How do you run a household with both parents working full time?
My husband and I have been lucky enough to be able to both work/study part time for the past 6 years while having our two children (6 & 2.5). I now work 4 days per week rotating shifts as a nurse and my husband has been offered a full time role with his current employer. The days and times have some flexibility and we have childcare covered, but I have no idea how we will run our household now that my husband will be more than doubling his working hours. He usually does all the laundry and grocery shopping and runs errands but he won’t have time now, and my shifts are all over the place and often have unplanned overtime.
What works in other peoples households? Do you have a cleaner? Groceries delivered? Meal kits? How do you pick kids up from childcare at 5.30 and have them fed bathed and in bed by 7pm? Tell me your secrets please!
How to run household with both parents working?
How to run household with both parents working?
Posted in:
Life Lessons
5 Replies
The secret in my house is being OK with failing lol. Yes we use the suggestions you gave, but not all the time. I haven't had a cleaner in years... but I need one lol. We just need to finish renos first as our new house isn't really ready to have someone come in.
Oh... and 7pm bedtime is not going to happen unless you sacrifice something.
It's impossible. I aim for 8, but it's often 8.30 to allow for time to get home, cook, do homework or just have some time with each other.
Two adults working full time in our household (however I work almost all days from home). We have a part time nanny, cleaner, dog walker (a couple of days), lawn mower person and pool person. So a lot of chores are taken care of. It is quite costly but financially it is worth it for the extra hours of work and time we can spend with kids not doing that stuff!
The kids still do two extracurricular activities each which we take them to and we do school pick up almost every day. For us it is worth it however I do emphasise that it might not be for everyone. Our house is pretty organised based on all the paid help we get.
single mum, work full time plus studying post grad.
i do shopping and major cleaning on weekends (if no assignments due).
i have a pool person.
just started hello fresh, have found it has taken the pressure off cooking dinner, no decisions have to be made, east step by step guide.
get kids to tidy rooms each night.
do a couple of loads of washing during the week.
sweep every second day, do main floor cleaning on weekend.
no one is in bed by 7.
We run a business from home, so we are lucky we are on site, but most of the time it means nothing.
I am an early bird. Try and fit as many loads of washing in before school run. Make beds the lazy way. Tuck in the bottom sheets tight. Pull them up every morning. Roomba + imop. Clean kitchen.
We have people come to office/house so it has to be tidy as office is off kitchen/dining/lounge. Bathroom has to be clean in case.
I wash up, do kitchen/lounge/dining
Everyone retreats to rooms (which is helpful)
I make it my mission to clean till 7pm once home + away is on, I am off duty.
Once the house is clean its easy to keep it that way.
School holidays throw me.
But I usually just start work super early
Routine is the easiest way, one day is one big chore, keep it on that day, it flows better.
Wash shower while you are in it.
Im a bit annal, once everyone is asleep I pick a room and scrub it.
You decide what’s going to give. Order food, takeaway or pick nights for easy meals and nights for cooking. Get a cleaner if you decide that’s where you want the help.
I went though a while of spending what I had to spend on food with no guilt or regret, I just let that go. I have a dryer, which I use for everything so I can get a load of washing done at night, it’s not a chore.
Buy enough uniforms, food etc to last the rotation until your next break.
Do online shopping and have it delivered or do click and collect. You can put your order in at night sitting in bed or watching a movie and set the day and time you pick it up.
On weekends we all clean for an hour or two, reset the house, clothes, beds, sinks, pet homes, so we can relax and go for another week.
A calendar or comms board is good so you don’t forget anything each day.
So I would pick up dinner, pick up kids, then get home, eat, I unpack their bags and run bath, they have baths, brush teeth and hop into bed. Then if they’re early they can draw or play, get uniforms ready for tomorrow, I’ll make lunches and tidy up kitchen, then by 6.30 - 7 we can talk about the day, read a book, and they go to bed.