We all know that having a clean house is important – if for no other reason than germs and bacteria aren’t healthy. But why is homemaking important? Today I’m sharing with you some ideas about why homemaking is really important for your family and how you demonstrate the gospel through every act of homemaking. 

30 Days Of Intentional Homemaking: Day 21

Families need women who make home a special place to live, learn, and grow. There is no other job that presents as many opportunities for shaping (for the good or the bad) the future of our country – of our world – than that of a homemaker.

Each of us is a homemaker. Whether you work outside the home or stay home full time, you are a homemaker. Whether you live with a big boisterous family or it’s just you and a couple of children – or just you and your husband – or even just you -, you are a homemaker. We’ve all been called to the ministry of homemaking.

You can find the rest of this series here.

➡️ Get today’s workbook here.

When you think of homemaking, you may think of all the chores that seem to never end in your home. Like dishes, sweeping, laundry, general pick up, and bathroom cleaning. For the last few decades, caring for the household is often looked down on as a less-than-desired profession for women.

But Jesus came to serve – not to be served. And the ministry of homemaking demonstrates the very heart of Jesus through ministering to and caring for those within the wall of your home. That’s what gospel-centered homemaking is really about.

“the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,” Matthew 20:28 ESV

On The Humbled Homemaker blog, Katie Bennett said, “There is nothing more powerful in home than for us to live out the gospel in our homemaking. This means we must examine our goals, anchor our homes in truth, live love and take joy every day!“

Later she goes on to say: “Most of all, I’m excited about living the rich and abundant life that’s available in Christ with my husband, modeling it for my children (and ultimately living it in community with them as they come to know Christ personally), all while welcoming others in to a gospel-centered way of living!”

Can you see how important your role as a homemaker is in the light of eternity?

Why Homemaking is Important

It’s my belief that all women are called to be homemakers. Whether you work outside the home or stay home full time, you have a place where you live – a place you call home.

Despite the images of drudgery, homemaking is more than just keeping house. Homemaking is creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for your family that helps them feel safe, loved, nurtured, and accepted. Does that include keeping house? Of course! But there’s so much more involved than that in homemaking than simply scrubbing and cleaning and picking up.

Homemaking vs. Housekeeping

The difference between homemaking and housekeeping lies in the purpose. Housekeeping could simply be all about cleaning and making a space tidy. It is the housekeeper’s responsibility to keep the house looking neat and tidy. Keeping things picked up, cleaning, and cooking is the priority.

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18

A homemaker’s purpose lies with the family. So even when the house may not be in tip-top shape, if the family is feeling loved, protected, and accepted, the homemaker has made her home a special place.

While normal housekeeping chores also fall into the homemaker category, the homemaker who prioritizes the emotional well being of her family will stop cleaning or cooking in order to take care of more important needs.

Homemaking is important because, without the desire to create a space that feels like home, a house can feel sterile and cold. The ministry of homemaking is a precious and noble act of service.

The duties of a homemaker are vast and encompass many areas of knowledge. There are so many skills to be learned as a homemaker. The Bible tells us the Proverbs 31 woman “looks well to the ways of her household.” Proverbs 31:27.

She manages her home well. She doesn’t necessarily do everything herself, but she’s a good manager of her home. The homemaker decides what jobs need to be completed and then she figures out when the tasks will be done and who will complete each task.

It’s perfectly acceptable and I would encourage every homemaker who has children to assign chores on a daily basis! Train your children how to be good homemakers. It’s a life skill they need to know.

What Does Homemaking Mean?

You may have heard of someone taking a house and making it a home. Therein lays a big difference. A house is the four walls you live inside. A home houses people who want and need to feel loved. Home is where real life happens. Homemaking is creating a pleasant place for the family to reside.

homemaking definition: the creation and management of a home, especially as a pleasant place in which to live.

