It’s all too easy to skip the niceties of a beautiful life in the name of ease and convenience. Sadly, I see many people opting for paper plates and paper towels rather than real dishes and cloth napkins. But it really isn’t that difficult to set a cosy supper table. It just takes a bit of a mindset change.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

Cloth Napkins and Real Dishes

Cloth Napkins

I do understand that to some, cloth napkins might seem a bit fussy these days. In fact, I was surprised to read a couple of articles about the fact that paper napkins are becoming obsolete. Apparently people are using paper towels instead.

I began using cloth napkins several years ago but until that point I always bought paper napkins which I folded into a triangle and placed to the left of the plate, just like my mother taught me.

I was still using paper towels in those days, too, but it never occurred to me to substitute those for paper napkins. And I’ve even noticed a fair number of folks who don’t even bother with paper towels unless eating something with the fingers.

It’s really not that difficult or time-consuming to use cloth napkins. I happen to like mine ironed but then again, I’m the one who irons her pillow cases every week, too. In fact, I generally iron napkins while I have the ironing board set up to iron pillow cases. It takes only a few minutes and I like the looks of an ironed napkin.

But if you remove them from the dryer immediately, smooth and fold right away, most cloth napkins are perfectly fine for day-to-day family use.

Another option is to use fingertip towels for napkins. These wash and dry very easily and of course, require no ironing.

My recommendation is to buy dark colored napkins so stains are not much of an issue. Have you noticed that many restaurants these days use black napkins? While I do have a variety of cloth napkins, including white, our usual choice for a family dinner is black, as you can see in this photo:

These are the ones I have:

100% Cotton Everyday Napkins

Real Dishes

First of all, allow me to say that I absolutely believe there are circumstances when paper plates are a reasonable choice. A new baby, elderly folks with mobility issues, illness, large parties, etc. Years ago when we remodeled our kitchen I used paper plates almost exclusively because I’m not a fan of washing dishes in a bathtub.

About a decade ago I got more serious about eco-issues and started eliminating disposables, a little at a time. Until then, I kept paper plates on hand and it wasn’t unusual for us to use them for a lunchtime sandwich. However, we always used the “real dishes” for dinners (except during the aforementioned kitchen remodeling).

Until we all started posting pictures of our meals on Facebook and Instagram I didn’t realize how many people eat all their meals on paper plates. I’ll see the most delicious-looking meals on a paper plate and this always surprises me.

I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m being judgmental or snobbish. Honestly, I believe we all deserve to live our lives according to our own standards and that our homes should be a place of comfort and respite.

We tend to repeat the patterns of behavior we grew up with. If your mom served dinner on paper plates with paper towels instead of napkins, that seems like the norm and you’re likely to do the same.

My mom wasn’t “fancy”. We ate on real dishes and used paper napkins but it wasn’t unusual for us to eat on T.V. trays in front of the television. I was the one who would occasionally ask if we could use the good china and silver. When I was in high school we lived in a large home with a formal dining room. We also had an informal dining room but most of the time we ate at the bar in our recreation room with the T.V. on. I loved our beautiful dining room, though, and once in awhile I’d get out the china, polish the silver and set the table. The rest of the family would humor me and my “fancy” ways.

We don’t have a separate dining room in this house, something I do miss. But we have a breakfast nook in the kitchen where we eat most of our meals. As you can see in the picture below, it is far from fancy. My wedding china and Mom’s silver would look a little silly in here so on more formal occasions I set up a table in our family room. The rest of the time we use our everyday dishes and flatware at the kitchen table.

Like so many aspects of homemaking, it doesn’t take much to elevate the everyday and make it just a tiny bit special. And I honestly find that I enjoy putting a little effort into making things prettier.

If you’re in the paper plate and paper towel habit, I challenge you to pull out the real dishes and the set the table for just one dinner this coming week. If you have cloth napkins, use those, too. If not, consider purchasing an inexpensive package of paper napkins. If you have any flowers blooming in your yard, cut a few and put them in a vase on the table or create some other type of centerpiece. Maybe even light a candle or two.

Take your time and enjoy a relaxed meal at the table with your family (or even just by yourself). You might just find yourself doing this on a regular basis.

