Book Review: The Hidden Art of Homemaking

I don’t remember where I first saw this book, but I was intrigued. The Hidden Art of Homemaking? Sign me up! Of course, Edith Schaeffer isn’t really talking about a secret to managing your home, although I wish there was a secret or at least an “easy” button.

But the idea of “hidden art” is interesting. When Schaeffer says “hidden art” what she means is “the art which is found in the ‘minor’ areas of life. By ‘minor’ I mean what is involved in the ‘everyday’ of anyone’s life, rather than his career or profession. Each person, I believe, has some talent which is unfulfilled in some ‘hidden area’ of his being, and which could be expressed and developed” (31).

Everyone has a gift, some talent, that they can use to enrich their lives, home, and the lives of others around them. She goes on to say that when we don’t use those gifts in our everyday life it can have negative effects on the way we view ourselves and others.

We may think ‘If only…’ –If only I weren’t so tied down with the mundane things of life. If only I had a chance to go to art school. If only I had time to develop instead of being caught in this job. If only I hadn’t this endless round of housework and crying babies to overwhelm me. ‘If only…’ feelings can distort our personalities, and give us an obsession which can only lead to more and more dissatisfaction, as well as making us into ‘Eeyore-ish’ and uncomfortable-to-be-with people! (33)

Edith Schaffer approaches this “hidden art” mentality from the Christian perspective. She puts forth, and I think rightly so, that man is made in the image of a creative God and

a Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing teh Creator who is there, and whom we acknowledge to be there. It is true that all men are created in the image of God, but Christians are supposed to be conscious of that fact, and being conscious of it should recognize the importance of living artistically, aesthetically, and creatively, as creative creatures of the Creator (32).

The book contains many useful and practical suggestions for using our own hidden art. Some chapters are music, interior decorating, gardening, food, drama, clothes, flower arranging, and painting among others.

I liked how Schaffer continued to emphasize throughout the book that it is not practical to attempt to do everything. She reminds the reader that we are finite creatures who are limited by choice, (often) talent, and resources and are not expected nor should we expect ourselves to pursue every area of ‘hidden art’ there may be.

Two things I really took away from the book were

1. Suppressing our talents and desires for the creative does very little to help or fulfill us. More often than not it leaves us frustrated that our current circumstances are not conducive to our dreams and goals, which often times makes us bitter and disgruntled.
2. All too often we wait for the right circumstances before we start our “dream,” whether it be planting a garden, learning a certain style of cooking, writing a novel, building a house, or learning to play an instrument. Schaffer’s advice is not to wait until “all the circumstances are what  you think they must be before you will find it worthwhile to start. You have started, whether you recognize that fact or not” (77).

That I think is the ultimate take-away from The Hidden Art of Homemaking. Pursue your talents, your dreams. Don’t wait until the “right” time presents itself and everything is aligned. Start something today, whatever desire you have milling around in your head. If you want to plant a garden, but live in an apartment begin with a container garden. If you want to write, pick up and start writing whether you have a story mapped out or not. Just do something.

“The only way to start, is to start.”

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