Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational, day-to-day operations of a house or estate, and the managing of other domestic concerns. A person in charge of the homemaking, who isn't employed outside the home, is in the U.S. and Canada often called a homemaker, a gender-neutral term for a housewife or a househusband. The term "homemaker", however, may also refer to a social worker who manages a household during the incapacity of the housewife or househusband. Housework is not always a lifetime commitment; many, for economic or personal reasons, return to the workplace. In previous decades, there were many mandatory courses for the young to learn the skills of homemaking. In high school, courses included cooking, nutrition, home economics, family and consumer science (FACS), and food and cooking hygiene.

This last one may underlie the tradition that a homemaker is portrayed wearing an apron. More recently, most of these courses have been abolished, and many youths in high school and college would be more likely to study child development and the management of children's behaviour .

HERE ARE SOME OF THE CONTENTS IN HOUSEHOLDING.THEY ARE:

Household tools Housekeeping Household chemicals

Maintenance

SELECTING AND MANAGING HOUSEHOLD

Household toolsThe method and function of housework are different in the industrial world and in other countries, with the balance of convenience, labour-saving devices and easier methods being in the industrial homemaker's favour . The reason for this is that mechanical invention has been applied extensively to different tasks of the home. Inventors have developed mechanical labour -saving devices not only for the shop and office, but also for the home. There are, on the market, thousands of household tools, devices and equipment for every domestic need. It only remains for the homemaker to choose between them. Domestic technology is the incorporation of applied science into the home. There are many aspects of domestic technology. On one level, there are home appliances, home automation and other devices commonly used in the home, such as clothes dryers and washing machines.

There are many technologies now routinely used around modern homes, itemized below.

Air conditioning Central heating Cleaning Clothes dryer Broom Dishwasher Mop Sink Shower Bath Vacuum cleaner Washing machine

Computer PC Food preparation Barbecue Bread maker Blender Faucet Food processor Microwave oven Mixer Oven Food storage Can Canning Refrigerator Home maintenance Grounds keeping equipment Garden tools Paint sprayer Knitting machine Plumbing Power generation Solar cell Windmill Telephone Window

On another level, domestic technology recognizes the use of applied science to construct homes to achieve a particular goal, such as energy efficiency or self-sufficiency.

Advantages OF Household Tools

Another reason for the great supply and demand for household labour savers in the industrial world is that the homemaker has to face the increasingly complex problem of scarce domestic help.

With cheap labour, the need for the mechanical replacers of labour, or "mechanical servants," will not be keenly felt, however, the majority of homemakers perform their own household tasks.

The homemaker's time and effort are worth conserving by every means. Homemakers should, therefore, be eager to buy and use all the household tools that will save their strength and time and liberate them from household drudgery.

While some homemakers are "handy" with tools, the fact remains that most homemakers are unfamiliar with the different principles involved in mechanical tools and devices.

Disadvantages of Household Tools

House cleaning services have some disadvantages, as well, such as the cost, which is a huge put-off for many people. Paying someone $200 a week to come in and clean your house once or twice seems like a huge waste of money to many. Another reason people choose not to hire someone is that they have security concerns, which are justifiable in many cases; most companies require background checks, but that doesn't always guarantee anything. The last disadvantage, kind of along the same lines as security, is that a stranger is coming into your home when you are (most likely) not there. It's not a trust issue so much as it is one of privacy; many

people simply do not like the thought of someone coming into their home.

The homemaker, however, is called to have knowledge of the principles of applied mechanics. The gaining of knowledge concerning domestic tools may lead the homemaker to purchase good quality equipment, which may assist in saving time and labour.

HOUSEKEEPINGHousekeeping by the homemaker is the care and control of property, ensuring its maintenance and proper use and appearance. A home is a place of residence. In a private home a maid or housekeeper might be employed to do some of the housekeeping. Housework is work done by the act of housekeeping. Some housekeeping is housecleaning and some housekeeping is home chores. Home chores are housework that needs to be done at regular intervals, Housekeeping includes the budget and control of expenditures, preparing meals and buying food, paying the heat bill, and cleaning the house.

Housekeeping refers to the management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. These tasks may be performed by any of the household members, or by other persons hired to perform these tasks.