Your Thoughts 

What about you? Do you set the table with real dishes and napkins? If so, is that what you grew up with? Likewise, if you prefer paper plates and paper towels, it that because you are just used to it? Is it a habit you’d like to change? Or is this simply not something that matters to you one way or another? I’d love to hear your thoughts…and no judgment from me!

~~~~~

Fiesta Dishware

Note: My dishes came from Walmart over 15 years ago. They aren’t Fiesta but look very similar. 

You may also enjoy this post: 

Putter: to move around without hurrying and in a relaxed and pleasant way. 

I don’t hear people talk about “puttering” much anymore so I looked up the definition to make sure the meaning hadn’t changed. You know how it is. You grow up calling a certain type of summer footwear “thongs” only to have that word now refer to something that is definitely not worn on the feet. I do try to keep up and yes, I checked Urban Dictionary. Gosh, I do hope MY meaning of of the word “putter” will be totally clear in this post.

Maybe we don’t hear the word that often because we’ve lost the concept. We rush through the essentials of housekeeping due to a lack of time or interest. We feel guilty if we aren’t being productive although we are also prone to Netflix binges.

But what if we actually set aside time to putter about the house doing those teeny little tasks that lavish love upon our home or are just plain fun? I suggest creating a “puttering basket” for just this purpose.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

Create a Puttering Basket

First, let’s talk about puttering and what it involves. It isn’t cleaning, although you might wipe up a spot here or there. It doesn’t adhere to a list of tasks although you might develop a certain routine over time.

Here’s an example:

Starting at the front door, you notice a little smudge on the glass so you spray a little vinegar water on it and wipe with a fresh, white cloth. The door mat has a few leaves on it so you sweep them away.

On your way to the kitchen, you add a little water to the vase of fresh flowers on your dining room table. In the kitchen you might put a freshly ironed tablecloth on the table or put out a fresh tea towel. Maybe remove a dead leaf or two from the plant on the windowsill and mist it lightly.

In the living room the pillows get a good fluffing and the afghans are refolded neatly, ready to snuggle under while watching a new episode of your favorite show later on. You flick a feather duster over the coffee table and the front of the television and empty the wastebasket. If there are smudges on the coffee table and not just dust, you pull out a little can of lavender beeswax furniture polish and a special dusting cloth kept just for this purpose. In no time, the coffee table is gleaming. Maybe you decide that a couple of the magazines you removed from the table are no longer wanted so you put them in the recycling bin. Or you decide to remove everything and just place a sparkling crystal bowl full of shiny apples in the middle.

The guest bathroom gets a quick peek to make sure it’s in good order. Perhaps a fresh hand towel is needed. Of course, we check to make sure there is plenty of hand soap and a good supply of toilet paper. This is another place to pull out your bottle of homemade vinegar water spray and white cloth to wipe away any spatters on the mirror or finger prints on the light switch.

The master bedroom might be next on your rounds. Turn down the covers like they do in fancy hotels (I’ll try to remember to take a picture of how I do it and share it here), and lightly spray the pillows with your homemade lavender linen spray. Write your husband a love note on a piece of paper from the tiny pad you carry in your puttering basket and leave it on his pillow. Straighten out one drawer in your dresser – maybe the one with your best lingerie – carefully refolding each item and tucking in a few sprigs of lavender.

In the master bathroom, you take a few minutes to polish the faucet, removing every last water spot. Cull the oldest magazines from the basket you keep in there and toss out any almost-empty shampoo or conditioner bottles in the shower. Replace with the extras you always keep on hand. Fold the end of the toilet paper roll into a cute little triangle.

Finally, as you walk back through the house, you light candles in each room, turn off harsh overhead lighting and turn on lamps instead. Put away your puttering basket, turn on some beautiful music, make a nice cup of tea and put your feet up for a few minutes before your family returns home.

That, my friends, is one example of puttering. The most important part of it is that it was done in a relaxed manner with no particular goal in mind other than simply loving and caring for your home.

How to create a puttering basket

Start with a small to medium-sized basket with a handle so you can carry it about on your arm. You can purchase a lined basket something like this:

Or use a basket you already have and line it with a pretty tea towel or scrap of fabric. An old Easter basket might be a possibility if it’s big enough to hold your supplies.

Supplies:

Decant your homemade vinegar and water solution (maybe add a few drops of your favorite essential oil!) into a small, glass spray bottle. Does it have to be glass? No, you can certainly use whatever you have on hand, at least to start with. But do consider upgrading to a nice, glass bottle at some point. Maybe something like this:

I love the fact this set includes cute labels. These are now in my Amazon cart awaiting my next order.

Next, you’ll need some cleaning cloths. For heavy duty cleaning I use rags I’ve repurposed from old dish cloths or towels which are no longer suitable for their original purpose due to stains or simply being worn out. However, you’re just going to be wiping a spot or splatter here and there. For our puttering basket we want things pretty so skip the ratty old rags.  You can buy a stack of pure white wash cloths for very little. Put a couple of these in your puttering basket before you start and then toss them in with your other cleaning rags, ready for their own special once-a-week washing.

You’ll also need a small feather duster.

And if you have houseplants, add a plant mister. A plastic squirt bottle works but why not start saving extra change and splurge on something pretty?

Remember that lavender beeswax furniture polish I mentioned? This is what I use and I absolutely love it! A little goes a long way and it smells divine.

We’ve talked about how to make Homemade Lavender Linen Spray:

Decant some into one of those cobalt blue bottles and tuck it into your basket. Not only can you use it on your pillows as you turn down the covers, but spray a bit here and there on curtains, pillows, afghans and such as you putter about the house. Your home will smell like Provence!

Of course, you could also purchase some:

Other items to include:

• a tiny box of matches or a lighter for candles
• a bottle of plain water for filling flower vases or giving a thirsty plant a drink
• a wee pad of paper (choose a pretty color!) to leave sweet little notes for your husband or children
• a small notebook in which to jot down things you notice during puttering – a lightbulb that needs to be replaced, bathroom supplies getting low, a cleaning task to add to next week’s list, a decorating idea or maybe an idea for your next novel!
• a pen
• small pair of scissors to clip a loose thread on a throw pillow or snip a dead leaf on a houseplant
• something in which to collect little bits of trash (I suggest a gallon size ziplock bag which you then empty into the kitchen wastebasket and replace in your puttering basket.)
• a bottle of your favorite essential oil – add a drop or two to each toilet; fill the bathroom sink with hot water and a drop of oil to fragrance the room while you change the towels; a drop on a damp cloth which is then used to gently wipe the dust from lightbulbs will gift you with a gentle scent the next time you turn the lamp on.
• your tiara – You do have one, right? Begin your puttering by putting on some lipstick and a tiara. After all, you are the queen of your domain. Might as well act like it. And honestly, where else are you going to wear a tiara these days?

~~~~~

Why Do Women Love Puttering?

The Perks of Puttering

The joys of puttering

You may also enjoy this post:

Homemaking is back in style

If you want to take puttering to the next level, check out this ebook – I LOVE IT! 

This post is linked up at Making a Home – Homemaking Linky.