Not all the work that housewives do around the house is mandatory. Some processes turn out to be absolutely useless, as they take a lot of time and effort, but give practically no result. Novate.ru talks about them in more detail so that you can cross these items off your to-do list.
In the book "Games People Play" by the American psychologist and psychotherapist Eric Berne, there is a chapter called "The Hunted Housewife." Her thesis has the following meaning: each woman is forced to simultaneously play ten to twelve different roles. She must be a mistress, a servant, a nanny, an economist, a cook, and so on. Since these "positions" do not interact well with each other, their execution for many years leads to fatigue, exhaustion, and internal burnout. Eric Berne believes that it is impossible to bring yourself to such a state: "You can play your roles one after the other for a week, but never play two or more at the same time, otherwise it will lead to an internal conflict."
So, what everyday everyday tasks can you safely avoid, because no one will even guess that you have completed them?
1. Rub the linoleum
To extend the life of linoleum, manufacturers recommend rubbing it with mastic from time to time. However, if you calculate how much the floor covering will last with rubbing, and how much without rubbing, you will not see much difference. On average, it is one to two years (in the first case, linoleum lasts 12 years, in the second - 10 years). Now calculate how much money you will spend on all these polish cans. Don't forget to add the cost of your labor. In the end, compare the amount received with the cost of the new flooring and work on its laying, and then conclude whether linoleum is worth all the costs and efforts invested in maintaining the appearance.
2. Sort laundry
The love of sorting things is not always appropriate. It is best to do this once after washing to prevent socks or underwear from accidentally falling into the tea towel box. Alternatively, put in the bathroom two baskets intended for dirty laundry: put in one for children and in the other for adults. Or use the first for white, and the second for black. Hanging out the washed socks in pairs is equally useless. All the same, after drying, you will have to collect them and put them in a box.
3. Stand at the stove without separation
We agree that some dishes, as well as their ingredients, require constant stirring. For example, a custard needs this so that lumps do not form during the cooking process and a uniform consistency is obtained. However, in most cases, there is no point in standing at the stove from start to finish. Take at least broth: most housewives are used to skimming off the foam as it forms, but you can go the simpler way and strain the liquid at the end. The same goes for jam - skim the foam before putting it in the jars, without doing the extra work that requires you to be constantly present and involved.
Advice: Use the "services" of the multicooker. There are many first courses, side dishes, desserts, pastries that this kitchen device will quickly and easily prepare. But the main advantage of the multicooker is that there is no need to stand next to it.
4. Shifting cooked food
When a small amount of soup is left in the pot, and there is mashed potatoes in the bowl that the child has not eaten, it makes no sense to shift the food to a smaller bowl. An exception is if the refrigerator is full of food and a large saucepan simply does not fit in there, or if there is some food left in several plates and you want to place everything in one. In all other cases, you should not create unnecessary work for yourself, because after shifting, you will need to wash more dishes than originally planned.
5. Wipe dust from objects that are above eye level
Experience shows that drawers of tables, walls and doors of nightstands suffer most from dust and other contaminants. While you are standing, the spots remain invisible, but as soon as you sit down on a chair or sofa, they immediately catch your eye. During general cleaning, wipe the furniture with a polish rather than a damp cloth, paying particular attention to areas where fingerprints are found.
But there is no point in climbing onto a stool to reach the top of the cabinet. Of course, the dust must be removed periodically, but it costs three to four times a month, not every two days. By the way, the presence of a humidifier in the house will reduce the amount of dust, improve the microclimate in the house and make your work easier.
6. Clean the bath daily
If you have a regular bath, and not a model with a hydromassage, for example, there is no need to wash it every day. It is better to teach family members to rinse it after themselves - in this case, the plumbing will always have an attractive appearance. Of course, during general cleaning in the bathroom, you should not neglect cleaning the bath using special tools, but in all other cases, save your strength.
7. Wipe off stains from aluminum dishes
Aluminum pots and pans are initially not the best choice. Much more practical are the enameled dishes, as well as stainless steel. But if aluminum products have already entered the ranks of kitchen utensils, and you have been actively using them for a long time, you should not try to eliminate the dark spots that have appeared on the dishes. It is unlikely that you will be able to completely get rid of them, moreover, new ones will appear over time. It is better to put them away and use pots and pans made from proven materials.
8. Iron towels and bed linen
Agree, hardly anyone will pay attention to how much ironed towels hang in the kitchen and bathroom and whether the sheet is crumpled on your bed. In addition, bed linen will still not remain in perfect condition before washing - after the first night it will not be clear whether you ironed it or not.
9. Dry the dishes with a towel
There are several nuances here. Firstly, the dishes will dry perfectly on their own, leaving no noticeable streaks. Secondly, if a lot of dishes have accumulated, this process will take a lot of time. Thirdly, the procedure can be unsafe - the cloth with which you wipe the dishes may contain residues of detergents and bacteria that are harmful to health.
10. Rinse the plates before the dishwasher
You may be convincing yourself otherwise, but rinsing the dishes will not improve the wash performance. Of course, if there are food residues on the dishes, they should be removed. But there is no point in washing away traces of ketchup or mayonnaise - the dishwasher will do this job perfectly without your help, and it will do it much better than you manually.
We also advise you to find out How to get rid of dust for a long time with a lemon rag