3 Simple Habits of Country Homemakers that You Can Do Too

You can put these three simple country habits to use in your daily life right now. They will bring a little bit of the country life into your home!

Country Habits for Homemakers

An easy way to bring a bit of the country life into your home is to observe the daily habits of country homemakers and think about how you can incorporate them into your daily life.

By implementing these three simple habits of country homemakers, you will be inspired to find more ways to bring country habits in your everyday life!

1. Go Outside Every Morning

An essential part of being a country homemaker is that outdoor duties call every morning. Whether it is to let the chickens out of the coop, milk the family cow, feed hay to the livestock, water the garden, hang the laundry out to dry, or any other myriad of chores, the truth of the matter is that most country homemakers get outside in the morning.

On many days it is a delight to go outside in the morning and get some fresh air. But there are other days when it is downright cold and there is the temptation to remain inside.

I personally am thankful that my duties require me to go outside every morning, rain, or shine, or snow, though I find that on some mornings I tend to drag my feet when it is time to go outside, particularly when it is brutally cold out.

When this happens, I have a few strategies that I use to help motivate me to get outside. The first is that I always eat breakfast after I do my outdoor chores.

There is something very sweet and rewarding about coming inside from doing chores and enjoying breakfast. I find it to be extra satisfying.

Another way I motivate myself is by wearing the right clothes for the job. If it is hot, I dress accordingly. If it is cold, I clothe myself in my cold weather gear.

Having appropriate winter clothing is what makes or breaks your outdoor experience. Over the years I have refined my outdoor clothing to the point that I now feel quite comfortable when I am outside, even in negative degree weather.

I use the following items to help me stay warm outdoors:

Insulated Bib Overalls

Mittens

Hat

Socks

Insulated Work Boots (this is not the exact pair I have, but similar)

Outdoor Coat I received this as a gift several years ago and it is a great coat. If you are looking for a more budget friendly option, this is the kind that my kids have and they are also fantastic.

With this combination of clothing, I feel nearly impervious to the cold. It really is amazing.

I can honestly say that on those days that I am initially hesitant to go out, once I am outside I am so thankful to be there. The air is brisk and refreshing, there is peace and solitude, and it is nice to get a few tasks done outside.

The benefit of this country habit is that when I come back inside I feel refreshed and energized and ready to get on with the day.

While most country homemakers go outside in the morning out of the necessity of caring for their livestock or gardens, you can still put this country habit to good use even without those obligations.

If you find yourself lacking an outdoor job that will take you outside in the morning, then make a habit of taking a morning stroll so that you can enjoy the outdoor air and stretch your legs.

2. Save Kitchen Scraps

Another simple country habit to put to good use in your home is to save kitchen scraps rather than throw them away.

There are several uses for kitchen scraps. The first is that they can be be put in the compost pile to then be used in the garden. This is a great way to use up any scraps that do not have dairy or meat in them.

Fruits, vegetables, tea bags, coffee grinds, egg shells, and other things can be used for garden composting. You can even put human and pet hair in the compost pile, which is very convenient after you do family haircuts!

There are also several homestead animals that enjoy the benefits of kitchen scraps. Pigs for example, will eat just about anything, though you do have to be mindful of what you feed them. They can eat fruit, vegetables, grains and bread, dairy products. and eggs.

Chickens are also very useful when it comes to using up kitchen scraps. They can have fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and cooked meat that is cut up.

This is especially useful on the homestead as you sometimes end up with byproducts from making certain foods. For example, if you were to make cheese and have leftover whey from the cheese making process, the whey can be fed to pigs and chickens.

There is great satisfaction to be had in creating less waste in your home and having the added benefit of using food scraps to the benefit of your garden and animals.

3. Go to Bed and Rise with the Sun

An additional country habit to put to use in your daily life is to get in rhythm with the sun. Make it a habit to get up and go to bed with the sun.

This is something that happens quite naturally in the country. It is easier to do outside chores in the daylight, so once the sun sets for the evening, it is time to go inside and settle in for the day.

Likewise, once the sun rises in the morning, the poultry and livestock are ready to go for the day. Animals are creatures of habit, so if you are late feeding them, they are happy to remind you that you are running behind schedule.

The interesting thing about waking up and going to bed with the sun is that this will change throughout the year, as the days get longer and shorter depending on the season.

There is something truly special about settling into this routine. Summer is a time of long days and hard work. It is not uncommon for my family to work outside until 9:00 in the evening because the sun is still out.

In contrast, during the winter we tend to huddle inside more. In this season, we get some extra sleep due to the shorter days and longer nights.

My children, who are also creatures of habit, seem to naturally follow this concept. In the fall, after we have gone through the time change from daylight savings, my children naturally follow the rhythm of the sun rather than the clock.

Which means that without me telling them to do so, they will notice that the sun is starting to set and go out to do their evening chores. Then they proceed to do the rest of their evening routine, which includes cleaning up inside our home, getting ready for bed, then settling in to listen to an audiobook.

The funny thing is, that after that fall time change when the sun sets so early in the day, they will run through that entire routine and be ready to settle in for the night by 6:00 PM. Which makes complete sense as that would be 7:00 PM on the old time.

It is refreshing to get in rhythm with the seasons and the sun. It gives us a chance to go hard for a season, and then we have time to slow down for a season.

Conclusion

These three simple country habits are the perfect way to bring a bit of country life into your home. What are other ways you bring a dose of country life into your home? Share in the comments below!