how do make time?

[~CupCakes~]

does anyone have routines, tips, SECRETS, that they will share to help me find time to do everything??????????? please help, its from shopping to cooking cleaning ugh theres probably more...... you all seem like superwomen and i just cant get the hang of it all:o

[~CupCakes~]

anyone???:o

[~CupCakes~]

no one?????:confused:

[canberramomma]

When you find out, can you let me know - I always seem to be chasing my tail! Nothing really get achieved here. If I have the washing up to date (well, not overflowing from the hamper), the cookie barrel filled, the floors clean and manage to have dinner on the table at a reasonable time, I consider it a successful day!:D

[Jakois]

When you find out, can you let me know - I always seem to be chasing my tail! Nothing really get achieved here. If I have the washing up to date (well, not overflowing from the hamper), the cookie barrel filled, the floors clean and manage to have dinner on the table at a reasonable time, I consider it a successful day!:D
Washing up to date:confused:.
That happens here about once a month:laughing:..
I try and try but alas it never seems to be on my list of priorities!!!
But to answer OP's question, I usually try and do a big clean once a week. Then each morning I do a quick clean.
Its my eldests job to do the kitchen ( stack dishwasher & wipe down benches) after tea each night.
I usually shop in the evening when DP's at home so I dont need to drag the bubs out as well.
Other than that, some weeks are easy and smooth running, others are complete chaos:D...

[veve]

When you find out, can you let me know - I always seem to be chasing my tail! Nothing really get achieved here. If I have the washing up to date (well, not overflowing from the hamper), the cookie barrel filled, the floors clean and manage to have dinner on the table at a reasonable time, I consider it a successful day!

wow - a hamper that ISN"T overflowing?? isn't that the centrepiece in most houses though??? :laughing:

I think we all think other mums are superwomen .. honestly .. I think we all work too damned hard trying to be 'perfect'

my husband is happy if dinner is STARTED ..and if no one is crying when he comes home (and yes .. that includes me :) ) .. he doesn't care about the floors or the laundry .. as long as there are clothes for tomorrow ..

I think we all need to breathe .. chill out .. and enjoy the kids :) stuff the housework (thats my tip :laughing: ) .. just dont come around to my house without at least three working days notice .. THEN I'll make time to tidy it :p

:hugs:
xx
Jen

[Buby]

that can make life easier.
My number 1 thing after having my twins was meal preperation. When I make a meal I try to make more and freeze (or fridgerate depending on when you want to have it) so it makes it easier when I have a day I am not in the mood to cook or am sick.
I also get my weekly fruit and vege delivered, and I now order my milk,cheese and bread through the same place (farmers market).
It saves me time and effort shopping and it means we eat healthy each week.
I only then have to buy meat and toiletries which is no biggy as I buy in bulk and have a storeroom which I keep stocked (I have a huge house to clean).
The one other thing that makes my life easier is having a chores board-we all initial whats been done and I clean it off each week to start again. All my boys (even my 4 yr old twin boys) have chores to do, otherwise I would never get to go to bed!
Laundry I make into a game and my boys fold there own clothes and puts them away (teaching them early!LOL).
GOOD LUCK, find what works for you. I know the chore board helped and setting regular days-for instance Mon and Thurs are bathroom and bedroom days. Tues and Wed is laundry and cooking(prep meals baking etc). Fri is day off cleaning and I take the boys out to parks etc....its my social day.
Having the set days helps me to have 1 whole hour a day to myself, which in the beginning I hardly had 5 mins to use the bathroom!

[kirstenriley]

I think we all think other mums are superwomen .. honestly .. I think we all work too damned hard trying to be 'perfect'

So true!!!

