I have recently reentered the workforce and am trying to balance a lot. It is just me and the kids (young teens) and I am struggling to get everything done.
I love my job but with lots of travel I am finding it exhausting. As a result things around the house and housework are slipping. The house is a bit of a mess and the young teens don't see it, don't care and aren't used to pulling their weight just yet.
I want to be clear, I am not seeking advice on how to get the kids doing more. That will happen and balance with time, the changes are still really new for them as well.
Wanting to know the hints, tips and tricks that other mums use to keep on top of everything.
Thank you all.
4 Replies
I’m in a similar position with young kids.
I do:
- make sure I leave each room with something in hand and put it away
- handheld vacuum and do the important areas each night like under table, kitchen
- spray mop from Kmart is a god send, use some floor spray and then quickly go over the floors
- washing, we have fabric containers from Kmart and only hang up necessary items, everything else doesn’t get folded and straight into a tub! Saves SO much time
- fill the sink before cleaning and wash as I go
In the teen years, we didn’t worry about floors so much, I found a once week vacuum was plenty.
For me, I bought myself a bunch of extra time by getting the cooking right. Cooking Monday’s meal on Sunday so it just had to be reheated (and enough it would get two nights out of), got us off to a good start. In winter slow cooker meals were a win.
Getting lunches done in bulk, I found doing them for 3 days and two days saved time.
We had a white washing basket bad a colour washing basket. The basket was approximately the size of a load. So only put a load in when a basket is full.
Having systems and routines in place for everything, makes a huge difference. Sunday evening is prep night for the week ahead for everyone.
Set one day a week to catch up on house work. Write out what needs doing and prioritise, do the things that need to be done the most and the rest can wait until next week.
I write lists like a mad person. I have weekly cleaning list, bi-weekly and monthly lists and I tick off as I go.
I usually spread my cleaning out over my two days off (might not be achievable if you work more then me)
I’m about to renter full time work and I have a daughter starting prep next year and my husband will be home with my 2 year old on the days she doesn’t have daycare.
This is what I have chosen to do to make life easier-
1) get a cleaner- take the stress off, everyone will be adjusting
2) get lite n easy for hubby and myself. Takes out the guess work and mess of dinner
3) kids cook up and freeze meals for them
4) save $400 per fortnight designated to holiday and family time (obviously me returning to work is a BIG jump in pay so we can do this)
5) if need be I’ll be allocating money for a gardener as well
Good luck mumma.