good home management

• Resources


  Things that are used to achieve a goal
• Types of resources


  • Human resources: people and their knowledge, skills, energy and time
  • Financial resources: money and what it can buy, e.g. food, equipment
  • Environmental resources: e.g. air, water, oil, gas, trees
  • Community resources: e.g. schools, hospitals, libraries, community centres
• Goals


  Things you want to achieve, e.g. clean a bedroom
• Management


  Using resources wisely to achieve a goal
• Managing the home


  1. Using resources wisely to achieve the goal of running an efficient home

  2. Involves many tasks, including budgeting, meal planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, childcare and home maintenance

  3. Tasks are performed by the adults in the house, with the help of children and teenagers

  4. The goal is to provide a safe, healthy and happy home environment for family members
• In classical economic theory, the word 'rational' means that economic agents are able to consider the outcome of their choices and recognise the net benefits of each one. Rational agents will select the choice which presents the highest benefits
• Consumers are assumed to act rationally. They do this by maximising their utility
• Producers are assumed to act rationally. They do this by selling goods/services in a way that maximises their profits
• Workers are assumed to act rationally. They do this by balancing welfare at work with consideration of both pay and benefits
• Governments are assumed to act rationally. They do this by placing the interests of the people they serve first in order to maximise their welfare
• Marginal utility


  The additional utility (satisfaction) gained from the consumption of an additional product
• If you add up marginal utility for each unit you get total utility
• Advantages of good home management: Less Stress, Less Conflict, Money is not wasted
• Grocery shopping guidelines


  • Plan the food shopping list
  • Check what is in the house already
  • Plan meals for the week
  • Write up a list, grouping similar items (e.g. fruit and vegetables) together, as these are found together in supermarkets
  • When at the shop, stick to the list and avoid impulse buying
  • Shop around for good value (prices can be checked on supermarket websites)
  • Try not to shop too often, as you may end up buying more
  • Bulk buy items that will not go off (e.g. washing powder and toilet roll) because it is cheaper
  • Check expiry dates (sometimes the freshest items are towards the back of the shelf)
  • Avoid shopping when you are tired or hungry, as it may encourage you to buy more
  • Bring shopping bags
• Management system


  A logical step-by-step process that helps you to achieve a particular goal
• Five-step management system


  1. Set goal: Decide on what you want to achieve

  2. Identify resources: List the resources you will need to achieve your goal

  3. Plan: Plan the steps you will follow. Check that you have all the resources you need, including enough time. Plan to purchase any resources that you do not have

  4. Action: Purchase any resources that you do not have. Gather all the resources you need. Put your plan into action

  5. Evaluate: Ask yourself a number of questions. What went well and why? Was there anything that didn't go well? What would I do differently next time?
• Effective household cleaning routine

  1. List all the tasks that need to be done to keep the home tidy, clean and hygienic

  2. Divide the tasks into: those that need to be done daily, e.g. washing dishes, those that need to be done weekly, e.g. changing bed linen, those that need to be done occasionally, e.g. washing windows

  3. Allocate tasks to different family members, according to the amount of time they have available, their age and their abilities
• Cleaning agents


  Products that are used to keep the home clean and hygienic
• Guidelines for the safe use and storage of cleaning agents

  • Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to avoid damaging items being cleaned or causing harm to the user's health
  • Read the label and obey any safety information or symbols, as some agents are harmful to health; fumes or irritate skin
  • Protect your skin and clothing (e.g. wear rubber gloves, an apron or old clothes)
  • Thoroughly rinse cleaning agents off the item so that the residues do not remain, as they could be toxic if consumed
  • Store cleaning agents in a cupboard out of the reach of children and/or use child locks, as some agents are poisonous if swallowed
• Work sequence


  The order in which a task is best completed