I made a ZINE about enjoying housework almost entirely by myself / "Monthly tote" (October 2025 issue)
In this article, I am distributing the October issue of the ZINE "Monthly tote" for free.
Since I reduced the updates on my housework blog "365 Days of Special Housework," I am writing this as a gift for my readers from that time as well as new readers. I am distributing it as a PDF and images, so you can also print it out at home.
What is Special Housework?
This past New Year's Eve, I completed 10 years of "daily updates" on my housework blog.
It is an attempt called "365 Days of Special Housework," where I try to practice 365 "slightly special housework tasks" in one year.
Commonly known as "Tote Kaji".
Having faced 3,653 special housework tasks over 10 years has become a great source of pride for me, someone who has mass-produced many blank diaries since the beginning.
▼ Here is an article that serves as my self-introduction.
If you are wondering if I stopped doing special housework because I stopped updating my blog, that is not the case; in fact, I have started sharing more special housework tasks than I did during my blog era.
When I started posting on X with the rule that it was okay to use short sentences and not worry about how the photos looked, I realized that by the middle of January, I had already done nearly 50 "special housework tasks."
Yes, because "special housework" has become as natural as breathing to me, there were actually many things I couldn't write about on the blog. By posting casually and loosely on X, I hope to record many "small efforts" that had previously fallen through the cracks.
I hope you enjoy this month's tote as well.
▼ This is how I make tote.
Here is a look at a part of the image version of tote.
This month's bonus "Meal Planner Sheet for Halloween", along with "announcements" such as how to apply for the reader corner and the housework calendar,please get the complete version from the PDF.
Click here for the free PDF version
You can download it here and print it at home or at a convenience store. It is free.
Click here for the appendix ↓
About this month's contributed essays
We received essays again this month.
Thank you so much!
[Notice regarding contributed essays]
1. Since we were able to return to a mid-month release this month, the review articles are delayed. The review articles for Miyu-san and Ly-san are scheduled to be published next week.
2. For the three winners of the Masked Note secondary prize, we have doubled the illustrations and page count, so there will be no review articles presented.🙏
Here are the people whose work we have featured. (In order of publication)
▼ Emu no Maiton-san "A Crispy Fried Love Letter"
▼ Hanamura Tomoshibi-san "On an Indian Summer Day, Scented with Gentians"
▼ Mikumayutan-san "My Mother and Chestnut Rice"
▼ Hikari-san "Memories of Suzaku"
▼ Ayano Ly-san "Rice Balls on Sports Day"
▼ Amanu Miyu-san "Sleeping Matsutake Mushrooms"
▼ Kosshi-san "Changing Clothes is a 'Battle'"
▼ Honda Sunou-san "Boiling Acorns"
We are accepting short stories for the November issue
For the November issue, in addition to our usual essay submissions, we are also accepting "short stories." Since it is the autumn season for reading, this will be a special supplement for this issue only.
▼ The essay submission guidelines are scheduled to be released on 9/16. They will be almost the same as these.
I will read everyone's work and write feedback.
While it may not be possible to publish everyone's work in the magazine if there are too many submissions, I will provide feedback of the same length for everyone.
Also, as a participation perk, I am sending out a collection of keywords that can serve as hints for your essays.
Furthermore, although I ask for topics "related to daily life," this is quite loose, and it is fine to think of it like a "seasonal word" (kigo)! Please just keep in mind that the content should be suitable for minors to read.
*Other announcements*
▼ I have finished submitting to all categories of the Creative Grand Prize. Since there are many works, if I had to choose one that I would most like you to read, it would be the piece titled "Rescue."
It is themed around work and daily life.
*Editor's Note*
Planning it alone, writing the text alone, drawing the pictures alone, taking the photos alone, and editing it alone. This routine, which can only be described as crazy, has already reached its 10th month!
The one-year goal is approaching.
It is truly fun to be able to read your essays every month, and I am very happy to see perspectives that I don't have, which feel so fresh.
Thank you very much for all your cooperation! I look forward to working with you again next month.
Text by: Rinka Sanjo
Reader Corner: Please tell us about your "Housework of the Day"
If there are few submissions,
I might add illustrations,
and I also consult with 'Tote Housework Lab' members to have them featured.
Feel free to join in!
> It didn't make it in time for this month's issue, so I will feature it next month!
* Please rest assured that I have set the form not to collect email addresses, so feel free to answer.
いいなと思ったら応援しよう！
最後までお読みいただき、ありがとうございます♡