Today I am chatting with seasoned homemaker, Cathy Bauer. Nominated for The Art of Home by her daughter, Laura, Cathy has so much wisdom and practical help to offer homemakers of any age. Even through her college years, her heart's desire was to be a wife, mom, and homemaker and she has been living out that desire for almost 40 years.
We discuss her beginnings and the challenges of learning to cook, the overwhelm that came with baby #2 and the challenges of parenting and running a busy household. Cathy shares how organizing her space and time have helped her over the years and she gives some great suggestions for extending the welcome of home beyond the four walls of our homes.
SHOW NOTES
EPISODE CHAPTERS
Welcome, Allison's Update: Favorite Cleaning Tools
Meet Cathy, Beginnings: Living the Homemaking Dream, but Dinner is Going to be Late
Practical Organization Suggestions
Special Challenges: How Homemaking Helped her ADHD Child
Hospitality: Inviting Kids to Participate in Homemaking, Treat Your Family Like Guests in Your Home, Building Community
Seasons of Homemaking: Empty Nest Heart Trouble, When the Husband Retires, Grandparent Hospitality
Q&A: Fails, Wins, Favorites and Recipes
The Art of Home: Honoring One Another and Creating a Unique Family Culture; Titus 2 Advice
Episode Top Takeaways & Podcast News
ALLISON'S UPDATE: Favorite Cleaning Tools
*I am not sponsored nor receiving commission from these links. There are the products I use and feel I can honestly recommend to help you in your practice of the art of home.
CATHY'S FAVORITES
Hack or Tip
Implement meal planning. Plan for the whole week and keep it simple on work or extra-busy days. “I make simple meals on workdays. I don’t try to light the world on fire on work days.”
Cathy also recommends you keep a freezer list because, you’re not going to use the stuff in your freezer if you don’t remember what is in there. Make sure things are packaged and labeled correctly before storing in the freezer then record that item on your freezer list. Don't forget to mark it off the list when you use the item.
Product or Resource
Cathy is a firm believer in the value of investing in good cookware and good knives. While you can get good results in the kitchen with inexpensive equipment, better quality tools have a direct result on the quality of your cooking, saving you loads of time and frustration that often comes with sub-par tools.
Do your research and invest in a quality chef's knife and paring knife and the best skillet you can afford;10-12 inches is a good all-purpose size. Next, I would recommend investing in a good quality dutch oven. You can cook just about anything in this versatile pot. For more on this topic, see this week's edition of Homemaker Happy Mail.
Signature Dish: Auntie Jones' Lasagna
Subscribe to Homemaker Happy Mail
A free weekly newsletter providing you with even more homemaking encouragement and inspiration.
Extended show notes with top takeaways and bonus resources
First to Know Podcast News
Early Access to Guest Application/Nomination Opportunities
Homemaker Articles with Inspiration and Practical Suggestions for Your Practice of The Art of Home
Support The Art of Home
Do you love The Art of Home Podcast and our free resources? You can say thanks with a one-time tip or you can become a Titus 2 Woman monthly supporter.
Visit our page at buymeacoffe.com/theartofhome for more info.