Fulltime working mums and getting things done

[Orissiah]

Hello all,

I will be returning fulltime to work soon. DD is 10 months and I am curious as to how and when other fulltime working mothers get things done.

I am planning on getting the baby's bag ready each and every night and putting a load of laundry on timer so it is finished by the time I get home at night so all I need to do is put it in the dryer when I bathe DD before her bed. I am also planning on doing some batch cooking with DH on weekends so I don't need to worry too much about evening meals each night.

Cleaning will have to be done at the weekends - not mega fussed about this so an hour each Sat and Sun will be fine (with DH).

Any other tips? How do you do it all practically?

O

[Pheebe]

Do a bit of cleaning/tidying each night so its not all left for the weekend.

Sort out daily chores that you will do and DH will do (my DH does the loads and unloads the dishwasher and tidies all the kids toys up everyday, I do the cooking and the daily washing the cleaning at the weekend while he looks after the kids)

Be realistic, your house is not going to be pristine unless you sacrifice precious time with DD or DH

Meal plan so you know what you're cooking/getting out of the freezer each day (helps with the shopping bill too)

Can't think of anything else at the mo.

Hope the return to work goes well for you

[llareggub]

I ended up getting a cleaner when I went back full-time as I really didn't want to eat up precious time at the weekend. It meant I could concentrate on just keeping the kitchen clean daily and tidying.

I also found that having some sort of routine helped, too. I quite like ironing and used to iron my work clothes on a Sunday night, together with anything of DS's that needed doing. Like you, I aimed to do a wash everyday too.

It's all bit of a blur now because I'm now on maternity leave, and reduced my hours from full-time to part-time about 4 months before I got pregnant.

Good luck!

[Northernlurker]

Always do internet shopping for food. Your time is too precious to spend it plodding round the supermarket!

[rubyslippers]

be kind to yourself and you will, i guarantee lower your standards at some point!

take out, if we can afford it helps

batch cooking - good

plus one night is v basic like pasta and a sauce

all bags and all clothes out the night before - paretns and children. DH never has change for the carpark etc

make sure you have factored in an extra 10 mins in the morning as your baby WILL require an unexpected nappy change some days

[DrNortherner]

If you get a lunch break at wirk pop to shops for stuff you need (bread/milk etc) saves time later.

Get a cleaner (if you can afford)

Definatley batch cook.

[Orissiah]

Just thinking about what to wear each day takes time so I plan on doing that in advance too

[CMOTdibbler]

Online grocery shopping is a must

Set up all the bills you can onto direct debit so that there is nothing to action

If you and DH have access to a subsidised canteen at work, then eat your main meal of the day there - then you don't have to cook much more than some soup in the evening

If not, then rather than batch cook (although its great to have some meals ready in the freezer for emergencies), meal plan so that either of you know exactly what is going to be cooked that night, and it helps make sure your grocery shop is sufficient. I'd much rather spend 20 minutes cooking after DS is in bed than hours at the weekend - which is very precious time (he has a cooked lunch and a tea at nursery, so needs very little to eat in the evening)

Again, with cleaning - apart from the hoovering, we try and do a little everyday so that it doesn't eat into the weekend. So the one who is cooking will whizz round the sides and sink whilst it is cooking, other does the bathroom after putting DS down.

Make sure jobs are really divided equally

If you use Outlook at work, put all birthdays/anniversarys etc in your calendar, and put a reminder on them for a week before.

Stockpile some cards for when you forget

You can do Amazon Prime for 35 quid a year which gives you free next day delivery on everything. And they do an amazing range now - so it gets you out of a lot of holes !

And most of all, accept that you will not do everything perfectly, and that sometimes something has to give. Don't be ashamed to outsource stuff if it makes your life easier

[Feenie]

I send my ironing out - not wasting precious time that could be spent with ds/dh/sleeping doing ironing!

I clean only prefunctorily during term time, and properly during the holidays (I'm a teacher, obv)