YOU AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT
God's will is that a home should be a haven from a chaotic world. Part of the qualities of a good home is a clean and lovely environment. This is necessary for obvious reasons. A clean environment makes for good health. Besides, nerves cannot be soothed in a dirty and chaotic environment, neither can rest be had in such a place. That God has called the woman to be the overseer and keeper of the home is a great responsibility: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home . . .” (Titus 2: 4-5).
Charles is lucky to have a wife who takes this God-given responsibility seriously. He had had a tiring day and was glad to be returning home. The anticipation of a warm welcome from his wife, Clara, and a relaxing evening in his lovely home, took the bite off the stress of being caught up in a traffic jam. Suddenly he noticed a man waving at him excitedly from the car next to his. He could not quite recognize the person but because the traffic was at a standstill the man came out of his car and dashed towards him, calling his name. It was a name that only one person called him - his best friend at the University. Instantly, he realized that he was indeed the one. He could hardly contain his excitement. He came out of his car and they shook hands and embraced. They had parted, after completing the compulsory National Youth Service. Dave had gone abroad for further studies and somehow they had lost touch with each other. They had so much to discuss and the traffic was hardly the place to do it, so Charles invited his friend home.
They eventually drove through a gate into a fenced compound in which there was a small bungalow. As Dave stepped out of his car, he exclaimed: 'Charles, I didn't know you had green fingers'. The view before them was really beautiful. The front windows of the bungalow were framed by bougainvillea in full bloom. Ornamental plants and flowers created an impression of coolness, serenity and beauty. 'I don't have green fingers', Charles said, as they walked towards the door. ‘What you see is the handiwork of Clara, my wife.’ Clara welcomed the men at the door and after the introductions, ushered the visitor into a lovely and cosy sitting room. The room was not only gleaming, it was furnished in soothing colours and there was an inviting fragrance in the air. Soon, the men were quite relaxed and refreshed as they reminisced about the old days. When eventually Dave stood up to go, he turned to the hostess and said, 'thank you for letting me share your lovely home'. They saw him out and waved as he drove off.
As the rear-light of his car disappeared into the night, Charles turned to his wife and said, 'thank you'. 'For what?', she asked, laughing. But she knew the reason and her heart bubbled with joy. She felt at that moment that all her effort at making her home a haven was not in vain. That her husband could bring an important visitor home without first warning her was a compliment indeed. He would not have done that a few years back. In fact, Charles hardly stayed at home. Her home then was disorganised and hardly ever clean. She just could not keep up with all that had to be done. She could remember the time she quickly pushed dirt and clutter under the cupboard at the sound of a knock at the door. Their bedroom was anything but inviting. The kitchen floor was unsightly and the shelves were full of junks. The kitchen sink usually held unwashed plates. The compound was full of litter. If there was any fragrance in the air then, it was more likely to be the odour of unwashed plates and clothes soaked in the bathroom for days. She felt that with her job and little children to care for, she could not do better and so accepted the situation as it was. That was before she read an article on home management that transformed her life and home.
Four things made it possible for her to apply the tips she read in that article:
(1) Desire
The article that Clara read made her to see that part of a woman's role as a helpmeet is to create and maintain a comfortable home for her family. Right then, a desire was born in her heart to have the home of her dream. To have such a desire is to have taken the first step towards having the home as God intended it to be. Lack of desire hinders many women from making any attempt at improving the condition of their homes. They are quick to make flimsy excuses instead.
(2) Decision
Having a desire for a good home is not just enough. There must be a purposeful decision to have something done for the necessary change in the home and environment. Clara succeeded because she planned. Lack of planning is one reason why many women go to bed at night feeling tired and frustrated. First, she went from room to room and took note of what needed to be done. Taking her daily schedule into consideration she divided the jobs into those that should be done daily, every other day and weekly.
(3) Determination
It takes determination to keep taking the steps that will move you closer to achieving your goals. The first place Clara tackled was her kitchen. It was determination that kept her. She sorted, organised and cleaned until her kitchen sparkled. There were many reasons to give up, but she kept at it. The result encouraged her to move to other parts of the house.
(4) Discipline
Lack of discipline is one of the greatest obstacles to achieving our goals. There is no doubt that discipline is the difference between what we want to be and what we actually become. Discipline will make you tackle that project rather than put it off. You may have worked out a schedule for keeping the house in shape but without discipline your plan will remain just that - a plan. It will never come into reality.
The excerpts below on the home and the environment that helped Clara change her home for the better may also be of help to you.