The Role of a Homemaker

Besides cooking and cleaning, the homemaker has a vast myriad of chores and tasks to take care of on any given day. She may be the one who:

• keeps the family calendar
• helps solve disputes
• meal plans
• shops
• keeps the family clothed
• drives the children around
• schedules home maintenance
• does laundry and masters stain removal
• teaches children how to be self-sufficient
• acts a nursemaid and treats the ill and injured
• helps with homework or teaches homeschooling
• sews and/ or mends clothing
• and more!

All of these things are ways that the homemaker cares for the family, but homemaking is even more than the list above. A homemaker extends hospitality to everyone from friends to neighbors to church members, and perhaps even a stranger or two.

Homemaking is important because it allows the family the ability to minister to people outside the family unit.

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2

A good homemaker is someone who welcomes anyone and everyone into their home with open arms and cares for them as they care for their own family.

How do people feel when they visit your home?

If you feel discourage as a homemaker, please remember, God sees the unseen work of your hands. As a homemaker you give mightily of yourself every day. God sees you.

“”You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

The Art of Homemaking

When I was a young mom, I found it difficult to enjoy the housekeeping part of homemaking. I enjoyed the fun parts, but the chores felt so overwhelming.

I know cleaning house isn’t everyone’s first choice or favorite thing. There is an art to homemaking and it takes not only skills but the desire to do so. If you struggle to enjoy homemaking, I know God can help you learn to love serving your family at home. If you’ve struggled to know why homemaking is important, ask God to impress on your heart what He would have you understand.

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22 ESV

Perspective can have a vital impact on the quality of your homemaking. What is your attitude like, when it comes to your home and homemaking?

• Do you look at everyday tasks as burdensome chores – or as a way to serve your family and keep your home as a loving, safe place?
• Do you view your home as a gift to be cherished, no matter what the state of it may be?
• Is taking care of your home a priority or afterthought?
• Do you enjoy your home?

Honestly answering these questions may help you understand your current state of mind and attitude about your home. The art of homemaking has a lot to do with your feelings about your home and the people who reside there with you.

Don’t forget, as the homemaker, you set the atmosphere in your home. Your attitude towards seemingly mundane tasks will influence the rest of your family and how they feel about the same things. Your attitude speaks volumes to your family about how you feel about being a wife and mother.

What would happen if you made the decision to find joy in the things you may have previously loathed?

Basic Homemaking Skills You Need to Know

Homemaking skills are often passed from generation to generation. Granted, lots of duties have become much easier over time due to technological advances such as a washing machine and dryer, dishwasher, microwave, or stove.

Unfortunately, many adults begin to make their own homes without a good knowledge of how to manage a home well.

related: But the Proverbs 31 Woman had Maids!

Not everyone who desires to be a homemaker was taught as an adolescent how to be a good homemaker. If you’re just beginning homemaking, here are a few ideas to get you going on the road toward being an expert homemaker.

Cleaning Routines

Every homemaker needs to know how to clean her home efficiently. Setting up routines for various tasks will help you in your efforts.

Routines give your day a soothing rhythm and help you maintain your home in a neat and tidy way. Knowing what and when to clean is an essential homemaking skill every homemaker needs!

• Old Fashioned Homemaking Routines
• How to Clean When You Feel Overwhelmed
• A Cleaning Routine
• How to Create a House Cleaning Routine

Cooking

Learning how to cook food that not only tastes delicious but also nourishes the body is an important skill that every homemaker should take the time to learn.

Getting a good basic cookbook and committing to practicing new cooking skills will help you provide food each day for your family that everyone enjoys.

Some of my basic cookbooks favorites are:

• Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook – this is a book that was given to me when I was first married and I still use many of the recipes in it today.
• Magnolia Table: Volume 2 – this is a new cookbook I love! Lots of basic recipes your family will enjoy.
• How to Cook for Beginners – lots of great knowledge every cook needs to know!

Meal Planning

Yet another key in saving time (and money, for that matter!) is meal planning. If you haven’t tried meal planning before, it is a great way to organize your entire week food-wise. Meal planning helps you:

• save money by only buying food you will use
• save brain power – no more standing in front of the fridge wondering what to cook when it’s almost meal-time
• ensure you prepare nutritious, well-rounded meals
• help you to regularly cook your family’s various favorite recipes so everyone feels seen, heard, and cared for

When I don’t meal plan, getting meals on the table is much more difficult. When you meal plan and make your shopping list, going to the store only once a week can be a huge time saver, not to mention, you have fewer opportunities to impulse buy.

