homemaking – Joy Taiwo's Blog

How To Start Your Home Garden | African Homemaker

September 24, 2021September 25, 2021Leave a comment

If you’re living in a fast-paced urban area like me, having a home garden can seem like a dream.

Well I really did think it was until my neighbor inspired me to start one with the tiny space in my yard.

Gardening is an irreplaceable part of Homemaking and I personally find it very therapeutic. It’s been my retirement dream for many years now.

I used to think creating a home garden was a complex process that required going to agricultural school or reading tons of books on farming.

It turns out that starting a home garden is veeeeery simple. And you need only three things.

1. Top Soil

You can easily get bags of Top soil from a roadside gardener at a little cost. All you need to do is pour it over your space or in a planting pot.

2. Manure

I also bought manure from a roadside side gardener. You need this to enrich your soil. Pour or lay it over the top soil and water it so it mixes with the upper layer of the top soil. After laying your manure, pour water so everything can settle. If you are doing this in rainy season, you don’t even need to pour water.

3. Seedlings or seeds

You can get seedlings or seeds from a local gardener or an online shop. Just make a hole in the ground, 3 to 5 inches deep and put in your seedling/seed. online shop. To start off, I got a few seedlings from the gardener.

He did all the labor too and I only paid him a token.

Next time, I will definitely do it myself as I didn’t know it was going to be that easy.

I was shocked at how simple the whole process was.

I cannot believe something I thought I will only be able to do when I’m old and grey was done in a couple of hours.

I am living my dream.

If you too have some or little or no space and you need more help in getting your home garden up and running, you can email me (joyceebere@gmail.com) and I will be glad to help.

See my home garden in the video below!

Homemakers Challenge | Day 14

September 10, 2020Leave a comment

Hi,

This challenge is to motivate and encourage you to eliminate chaos and clutter in your home and transform it to the clean and orderly place it’s supposed to be. Anyone (especially those who are not naturally organized like me) can join no matter what day we are on.

TODAY’S TASKS

1. Declutter your wardrobe. Remove clothes that are worn out and ill fitting. Consider having a 10, 20 or 25 item wardrobe consisting of clothes you are confident wearing anywhere at anytime. Apply the same to your shoes, bags and accessories.

2. Take clothes that need to be mended to the tailor and shoes to the cobbler.

TIPS FOR HOMEMAKERS WHO WORK 9-5 JOBS

1. Divide your clothing into two or three parts depending on how much of them you have.

2. Perform today’s tasks on one part. You’ll focus on the second part next week.

“Then she washed and dressed very attentively, putting on high-heeled court shoes, silk stockings, a black skirt and crisply ironed white blouse, because she was Viennese and one dressed properly even when one’s world had ended.” – Eva Ibbotson

Cheers!

Homemakers Challenge | Day 5

September 1, 2020September 1, 2020Leave a comment

Hi,

TODAY’S TASKS

1. Take care of yourself. For example:

– Exfoliate or do a facial

– Shave overgrown hairs in private areas. Also shave hairs on your legs (if that’s your thing)

– Get your nails done

– Get your hair done. You could also rejuvenate or slightly alter the style you already have on

– Trim your eyebrows

– Go through a good magazine or small book

– Eat something different and a bit sophisticated for dinner

– Relax (yesterday’s tasks were tough, you deserve this)

“Sometimes we just need to put down our phones, close our eyes and take a few deep breaths. Ideas are often in flight patterns around our brains, just waiting for clearance to land.” – Sam Harrison

Cheers!

Homemakers Challenge | Day 3

August 30, 2020August 31, 2020Leave a comment

Hi,

TODAY’S TASKS

1. House Inspection and Blessing:

a. Go round your house and inspect walls, corners and places you do not see on a regular basis. You’re looking out for cracks, openings, leakages, cobwebs, clutter and dirt. Note the discrepancies down so you can address them during the course of the week.

b. While you are doing (a) above, bless you home. Pray for every area of your home and everyone who steps foot in it. Come against domestic accidents and evil influences in every area. Speak love, peace and joy into your home, in the name of Jesus.

“One must always be aware, to notice- even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible.” – Thylias Moss

2. Inspect your clothes and mend those that are torn or I’ll fitted, with a needle and thread or sewing machine. If you will need professional help from a tailor, package the clothes to take them to a tailor first thing tomorrow morning.

” Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.” – Amit Kalantri

Cheers!

Homemakers Challenge | Day 2

August 29, 2020Leave a comment

“We are so busy watching out for whats just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.” – Bill Waterson

TASKS

1. Have fun with yourself, your family or your friends today. Ways you can have fun:

– Watch a movie

– Watch YouTube videos

– Go window shopping

– Eat out

– Play outdoor sports or games

– Play indoor board games

– etc

Try not to do any work today except you have really young children who cannot take care of themselves yet. Break the habit of piling house work for Saturdays. On Saturday, wake up late and enjoy the day and your life will be happier.

Cheers!

Homemakers Challenge | Day 1

August 28, 2020Leave a comment

Hi,

It will be wonderful if you join me in this challenge! It consists of daily tasks and motivation to steadily improve your skills as a homemaker (especially if you’re not a naturally organized person like me).

TASKS
1. Declutter, clean and arrange your books (or bookshelf), documents, old receipts, papers, stationary and the likes. Basically, anywhere you put papers, stationary or books should be attended to. Time: 15 minutes (+ extra 5 minutes if you anticipate any distractions).

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” – Marie Kondo

2. Plan your meals for the coming week, make your grocery list and go shopping.

“Go to the grocery store and buy better things. Buy quality, buy organic, buy natural, go to the farmers market. Immediately that’s going to increase the quality of the food you make.” – Michael Symon

3. Plan how you will destress and have fun tomorrow, either by yourself or with family and friends.

“Even though you’re growing up, you should never stop having fun.” – Nina Dobrev

Cheers!