I personally TRY to do one thing a day, eg mon-change sheets, Tues- dust, Wed- Vac...that kind of thing so it doesnt get on top of me..notice the word TRY tho :o

[CJJHRA]

try to get everyone to help, make it a game.
teach the kids, 1 toy out at a time, then put it back.
do housework BEFORE turning on the computer LOL (if you are like me, once its on, very little gets done)

[sja]

I have 4 under 5 and sorry ladies, but my washing is up to date. For some bizarre reason I actually like doing washing. I don't iron though, so that probably helps. I do at least a load of washing a day. Each night I turn the clothes and socks right way out, fill the machine up and add the washing powder before I go to bed. If I have enough for two full loads I'll leave the second load in a washing basket in the laundry. As soon as I get up in the morning I hit the start button on the machine. Then after morning tea we all go hang it out (after putting the next load in if needed). If the kids are playing nicely in the yard, then I take my time and hang it out on the line with each person's stuff hung up together (it's already been turned right way out etc so is pretty easy to hang). Then when I get it off the line I fold it straight into the basket with each person's stuff together so that it can all be put away immediately. If I don't fold off the line I tip the basket out on the couch for less wrinkles. It also means I can't really ignore the washing later that night. 4 and 3yo put their own clothes away, help fold some things, and the 21mth old just gets in the way trying to do what we do. I've just gotten a new clothes dryer, after going without for awhile, so that should help.

Before I start to cook anything I start with a sink full of hot soapy water. Then I clean up as I go. Wash the bowls or chopping boards while the veges are cooking etc. By the time the food is cooked, the kitchen should be clean. I constantly clean the kitchen and do dishes. Usually after each meal or snack I wash the dishes straight away. If there are a lot of dishes I fill the sink, if only a few (like 4 plates and cups after morning tea) I squirt detergent on the sponge and quickly wipe and rinse under the tap (uses less water this way). I alway wipe the bench and table down as I go.

I meal plan,so I know what to shop for, and also so I know what to cook each day. I can choose slow cooker meals when I know I'll have the time in the morning, meals that keep well for when DH has footy training after work, and easy meals liek eggs on toast when DH is going out (cos he prefers not to eat that sort of stuff). In the morning when the kids are playing nicely I can get some of the dinner prep done. I'll chop veges and meat in the morning and then at night I can throw it all in without too much hassle (and less mess, because the mess has all been made and cleaned earlier). If I meal plan I can easily get away with a fortnightly shop.

When I get home from the shops I'll spend some extra time getting the meat ready for the meals before I freeze it. So I'll chop chicken into stir-fry strips, steak into cubes for a casserole, portion out and dice bacon, etc. If I'm making something very messy or time consuming, like meatballs or schnitzels, then I make 2 or 3 extra batches and freeze the extras before cooking. I even sometimes buy bulk onions and chop them up in the food processor and freeze in a big bag (less for saving time and more because I hate chopping onions). I use the grater on the food processor and grate a block of cheese at once and keep it in the freezer ready for toasted sandwiches, pasta bakes, quiche etc.

After dinner the kids put their plates in the sink, then while I run a bath they get their pjs ready, get undressed and put dirty clothes in the laundry hamper (or if still clean, they leave clothes in their room to wear the next day). When they are finishing up their bath the kids pack away their bath toys and squeeze out the face washer. Then the face washer is left over the bath tap. In the morning after hubby has shaved and I'm finished in the bathroom I grab that face washer and use it to wipe down the bathroom sink and the cupboards and bath if they need it. Then I throw the face washer in the laundry in a bucket, and wash them when I wash towels. (I often use it to quickly wipe down the washing machine and laundry trough while I'm there too). After I use the loo in the morning I give it a quick wipe with the toilet brush. I keep stuff to clean the shower in the shower, so that I can clean it while I'm in there if it needs it. I love doing this, because it's a good excuse to have a longer shower than the usual 2 minutes!

I try and never start a meal without the kids cleaning up all their toys. In the mornings they don't get breakfast until their beds are made, they are dressed, and all toys are packed away. If they take too long, they miss out on breakfast, as I've taught them I will only take the cereal or porridge out of the cupboard once - if they miss it, then no brekkie for them (don't know what I'd do if they weren't hungry every morning). Each evening, usually after they're dressed in pjs, we go and choose what they'll wear the next day and leave it in a pile in their room. That way they can get up, get dressed straight away and put pjs away as soon as they get up.