Here are a few helpful resources to help you get started:

• Easy Meal Planning by Melissa Ringstaff
• How to Simplify Meal Planning
• Eat at Home Meal Planning Service

Laundry

Keeping up on laundry can seem like a daunting task. It is the never-ending cycle that will always need attention. The great thing about laundry is, you aren’t stuck in one place for the entire cycle! Get a load going and then go on to another task.

Do a load of laundry every day. Unless you live alone, laundry can pile up really fast. Doing a load every day will help you stay on top of the laundry!

If you’re looking for a new way to handle laundry, try washing by room. The key here is to do the washing, drying, folding, and putting away all in the same day. If you know that all the laundry you pull out of the dryer goes to the same room, it will save you time and energy as you can put everything away quickly.

Don’t forget to pass this skill on to everyone in your household! Teach your children about putting dirty clothes into the laundry basket. If they are old enough to play video games, they are probably old enough to start the washer or dryer. If they are tall enough to reach the dryer, the least they can do is pull dry clothes out and put them in a laundry basket. There is something for everyone to help with!

Dishes

Another never-ending task is dishes. You and your family have to eat every day, so there will always be dishes! Whether you have a dishwasher or you are the dishwasher, it’s important to keep the dishes cleaned and put away.

This means after each meal, wash your dishes or load your dishwasher. Keep your counters clear and wiped down and keep your stove ready to use. You may be surprised at how much more enjoyable your kitchen can be when it is clean every time you need to use it.

Again, passing this skill on to your family; young kids can help load a dishwasher, bring dishes to the sink, or put away silverware. If your kids are too short to reach the sink but are fully capable of washing, grab a step stool or chair and let them go to town! Chores teach kids responsibility.

Decluttering

Keeping your home decluttered is the first step in maintaining tidiness. If you have noticed that it is difficult to keep things in their places, whether from kids or just from an overabundance of stuff, it may be time to declutter.

If decluttering seems overwhelming to you, try starting small. Pick one small area of your home each day and focus there. Stay the course until that area is tidy. Some examples may include a junk drawer, the “drop zone” spot on your kitchen counter, or the kitchen or dining room table.

The key to keeping your space clutter free is committing to putting things where they go and not dropping them in random places to save for later. This will have an enormous impact on how much time you spend picking up after yourself and everyone else. And don’t forget to ask for help! Make putting things where they go a priority for your whole family and hopefully you won’t end up resenting everyone else after they have gone to bed and you are still picking up.

related: The One Minute Rule Could Change Your Life

While all of these homemaking skills may seem more like housekeeping skills, they all still fall into the homemaking category. Remember, the difference is your motivation and your perspective. Keeping a neat and tidy home provides a pleasant atmosphere for your family and friends to enjoy.

Housekeeping is an act of love you do as part of your homemaking.

Because you love your family and you want them to feel safe and loved while at home, you do these chores (along with many others) for them. Remember, teach your kids why homemaking is important – and homemaking skills – so when they move out on their own, they’ll have the skills they need to be a passionate homemaker themselves.

Action Steps to Take Today

1. Evaluate your attitude and views about homemaking. Why is homemaking important to you?
2. Pray and ask God to give you a heart of ministry in your home.
3. Get today’s workbook pages and fill out the worksheets.
4. Make a list of homemaking skills you need to work on and start adding new skills to your homemaking routine.
5. Grab my free printable Rhythms and Rest Cleaning Routine below.

Free Printable Rhythms & Rest Cleaning Routine 

How to Get the Printable

1. Just fill out the form below and you’ll receive an email giving you access to my subscriber exclusive resource library. 
2. You’ll find this Cleaning Routine printable and many more resources for your home and family in my library! 
3. The Cleaning Routine printable has three pages – one sample page seen above, and two blank versions you can print and use!