The older I get the more I enjoy the simple things in life. Sometimes they're are a little more work but usually more rewarding. I really love kneading bread by hand, hanging the laundry outside, and sweeping the floor with a broom. I love the quiet time I have during these activities, no loud vacuum cleaner, mixer or dryer; just the swoosh of the broom, the quiet sound of dough, or the breeze rustling the leaves.
It seems like we've gotten caught up in having appliances that do chores for us, to save us time and make our lives easier. Then we have to work long hours to buy those appliances and to pay the electric bills to run them. Not to mention, we have to put up with the noise they create in our lives. Doing chores the old-fashioned way helps me slow down and appreciate the little things that might go unnoticed. My chores go from drudgery to relaxing by simply taking a little extra time to do them the simple way. Of course I don't always do things by hand, but I try to when I can. I sweep every other week instead of vacuuming, I hand make bread most of the time and I line dry the laundry if it's sunny and warm. Not to mention, I enjoy the lower electric bill and the longer lifespan of my appliances.
Are there any chores you like to do without the help of appliances?
I can also be found at Chiot's Run where I blog daily about gardening, cooking, local eating, beekeeping, and all kinds of stuff. You can also find me at Not Dabbling in Normal and you can follow me on Twitter.
18 comments:
I'm an amateur woodworker. I try to use hand tools whenever I can. The rhythm of a hand saw is much more comforting then the scream of a circular saw. We sweep the hardwood floors (I have yet to find something acceptable and QUIET for carpet). Sometimes the destination isn't the important part, it's the journey.
I agree, one of the reasons we put hardwood floors throughout our home was to not have carpet to vacuum, though I do have a few rugs. I sometimes sweep the rugs with a broom, but every other time a vacuum is needed, especially with 3 cats and a large dog living here. I've thought about getting one of those push broom vacuum things like what they use at restaurant. I wonder how they work on rugs?
Chiot's run--I have a carpet sweeper, and it works all right. It won't get big pieces of lint, but it does a good job of picking up regular dust, hair and dirt off the carpet. It's much quieter than a vaccum and it only cost $40. The only real problem with it is that it can't get into the corners, so if you have wall to wall carpeting you have to have a vacuum cleaner to use at least once in a while.
I like to hang laundry, too. Something relaxing about it- maybe it's because you're forced to slow down- it's not something you can do quickly, really, and why would you want to anyway?
When my Sunbeam hand mixer went kaput, I replaced it with an old-fashioned people-powered eggbeater. When my Oster waffle iron went kablooey, I replaced it with an old-fashioned, two-piece iron waffle iron. (That one's a little harder to master, though.) The whole house is done in slate, so I usually sweep- my husband drags out the vacuum and does the house like once a month or so or right before company comes. We're about to try our hand at making sauerkraut for the first time, and I'll wind up shredding the cabbage for it by hand.
I like to wash dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher. It is very pleasant to look out the kitchen window at the birds and container gardens and enjoy a few minutes of quiet contemplation while I wash the dinner dishes.
I trust my handsewing more than I'd trust my machine.
To be fair, I have a cheap, plastic Brother. So it's not overly reliable to begin with.
But I've been handsewing longer, and I'm more able to accurately judge if the fabric is fraying, if an area needs more reinforcement, etc. as I'm not zooming by it on a machine.
I've recently found your blog and I love it! I've nominated your blog for an award. I hope you'll hop over to Green Momma to check it out.
I get far too much pleasure out of line drying clothes - standing in the gentle morning sun and listening to birdsong while I peg it out; walking through the warmed clothes throughout the day; enjoying the softness and clothes when they come back in of an evening... FAR too much pleasure ;)
Bread, in fact all baking, is done by hand - no whisks, mixers or machines. The process of making it is very much part of the enjoyment.
I'm a sweeper too - I think I've been spending too much time with the cats as I can't stand the whine of the vacuum any more!
Bread is done by hand. Most of my cooking is done without anything but a good, sharp knife; no gadgets. However, due to disability I use a lot more household appliances than most; I need convenience. Still I try to balance it out.
When we moved into our new, tiny home 18 mos ago we got rid of the dishwasher and garbage disposal. Completely unnecessary appliances. We have no microwave, we hang our clothes on the line to dry. Like other dog owners we vacuum because a broom-sweep only goes so far. I do use power tools in my shop.
I would like to hunt down and chastise the person who invented the leaf blower! The worst invention of all time!
oh I agree, the leaf blower would have to be the worst invention ever. I just want to yell at them "Get a broom!"... Love a good straw broom.
I hate the leaf blower too. The grounds people of the apartment I am currently living in use it at least once a week, sometimes twice a week and it's so loud. I hear them from my front windows when they do the front then from the back windows when they do the driveway. So annoying!! Use a broom/rake!
I've learned to love hand chopping ingredients, so satisfying.
Paula - I always shred my cabbage by hand as well.
Manray - I agree on the leaf blower - the most annoying thing ever, only a rake is used here, and we live in the woods and have tons of leaves!
Hathor's Bath - I agree a good sharp chef's knife is just about all you need (and a few good pans and a cast iron skillet).
even simpler - a non-plastic broom that can quietly decompose when it's worn out...
You obviously don't have small children!
My incredibly heavy vintage metal juice press. Perfect for squashing lemons for lemonade (and a good workout for your arms.)
I rarely ever use a mixer when baking. I mix everything by hand - cookies, cakes, muffins, bread. Mostly just don't like the extra clean up.
Blessings
Diane
I hang virtually all of our laundry to dry. Not only does it save money and resources, I adore doing it. It feels relaxing, therapeutic to me. I do it on racks in the bedroom (and hangers across the shower curtain rod for the shirts) but would love it if we had our own home and I could have a fantastic clothesline. Even when I don't feel well, I'd rather hang the laundry myself than give in and put it in the dryer.
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