Ready for a simple old fashioned summer? Here’s how you can enjoy all kinds of old fashioned adventures that summer holds and still keep up with your responsibilities as a homemaker.
Each season is unique and exciting in it’s own way and summer is no different.
There’s watermelon to eat, burgers to grill, pools/sprinklers to splash in, blooming gardens to enjoy, ice cream to make, and bright sunny decor to brighten up your home with. Homemaker, if you are looking to have an old fashioned summer, than here are my top 7 things to help you do just that!
From gardening to making ice cream to keeping up with homemaking tasks, here’s how you can enjoy a lovely old fashioned summer as a homemaker.
Grow something!
It may be past the “planting season”, but there are still plenty of opportunities to grow something. The spring always gets away from me, and even more so this year with a baby on the way.
I had gardening plans, and even though I wasn’t able to do hardly any of it, I still was able to see the fruit of last years gardening. Wildflowers, sunflowers, tomato plants, and cilantro all popped up out of the ground without me lifting a finger this spring.
This was all from seeds I had planted last year. It was my goal last year to just grow something and see how I get to benefit from it even a whole growing season later when I couldn’t plant anything!
If you want to get into gardening, but find it daunting or just too much work, just grow something. Buy some herb plants and stick them in your kitchen. Throw some seeds out and see what happens!
It can be hard to find seeds now that it is summer, but there are still plenty of places that are still selling plants like herbs, flowers, or a few vegetables. Just grow something and enjoy a little bit of loveliness this summer season even if you have very little to give to gardening.
Make homemade ice cream!
There is nothing that screams summer more than ice cream. It’s cold, it’s perfectly sweet, and it’s so very refreshing in these hot months!
One old fashioned thing you can do this summer is learn how to make your own homemade ice cream. Granted you may have to buy an ice cream machine and they can get pricey. You could start out with a smaller one that is much cheaper or create a grand adventure out of it and make some mason jar ice cream!
Whichever path you choose, it’s so nice to be able to make homemade ice cream. It can be cheaper and you get to control the ingredients. It’s so much healthier to make your own than to go out and buy the stuff that has the list of 50 ingredients that are completely foreign to you.
if you are looking to take a small step towards a more old fashioned life this summer, than try your hand at making ice cream. I doubt that you will regret it!
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Master a quick and simple housekeeping routine!
Summer is definitely a time for relaxed housekeeping and more outside time, but things still have to get done. This season is the perfect time to make and master a super simple housekeeping routine so that the house doesn’t fall apart while you are out and about enjoying the warm sunny days and all the adventures they bring.
If you can identify what the main daily tasks are and a few simple ways to incorporate a little cleaning then you will be all set to venture out without having to dread coming back to a disaster.
Some things that I have found helpful are…
- Do a quick pick up the main living room area before you go out. Most of the time I grab the laundry basket and toss everything in that is on the floor and that doesn’t belong in that room. Then I place the basket in my room or out of sight and deal with it later. Sure the jobs not done, but it’s so much nicer to come back to a cleaned up space then to just leave it because I don’t have time or energy for this before I go out.
- Wash the dishes before you go out. This could mean loading the dishwasher or quickly hand washing the big stuff so that the sink looks emptier than it really is. Sometimes homemaking is a mind game and it doesn’t take much to add a little peace to a space without having to go all out.
- Do a quick bathroom clean once a week. Pick one day before you anything fun and give yourself 15 minutes to just wipe everything down and make it look clean. A spray bottle with soap and water and a rag that is handy does the trick very nicely and doesn’t take too long at all.
- Meal prep one thing. You could make a crock pot meal, or get ahead of the game and just prep one thing so that it is already to cook when you get back. This is especially handy if you anticipate that you won’t be back till close to supper time. It’s really nice to plan super simple meals for the summer time, too like tacos, burrito bowls, pasta, etc. Something that comes together in no time.
Summer time is so wonderful in that we have lots of freedom and sunlight to enjoy all kinds of adventures, but responsibilities still beckon us when we get home or come in from the back yard. Any one of these things will make coming home so much better after a day or afternoon out.
Decorate with sunflowers!
Or any flowers really! Sunflowers might not be blooming when the summer hits, but flowers are a lovely old fashioned way to bring the warm sunshine indoors.
I love decorating with flowers because they are a super simple way to add beauty to a room. Even fake flowers make me happy especially because they stay beautiful all season long and don’t need any attention.
I especially love to decorate with sunflowers because they are easy to grow yourself and they are a great way to transition between summer and fall decor. I got some red and yellow sunflower seeds last year and it’s so much fun to watch them grow up and bloom!
Enjoy the outside!
Perhaps I don’t need to say it, but get outside! Especially before the heat hits (if you live in the south).
Enjoy the new life popping up everywhere and maturing into what God designed them to be. See the beauty of color and warmth and appreciate it because it reflects the beauty that only comes from God.
Could there be anything more old fashioned then sitting outside during the warm summer evenings and taking in a breeze or watching the sun go down! Not to mention the fairy-like fireflies that start to blink here and there as dusk approaches.
The cold of winter is finally all behind us, but it’s coming up again and we will be back inside again. Make the most of the warm sunny days even if they are hot. Make it a goal to go out (even if it’s just in your backyard) as much as possible.
Save money on your electric bill!
Electric bills can be crazy high in the summer, but you can actually save money on your electric bill if you want to be more frugal this season. Most electric companies will do what I call a summer AC program where they will offer you a lower rate during certain hours of the day during the week with a higher rate during other hours as an incentive for you to not use extra electricity so that they can spread it out to power grids that need it more, like commercial ones.
Mostly it comes down to not using the AC during the hottest part of the day. It can be an adventure, but if you are planning to be out anyways why not be a little more frugal this summer season!
Enjoy a second childhood!
Although summers are more relaxed, they can easily get filled up with doing this and that. Before you know it, you might be running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off trying to fit this or that activity in. It will wear you out!
Slow down and enjoy being a child again when you had less responsibilities, when you played outside till the sun when went down, when the heat really didn’t bother you so much because you were so busy having fun.
Make the summer a wonderful time for you kids, but enjoy it immensely yourself. Get outside and play with your kids in their little swimming pool or in the sprinkler. Let them stay up and catch fireflies with them.
Just because you are a mom and homemaker with lots of things you need/want to do, don’t forget that you are still a big kid and that it might do you a world of good to simply enjoy this summer like you were a kid again.
Final Thoughts!
Summer is a wonderful time and full of so many lovely things to do! If you love the old fashioned life, then I hope that you were inspired by this post on old fashioned summer homemaking and that you are ready to make the most of this summer.
I hope that you take advantage of the slower pace of summer and truly rest and yet enjoy many adventures. Create beautiful memories and traditions with your family this summer and make it the best old fashioned summer you’ve had yet as a homemaker!
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