We can all agree that technology is good. After all, without technological advancements, we would all be carding and spinning yarn to weave cloth for making our own clothes, walking everywhere we go, and books would be very expensive and hard to come by. While we’re not advocates for Luddite living, there are some old-fashioned ways of doing things that should continue to be practiced every day.
Here are our top six skills everyone should know.
How to Make a Bed
We spend a third of our lives in bed, so it pays to have a comfortable mattress, the best quality sheets you can afford, and to make your bed every day.
First, start with a mattress cover, which helps extend the life of your mattress by protecting it from spills, dirt, etc. It doesn’t need to be washed every week, but it does need to be washed regularly.
Next, put on your fitted (bottom) sheet. Then, look at the flat sheet. 1. When you spread it on your bed, the rolled hem should be on the top side of the sheet (next to the bedspread). Make sure the top of the sheet is even with the head of the mattress and the sides are as even as possible.
To make a “hospital corner,” also called a “military corner,” 2. tuck the sheet under the mattress at the foot of the bed. Then, on one side, 3. grasp the edge of the top sheet at the foot of the bed about 12 inches or so from the end and pull it up to the top of the mattress. 3A. It should make a 45-degree angle from the corner of the mattress. 4. Tuck under the section that is hanging below the mattress then 5. return the flap from the top of the bed to let it drape over the side. Repeat on the other side.
From here, you can tuck under the entire side of the sheet up to the head of the bed or you can leave it untucked. Either way, the sheet should stay in place and lay better under the bedspread.
Now, add the blanket (you can make hospital corners here, too, if you’d like) and the bedspread.
According to a 2019 article in USA Today, 72% of bed-makers organize and plan their daily lives, and 74% of those who make their bed feel very accomplished at the end of the day (that compares with only half of those who don’t make their beds saying the same). If you start the day by accomplishing one task, you’re more likely to get more done.
Write a Letter
OK, why would you write a letter when an e-mail can do the same thing? Well, how does it make you feel to go to your mailbox and find something other than bills and junk mail? That’s why you write a letter. It’s personal – not cold and impersonal like an e-mail. If you write letters in a series – for instance, if you have a pen pal, they become something to anticipate.
Here's how to start. While nice stationery is a plus, your recipient will love getting a handwritten letter no matter what kind of paper it’s written on – even notebook paper.
A friendly letter uses a modified semi-block style. At the top of the page, a little past the middle of the page toward the right side, write your mailing address – it should be written with your street/P.O. Box information, then, on a separate line, your town, state, and zip code. The next line should include the date you write your letter. If you correspond with this person frequently, it is acceptable to only include the date.
Skip a few lines and begin your letter flush to the left margin with “Dear ____,” then on the next line, you can indent a paragraph or skip a space if you want to separate your paragraphs with lines.
Remember, this is like a one-sided conversation. You are reporting what is going on in your life and asking them about theirs.
At the end, you’ll need a close, which will line up in a similar spot on the page as your address and date at the top of the page. Your close can be Sincerely, Love, Thinking of you, or whatever speaks to your relationship. Then, of course, add your signature.
Now, it’s time to fold your letter and address the envelope. It’s easier to address your envelope first. In the upper left corner, add your return mailing address – include your name on the first line, then your street/P.O. Box info, then on the next line, city, state, and zip code.
For your recipient, around the middle of the envelope, write their name, followed by their street/P.O. Box info, then on the next line, the city, state, and zip code. The post office will appreciate it if you have the area surrounding their mailing address free from drawings, etc. It makes their automated sorting easier. Next, you’ll apply the postage stamp in the upper right corner.
Let’s talk about putting the letter in the envelope. If it is necessary to fold the letter into thirds, fold the bottom part first, then the top of the letter second. You’ll want to insert the letter into the envelope so the last fold is on top next to the flap. The recipient will be able to open the letter and read it without having to turn it around.
Writing a Check
Check writing is not as prevalent as it once was, but there are still some businesses, charities, and individuals that prefer a check over a credit card or electronic transfer of funds. Here’s how you write a check.
At the top right of the check is the date line. Enter the date with the year that you are writing the check. It can be spelled out – October 10, 2024, or can be recorded 10/10/2024. The next part of the check tells the bank who to pay the funds to. On the Pay to the Order of line, you’ll need to write the individual’s or business’s name that will receive the funds. It is important to write clearly. Then, write in numbers the amount you will be paying to the individual/business. On the next line, you’ll need to spell out the amount you are paying – so, $114.34 will be One-hundred fourteen dollars and 34/100---------. This amount MUST match the numerical representation.
