tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post4659083558102434768..comments2024-01-03T01:40:26.911-08:00Comments on Life Drawings: 16 January 1933 “Cleaning and Old Household Hints”50sgalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250940806307766624noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-779399162618802392012-10-03T12:57:37.174-07:002012-10-03T12:57:37.174-07:00My daddy was born in 1933, so I'm reading this...My daddy was born in 1933, so I'm reading this with interest and I plan to talk to him and my mother about it. He was born in rural Texas in a house with a dirt floor and no electricity. Some mornings they'd wake up and their face-washing water would be frozen in the basin. His family was a farm family and the only "help" they had was a hired man who lived with them in the house. Daddy and his sister became the help as they grew up. His mother had a root cellar (no basements in Texas) that was stocked with preserved veggies up until she was too old get around anymore. egartenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00508809034240242239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-27126748815986497102012-01-18T14:46:31.581-08:002012-01-18T14:46:31.581-08:00It's important to remember, too, that not ever...It's important to remember, too, that not everyone in the 30's was standing in breadlines or posing for Dorthea Lange photos. Yes, there were many people who were poor as church mice during this time, but there were also many who were not affected by the stock market crashes and unemployment at all and who lived their normal middle class lives (much like today's Great Recession). The Depression of the 30's affected everyone differently so to assume that everyone was dirt poor is unrealistic, and not an accurate reflection of history. Keep on with the great posts and don't let the Anon's get to you.Betsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06961949757283263982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-49132381242752004282012-01-17T17:15:19.982-08:002012-01-17T17:15:19.982-08:00I really enjoy all your research and all the topic...I really enjoy all your research and all the topics! Don't fret if some feel you're not representing the typical home of 1933; it would be as impossible to do that as it would be for someone in the future to replicate a typical U.S. home in 2012, because so much depends on geographical location and numerous other circumstances. In the U.S. today there is the unemployment rate nationally, but of course that's an average - some areas of the country have very high unemployment whereas it's much lower in others. So just as today's recession impacts different locations, so did the depression in the 30's.<br /><br />Also, as you even say yourself, much depended on individual family circumstances.<br /><br />For e.g., regarding the 1930's - my parents (who were children at the time) lived in the same town just a few blocks apart. While they shared many similarities in their childhood experiences - same era, same town - my mother's family struggled during the 30's, losing their home and barely getting by, whereas my dad's family (while by no means rich) did much better - not only having a nice comfortable home but also vehicles. For more comparison, my mom-in-law (who was also a young girl at the time) was the youngest of a very big family, living in the city. When asked about the depression years she says she actually doesn't recall too much about it in terms of things being hard; things probably were, but maybe she was sheltered from it being the youngest (and very loved/doted on!) member of a big family. For her, she doesn't recall many hardships. However, for my mother - the exact same age, living 40 miles away - the hardships of the 30's were very real and painful and left an impact on her even to this day.<br /><br />At any rate - my rambling point is that here are 3 people, all of the same age during the 30's, all living in the same geographical area, and yet all with very different experiences - although of course the overall experience was generally the same. AND - the things they remember - the clothing styles, the toys, the movies, games they played, how their mothers cleaned and sewed, the food - all those are the same.<br /><br />I really admire how you gather a lot of info and then incorporate everything in the best ways you can. It's very, very cool and I feel like you have a complete understanding of the different standards of living within each era, which is why you do so much research and try to gather a general feel of the era.<br /><br />Great blog topics - it's so fun to check in and see what's new!fullhousenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-42989450412901033342012-01-17T00:10:00.493-08:002012-01-17T00:10:00.493-08:00My mother had a wood Bissell she used till at leas...My mother had a wood Bissell she used till at least the 70s. So did many of our relatives. I have one called a Hoky which is a modern smaller version from another company. Mine is probably 15 years old at least. Works great but of course has no suction action so only picks up things on the surface of a carpet or things off plain floors. We always got toy sets for holiday that were replicas of mother's cooking and cleaning equipment. These were our favorite presents. Even little glass baby bottle sets that had the metal pan lid that had a rack the bottles sat in so we could pretend we were sterilizing our baby dolls bottles ....just like mommy did. Naturally we had small aprons too. Homes as you have mentioned did not just contain articles and furnishings of that year but things gathered through many years. Only a few may be present day things. Our home growing up had things from probably 1900 to 