Here are some of the tasks in house keeping . They are:

Housecleaning Removal of litter Dusting

Removal of dirt

HOUSECLEANINGIt includes activities such as housecleaning , that is, disposing of rubbish, cleaning dirty surfaces, dusting and vacuuming. It may also involve some outdoor chores, such as removing leaves from rain gutters, washing windows and sweeping doormats. The term housecleaning is often used also figuratively in politics and business, for the removal of unwanted personnel, methods or policies in an effort at reform or improvement. Housecleaning is done to make the home look and smell better and be safer and easier to live in. Without housecleaning lime scale can build up on taps, mould grows in wet areas, smudges on glass surfaces, dust forms on surfaces, bacterial action make the garbage disposal and toilet smell and cobwebs accumulate. Tools used in housecleaning include vacuums, brooms, mops and sponges, together with cleaning products such as detergents, disinfectants and bleach.

Removal of litterDisposal of rubbish is an important aspect of house cleaning. Plastic bags are designed and manufactured specifically for the collection of litter. Many are sized to fit common waste baskets and trash cans. Paper bags are made to carry aluminum cans, glass jars and other things although most people use plastic bins for glass since it could break and tear through the bag. Recycling is possible with some kinds of litter.

Dusting

Over time dust accumulates on household surfaces. As well as making the surfaces dirty, when dust is disturbed it can become suspended in the air, causing sneezing and breathing trouble. It can also transfer from furniture to clothing, making it unclean. Various tools have been invented for dust removal; Feather and lamb’s wool dusters, cotton and polyester dust cloths, furniture spray, disposable paper "dust cloths", dust mops for smooth floors and vacuum cleaners. Vacuum cleaners often have a variety of tools to enable them to remove dirt not just from carpets and rugs, but from hard surfaces and upholstery.

Removal of dirtCleaning the floor. Examples of dirt or "soil" are detritus and common spills and stains that exists in the home. Equipment used with a cleaner might be a bucket and sponge or a rag. A modern tool is the spray bottle, but the principle is the same.

Advantages of HousecleaningA housekeeping service can be a tremendous advantage if you have trouble with organization or if you have high expectations for wanting to maintain it. A regular housekeeper will be tasked with keeping things orderly, putting stray items where they belong and organizing items that lack a designated spot. If your service comes just periodically, you'll find you have to pay more for the service if you don't pick up and put away before the housekeeping service comes. If they are simply tasked with cleaning, the job will take less time and typically will cost less.

Disadvantages of House cleaning

Privacy Disadvantages

Whether your housekeeping service comes bi-monthly, weekly, daily or lives on the property, having a housekeeper that is not a family member in your private home on a regular basis can feel like a disruption to your privacy. Conversations are open to another individual and disagreements can be witnessed by someone you may not want to see or hear them. In addition, your private possessions are accessible and even maintained by someone who may be little more than an acquaintance.

Technique Disadvantages

Everyone has different ideas of how and to what extent things should be cleaned. Leaving your household cleaning to a housekeeper, in some senses, mean relinquishing a portion of your control of how things will be done. A detailed list of what needs to be done and on what time schedule will help reduce the disappointment you may have when a housekeeper does not tend house in the same way you would. It also requires preparation on your part, ahead of time, to make sure the housekeeper uses the products you prefer and that you have a means for communicating any unacceptable results.

The bottom line is that housekeeping services are only as good as the effort you personally put in to finding, securing and maintaining that relationship. It starts with knowing your expectations, doing your research and staying involved with the housing keeping service you select. Depending upon the size of the home and number of people living there, some living spaces can take a lot of time to keep clean. Since housekeeping is more than just tiding up, having a service to regularly mop, vacuum, dust and scrub is a great way to reduce the household time demands you may face.

Household chemicalsVarious household cleaning products have been developed to facilitate the removal of dust and dirt, for surface maintenance, and for disinfection. Products are available in powder, liquid or spray form. The basic ingredients determine the type of cleaning tasks for which they are suitable. Some are packaged as general purpose cleaning materials while others are targeted at specific cleaning tasks such as drain clearing, oven cleaning, lime scale removal and polishing furniture. Household cleaning products provide aesthetic and hygiene benefits but are also associated with health risks for the users, and building occupant .When multiple chemicals are applied to the same surface without full removal of the earlier substance, the chemicals may interact. This interaction may result in a reduction of the efficiency of the chemicals applied such as a change in pH value caused by mixing alkalis and acids and in cases may even emit toxic fumes. An example of this is the mixing of ammonia-based cleaners or acid-based cleaners and bleach. This causes the production of chloramines that volatilize become gaseous causing acute inflammation of the lungs toxic pneumonitis, long-term respiratory damage, and potential death.

