hey ladies,
Im just after some advice of how to manage my time better.
I'm currently pregnant with number 2 who is due in just a few short weeks, my older child started kindy this year witch has given my 2 free days a week so I decided to start studying but I feel I may have taken on to much as right now between prepare for number two, my older child, general house work and study I feel as if I am getting no where.
My house seem to always been a mess, tho I've never been great at keeping everything organised and tidy so it's pretty much always this way as I feel spending my time and attention on my child is more important than the state of my floors, but I'd like to keep things under better control so I'm not spending all day while his at kindy cleaning.
Study is something I really want for myself and my family as once I return to the working Id love to be able to further myself and support my family more comfortable than Id currently be able to with my lack of education in the career Id like to get into. But some days finding the time to sit down at my computer and work on my assignments seems impossible.
So please ladies can you give me some helpful hints and tips on how to make it all work? What is it you do in your home so you don't get overwhelmed by every day life? And so you don't fall behind on things and get stuck with more than you have time for? I know I can do it, I just need to find a routine that works for us and keeps things flowing nicely in our home so Id like to know a few of yours.
Really hope this makes sense.
Thanks in advance.
5 Replies
I think the biggest challenge to keeping things in order is too many belongings. If you have too much stuff there will never be enough room, it will always be messy and it will always be hard to clean.
So we have a rule if it hasn't been warn/used in 12 months it doesn't belong in our house.
Also have a look at how many stuffed toys and toys are in the house. Most kids have far too many toys and all they do is make it difficult to play with the toys they genuinely like! So I do a regular clear out of those, I find kids play better then and everything doesn't just end up thrown all over the house.
We also have a rule, if I don't know where it will go We don't buy it.
Before bath time everyone packs up toys etc. when the kids are in bed (get a robot vacuum) and let the robot do it's thing.
If washing needs to go on I put it on as soon as I wake up so it's done. Anyone who has arms or legs and can walk has jobs. So kids put own clothes in dirty hamper, hang up towels as they go. Kids need to learn they don't have personal slaves that will follow them around all day and tidy after them. It's a really important life/survival skill.
Hi Mumma,
Maybe a weekend of clearing out alot of things that arent worn or used maybe in need!
Go through each room, sort throw, find a proper place for everything etc.
My daily routine starts at 6.00am,this is when I wake, have a coffee and time for myself until the baby wakes. I then give him a bottle, dress him for the day and then my toddler is usually awake, so I make her breakfast, turn on cartoons and dress her.
Once the kids are happy which is usually by 8am I then make everyone's beds, pick up anything on their floors in each bedroom then collect any dirty clothes out of the bathroom and put on a load of washing. I then go back and tidy the bathroom. Then I come to the lounge room pick up anything around and vaccume the same with the dining room. Then I do the kitchen, was dishes, get something out for dinner. I then hang the load of washing out feed my bub his bottle and put him back to bed. I am usually done then and not much else needs doing this is all completed by 10am. In the afternoon I tidy up anything that is out at 4pm before my husband arrives home and then baths are at 5pm and dinner at 6. It's taken me years to perfect this but works great!
Get a planner/ diary with hours marked on it.. Its like one page for one day, start writing what you did yesterday, today n what do you plan to do tomorrow.. And then keep filling it what u do every hour.. Soon you will be able to identify the time wasters and be on top of your appointments ad well..
What i do next is make food in bulk.. Each n every thing is 1/3 eaten then, 1/3 in fridge for next day n 1/3 for next week.. And then i have stocked food for days when im too busy doing assignments
Lastly i removed all the social networking apps from my phone (fb is the top time waster) and got apps that helped in my career.. Indeed, seek so that you keep an eye on jobs in your field.. Downloaded video lectures to see or material to read when i couldnt sleep at night, feeding my newborn etc
Hope that helps
Can you not still do the house work when your child is at home? Why leave it for the days she's at kindy? Not trying to be rude but I work full time and have a 5yo and study, it's definitely do able! Good luck !!
I can but it a lot more difficult with my son following me around asking me to come play, do this, do that, messing up the area I've just cleaned ect.. Some times he can be very helpful with the cleaning but for the most part he makes me feel like I'm neglecting his wanted and needs when I try to get other things done.