In the lower left corner of the check is the memo line. This is where to note the nature of the payment – it could read something like donation, May’s rent check, or an account or invoice number. This section is helpful to you to track expenses and to the business to credit the payment to the correct account.
Finally, the signature line is in the lower right corner. To make your check valid for deposit or cashing, you will need to sign it.
How to Read a Recipe
Recipes are a basic “how-to” for the kitchen. Most recipe books and recipes that are shared online are written in a specific way with the ingredients listed in the order that they will be used. If you are making a dish for the first time, you would be wise to read the entirety of the recipe before getting started because it will help you understand how to prepare your kitchen, what ingredients you need, if any of the ingredients require special preparation, and if there are areas where the recipe isn’t clear and you may need to reach out to someone for clarification.
Make sure you know the common abbreviations for measurements (c. = cup, tbsp., tbs., or Tbsp. = tablespoon, teasp. or tsp. = teaspoon, oz. = ounce, F = Fahrenheit, lb. = pound). It is also important to have the proper tools. Spoons, bowls, pans, whisk, measuring cups and spoons. Your kitchen should have both dry and liquid measure cups – while the volume is the same, each device is designed to accurately measure for its intended purpose.
Once you’ve read through the recipe and have assembled your ingredients. It’s time to look at techniques mentioned in the recipe. Stir means to combine ingredients in a bowl or saucepan. Whisk together makes a more air-y combination and can be done using either a whisk or a fork. Folding is a gentle mixing of ingredients using an over-under method. Zest is using a grater to peel off small pieces of citrus skins (like lemon or orange zest). Kneading is pushing and turning dough.
When some ingredients don’t specify amounts, they will indicate “to taste.” That means you can use less or more of the option to suit what you like. To taste is most commonly used with salt and pepper.
Finally, there’s the cooking part of the preparation – bake – to prepare in an oven or using dry heat; broil – to cook under a direct heat source; saute – cooking gently with a small amount of oil or butter; boil – to cook in a bubbling liquid; simmer – to cook in a liquid that is almost boiling; stir-fry – to cook with high heat and a small amount of oil while stirring constantly.
It is a best practice to have all your ingredients and implements close at hand before starting your preparation.
Setting a Table
Growing up, it was our job as kids to set the table before supper. As easy as that sounds, our busy schedules have made it harder and harder to all sit down at the table at once to enjoy a meal.
For a basic meal, laying the table is simple. Place the plate in the center of the setting. The fork should be placed to the left of the plate with the knife placed on the right of the plate (the blade should be turned toward the plate) and the spoon placed to the right of the knife. The water glass or tea glass is placed at around one o’clock to the plate and above the knife. Napkins can be placed on the center of the plate or under the fork on the left side.
For a more formal meal, additional utensils may be necessary. To the basic setting, add a salad fork to the left of the meal fork, a soup spoon to the right of the meal spoon, and a dessert spoon at 12 o’clock to the plate (the handle should be extended to the right). The bread plate and knife is to the upper left of the forks. If wine is served, the wine glass goes on a 45-degree angle to the right of the water glass.
When dining, always work from the outside of your silverware to the inside.
Reading and Writing Cursive
In 2010, with the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for English, teaching how to read and write cursive was eliminated from public schools. The rationale was there is no need to learn how to write cursive – time would be better spent focused on technological education. About four years later, cursive was back in the curricula for 22 states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
An article in The Atlantic in October 2022, shared that two-thirds of the students in a college seminar class were unable to read manuscripts from the Civil War era because they were written in cursive.
The Optometry Center for Vision Therapy builds a case for teaching cursive because it can have the same effect on the brain as learning to play a musical instrument. According to Dr. William Klemm, “It helps train the brain to integrate various forms of information at once, including visual and tactile inputs, while applying fine motor skills.” Cursive can even be a part of the treatment plan for dyslexia because it helps with hand-eye coordination, memory, vision-related difficulties, and other brain activities.
Most importantly, what if you couldn’t read the messages in your birthday cards from your grandparents?
We are not experts on teaching cursive, and to be honest, there is some cursive that is difficult to read, but with a little detective work with the words around the one in question, it can be figured out. If you would like to either learn cursive or brush up on your technique, you might want to click on over to this website called ConsistentCursive.com. There you will find a free course to learn to write in cursive no matter your age. It includes downloadable worksheets (yes, just like we remember from elementary school) and videos to help you develop your skills.
His blog entries are all done in cursive handwriting, so you get a chance to practice reading in cursive, too.
There are many other old-fashioned skills to be mastered – washing dishes by hand, easy clothing repairs like sewing on a button or mending a hem, changing a tire, how to read a map, ironing a shirt, how to leave (or take) a message. What would you add to our old-fashioned skills list?
