The perfect housewife’s day
*This is an example of a daily schedule of the 1950′s housewife adapted from The Beginner Housewife book. Notes from the Good Wife’s guide & another 1955 guide are also adapted.
6:50 a.m - Go to kitchen in your dressing gown and put the kettle on low heat. Wash, dress, brush hair and apply makeup. (Please don’t present your husband with an entirely different face from the one he is accustomed to seeing later in the day).
7:10 a.m - Bathroom must be free for your husband to use. Bring him a freshly pressed tie and help him if needed. Prepare breakfast.
7:30 a.m - Serve breakfast
8:00 a.m - Make a list of the day’s work.
8:20 a.m - Put washing to soak in plain tepid water
8:25 a.m - Make beds - Send children off to school if needed
8:35 a.m - Clean bath and basin, mop floor
9:00 a.m - Put undies, etc, in warm soapy water
9:10 a.m - Prepare vegetables for evening meal
9:25 a.m - Wash clothes put to soak, then hang to dry
9:40 a.m - Clean bedroom, including floor and furniture polishing
10:55 a.m - “Elevenses” (Exercises)
11:10 a.m - Mop, dust, etc downstairs rooms and hall
12 noon - Sweep, dust and tidy kitchen, sink, shelves, etc
12:30 p.m - Wash dusters and put away all cleaning equipment
12:45 p.m - Make & serve lunch
1:15 p.m - Make trifle or desert
1:45 p.m -Prepare meat for cooking
2:20 p.m -Put prepared steak or meat on very low gas or heat
From now until 5:30 p.m you are free. You can use this to do shopping when needed and special weekly duties. Prepare yourself for your husband by taking a 15 minute rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives home. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking!
5:30 p.m - Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the house just before your husband arrives home. Gather up school books, toys, paper, etc, then run a dust cloth over the table.
5:45 p.m - Set table for the meal, put veggies on to start cooking. During the winter months, you should prepare and light a fire for your husband to unwind by. Prepare your children, by combing their hair, washing their faces/hands and if necessary change their clothes. Encourage them to be quiet for your husband’s arrival home.
6:00 p.m - Continue cooking dinner. Greet your husband with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. Make him comfortable and have him lean back in his favorite chair or have him lie down in the bedroom until dinner is finished. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him, and bring him a daily newspaper or book. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.
6:30 p.m - Serve dinner. Make sure you always have dinner ready or close to being ready for your husband’s arrival. Plan ahead, even the night before to have a delicious meal prepared for him. This is a way of letting him know you have been thinking about him all day.
8:00 p.m - Clear away meal. Wash up if liked, but this can also be deferred to the morning.
8:30 p.m - Set the table for breakfast
9:00 p.m - Wash up, brush hair & teeth and apply Ponds moisturizer
9:30 p.m - Unturn your bed for your husband and you
Weekly cleaning suggestions from 11:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m
Mondays - Brush all clothes used over the week-end and put away. Collect large items and send to laundry
Tuesdays - Turn out dining room and clean silver
Wednesdays - Special turning out of two bedrooms each week
Thursdays- Special turning out of living room or sitting room
Fridays - Thorough cleaning of bathrooms, landing and stairs. Baking
Saturdays- Special cleaning of kitchen, hall and scullery. Extra cooking for the weekend.
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