It's a tough job to manage a household. Things need to be regularly fixed, maintained, and cleaned. How do you stay on top of these tasks in order to keep your home in tip-top shape?
My guest knows his way all around this issue and has some field-tested, insider advice to offer. Charles MacPherson spent two decades as the major-domo or chief butler of a grand household. He's also the founder of North America's only registered school for butlers and household managers and the author of several books drawn from his butlering experience, including The Butler Speaks: A Return to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining, and the Art of Good Housekeeping.
In the first part of our conversation, Charles charts the history of domestic service and describes why the practice of having servants like a butler and maid ebbed in the mid-20th century but has made a comeback today. We then turn to what average folks who don't have a household staff can do to better manage their homes. Charles recommends keeping something called a "butler's book" to stay on top of household schedules and maintenance checklists. We then discuss how to clean your home more logically and efficiently. Charles shares his golden rules of house cleaning, the cleaning task you've probably neglected (hint: go take a look at the side of the door on your dishwasher), his surprising choice for the best product to use to clean your shower, how often you should change your bedsheets, and much more.
Resources Related to the PodcastWhere You Should Live When You Could Live Anywhere
From Novice to Advanced — The Weightlifter's Journey
Tactics and Mindset Shifts for Making the Most of Life
Lonesome Dove and Life's Journey Through Uncertainty
Future-Proof Your Body by Practicing Good Posture
Developing the Warrior Within
Physical Benchmarks Every Man Should Meet, At Every Age [REBROADCAST]
Routines Are Overrated
Escape the Safety Trap
What Made JFK So Compelling?
The Philosophy of Self-Improvement
Life Lessons From the World's Greatest Negotiator
Building a Second Brain
What It's Like to Spend a Year in Space
How to Make a Good Argument
The Fascinating Life of America's Forgotten Founding Father
How to Develop Greater Self-Awareness
Chef-Vetted Answers to Your Cooking FAQs
The Secrets to Booking Cheap Flights
How to Turn a Boy Into a Man
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West