I have a routine book for the kids - made with their help. It has our "after kindy" routine for my kindy kid, the "after daycare" routine for their daycare day, morning routines, etc. I had them tell me what we need to do, say, after daycare and then I wrote it down and we drew pictures of that for them to colour in. So after kindy, my 4yo puts her artwork, drink bottle, lunch box and other things on the kitchen table. If it's her 2nd kindy day (so kindy is done for the week) she puts the naptime towel in the wash. She hangs the backpack up on the hook and gets changed into play clothes and puts her kindy top in the wash (pants too if it's the 2nd day or they're dirty). Then, and only then, do we have afternoon tea or play.

I've limited the amount of toys available for them to play with. So they need to pack away one box of toys before I'll get another one out of the garage for them to play with. This really helps contain the mess.

Every night I think about the next day, what I've got on, and what I can do that night to make the next day easier. So I'll pack the nappy bag, prepare snacks for the next day, even get a meal ready to put in the slow cooker in the morning.

For lunches, I make gluten free bread for 4yo. When it's done I make her sandwiches and freeze them straight away. Then I have the week's worth of lunches in the freezer. I do the same for the other kids with regular bread (I'd be freezing it anyway). I can add salad when I pull it out of the freezer, or usually I give them vege sticks with their sandwiches. I make bulk pikelets, quiches etc so that I can have something a bit nicer than a sandwich for lunch every now and then (although they prefer sandwiches). Each kindy and daycare day I send rice crackers, sultanas and nuts as one of the snacks. I portion them into mini ziplock bags, usually enough for 2 weeks worth at a time. Then each morning I just throw the little bags into the lunchbox. Same with yoghurt - I make yoghurt and put it in little containers, some in the freezer for school days, others in the fridge ready to be thrown at a hungry child if I'm too busy with the baby to make them something.

I make big batches of biscuits and keep the extra as a log in the freezer so I can just slice and bake biscuits whenever they're needed.

I try and do as much of my cleaning with the kids helping. If they make a mess cutting paper, then they are expected to help me tidy it up. These days they'll usually go and get the broom and dustpan and brush without me being involved at all. If they spill food, they help clean it. I try and vacuum or sweep at least once a day (usually I sweep the kitchen 3 times a day). I also try and lightly mop every day. Bear in mind that I only have a small 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom duplex, so not a lot to mop or sweep.

I try to leave the house tidy when I go out, as I'm more likely to keep it clean when I get back and am tired. Otherwise the junk just builds up. And if there's something that needs doing while the kids are asleep I do it straight away, before I collapse on the couch. Otherwise I never get back up to do it.

Hope some of this helps. I know it sounds like it's all under control here and it usually is, but rest assured I still have my bad days, or even my bad fortnights! And clearly from the fact that I get time to write a post this long, it means I do get time to myself :)

[Jordymumma]

OMG sja the first four paragraphs of your post is running paralel with my house!!! I even hang my washing in groups and fold as i get it off!! I am spinning out!

I think the only other thing i can add that helps keep me sane is the daily jobs list(whiteboard) that my older three tick off as the jobs get done then we rub them off each night and start again the next morning.It covers everything from make your bed, get your brekky, brush your teeth to, feed the budgie/guinea-pigs,put out rubbish/recycling, empty dishwasher,put dirty clothes from bathroom to wash hamper.The bigger jobs are given as per age appropriateness and my older kids help the younger ones. They are responsable for cleaning up their own messes as they go and to tidy their own rooms.Once a term, usually the first day back at school, i'll go through their rooms myself and give them a really good tidy and chuck out the **** and go though their clothes for the op shop run.

