Comedian Em Rusciano had a chat with Mamamia and gave us her top tips on homemaking.
Top tips on putting out the bins?
“Set an alarm on your partner’s phone to remind them to take the bins out or you know, pay the kid’s to do it and by ‘pay’ I mean tell them they have to if they want to eat in the foreseeable future, then they must put out the bins.”
Cooking dinner?
“Basically, I chuck a bunch of stuff in the slow cooker at the start of the day and hope for the best. Sometimes it’s delicious and tender and sometimes it’s a dried out clump of unidentifiable flavours. Don’t be afraid to serve cereal for dinner, if you warm the milk up do you know what you have there? A hot meal, that’s what – it’s science.”
Washing and ironing?
“Washing can’t be avoided, I get that, my tip – buy as many baskets as you can reasonably fit in your house. Baskets are the key. Everyone gets one in their room, then they transfer them into the right coloured basket in the laundry to keep the reds away from the whites, I’m all about baskets. As far as ironing goes I’ve got two words for you: body heat.”
"Don’t be afraid to serve cereal for dinner." Image supplied.
Making the bed?
"I always make my bed, even if the rest of the room is messy - the rest of the room is nearly always messy. There is something magical about making your bed. It’s a handy way to trick yourself into feeling as though you’ve your shit together when you may not. It is my firm belief that you must take the easy wins when and where you can get them."
Tidying up/clearing away clutter?
"This will come as no surprise to you when I say - baskets y'all. At least you have contained the mess and it’s off the floor, you also avoid impaling your toe on the sharp corner of a Jenga block at 1am."
Making a comfortable home?
"Hi my name is Em Rusciano and I have a very real problem with cushions, scented candles and throw rugs that look like they belong on the set of Game of Thrones. Seriously, every surface in my home has a combination of all three on them. That’s how I make it feel comfortable, oh that and love blah blah blah family and laughter blah blah home cooking."
"Easy wins people. It's all about the easy wins". Image via Instagram @emrusciano.
Cleaning the bath/shower?
"I walk in, spray bleach on every surface, walk out, come back in two hours and hose it all down. Whatever lives, gets to stay."
Toilet cleaning?
"Obviously it’s my duty to say - whack a pair of those fancy Bref balls in the toot and call it a day. Also, once your kids are old enough to flush, they’re old enough to brush. I just made that up, seriously. You can use it at home with my blessing, but you must say 'trademark Em Rusciano' every time you do."
Vacuuming and sweeping?
"I find vacuuming a very convenient way to 'pick up' teensy Barbie shoes, loom bands, Lego and anything else the children have chosen to leave laying around. Sure, they never see it again but my back is better for it, as is the mess levels in my house."
Tips for a Happy Home with Em Rusciano: