How do you do it?

Artebellezzavita

For all those stay-at-home-moms, and the working moms, and the work from home moms, how do you keep up? I was unfortunately retrenched when I was 4 months pregnant (the company closed). After much deliberating, DH and I decided it best that I stay home from then. We couldn't really afford it, but DH insisted. I was also already showing and doubted that anyone would have hired me. 

I cant say that I haven't imagined staying home, I thought that I would keep a clean house. My husband would come home to cooked meals everyday and would have awesome packed lunches for work and sweet baked goods. He would always have clean, ironed clothes and be generally well-looked after. After all, he had a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to out-do her! Lol. The truth is though, our salaries wouldn't allow it, how could we survive on just one income? Now, we don't exactly have a choice, it's difficult every month, but we are making it work. We again took the decision for me to stay at home with DD until she was at least a year old (which is very soon!). Now however, it looks like it may be even longer, we simply don't know who will look after her when I do decide to go back to work.

So I am home everyday, and it often feels like I get nothing done. The kitchen sink is always piled high with dishes, I often wash-up 2-3 times a day, if not more, but it stays the same. There's always laundry, or ironing, which also sadly piles up sometimes. I don't in fact put in lunch for DH and I manage to cook supper once in a blue moon, and that's mostly only if I've planned ahead. DD's needs take priority, which is only to be expected right? In the mornings, its making breakfast for her, getting her down for her nap, then making lunch. She'll go down on the floor for a bit then its a milk feed and another nap. In between there's diaper and clothing changes...And because of this kind-of routine, I seldom leave the house (I hate for her to miss a nap). All of these things are normal I know. But how do I possibly stay on top of it? I have talked to DH about having a chore routine to try to stay on top of the house, and a meal plan to make supper and weekly shopping less stressful, but we never even get around to that. I realize that time-management is probably a huge factor in being organized but we just cant seem to get there. How do you ladies do it? 

BlytheMac

This has been my most difficult transition since the baby.  I work full-time so it's a little wild at times, but I seem to keep on top of everything.  I'm a neat freak, so I can't relax if my house is a mess.  Here is my basic routine:

6:45 Wake up & nurse

7:00 Change DS's diaper and put on outfit number one for the day

7:05 Put DS in high chair with a few snacks while I make breakfast for both of us 

Some breakfast short cuts... Frozen mini blueberry pancakes are DS's favorite.  I give him preheated sausage or an egg made in a mug in the microwave.  He also gets a few pieces of whatever fruit we have laying around.

7:10 Give DS breakfast (he feeds himself now) while I eat standing up and start a load of laundry (our laundry is in our kitchen) and/or put away clean dishes from the dishwasher.  Also, I always clean my cooking tools and pots/pans right away and put them to the side to dry.  I also wipe down all my surfaces after each use (this helps tremendously in the long run).

7:30 I clear DS's high chair try and place it on the floor for dog-duty clean up before cleaning.  I put away his dish and fork and give him some water with a touch of juice.  

7:45 I head to the den with DS and a clean load of laundry to fold.

8:00 The nanny arrives and I head upstairs to put away the load of clothes and prepare myself for the day.

8:45 Out of the door

9:00 - 12:30 WORK

12:30 If needed, I stop by the grocery for dinner items and fill-in items

12:50ish Lunch at home with DS.  

1:05 I sweep the hardwood floors in the kitchen and downstairs.  

1:15 Out of the door to work

1:30 - 6:00 WORK

6:15 Dismiss nanny, change out of work clothes

6:30 Husband comes home and watches DS while I start a load of laundry and/or dinner (I'm usually rocking out to some music with DS too...love Children's Indie Radio on Pandora)

7:00 I nurse DS

7:15 Dinner

7:45 Bath time while husband cleans up kitchen

8:30 Bedtime for DS

9:00 I have a glass of wine, throw load of laundry in the drier, finish cleaning the kitchen to my standards , put away any toys DS played with during the day and watch a little bit of TV

10:00 Bedtime for me and husband

We do other cleaning on Saturday mornings like vacuuming the upstairs, dusting, cleaning the bathrooms, etc.  Usually my husband will vacuum upstairs as well as doing the yard work first while I watch DS and then we'll swap so I can clean.  

I do Windex the windows nearly daily.  It also helps to give my house a "clean" feel.  I keep storage toys in the den and playroom so that I can get them off the floor and out of sight 

I do my grocery shopping on Sundays and try to have at least three dinner ideas in mind as I shop.  Also, one of my favorite time saving tricks is making casseroles.  It makes clean up easier and now that DS is eating food, he can eat it too.  I usually keep stuff on hand at all times so I can throw things together quickly.  I love chicken casseroles, Mexican taco casseroles, tuna casseroles....  And on the nights I don't fee like cooking, we we either order out or my husband throws something on the grill.  

I hope that helps give you some ideas!

*LrCg*

I have 4 kids ages 6 and under.  I use to work full time but after child #2 I dropped some days and only work 2 days a week outside the home.  I make 3 meals a day (including pack lunches), vacuum daily (I have a dog), quick clean daily, laundry (including cloth diapers), deep clean weekly etc. but most importantly PLAY and ENJOY my family.  I'll be honest, it takes a lot of juggling and planning.  I plan meals on Friday for everyday for a whole week.  I write out my grocery list and when the kids go to bed at night is when I do the store (it's my alone time).  Honestly that alone helps a TON!  My breakfast table is usually set prior to me going to bed!  Laundry is such an easy task- you put it in, walk away and switch it.  That's simple.  Sometimes I fold while the kids are playing in the room- 1 year olds LOVE having sheets dropped on them!  Anything can be a game!  Most days I do a TON of "chores" during the afternoon nap- quick cleaning, folding, preparing dinner, packing lunches for the next day.  And sometimes I wait until they are in bed and at 8:30 pm I'm in the kitchen for a good hour doing it all.  Load your dishwasher instead of piling it up in the sink.  After you've used the restroom, wipe down your countertops with cleaning wipes.  Simple steps like that can save time!  I think parents think they have to interact with their children the entire time they are awake and you don't- ignoring them is bad but encouraging independent play is good.  So put your child in the middle of the kitchen with a few pots/pans and silverware so they can bang and have fun while you prep dinner and pack lunches.  It will take 15 minutes.  Kick a ball around while you're vacuuming so they chase it.

INmommy871278

Haven't been on in a long time due to the chaos of having two little ones coined with potty training and everything else we have had going on. I do what I can when I can. DD spends a lot of time on the floor exploring and playing. DS loves Daniel tigers neighborhood so while that is on in the morning I rinse dishes, unload then load the dishwasher and clean whatever doesn't fit by hand. I start a load of laundry first thing if there is laundry needing to be done. I do a quick sweep after every meal and do a good sweep after the kids have gone to bed. Deep cleaning happens when it happens. My house isn't perfectly clean, but it's not a disgusting mess either. There are toys laying around regularly and dinner some nights consist of a pizza run or chicken nuggets heated in the microwave. I found with DS after his first birthday things seemed to calm down more and that's when I was really able to get into a good routine. My advice, go with the flow. If your DH and LO are happy then you are doing just fine ☺️