The Daily Details of a Vintage Weekly Schedule
The art of scheduling the days within your week was fine tuned long before I was born. Planning the steps of your day leaves little undone. This extremely detailed workweek from an early 20th century housewife did include rest periods which are important for well being.
Examples Of Schedules
While, as was said, it is not possible to give one type schedule that will apply to any and all conditions, here is a work schedule carefully planned for a week for a woman who does all her own work in a family of 5, the 3 children going to school (but coming home at noon) ; husband’s shirts being sent to laundry. The house is a detached, 7-room suburban cottage; the fuel used gas, with coal water heater.
ONE WEEK SCHEDULE FOR FAMILY OF FIVE
Without Labor-Saving Equipment
~Monday~
6 : 00 – 6 : 30 Rise and dress; start water heater
6:30- 7:00 Prepare breakfast
7:00- 7:30 Breakfast
7:30- 8:30 Wash dishes; straighten kitchen; inspect icebox; plan meals for Monday and Tuesday
8:30- 9 : 00 Prepare towards lunch
9 : 00-1o : 00 Bedrooms, bath and hall cleaned; sort and prepare soiled linen and laundry
10 : 00-11 : 00 Thorough downstairs cleaning
11: 00-11 :30 Rest period
11:30-I2: 00 Serve lunch
12 : 00 – 1: 00 Lunch
I : 00- 3 : 00 Lunch dishes; prepare cooking for Monday
and Tuesday; mop kitchen
3 : 00- 4 : 00 Sewing and mending
4: 00- 4:30 Soak clothes and prepare for next day’s washing
4:30-5:30 Rest period; play with children; walk, recreation or market
5 :30- 6 : 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7: 00- 7:30 Wash dishes
~Tuesday~
6: 00- 6:30 Rise and dress: put on boiler
6:3o- 7 :00 Prepare breakfast
7: 00- 7:30 Breakfast
7:30- 8 : 00 Stack dishes; make beds
8: 00-11:30 Washing 1
11:30-12: 00 Rest period
12: 00- 1 : 00 Lunch (prepared day before)
I : 00— 2:30 Wash breakfast and lunch dishes; clear up laundry
3:30- 4 : 00 Take in clothes; fold, sprinkle, lay away
4 : 00- 5:3o Rest period
5:30- 6: 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7: 00- 7:30 Wash dishes
~Wednesday~
6 : 00- 6:30 Rise and dress; start water heater
6:30- 7: 00 Prepare breakfast
7 : 00- 7:30 Breakfast
7:30-8:30 Wash dishes; inspect icebox; plan meals; start lunch
8:30- 9: 00 Make beds; light cleaning
9 : 00 – 12 : 00Ironing
12: 00- 1 : 00 Lunch
1 : 00- 2: 00 Finish ironing; put away clothes
2: 00- 3: 00 Wash dishes; straighten kitchen
3: 00 – 4: 00 Rest period
4 : 00 – 5: 00 Market; walk
5: 30- 6: 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7: 00- 7: 30 Wash dishes
~Thursday~
6 : 00- 6: 30 Rise and dress; start water heater
6: 30- 7 : 00 Prepare breakfast
7 : 00- 7: 30 Breakfast
7: 30- 8: 30 Wash dishes ; straighten kitchen; plan meals
8: 30- 9: 00 Make beds
9: 00-11: 30 Bedrooms and closets cleaned
11: 30 – 12: 00 Rest period
12 : 00- 1: 00 Lunch
1: oo – 2: 00 Wash
dishes; prepare vegetables toward supper
2: 00- 3: 30 Upstairs windows cleaned(Up and down stairs windows alternately each week)
3: 30-4: 00 Silver polished
4:00- 5: 30 Rest period
5: 30 – 6: 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7: 00- 7: 30 Wash dishes
Friday
6: 00- 6: 30 Rise and dress; start heater
6: 30- 7: 00 Prepare breakfast
7: 00- 7: 30 Breakfast
7: 30-8: 30 Wash dishes; straighten kitchen; plan meals
8: 30- 9: 00 Make beds
9: 00 – 11: 30 Downstairs cleaning
11: 30 – I2: 00 Rest period
12: 00- 1: 00 Lunch
1: 00- 2: 00 Wash dishes; start supper
2: 00 – 3: 30 Clean refrigerator, pantry, kitchen, drawers
3: 00 – 5: 30 Rest period; marketing
5: 30- 6: 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7: 00- 7: 30 Wash dishes
7: 30- 8: 00 Set bread
Saturday
6: 00- 6: 30 Rise and dress; start heater
6: 3o- 7: 00 Prepare breakfast
7: 00- 7: 30 Breakfast
7: 30- 8: 00 Make beds
8: 00- 8: 30 Wash dishes
8: 30 – 11: 30 Special cooking, and baking
11: 30 – 12: 00 Rest period
12: 00- 1: 00 Lunch
1: 00- 2: 00 Wash dishes; start supper
2: 00 – 3:3o Clean stove; wipe kitchen and porch
3: 3o – 5: 30 Rest period
5: 30- 6: 00 Prepare supper
6: 00- 7: 00 Supper
7:00- 7: 30 Wash dishes
light or cold meals Sunday
~Household engineering