1. Open the doors and windows to allow free air flow in and out of the room.
2. Empty waste paper basket in or outside the rooms regularly.
3. Sweep the floor regularly, reaching under all pieces of furniture.
4. Dust all surfaces, doors, windows and furniture.
5. Tidy up the cushions and arrange arm and head rest in the chairs.
6. Arrange books, furniture, newspapers, magazines, and clothes properly.
7. Clear and clean the table after every meal, removing any pieces of food.
8. Clean the tablemat and put them away.
9. Sweep off all pieces of food on the floor and mop the floor.
10. Do not keep wet rags in the room. Always wash and dry them outside.
11. Wash up your cooking utensils and dishes after each meal preparation and service. Dirty plates will give bad smell and attract flies and other insects.
12. Put fresh flowers in the vase, if possible, in the living room.
Care of toilets and bathrooms includes:
1. Sweep and clean the floor regularly, removing all debris including bits of sponge, broom or soap from the bathroom daily.
2. Wash the bathtub and wash hand basin daily after use. Use soft sponge/brush and mild abrasive e.g. Vim.
3. Take towels out in the sun after use. Do not keep wet towel on you or in your living room. It gives a bad smell to the room.
4. Open the windows to allow air in and out of the bathroom.
Care of home surroundings includes:
1. Sweep the surrounding every day and keep all paths clean.
2. Empty all refuse from the house and its surroundings into the refuse bin kept outside the house. This should be done daily.
3. Keep the refuse bin area clean and ensure that refuse is dumped into the bin and covered properly.
4. Do not leave empty cans, broken plates, cups, bottles, waste and foodstuff lying about in the surroundings.
5. Clean the drainage properly and do not allow stagnant water in your home environment.
It must be pointed out that since homes differ, your plan will depend on the kind of home you live in. There are however, general tips that should be of help to any woman whatever kind of home she lives in. They are:
(1) Ability to Learn
Make effort to acquire useful ideas on home making. Clara read books and magazines on homemaking. Her lovely garden and potted plants were the result of tips she picked up from books on gardening. She also got tips on cleaning and decor from women whose homes she admired.
(2) Employ Help
You can employ paid help where possible. Members of the family should also lend a helping hand. Where children are grown up they should be assigned specific duties in the home.
(3) Choose your Tools
To transform your home, you need some working materials. Your need will depend on the kind of home you live in. Some of these are: dust rags, mop, disinfectant, cleaning agents suitable for kitchen, bathroom/toilet etc, air freshener, toilet brush, furniture wax, gardening tools, long brooms etc.
(4) Spot Clean Daily
To spot clean is to take care of little messes anywhere in the house, instead of waiting until the day that part of the house is scheduled for cleaning. You can, for example, quickly tidy up the sitting room before going to bed at night. Put things in their proper places, arrange the throw cushions etc.
As you adhere to the above guidelines, your home environment will become an inviting haven and a model for other women to emulate. However, as you strive to keep your external environment clean, bear in mind that your internal environment, comprising your heart and mind, needs to be kept tidy too. The bible says all the filth of sin emanates from the heart and defiles the man: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21, 22). To have a clean internal environment devoid of all these filthy traits, you must surrender your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ for cleansing in His blood. Acknowledge your internal filth and ask the Lord Jesus to forgive and cleanse you. Thereafter, you must maintain a clean heart by constantly feeding on God's word, avoiding things that could pollute your mind and praying to God for grace to maintain a clean heart and mind always.
HOME SAFETY RULES & FIRST AID
Presumably, when you had your quiet time/family devotion this morning, one of the requests you made to God was for your safety throughout the day. Of course, there is nothing wrong in praying and believing God for maximum protection over our lives and property. In fact, without relying on God for safety at all times, the unthinkable may happen when we least expect it (Psalm 127: 1). But most times, we fail to realize that even the scripture affirms that "faith without works is dead (meaningless and unprofitable)" (James 2:20). And this implies that faith alone can neither solve all of life's problems nor provide us with everything we need. There are some basic steps that we must take to fully enjoy all the blessings the Lord has promised us - and these include our protection and safety within the home environment.
Many today feel so comfortable and secure in their homes that they ignore basic safety rules and precautions. Worse still, such inexcusable neglect often happens in homes that harbour not only strong and energetic adults, but also children and elderly people who are quite vulnerable. And the result? Avoidable domestic accidents, some of which could be life-threatening!
Taking steps to learn and adhere to home safety precautions will prevent a lot of physical, psychological and financial damage. Helpful home safety tips from various experts in home management have been carefully compiled here to make our homes safer. Please, take time to go through them and make every necessary adjustment in your home.
Home Furnishing Precautions
(1) Ensure that pieces of furniture are positioned out of the range of mobility. Place them in "low-traffic" areas such as corners and sections of the room.
(2) Furniture should be stable, not wobbly.
(3) As much as possible, choice of furniture items should exclude those with sharp edges and corners. This will reduce chances of injury.
(4) Shelves should be low enough to avoid using a stepstool.
