Working Schedule for a One-Maid House {Vintage}

7/9/2018

I am currently reading Etiquette by Emily Post, a vintage book (copyright 1942) that I've added to my home library. In the chapter entitled, "The Well-Appointed House," it gives a Working Schedule for a One-Maid House.

You will enjoy this if:

you love vintage wisdom
you are the "one maid" in your house
you want a well-appointed house

I hope this inspires you, not to follow this schedule, but to gain insight into creating a simple daily routine that works for you and your family. I've listed resources at the bottom to help. Enjoy!

Emily writes, "The house has seven rooms: a living-room, dining-room, porch, kitchen, maid's room and bath, three bedrooms, and two baths."

Time	Duties
6:45 AM	Wash and dress.
7:00 AM	Downstairs. Put kettle on to boil. Start cereal, set breakfast table.
7:30 AM	Cook breakfast. Eat own breakfast.
8:00 AM	Serve family breakfast.
8:30 AM	Clear table, wash dishes, pick up living-room, sweep dining-room, kitchen, halls. Mistress plans meals for day, and orders marketing
10:00 AM	Go upstairs, make beds, clean bathrooms, sweep, dust, empty waste-baskets.
11:00 AM	Do special work for day. Clean one room thoroughly, if the living-room, nothing else that day. If an easily cleaned room she can polish silver, or make a cake, make dessert for dinner, or prepare vegetables.
12:30 PM	Prepare luncheon, set table.
1:00 PM	Serve luncheon.
1:30 PM	Clear table, wash dishes. God to own room to rest, bathe, and change dress.
3:00 PM	On duty in kitchen. Ready to answer door, etc.
5:00 PM	Prepare meat, vegetables, etc., for dinner. Set table.
5:30 PM	Cook dinner.
6:30 PM	Serve dinner.
7:00 PM	Wash dishes, put dining-room and kitchen in order for night.
8:00 PM	Plans for the evening will be adapted to the household needs.

Special Work for the Day Schedule

Monday - Clean the three bedrooms.
Tuesday - Cleaning dining-room and polish silver.
Wednesday - Clean sun porch and do extra baking.
Thursday - Clean kitchen and maid's room.
Friday - Clean living-room.
Saturday - Polish brass, silver, furniture, etc. Bake cake for Sunday.

Vintage Wisdom

Here are three lessons that I have learned from vintage housekeeping wisdom.

When creating a schedule, start with set meal times around the table.
Train your family to arrive on-time to meals with washed hands.
Build breaks and times of refreshment into your daily schedule.

Resources

Source

Emily Post. Etiquette. (New York and London: Funk & Wagnall Company, 1942) 217.