Want to clean like a 1950’s housewife? Try this 1950’s cleaning schedule. Your home will be spotless but you may be a bit exhausted!
Having a clean and well put together home was very important to housewives in the 1950s. And they spent a lot more time cleaning than we do now.
“Cleanliness was a mark of respectability. Sitting down was only acceptable in the evening.” – Dr. Liz Yardley, a lecturer in sociology at Birmingham City University.
The time women spent cleaning is one of the reasons many think women were so much thinner in the 1950s. They spent a lot of hours on their feet every day, cleaning and doing other housework.
Trying out a 1950’s cleaning routine can help you get your house in amazing shape and burn a few extra calories. You may not want to do all of these things every day but try adding some of these to your daily cleaning schedule and see what you think.
1950’s Daily Cleaning Schedule
This list is adapted from a list share by Jen but Never Jenn, be sure to check out her fun 1950’s housewife series.
- Throwback the covers and let your bed air out. (read why this is important)
- Open up the blinds and windows.
- After breakfast clean up the kitchen and eating area.
- Gather a basket for tidying. As you tidy the home, pick up items that don’t belong in that room and add them to your basket. When you enter a new room place the items from the basket that belong in that room where they go.
- Straighten up the living areas, pick up clutter, lightly dust, straighten pillows, and water plants.
- Make the beds.
- Tidy the bedroom, including a light dusting.
- Hang up any clothes that may be about or ensure dirty ones are in the hamper.
- Do a light tidy of the bathroom including removing and replacing used towels, refilling toilet paper and soap (as needed) and cleaning the sink area including soap dishes.
- Wipe down kitchen work surfaces and inside the fridge and discard of any old food.
- Dispose of garbage from around the home.
- Rinse dishcloths and hang to dry.
- Sweep or mop the kitchen floor.
- Handle weekly chores that need to be done that day. (see examples below)
- Set the table for dinner.
- Arrange the living room for evening enjoyment with the family.
- Do a quick sweep of the floors and ensure entrance ways are clear.
- Clean up the eating areas after dinner and ensure all dishes are washed.
- Set the table for breakfast.
Want some free cleaning products to use while trying this routine out? Click here to get my favorite Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning set for free.
Once a Week Chores
- Use metal polish on bathroom fixtures.
- Clean and disinfect all kitchen appliances.
- Scald and disinfect bread boxes and garbage pails and bins.
- Replace flowers with fresh bouquets.
- Laundry (including bedding).
- Vacuuming and mopping.
Be sure to also check out 7 Cleaning Hacks from 1950’s Housewives Worth Stealing.
Free Printable 1950’s Cleaning Routine
Want to try this list out as well? Sign up below for access to a free printable 1950’s cleaning routine checklist and other great printables.
With this cleaning checklist, you can follow along with me and others in cleaning like a 1950’s housewife. You may find some chores you want to add to your normal cleaning routine.
Interested in more 1950’s cleaning tips? Check out How to do Your Spring Cleaning Like a 50’s Housewife.
Christine
I’m going to try tomorrow but I’m getting tired just looking at the lists no energy not working.
Lisa Sharp
I’d love to know how it goes!
Dorianne
That’s why I’m exhausted most evenings because I’ll do the whole list most of the days…
Kenzie
Maybe this is a sign that I am overdoing it! I have a 9 month old and this cleaning list looks like a normal day for me ? I guess this isn’t the norm for 2019!
Lisa Sharp
This is more than the average person cleans now. One study found housewives in the 1950s burned almost twice as many calories a day than we do now. Of course, we also have more appliances to help us but we still do less. You can likely cut back some and give yourself a break. <3
DJ
Yeah, I do all of this and more now. I guess the biggest difference for me vs. a 1950’s house maker is that they likely did it in nicer clothes. Pajamas all day for the win!
Lisa Sharp
I clean in dresses but not this whole list every day. 🙂
Kalyn
I was going to say, do I have to do it in heels? Maybe I should try hahahah
Lisa Sharp
I mean you can, I’m going to pass since I already had to use a walking boot once this year. ha!
Luanne
Yep, that’s me too! So many of the chores can be done in just a few minutes, and then add a weekly chore in per day. Adding kids definitely makes it take longer….and a lot of repetition!
I’m definitely not in dresses tho! My mom wore dresses until about 1970 when we moved to California. It’s kind of funny…I used to be amazed because I never saw her cleaning up, yet the entire house was always clean…except for the chores she assigned me, that is.
Shandra Brown
Wow that is a lot. I know I will not be able to do half of that due to I am a working mom. I salute all the stay at home mother who does this.
