The constant exercise of thought and much judicious planning is required in order to keep in mind and wisely carry out all the necessary details of an occupation so broad in its scope and so varied in its requirements as housekeeping. This comprises the very best care of the house and its furnishings, the purchase and preparation of the food, and the carrying out of such hygienic and sanitary measures as shall best preserve the health of the household. All lines of scientific education are helpful in conducting this vocation upon which so much of health, comfort, and happiness depends, but some knowledge of chemistry, physiology, and hygiene is particularly essential.

Economy is one of the cardinal principles of success in good housekeeping, and consists in making advantageous use of time, strength, money, and material; it pertains to the littles, - the minutes, the pennies, the scraps, - even more than to the large amounts. We are apt to recognize the importance of careful consideration in regard to large outlays, but we let the fragments of time, money, and material slip through our fingers without thought of their value. And this is a matter of such common occurrence, and one which it requires such every-day vigilance to prevent, that it is well worth our while to study some of the ways in which we may avoid waste in housekeeping.

Economy is largely a relative term; it is a matter which must correspond with surrounding circumstances and conditions. Sometimes money or material is really of less value than time or health; and what might in one case show the best and most prudent management, would in another instance be the poorest kind of economy. "Real waste of anything is loss without any equivalent gain".