Here are some house hold chemicals used daily : Aerosol spray products, including health, beauty and cleaning

products Air fresheners Chlorine bleach Detergent and dishwashing liquid Dry cleaning chemicals Rug and upholstery cleaners Furniture and floor polish

How can cleaning supplies, household products affect health?Many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or the throat or cause headaches or other health problems. Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other harmful ingredients include ammonia and bleach. Even natural fragrances such as citrus can react to produce dangerous pollutants indoors.

VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches. Studies are underway to assess how these chemicals affect people who have asthma and other respiratory illnesses. However, past studies link exposure to chemicals from cleaning supplies to occupational asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Recent research has found that even natural fragrances in cleaning products, particularly in air fresheners, may react with high levels of ozone from indoor sources, like some air cleaning devices, or from outdoor air to form formaldehyde and dangerous fine particles indoors. Ozone is a harmful, but invisible, gas that worsens asthma and other lung diseases. Particles are also common air pollutants that can worsen asthma and other lung diseases and risk heart attacks and stroke. Both ozone and particles can be life-threatening. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen.

How can you prevent harm from cleaning and household products?Read all labels on cleaning supplies and household products before you buy them. Choose products that do not contain or have reduced amounts of VOCs, fragrances, irritants and flammable ingredients.

Manufacturers are not obligated by U.S. law to list all ingredients in consumer products. Products that are labelled "green" do not necessarily mean they are safer. Avoid using air fresheners. As a safer cleaning alternative, warm water and soap often will do the trick, especially at home. Baking soda is good for scrubbing. A mix of vinegar and water can clean glass.

When using cleaning or household products, keep the area well ventilated. Open windows and doors. Never use cleaning products in a small, enclosed space. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a list of products that meet its Safer Choice requirements for cleaning and other needs. They include cleaning products for home and vehicles.

CONCLUSION:

Cleaning is essential to protecting our health in our homes, schools and workplaces. However, household and cleaning products—including soaps, polishes and grooming supplies—often include harmful chemicals. Even products advertised as "green" or "natural" may contain ingredients that can cause health problems. Some cleaning supplies can be flammable or corrosive. Fortunately, you can limit your exposure to those risks.

HOME MAINTANENCEHome repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home, and is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems. Many types of repairs are "do it yourself" (DIY) projects, while others may be so complicated, time-consuming or risky as to suggest the assistance of a qualified handyman, property manager, contractor/builder, or other professionals. Repair is not necessarily

the same as home improvement, although many improvements can result from repairs or maintenance. Often the costs of larger repairs will justify the alternative of investment in full-scale improvements. It may make just as much sense to upgrade a home system (with an improved one) as to repair it or incur ever-more-frequent and expensive maintenance for an inefficient, obsolete or dying system. For a DIY project, it is also useful to establish limits on how much time and money you're willing to invest before deciding a repair (or list of repairs) is overwhelming and discouraging, and less likely to ever be completed.

Worn, consumed, dull, dirty, cloggedRepairs often mean simple replacement of worn or used components intended to be periodically renewed by a home-owner, such as burnt out light bulbs, worn out batteries, or overfilled vacuum cleaner bags. Another class of home repairs relates to restoring something to a useful condition, such as sharpening tools or utensils, replacing leaky faucet washers, cleaning out plumbing traps, rain gutters. Because of the required precision, specialized tools, or hazards, some of these are best left to experts such as a plumber. One emergency repair that may be necessary in this area is overflowing toilets. Most of them have a shut-off valve on a pipe beneath or behind them so that the water supply can be turned off while repairs are made, either by removing a clog or repairing a broken mechanism.

Broken or damagedPerhaps the most perplexing repairs facing a home-owner are broken or damaged things. In today's era of built-in obsolescence for many products, it is often more convenient to replace something

rather than attempt to repair it. A repairman is faced with the tasks of accurately identifying the problem, then finding the materials, supplies, tools and skills necessary to sufficiently effect the repair. Some things, such as broken windows, appliances or furniture can be carried to a repair shop, but there are many repairs that can be performed easily enough, such as patching holes in plaster and drywall, cleaning stains, repairing cracked windows and their screens, or replacing a broken electrical switch or outlet. Other repairs may have some urgency, such as a broken water pipes, broken doors, latches or windows, or a leaky roof or water tank, and this factor can certainly justify calling for professional help. A home handyman may become adept at dealing with such immediate repairs, to avoid further damage or loss, until a professional can be summoned.

