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Witch Weekly · July 19, 2021 – 2:18 AM

A Housewife's Guide to Cutting Corners
One disadvantage over the Hogwarts model of mixed-gender boarding school is that, unlike in some other magical cultures and in Muggle households, young women do not always have the benefit of spending as much time with their mothers. As such, many important tips and tricks related to running a household are never passed on and must be learned by a freshly married young woman, often with many blunders and mistakes made along the way. Use this guide to learn where you can save a little effort, and where you absolutely must get things right!

Full Effort: Respecting Your Husband
While few would openly disrespect their husbands, many women are so overwhelmed by new responsibilities that they miss subtle cues their husbands issue regarding their wishes. These will vary from man to man, and so it is important to be sensitive to any sign as to his desires; some may place a strong emphasis on looking one's best, particularly when company is present, while others may be more concerned with household management, or with the production of healthy children. Listen to your husband and read between the lines to deduce where your priorities should be.

Cut Corners: Wooing Your Husband
The courtship is over and the match is secure; many of the energies you previously expended on witty conversation or remembering all of the minutiae of his hobbies can now be safely directed elsewhere.

Full Effort: Finding Good Help
As the saying goes: One bad apple spoils the bunch, so it's important to properly vet your hired help to ensure no one you take on is likely to corrupt the rest of the staff. A household full of surly servants will surely fall to ruin! Best to head this off right at the pass and never invite them under your roof at all. Look for staff who are clean, respectful, and amiable, and always check for references.

Cut Corners: Managing Staff
If you've done your hiring well, you needn't involve yourself in any minor details relating to household management or interpersonal disputes among your staff. Leave these issues to be resolved by your housekeeper and head butler, respectively, who should have more than enough experience to do so. Getting involved early on will only lead to an over reliance on your interference and will cause more work for you down the line.

Full Effort: Managing the Social Calendar
As the lady of the house, you will be expected to respond to invitations on behalf of yourself and your husband, possible for his younger unmarried siblings if they still reside at home, and eventually for your children. Slacking now will only make the task more difficult later when you desperately need connections, so don't neglect to follow through on social plans!

Cut Corners: Throwing Parties
Now, we don't mean cut corners on the parties themselves; rather, there is an idea that every recently married young woman must throw a grand ball during her first season as Mrs. Whomever, and if you are not confident you can do so well, it is best not to do so at all. A small luncheon or garden party can be a perfectly respectable re-entrance to society as a hostess and takes considerable fewer planning resources.

Learn which house-keeping corners you can cut to save time and mental stain — and which you absolutely cannot!

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