Sometimes people ask me how I balance work and family, and if they ever came over to my house, they would see how - it's a mess. I have such a hard time keeping things clean when I just want to come home, make dinner and play for a bit before more work, maybe actually working out, or smooch with my husband instead of tidying up the house.
But, during this balancing act I have learned a few ticks that I thought I would share. Note that I only have one child, so if you have more, I'm not that talented.
1. Bath time - I typically give Claire her bath in the morning, even though most books say it's good to do a bath at night to settle down and establish a pattern. If I put her in the bath in my room, I can do my hair and make up while watching her in the mirror, and she entertains herself. The other option is to shower with her, and then let her play in the water while I finish up. Saves me time and I get two things done at once.
2. Do things the night before - I try to pack Claire's diaper bag, think about my lunch and breakfast for the next day, and if I'm really good setting out Claire's outfit for the next day. I used to even make Matt a bag of snacks until he repeatedly forgot them four days in a row. Haven't made one since, sorry Matt. :)
3. Recyle outfits - I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but to save precious time and brain cells on Monday mornings, I almost always wear either the dress I wore to church (since it's already put together and accessorized, and I only wore it for 3 hours, right?), or part or all of the outfit I wore to Matt's parent's house for Sunday dinner. It's just one more step I don't have to think about.
4. Use the clean ones first - I often have at least a days worth of dishes in the sink (don't judge me) but I always make a point to use the clean dishes in the dishwasher first, before getting new dishes out of the cabinet. My logic is that if I take out new ones, that just adds to the bulk of dishes out and I'd rather keep the group small. Then it's fewer dishes in the long run to put back into the now almost empty dishwasher.
5. Plan dinners on Saturday - I shop and plan on Saturday and I get up early to beat the crowds. I plan out dinners for the week and try to package and prepare things in advance so I'm not thawing a huge bag of chicken, just what I need for the night. Sometimes I forget to plan it all out and I definitely feel the difference during the week.
6. Ask for help - I was never one to ask for help doing anything, and it has been one of the major learning moments for me as a mom to realize I can't do it all, and I do need help. There have been many of you who have helped me with babysitting over the past year and I want to say how very much I appreciate you, Emily especially. It's a good lesson in humility and it's been a way for me to meet new friends.
7. And last mommy trick, get a husband who is willing to change poopy diapers, run the laundry while you go to the store for groceries, and clean the toilets. I can stand the clutter so long as the house is clean, you know?
Please share your time saving tricks - I need all that I can get!
3 comments:
You're a genius. I've used the recycling thing, the night before thing, and the dish thing. Wish I had some to add--but I'm a mess most of the time, even though I'm not a full-timer. I do, however, like to come home for lunch instead of gossping at school on the days I sub. Easy, though, because I'm only 5 min. away and don't have traffic. Kill two birds--less guilt, and I don't have to pack my lunch. :)
Man, I wish I was as smart as you when I worked for those few months after Easton was born. I think I was just one big ball of emotional stress. Now that you've got it down to a science, you're getting more time at home...yippee!!!
Love your tricks. I do some of them, but some of them have fallen by the wayside in my exhaustion...
The night before prep. makes the hugest difference, and I'm all stressed when we don't do it.
I've incorporated a 5-minute clean-up before the kids go to bed (they can help), so toys and junk is off my floor. I also find that if I can at least get the kitchen counter cleaned and wiped, I am much happier the next day.
Wear clothes twice. Have the kids do it, too, if they aren't noticably dirty. Keep a packed diaper bag in the car at all times. I also keep my purse and even keys in the car (I have a garage). I often keep shoes in the car, too. Ethan's shoes are always in there, and in the summer I keep flip flops for all the kids under the seat. This saves SO much time when we're running out the door. They can just slide them on in the car instead of searching the world over for the missing shoe...;)
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