Help! I don't have enough hours in the day!

[itshappenedagain]

As the title says I'm struggling to get everything done then spend the weekend running around like a headless chicken sorting everything out. It's much worse as I've gone back to work teaching full time and am s lone parent. So both work and home are full on. How does everyone else cope? Any tips?

[ferriswheel]

Omg. That's going to be me soon. My children are all pre school. What age do you teach?

I'm watching for tips too but I figure its all about keeping going til the bins emptied and the dishes are away so at least you start tomorrow with space for new crap.

How old are your kids and how many? And do you have 'spare' space for organising? Extra freezer or whatever.

[JenLindleyShitMom]

What are you struggling with?

What helps me is to do things at night.

So I fill the dishwasher before I go to bed and set it to go on during the night. Clean dishes in the morning and it doesn't matter if I don't empty it. The kitchen counters are all wiped down each night when I've filled the dishwasher.
I put A wash on every evening when I take my work clothes off. DCs uniforms go in too and anything else that is in the basket. But definitely my work clothes and uniforms. The wash is done by around 9pm and I hang it up then. I'm useless in the mornings and it wouldn't get done so I do it at night. Mine goes in the hot press/ over the banisters.
I keep a packet of flash wipes in each bathroom and give the basin and loo a wipe before I go to bed right after I've used them.

[ferriswheel]

Floor wipes for the bathroom. The bargain shops have them at 50p a packet.

I always empty the bin just before it needs it.

Fold and put away washing straight away.

Bag of change for kids random school stuff.

I havent read Marie Kondo but know enough to chuck it out if it doesn't 'spark joy' it has made an amazing difference to the crap in the house.

For toys, my kids are young, I have a large zip pockets and a box for all the accessories that the toys need. Shapes for sorting or whatever.

Wipes in the car, each glove compartment, to clean faces.

Loads of easy meals I know will be eaten.

Loads of frozen milk, bread, bacon in the freezer.

When I can afford it a second tumble dryer. H still lives here but when he moves out it is scary going to the garage with the washing, the second tumble dryer would mean I'd get it through the day.

Always have two books of stamps.

Pound shop does blank packets of cards. Kids are going to paint on them and I'll use them for all occasions, cheaper too.

If I'm struggling, switching TV off when they are in bed means I get on with my jobs quickly then actually go to bed instead of wasting the evening.

Those snood things instead of hats and scarves.

Name stickers handy for new shoes, do immediately.

Stash tat for giving kids incase in need of emergency entertainment.

Never take the swimming stuff out of the car.

How old are your kids? Do you have somewhere that you can store bulk buying shopping?

[ferriswheel]

Is that the kind of stuff you mean?

[flowerflaps]

Loving those tips ferriswheel. Always think I should put wipes in car but never remember to do it!

[JenLindleyShitMom]

I have wipes everywhere they really are the best cleaning tool.

[Ellieboolou27]

I've resigned myself to the fact that until my kids have left homegrown up, my house will always be on the verge of tidy, but never to my standards

[itshappenedagain]

My dc are 10 and 6. I teach secondary and Monday to Friday I'm out of the house 11 hours a day 12 if the Dc have an activity.
I'm knackered by 830.
My biggest stress is dishes...I don't have a dishwasher and they are always there, even if I do them all 6 mins later more dishes. Clothes are always clean but there is a massive pile on my kitchen table.
I really can't wait until half term!

[Ifailed]

If you can afford it, get a cleaner. At least you'll know once a week the place will be clean and tidy. And treat yourself to a dishwasher.

[itshappenedagain]

At the moment I can't afford a cleaner. And have no space for a dishwasher, plus it would also mean having plumbing work done so more cost. I love my job but it's taking up all of my energy and time!

[Artandco]

I would get the children to help with those ages. Every night before dinner all spend 10 mins tidying up ( that's 30 minutes of work together). 6 year old can make sure all toys tidy before dinner, shoes and coats away, and help lay table. 10 year old can help wash dishes used to make dinner so there's only the last few bits being used, and help with one other thing like wipe sides or bathroom sink with wipes quick.

In the morning try and encourage everyone to leave house tidy before they leave. That's 10 year old quickly washing up own breakfast things, and 6 year old leaving there's next to sink.

Also get three smaller laundry baskets, one for whites, one delicates and one regular. Make sure the children take any clothes from small basket in their room each morning and put in each category before breakfast. Then take fullest and put in washing machine on a 10 hr delay so it comes on in time to just finish as you arrive home. Hang on indoor dryers or in tumble dryer if you have

[Artandco]

I would also expect main day to day chores to be helped by both children. But bigger jobs like cleaning bathroom, full on dusting or hoovering, can you pay them? At 10 years many would jump at £1 to hoover whole house, 50p to dust. You could write a list of chores and prices next to them and they can pick some if they want extra pocket money

[Lidi31]

I'm in the same boat. I don't have enough hours in the day. Curiously, I've just posted a similar thread. Despite my cry for help, I actually do have some tricks that work for me. At work I WORK! I try not to bring work home. I'm a lecturer and have fewer classroom hours than most secondary teachers have but I have other time-consuming responsibilities at work. Yet, I use the little spare time I've got for reading. At home I manage to keep two spaces more or less clean and de-cluttered : the living room and kitchen. As I spend quite a lot of time there, I don't feel so low. Also, I noticed that if you succeed in keeping one space spick and span, the other spaces of your house are getting progressively cleaner and less cluttered. In addition, I've lowered my housekeeping standards and say to myself, 'I can't be good at everything!' The only two things I feel bad about is that I don't spend enough quality time with my son and am very messy. Even though I throw quite a lot of things away (paper, clothes...), I still have lots of stuff. I don't even know where it comes from because I'm not a heavy consumer:) Still, it keeps on piling up Anyway, I know you face a very difficult situation and there are probably no magical solutions to it.