Lisa Sharp
Not many do this no matter if they are at home or not. It’s a lot, don’t feel bad.
MaryP
Umm. This is pretty normal housework. Growing up my mom worked part time at night. She cooked and baked from scratch. Never any dirty dishes. The house always spotless. We had a big Italian family and had everyone in and out all day. There were 4 of us kids plus all the cousins and friends that stopped by. I thought this was normal. My friends mom’s did the same and of course all my aunts. They would have been ashamed to have it any other way. I’m 67 and as I go about my house I think of how they all worked so hard.
Lisa Sharp
It’s not normal these days, at least not for one day. 🙂
Jessica Taylor
Very helpful! Gives me some inspiration. Thank you!
Lisa Sharp
I’m so glad it was helpful!
Nina
In the fifities ladies had hard surfaces to wipe and limited carpeting. Loads of linoleum mopped with vinegar water. They washed walls every two years. Curtains every spring. They had limited clothing. They had house dresses.
Imagine a wardrobe that stopped with five shirts, three pair of pants, eight underwear, five undershirts. Eight pairs of socks. A suit and hat. Typical men’s wardrobe. Oh and hankies. All ironed. Except the suit and hat.
Mirley Guerra Graf
I love this blog! It’s so original and refreshing to read. I just have a hard time cleaning the bathrooms. I really dislike it.
Lisa Sharp
Thank you! I don’t mind bathrooms other than the tub. That’s always a pain.
Jan
I love to notice how things have changed. There are certainly things to strive to continue and some to let fall by the wayside. Most important is to be teachable and willing to learn from those that came before us.
Lisa Sharp
Very true!
Susan Newbigging
Most of these are just normal daily chores any one should be able to do. They are easier to do now with the dish washers and cleaning tools available. With kids it would be much harder, so I understand the mommy thing. Kids always come first before the house.
If you do quick wipe downs, quick pick ups and stay on top of laundry………then it is not so hard.
You do not have to follow the list exactly on busy days choose what is bothering you most about the house work…focus on that.
Michelle
I’m a working mom of 3 & single I might add. I have always done things on my own. My kids have their chores, but there are things a mom wants done her way. Most of these things are a daily must & some of these things can be split up. I sweep my kitchen once I’m done cleaning up from supper. I throw away leftovers on Friday & that’s when I wipe the fridge down then mop the floor. My boys have picked their own day to have their laundry done. They bring it to the laundry room in the morning & it’s in their room in the afternoon. They clean, vacuum, change their bedding & take out their trash all in this day. Most of my bigger things get done on a Saturday. But, this has worked for us & I don’t feel worn out or exhausted either.
Dorothy
Couldn’t it be argued that moms in the 50’s were more likely to be SAH? Also did moms in the 50’s interact with their children as often as moms now? Also it was more likely that other moms in your neighborhood would be at home with their kids. Kids had friends to play with without moms having to be involved driving them and supervising. When kids were schooled aged a lot of women still were still SAH and with kids in school full time they would have had plenty of time to clean. I also find it unlikely that they didn’t sit down for lunch daily or coffee with the ladies a few times a week. I feel like this is one of those articles that perpetuates women and parents feeling bad for not doing enough. At this point comparing a Mother’s role in the 1950’s and a mother’s role in the 2000’s is comparing apples and oranges. Families can’t and shouldn’t be expected to be living the same way and with the same standards of families of the 1950’s.
Lisa Sharp
I’m sorry you were upset by this. This was just for fun. My long-time readers will know that I talk all the time about self-care and not being too hard on yourself. I run a full-time business and don’t have kids and I don’t do all these things every day. We all just do our best and this is just a fun post, nothing too serious.
Jane
It’s all in fun my mom worked and was a single mom .
I was expected to get myself off to school and get myself home .
Leaving the kitchen tidy before she got home from work .I had just started school 6 years old
We lived in a one bedroom basement suite the lady upstairs was usually home .When I walked back from school I reported to her .
My mom and I took the bus everywhere or walked . We walked a lot .
You know it wasn’t a bad life at all .I am a responsible adult.Two adult kids of my own .
My house is tidy my life is good ,that was 57 years ago .
My mom is still walking .
A lot to be said for learning responsibly young .
Don’t sweat it no one gets out of here alive .
Natasha
This article was cute. Though i will never mop my floor every day. And i dont see laundry on the list. Does that mean i dont have to wash it or fold it? If so ill start tomorrow Lol.
Lisa Sharp
ha! Laundry was usually a weekly chore so it would have been added in.