(5) Sofas, armchairs, double-sitters and tables that have broken parts or getting dilapidated should be removed or repaired. This also applies to leaking roofs, broken windows, doors, steps, damaged floors and falling ceilings.
(6) All stairs, whether inside or outside the house, require stable handrails.
Lighting and Colours Precautions
(1) Lighting levels should be fairly consistent throughout the home. Individuals find it difficult to focus when they move from light to dark areas and vice versa, especially those with vision impairments.
(2)Ensure there are several night lights throughout the house, especially near bedrooms, bathrooms, stairways and entrances.
(3) Keep torches/flashlights handy in case of power failure. Keep one in the bedroom (preferably near the bed) and other areas where the most time is spent. Check to ensure batteries are in good condition. Avoid candles as much as possible.
Electrical Cords and Cables Precautions
(1) Keep extension cords in a hidden place (such as behind furniture) to prevent tripping and falling.
(2)Ensure that furniture legs are not placed on electrical cords or cables as this may wear them down, resulting in electrical shock.
(3) Avoid placing cables and cords in 'high traffic areas' or under carpet/rug, as this could also make them wear out.
(4) Check cables and cords regularly for any signs of wear and tear.
Bathroom Precautions
Because of its often-cramped space and slippery surfaces, the bathroom ranks as the most likely area of a household where a person may fall. Children, elderly people or people with mobility problems are especially at risk. Therefore,
(1) Never leave a little child unattended in a bath.
(2) Where a child is beginning to learn to bath himself/herself, always remain within arms reach. A child may stand in the bath and then slip, resulting in serious injuries. (3) Ensure that any medication, soaps, detergent, bathroom cleaning supplies and other harmful substances are carefully stored out of the reach of children.
(4) Place non-skid adhesive strips in the bathtub, shower stalls and on the bathroom floor to prevent falls.
(5) Ensure that safety products, such as grip or grab bars, are installed in bathtubs and by the toilet.
(6) Keep water heater set to 1200F or lower.
(7) Never touch any electric appliances when bathing (children should also know)
(8) Store bathroom electric appliances, such as hair dryers, away from water.
(9) To help individuals with mobility problems, get tub seats. Tub seats allow people in wheelchairs and those with minimal strength in their arms and legs to manoeuvre into the tub/shower area.
Kitchen Precautions
(1) Always dress for fire safety in the kitchen. Avoid loose clothing such as nightgowns or bathrobes.
(2) Regularly clean any grease build-up from the stove, oven and exhaust fan. Cooking grease and oil ignite easily and burn rapidly.
(3) Never leave your cooking unattended. If you must leave the kitchen for some unavoidable reasons, lower the heat and take something with you as a reminder that you have something cooking.
(4) While cooking, keep your pot's handle turned inward in such a way that small children or pets will not grab it out of curiosity. Also, ensure to keep sharp utensils out of their reach. Note however that it is much better to keep young children and pets away from the kitchen entirely.
(5) Keep all flammable objects, such as towels, potholders, hand gloves and paper bags away from the stove. If the stove is near a window, avoid the use of draperies for such window. Install mini blinds in place of curtains as curtains may catch fire easily with the stove below them.
(6) To prevent burns, use clean kitchen- safety gloves when taking items in or out of the oven, or when removing cooking from the stove. Never use gloves that have soaked up oil or water; while the former have greater potential to catch fire, the latter easily transmit heat.
(7) Shield yourself from steam when uncovering food, especially microwave servings. Steam can cause severe burns!
(8) Avoid reaching over the stove for anything while cooking. Keep frequently needed items in other areas of the kitchen.
(9) In case of a stove top fire, cover the pot or pan with a lid or bigger pan to deprive the fire of oxygen. This will douse the fire in no time. Be careful not to carry a burning pot outside or to the sink. This could escalate the fire. And never attempt to extinguish an oil-fire with water, because the oil will float on the water and the fire will get bigger. Keep a lid, baking soda or fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen. When looking for a fire extinguisher to keep at home, make sure the fire extinguisher is made in such a way that it can douse oil-fires.
Hazardous Materials Precautions
We certainly cannot deny the fact that there are several useful but hazardous substances and materials in our homes. Laundry soaps and detergent, medications, polishes, sprays, kerosene etc are vital substances needed in the home, but are fatally poisonous when ingested. Little children, especially toddlers and those still crawling, tend to put whatever they lay their hands on into their mouths. Thus there's need to take to these precautions to prevent accidental poisoning:
(1) Keep all hazardous materials under lock, or where little children cannot reach. (2) Store medications in locked medicine boxes.
(3) Be careful with house-cleaning chemicals like disinfectants and insecticides. Use them as directed by the manufacturers. Allow for sufficient ventilation to minimize toxic fumes from the chemicals. And never attempt to mix different cleaning chemicals together - it could lead to deadly chemical reactions.
