These days, in addition to successful careers, we want to grow our own tomatoes, bake organic muffins and throw awesome dinner parties to serve them. Kate Payne taps into this movement toward domesticity and self-sufficiency with her new tome, “The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking.”
But the last time we checked, twentysomethings don’t read “Good Housekeeping.” So what exactly makes keeping home hip?
“Well, [the book] doesn’t assume you have no other obligations,” explains the writer and “thrift store expert.” “It’s for people who have busy schedules, who have jobs.
Whereas the less-modern manuals are like, ‘here’s how to do everything’ — and they make you feel bad if you don’t do it.”
Never tried a cross-stitch? No problem. Payne’s approach is geared toward beginners and filled with tips and easy-to-do, wallet-friendly projects to make your generic rented apartment feel like home.
For the girl who hasn’t cooked much or potted a plant, Payne offers tips on becoming more domesticated.
1. “Explore some ways to use real linens in your house, maybe just some cute napkins. They get thrown into the mix of the laundry anyway, so it’s not a big hassle. And not just when guests come — even if you eat your cereal by yourself [use linen napkins]. It’s weird, but it makes you feel like, ‘Wow, look at me. I’m civilized.’”
2. “Try eating breakfast in your home three days a week. That way you can ease into cooking so it’s not super stressful and you’re not like, ‘Oh my god, I have to cook every dinner at home for the rest of my life.’ Breakfast is a good place to start. It sparks this feeling of, ‘Wow, I’m really self sufficient.’”
3. “Cleaning is not fun. But take baking soda to the bathroom sink and feel instantly gratified that it’s going to scrub off all that gross goo, and you’re not using anything toxic. It’s actually kinda fun to see the before and after.”
