Hi Ladies,
How do you keep your house in order? I'm struggling, I've recently gone from afternoon shift to days and just feel like I don't have enough hours in the day, I have 5 kids they are all teenagers yes they all have chores but don't do them unless I become a screaming lunatic.
We have training 4 nights a week, sport on weekends, I just feel I don't have any time to myself any more.
How do you working mums do this?
I'm lost, I'm run down, would love to get my hair done but no idea where to squeeze it in.
9 Replies
I work days and always feel exhausted when the kids start an out of school hours club. I just don’t have the time for it so that’s the thing that goes.
Every now and then they’ll sign up again but we’ll all be over it within a few weeks. Now we stick to in school (you can pay for tennis dance all sorts) or one off or drop in classes or activities.
Don't do so many extra curriculars. We stopped when covid hit and the house runs much smoother.
This is where I'd be saying no chores = no sport.
If they want to be ferried around to their training and games, they need to contribute around the house. I wouldn't be bugging them or reminding them, I would just have one conversation about the expectations (and have some sort of roster they can refer to) but if they dont hold up their end, sorry I'm not taking you anywhere!
I also wonder if some of your teens are old enough to make their own way to their sports? From about the age of 13 I bussed myself to games and training or I grabbed a lift with friends.
Do you need to stay and watch every game and every training session? Is dad or a partner in the picture?
Honestly; I use appliances.
I have a dishwasher, a washing machine with a timer, a dryer, a self cleaning oven, a robotic vacuum / mop and a thermomix.
I put a load on in the morning when I wake up, throw it though the dryer as I leave the house and load the washing machine with the next load to finish that afternoon as I get home - to throw straight in the dryer!
I set my vacuum to start as I leave in the morning - and I set it for 1hr at night.
I use easy meals at night in the thermomix or a quick stirfry for dinner.
I fold clothes as the kids are in the shower and the kids put their own clothes away.
If we have a sport arvo, my family ferry them from school to sport as I don’t get home in time, but I collect them from the sports field and the arvo cycle continues as above.
The dog gets walked second daily by the kids and dinner is eaten by the family and the dishes goes straight in the dishwasher, to be emptied in the AM.
The kids are expected to keep the main areas of the house tidy before bed, and we clean the rooms on a Sunday morning (saturdays are full of sport!!) and the bathrooms get cleaned on a Sunday morning and occasionally I’ll get a cleaner in ($120 for 3 hours) to just give a good clean to both bathrooms and the kitchen.
I aim to be in bed by 9.30 each night, to watch Tele for a bit before actually going to sleep. I wake at 6am and am out the door by 7.30 every morning.
My lifetsyle is not for everyone, not everyone likes what i do, not everyone can live like i do and that is fine, but here’s how my cleaning goes.
My 9 year old has his chores to help out and he does them because everyone is a part of this family and must help.
I always do the same things on the same days.
I use a white board to remind me what to do.
I work full time and study part time, my partner works a 70 hour week.
We live a minimalist lifestyle, so everything is immediately easier.
We all do the dishes together, we all do the rubbish bins/recycling, we all do the laundry together.
I vacuum 4 times a week, my som vacuums down stairs a little bit every day, i wipe all windows/glass twice a week. I dust every afternoon. Bathrooms are wiped down every morning, shower is sprayed every night when i’ve had my shower (i’m last to shower).
My partner and i never go to bed if the house is out of order. We take a few minutes to make sure everything is back where it belongs.
We spend heaps of time together as a family, we go out every weekend on adventures. We play games most nights, we watch movies etc. Our cleaning does not impact our time together as we all pitch in and we have homes for all our stuff, so nothing is ever left out.
Some ‘friends’ have commented in the past that i must neglect my son or relationship due to how clean my house is, but it’s just proper maintenance keeps it clean and tidy. It takes maybe 20 minutes a day to clean and tidy everything because nothing gets dirty, nothing stays out of place.
I've embraced the crazy and mess. Sometimes I sit in the one clean corner of the house and remind myself that one day it will be spotless and I will wish the mess back. I think easing up on the expectations helps. I also have a beautiful partner who helps when he's only here half the time. If anyone judges you for a bit of mess in your house they are not people you want around anyway. 5 kids = mess. Simplify eg a quick sweep or 10 min pick up for the whole family at the end of the day but do not try to keep it spotless. Love is messy lol x
I'm very over cleaning. I clean, it's presentable until the kids get home and no one seems to care. Partner complains but doesn't do much to help. We are about to moveand so much crap is getting tossed away
So I have 4 kids. We have things on every week day and both hubby and I work full time. We have a big calendar that hangs up and on it also includes the kids jobs for the week (it rotates). If it’s not done they lose their phones. No excuses. There is also a list of jobs everyone is expected to do. And then after dinner everyone chips in for a 10 minute clean up. Many hands make light work. Oh and I get my ironing done by someone else and cleaner once a fortnight.
I had a cleaner come for 3 hrs each Wednesday. She did the bathrooms, vacuumed throughout dusted and washed the floors. I did the laundry at night and pegged it out in the morning. I cleaned the kitchen each night and emptied the dishwasher whilst the kettle boiled for my coffee.
Just get a bit of help and have a routine and you'll get your weekends back... it's doable :)