Help please: streamlining and cutting out the unnecessary jobs

[Lovemarmite]

Hi everyone, not posted on the parenting boards before and so a big hello to you!
We have a beautiful 7 month DD and I'm getting to breaking point with so much to do! we don't have family around to help and so we've been trying to work out what things we can drop so we can have less 'doing' time, however, the work is all so relentless and I know deep down we're both quite lazy people or try to be!
Washing, cooking, cleaning, shopping, ok these are normal things to do and we've always done them but how can a little one produce so much more work.

We try and have family meals together as far as possible to cut down on extra cooking, but I spend most of my time at the weekend cooking for the week and do batches of things that can be frozen in the ice cube trays. I think this is labour saving but it doesn't feel like it at the time!

Please tell me what you've cut out or done to help minimise jobs.

I know it's hard work but I physically ache and can't believe I'm such a moany minnie these days!!!

[grants1000]

Do less cleaning and do less cooking and do less housework. You can't keep up the same standards as before baby, unless you want to be truly knackered all the time. It's literally that simple, don't hoover three times a week, do it once every ten days, it will be fine. Don't tidy all the time, stop, sit, breathe, so what if there is a pile of magazines, papers, books or whatever on the floor leave it, nothing bad will happen. Eat a ready meal 2-3 times a week, no harm will be done. Not every surface has to be dust free, you don't have to iron pyjamas or babygros, in fact shirts are the only thing that really need ironing! Buy some baby food, Ellas Kitchen, for a few meals, they are there to help and full of good stuff. You won't become a slob, just less tidy and clean than you used to be, no biggie!

[ZuleikaD]

Don't freeze things in ice cube trays (presume you mean purees). At 7m baby can pretty much eat what you eat, mashed up a bit (barring honey).
Don't iron anything - shake and hang, even shirts
Don't dust or vacuum more than once a fortnight
Shop online - it's done in 10 minutes once a week
Don't bath the baby every night
If you can afford it, buy a washing machine with the biggest drum you can find - then you can wash every two or three days instead of every day.

[rrreow]

-Order grocery shopping online
-Don't cook separately for DC, just give them what you eat (if you want to add salt for yourself just add it once you've separated DC's portion)
-Put together a meal plan for the week so you always know what you're going to cook and how long it's going to take
-Don't iron
-Do a bit of cleaning every day instead of all at once, and most things only need to be done once a week
-Only do washing once you have a full load (better for the environment that way as well)

It's definitely all doable. I work FT (from home though, so I have the convenience of not having to waste time commuting and can do a bit of laundry during the day) and do all of the above except for cleaning and I would also describe myself as quite lazy .

[rrreow]

Oh just to clarify, I work FT from home but I do have childcare for my DS! I'm not superwoman.