MaintenancePeriodic maintenance also falls under the general class of home repairs. These are inspections, adjustments, cleaning, or replacements that should be done regularly to ensure proper functioning of all the systems in a house, and to avoid costly emergencies. Examples include annual testing and adjustment of alarm systems, central heating or cooling systems (electrodes, thermocouples, and fuel filters), replacement of water treatment components or air-handling filters, purging of heating radiators and water tanks, defrosting a freezer, vacuum refrigerator coils, refilling dry floor-drain traps with water, cleaning out rain gutters, down spouts and drains, touching up worn house paint and weather seals, and cleaning accumulated creosote out of chimney flues, which may be best left to a chimney sweep.

Examples of less frequent home maintenance that should be regularly forecast and budgeted include repainting or staining outdoor wood or metal, repainting masonry, waterproofing masonry, cleaning out septic systems, replacing sacrificial electrodes in water heaters, replacing old washing machine hoses (preferably with stainless steel hoses less likely to burst and cause a flood), and other home improvements such as replacement of obsolete or ageing systems with limited useful lifetimes (water heaters, wood stoves, pumps, and asphaltic or wooden roof shingles and siding.

AdvantagesCost savings: Cost control is a driving issue for most industries and a prime motive for outsourcing. In-house staff wages and benefits (such as pension, medical, vacation) may have become too costly for the company to subsidize. Cost is also a function of a contractor’s ability to flex up and down faster than in-house staff; additionally, hiring costs are absorbed by the contractor. An outsourced contractor assumes the burden of these, and other, financial liabilities associated with workers.Staffing flexibility, expertise and work quality: An outsourced contractor can provide flexibility in delivering the proper staffing level and required skill set quickly, with less cost and time investment, as well as providing expertise that may not be available, or is inadequate, within the in-house staff. This expertise will also positively impact the quality of the work being performed. It provides the flexibility to utilize specialized services as needed, instead of incurring the cost of developing in-house competencies that are not needed on a permanent or continuous basis. However, it should be remembered that this is also a potential weakness. Dependent upon location, and in certain markets, the craft pool may be limited and the required skill sets may not be easily

obtained. Or if they are acquired they may command top dollar and cost more in the long run.

Personnel issues: In the majority of instances, when a client completely outsources its maintenance function, personnel grievances, disciplinary actions and issues become the responsibility of the contractor. Former in-house activities such as payroll, time keeping, labour relations, HR, benefits, etc., are handled by the contractor, releasing management from the responsibility and time requirements of doing so. Tools, equipment and technology: An out-sourced contractor can provide staffing well-versed in the usage of the most current technology, without the need of the company to provide training to the in-house staff in its use, or the cost of acquisition of the technology/equipment. The same holds true for specialized tools and equipment, in that the contractor would be required to supply the tools and equipment to perform the work required. Core business focus: Out-sourcing allows management to concentrate on their core proficiencies and critical objectives to drive the business.

Disadvantages Loss of control: Outsourcing the maintenance function may be cost-effective, but there are restrictions when working with contractors, such as the host company’s inability to directly manage and instruct the workforce. Another example is it may be difficult for a service provider to fulfill all of a client’s requirements such as staff flexibility or craft availability within the host company’s expectations. Also, the client and contractor may have different approaches, management styles and philosophies, which can lead to conflict.

Staff turnover: In-house employees are inclined to have more years of service at a facility than employees of a contractor and know the business and its expectations better. This is a common issue for clients, as outsourced staff do not, as a rule, possess as much allegiance to the company. As such, the intellectual knowledge they possess in regards to a site’s maintenance function, equipment and business model is more readily lost if/when they leave, as their loyalty is more tenuous. Redundancy in management roles: Roles may be duplicated within a client and contractor organization, contributing to overall cost. Overlapping roles and responsibilities can lead to inefficiencies within the maintenance organization and contribute to the appearance of too many bosses and not enough workers, create conflicting priorities and confusion.

Response time: When dealing with specialty contracts such as PLC’s, refrigeration and complex compressors, a response time to problems may be handled more rapidly in-house when compared with a phone call to an offsite vendor. The host company must balance the needs of the site against the decision to outsource this work and negotiate an acceptable response time, such as 24 or 72 hours. Since a longer response time equates to more downtime and lost production, this response time must be clearly defined in the contract, or the host company may be unable to meet their goals and objectives.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, it is up to the end user to determine the cost-effectiveness, control, flexibility and focus required at their unique site to properly manage their maintenance function within their particular budgetary constraints. Outsourcing does not mean abdication of management responsibilities, on the contrary, outsourcing requires dedicated management personnel tied into the CMMS. Only with a detailed examination of these factors can it be realistically established whether outsourcing is a viable option or not.