Modays is my big housework day. Vacumme,dust,bathrooms,toilet, mop, wipe down cupboards/walls for fingerprints, wash obviously dirty windows or sliding doors etc. Then i might vac another day of the week if necessary.

My DH either cooks or does the bathtime run as both are time consuming and tiring jobs at the end of a busy day and he's more than happy to do his fair share of child related tasks as long as he doesnt have to do the general housework, its all good for us both!:yelclap:

Theres also occasional tasks,say once a week, that the older kids do like sweep the veranda or do a shoe collection run, or tidy up the outside toys/bikes.

When i write it all down it sounds a bit like a boot camp but its not and i dont find myself nagging too much:laughing:.

[Ys_Woman]

:yelclap:SJA..that was a mammoth post but so interesting I stayed til the end:D.
I was ticking stuff off as I read..lol. I do almost everything you do but yes, some days go better than others. The one thing I don't do is make a week's worth of sandwiches, although funnily enough I do freeze the bread. I reckon even if I could butter a few loaves and freeze them it would save on time in the morning.
I make and refrigerate one bottle of formula while bub is asleep so it is ready to go and at the same time fill a few other bottles with the required amount of water to save time later on.
I tend to do my tidying just before bed..easy to get around and do a few things with the kids asleep.
We keep a scrubbing brush and cleaner above the shower and every few nights I give it a scrub while in there.
While wiping down stove and benches I quickly whip over the cupboards too.
I buy cheapy plastic containers with lids and decant homemade yoghurt or fruit&jelly for the kids morning teas. I also do the baking/pikelets etc and freeze.
I don't buy 'multi packs'. I always decant from bigger packs into reuseable ziplock bags and I use the nutritional panel on the pack to suggest how big a serving size is.
I keep a cork board and pin all the school notes to it and each morning I announce the name of the day and it twigs the kids memory of library or gym days.
Never perfect here but the kids are rarely late to school, always take enough food, wear clean clothes, and usually have whatever note needs going back/change library books etc.

It's always a work-in-progress so I am keen to read other mum's routines and tips.
Keep them coming!

Amy:)

[~CupCakes~]

thanks ladies, im gonna try little tips from everyone! hahahaha if any one has the best secert though let me know:yelclap::thumbsup:

[CJJHRA]

the BEST secret... get a housemaid in to do everything while you play with the kids ;) you know, one like Alice from the Brady Bunch.. ..

ok, I am dreaming now....

[LuvMy4Babes]

Like SJA I'm just really organised. I have to be with 4 kids. I clean as I go and never let my house get to a point where I don't know where to start (helps that I'm a total neat freak too :laughing:). I do dishes after every meal, clean as I am cooking, wash every single day (wash, dry, fold and put away) so the washing never builds up. I do a quick tidy of the kids rooms daily so they never get really messy and if they play in there and make a big mess they have to clean it up. It's their job to keep their toyroom tidy too. I sweep, mop and vacuum every 2nd day so the floors are always clean.

I guess the trick is to never let things build up, that's when you can get a situation where you can't catch up on it all. A big clean once a week and a quick tidy every day will help for sure.

[zoekisses]

What Sja said.......:D

Plus I have taken to singing instead of yelling as that seems to shock them in to action. My kids are bigger exept the next yougest to DD5 is 11 years old. So they are now learning to be independant they fold and wash most clothes and dishes.

If it isnt done There is no screentime computers, tv, game consoles ect and they get to watch what I want.;)

I guess the secret for me would be teaching the kids to live in a comunity rather than as single entities telling them and letting them experience the consequences of chores un done makes them see that they are valuable in the family and that if every one helps then theres more time for every one.:p

[sja]

. I reckon even if I could butter a few loaves and freeze them it would save on time in the morning.

DO NOT DO THIS! The butter freezes, goes hard and you cannot get the bread separated until it defrosts. I did this once when DD decided she only wanted butter in her sandwiches, so I made a couple up. Then the next morning she decided she wanted some ham and lettuce in it. Well I couldn't get the bread apart, so she had to go with the lettuce and ham on the side that day.