(4) Keep toxic chemicals firmly closed when you carry them around, and recap tightly after each use. Don't leave them on the table or floor even if you just want to leave the room for a few minutes.
(5) Beware of spray products especially - they are very appealing to kids but harmful to the eyes and mucous membranes!
(6) As much as possible, buy products labelled 'non-toxic'.
Home Safety Checklist
Especially for the sake of children in the home, the Home Safety Council has published a home safety checklist, which is to act as a guide in keeping your family safe from domestic accidents. The checklist includes:
(1) Have you tested your hot water and turned the temperature of your water heater down to 120oF or lower to reduce the risk of burns and scalds?
(2) Have your older children memorized your address and phone number (in case of emergency)?
(3) Do you have a first-aid kit that is easily accessible and stocked with emergency items? (This will be discussed in details below)
(4) Does your family practice a home fire escape plan at least twice a year?
(5) Are all matches and lighters secured in a locked cabinet?
(6) Are dangerous household items, such as medicines, toxic bleaches, oven and drain cleaners, paint solvents, polishes and waxes safely stored in a locked cabinet? (7) Do dangerous household and outside products have child-resistant packaging? (8) Do you keep all plastic wrapping materials, including dry-cleaning bags, produce bags and trash bags, away from children?
(9) Are you careful not to hang pictures, quilts or decorations containing ribbon or string on over a crib?
(10) Have you examined nursery furnishings to be sure they are strong and secure? (11) Have you placed furniture, including cribs and playpens, away from windows to prevent falls?
There may be additional safety needs in your home depending on its age, location, design and other features. Inspect your home regularly and add any precautions necessary to make your home accident-free!
And What About First Aid?
First aid is a collection of some basic medical items that can be used during emergencies in the home, office or any other accident-prone area. Many avoidable fatalities have occurred, either due to ignorance of what first aid is or due to ignorance of the contents and their functions. Thus, every parent - especially mothers - must make it an obligation to get a first aid kit in the home and study the uses of each item in it, so as to properly handle emergencies. Basic items to include in your first aid kit are:
(1) First aid manual.
(2) Bandages of assorted types - for minor cuts and grazes.
(3) Triangular bandages - for use as a sling to support an injured arm or shoulder. (4) Elastic wraps - to wrap wrist, ankle, knee and elbow injuries.
(5) Sterile, non-fluffy, absorbent gauze pads in two - and four-inch sizes - for larger cuts and grazes.
(6) Adhesive tape - to keep gauze in place.
(7) Scissors - to cut tape, gauze or clothes.
(8) Safety pins in variety of sizes - to fasten splints and bandages.
(9) Antiseptic wipes (alcohol free) - to disinfect wounds or clean hands.
(10) Cold packs - for icing injuries.
(11) Tweezers - for removing splinters, foreign objects, ticks, bee stingers.
(12) Rubber gloves - to protect hands and reduce the risk of infection when treating open wounds.
(13) A thermometer (preferably digital and not one containing mercury as this can be hazardous if damaged).
(14) Petroleum jelly.
(15) Calamine lotion.
(16) Hydrocortisone cream - to relieve irritation from rashes.
(17) 12 - 24 individually wrapped plasters in various sizes (fabric or waterproof). (18) Antihistamine cream - for insect bites (do not use on broken or infected skin).
(19) Antihistamine tablets such as chlorpheniramine (e.g. Piriton) - for allergic reactions.
(20) Paracetamol and acetaminophen/ibuprofen for pain relief (tablets for adults, liquid for children).
(21) Emergency foil blanket.
(22) Torch/flashlight.
Getting first aid kit: Though more expensive, it is best to make up a kit yourself, based on your family size and need. But in case you don't want to go through the hassles of doing it yourself, some pharmaceutical stores sell ready-made first aid kits at affordable rates. Since there is no official standard for first aid kits, the contents of such kits often vary. You should therefore check to ensure the one you're purchasing contains exactly what you need.
Container for first aid kit: Keep your first aid items in a waterproof container large enough for the content to be well arranged so that items can be quickly found when needed. You can use a plastic container or box with a closely fitting lid. Ensure the container is labelled so that it can be easily recognized by anybody.
Storing first aid kit: It's very important to place the first aid box in a central position to make it accessible during serious or small emergencies. It should not be within the reach of children, but still readily accessible. Wherever you choose to place it should be dry and cool and this suggests that the bathroom is not ideal.
Using first aid kit: Knowing how to use the content of the first aid kit is as important as having it. Hence, it's imperative that all adults, older children and teenagers in the house know where the first aid is, what is in it, and how to use it. This is why it's suggested you include a first aid manual in the kit. Ensure to replace any used item as soon as possible. Also check expiry dates of items regularly so as to discard and replace expired ones.