60s. I am completely enjoying your focus on the 1930s. SarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-57569897193430284552012-01-16T21:25:54.957-08:002012-01-16T21:25:54.957-08:00For what it's worth my grandparents, who were ...For what it's worth my grandparents, who were far from wealthy, had household help in the 1930's. They tightened their belt a bit more so there'd be two less unemployed people in the world. Luckily my grandfather owned a store and never had to close it despite the tough times. <br /><br />Thanks for sharing all you've found. You've gotten me thinking about a sweeper now. I just use a broom and handled dustpan but the sweeper would be easier for the kids to use. <br /><br />Sarah HSarah Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-86626538190429560452012-01-16T17:14:36.529-08:002012-01-16T17:14:36.529-08:00Don't let it get you down! I admire how all-ou...Don't let it get you down! I admire how all-out you go to fully live and embrace the year(s) you choose. Remember how "green" you felt about entering 1955, but you totally hit your stride by 1956?! This new year is a big adjustment and probably a downer of sorts to others who would prefer things not be so nitty-gritty and more pretty and fluffy like a new crinoline petticoat. I must confess that I have no desire to make my own soap and I've yet to track down a box of Borax, but I do enjoy reading through all the topics you've picked so far and your thoughts and musings on this time. I also appreciate that you are willing to track down actual ads, magazine articles, various video clips that show just what it was like in 1933. Makes me sad that my grandmothers have passed on so I can't hear what daily life was like for them. Chin up and keep at it. You are an inspiration and have something of substance to share! xx-carrieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-79026748856630667022012-01-16T16:24:39.025-08:002012-01-16T16:24:39.025-08:00actually Anon, if you read what I wrote, I was tal...actually Anon, if you read what I wrote, I was talking of a servant girl when I would have been first married in the teens pre WWI when such help was easily and cheaply available before taxes and such made it not cost effective. In fact, what i am saying about my present 1933 life is that i am going to be saving animal fats from cooking (which I do already) and use it with caustic power to make my own soft soap to save money. That is hardly some extravagant life with servants. I am merely saying my life in my early 20's in the teens to now in the 30's would seem worlds apart. I am very much going to scrimp and save to be more accurate to a lower middle class woman. In fact, we are tying to save on our own heating costs and my kitchen is currently so cold that my breath is visible and my milk had ice cubes this morning. The icebox wasn't even running as it was trying to keep the frozen temps out. So, I am definitely going more towards that lifestyle. In fact, my magazines seem to show more lower middle to upper middle class solutions such as articles about the 'servant-less' house. But, my own grandmother, a homemaker in the Depression, did indeed have help. So, there is a gambit of areas to touch upon. And my live in 1913 would have been less conveniences but more likely to have help while my 33 life offers more conveniences at a price but with only myself to manage with our money buying less and the Depression setting in.<br />I think, however, that I am going to have to contend myself with such comments this year of those who are simply 'skimming' my blog picking out various words and then continually saying, "Oh dear , how sweet you are gonna have pretty dresses and servants, oh arent u sweet that't not how it was" while I am sewing my own clothes making my own soap and scrubbing on my hands and knees with homemade soap and cold water. But what can one do?50sgalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09250940806307766624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-10716099569426596762012-01-16T15:48:42.460-08:002012-01-16T15:48:42.460-08:00It is amusing to hear you talk of servant girls an...It is amusing to hear you talk of servant girls and cleaning help. Most of the people I knew during the depression used hot water and rags to wash floors and saved what little soap they has for clothes. Baths were had once a week and one tub full was used by all family members. Rugs were not vacuumed as it would have used electricity; instead they were hung on the cloth lines and beaten. Most folks still used oil lamps for light or had gas lights; electricity was not readily available in most parts of Massachusetts and was expensive to convert gas over and was expensive to run.It is interesting to see the vintage magazines you are using for reference, as most average folk could afford them or had little use for them except to keep the stove burning. It is great fun to see a modern gal like yourself try to imagine/pretend what it was like during one of the darkest points of American history.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6960946442922071473.post-39235357672274452292012-01-16T12:35:44.485-08:002012-01-16T12:35:44.485-08:00I bought a Bissell carpet sweeper two months ago a...I bought a Bissell carpet sweeper two months ago and ditched the vacuum altogether.<br /><br />I have large wool braided rugs 9x12 and 9x15's throughout my house...but was tired of the noise of the vacuum.<br /><br />It cost me 12.99 from the Bissell site and delivery was free! So I may not have an older version, but the concept is the same and the product works amazing!<br /><br />Have a lovely day!<br />JenniferHumble wifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02823200562312609670noreply@blogger.com