Here's something else that helps the house run nicely. It's for discipline. I often take away toys etc as a consequence for bad behaiviour etc. Then I'd forget who wasn't allowed what, or why I did it. So now I have a whiteboard where I have currently got written down "DD1 no textas until Tuesday (didn't pack them away)" and "DD2 no computer until Monday (lying to Mummy)".

If anyone wants a great motivational secret, here's something I occasionally do when my house gets quite messy and I've had a couple of days where I can't be bothered properly cleaning it: I invite someone over for afternoon tea the next day. It has to be someone I like enough to spend time with, but not someone I'm close enough to that I feel comfortable having them over when my house is a mess. I find this makes me get off my butt and do a big clean in time for their visit :D I always make sure it's afternoon tea, not dinner, as I can't cook and at least if I stuff up a cake I can blame it one the kids "helping" me :laughing:

CCJHRA Love the best secret there :laughing: When they had that guy on the news saying that we should have polygomy allowed in Australia, DH's first comment was that he'd get us a mail order bride to come and cook, clean and babysit for free! He reckons she'd be so grateful to be in Australia she wouldn't mind living in the garage (our only free space). I'm guessing the next best secret would be to have kids who are more like the brady kids - if only!

[~CupCakes~]

sja (If anyone wants a great motivational secret, here's something I occasionally do when my house gets quite messy and I've had a couple of days where I can't be bothered properly cleaning it: I invite someone over for afternoon tea the next day. It has to be someone I like enough to spend time with, but not someone I'm close enough to that I feel comfortable having them over when my house is a mess. I find this makes me get off my butt and do a big clean in time for their visit :D I always make sure it's afternoon tea, not dinner, as I can't cook and at least if I stuff up a cake I can blame it one the kids "helping" me :laughing:)

thats what ive done for tomorrow, maybe im thinking more orgnisd hahahahaha

[mumofsix]

I agree with those who tidy as they go. Dont let things build up. My washing machine/dryer is constantly going. Escpecially last week as i had 6 kiddies down with a gastro bug!! Yeah! What fun.

[SuperMum10/12]

Hi everyone as you can see I have 10 and hubby as well to look after so I would be lost with out my routine we also have set bath times , meal time and bed time home work ,we also have a curfew time for the 9, 12, and 15 year olds ,my children have there chores like my 5 year old Zowie each day has to feed ,water and clean her 2 cats and 2 rabbits she is very good she has also befriended 2 wild ducks so she has been feeding then chicken pallets when they come to visit.. Zowie and 2 of her other sisters Tayla 9 April 6 have to help each other clean there room all the children other than the 2 year old and the 1 year old have chores but Dekota 2 has to picks us his toys and puts then in the box we have boxes with lids and the toys go in the set box all the boxes have labels like car box blocks ex one of my older sons Dylan has to look after our 4 dogs he cleans out our Rottwieler and staffie's pen each day he feeds waters washes and each night him and my oldest Daughter Melissa 20 take the 2 big dogs for a walk we also have 2 small dogs they are inside dogs .. My oldest Daughter Melissa is a big help she lived out of home for 4 years but moved back in 12 months ago she help with clothes washing and folding and bath times and dinner on a Wednesday night her and I work out our weekly Meal Menu we work out a Menu so that we now what meals we are having each night and that makes it easier then we work out the shopping list to match the Menu my husband and I go shopping on a Thursday night ,When we go shopping we take a calculator and we stick to the list.. As for Discipline we have a 3 strike/star system they also sit in the time out corner .. the main thing is that my house runs smoothly most of the time ... I think my secret is I am as hyperactive as my family and I am a Perfectionist .. Everything has its time and place and I have been told by people I have the neatest Linen cupboard they have ever seen I fold my linen and it is so well folded that now one else is aloud to fold it lol I even now how to fold a fitted sheet ha ha well I hope that I didnt just bore everyone :sleeping: