moms since it doesn’t require any special talent.
Any mom can be a homemaker if she desires. As long as your goal is to make a nice and lovely home for your family, then you are a homemaker.
Hopefully, the tips I shared in this post will help you create a beautiful home and life for you and your loved ones.
Are you struggling with homemaking?
Do you have to learn some homemaking skills to help you become a better homemaker?
