Housework and working from home goals thread

[UntidyAn0n]

Two DC's at home full time and running a business. Failing miserably on all fronts
Drowning in a sea of toys, laundry and crumbs. DH is a hoarder. Behind on client, employee and accounts admin. Kids not getting enough quality time or activities out of the house either.
Can anyone identify with me? Or anyone been there and turned it around?


So I'm going to set small goals I think

Daily goals
1 load of laundry a day, on dried and put away
Dishwasher unloaded before breakfast and switched on before bed
Living room tidied after kids in bed
Read a book with each child every day
Reply to work emails on the day I receive them
answer all phone calls

[NeatandTidyTidyandNeat]

you have reminded me to go and get a load of laundry on, thanks! I think I have a bit more breathing space than you thanks to part-time nursery, otherwise working from home really wouldn't be productive. Is there any option to both DCs being at home full-time? It sounds very, very hard on you as I presume evenings all get sucked into catching up with work.

Hopefully the weather will be better soon, as I tend to feel better and get more done if I have at least half an hour outside - either playing with LO or hanging out laundry while supervising play, etc.

If you have a garage or other storage, can you get a few storage crates and box up a lot of the toys? Not for getting rid yet but to bring out in a week or two and swap over, so you get some toy rotation going on and don't feel like you're quite as surrounded by stuff maybe?

[UntidyAn0n]

Hi neat!

Oldest starts childcare part time in a couple of months. Although already dreading being up and out so early! (I know I know, getting everything ready the night before-another job on the never ending list)

Toys need a good declutter, I'm not sentimental so should manage ok with that. All toys are stored upstairs and a small selection brought down daily as they don't play in their room with youngest not walking yet, so lounge automatically looks untidy. Plus lots of baby equipment but will be outgrown in the next couple of months thankfully!

I'm grateful for the work from home job but thought I'd juggle it all better than I am. I'm lazy, procrastinate, and a bit perfectionist. Really I just want to be a housewife (sorry feminists! )

Also need to start cooking again, too much takeaway recently

Dishwasher emptied
Done an employee reference and fielded a couple of calls
Away to get a load of laundry then make lunch

After lunch need an hour at my desk.

I try not to work in the evenings, by the time kids are in bed and house tidy I only have an hour or so before I need to get to bed (due to non sleeping baby)
If I try and tidy before kids are in bed that's even less time I'm spending with them

How do you manage your to dos? Lists or just get on with it?

[MangoBiscuit]

Count me in. DH and I run the business, but as he also works elsewhere, I do all the admin on top of my work. I have 2 DC, 1 at school, and 1 at home 6 days a week, leaving me about 5.5 hours child-free a week. I have good patches, then not so good patches. I kondo'd the whole house last year, and it has, for the most part, stayed organised. At least until we had our loft converted and a bunch of other work done.

On a good day, I get up before the DC, empty dishwasher, load washing machine, sort bags etc for school, put out clothes for the day, and make sure I get 5-10 minutes to have a coffee in silence! I tend to find if I can start the day well, tantrums, laundry mountains, and urgent client queries don't phase me as much.

My aim with the house is to have no area that cannot be tidied in 5 minutes. Most of the toys are away in bedrooms. We rotate a few bits around for downstairs, using expedit / drona boxes, so it can be thrown in and put out of sight. Separate dustpan and brush for counters and table tops only. Clutter boxes for everyone, if you leave something lying around, it goes in those, otherwise we end up drowning in a sea of random items. Laundry I only fold in the evening, on the sofa, watching netflix. I'll then put it away the next morning when I go round and air beds, open curtains etc.

When it works, it works well. House stays nice (well, nice for my slatternly standards!), work gets done without me stressing about the house, and we have time for park trips etc. When something goes wrong, the wheels fall off and it all goes to shit.

[NeatandTidyTidyandNeat]

Yes, I kondo-ed too, and like you, found it really helped. In theory, I now tackle one room a day but I have really let that slide and need to get back on top of things. The kitchen floor is a bit of a disgrace. Might make that my "before bedtime" job...

I'm with you on good days and bad days, but hoping this thread will help me do a bit better with consistent habits! LO is an appalling sleeper so I can't put on washing machine/dishwasher after their bedtime. I aim to get those turned on by 5pm, so they are finished by bedtime. Up and out in the mornings is not too bad because bags are ready and waiting by the door before bedtime.

We have "tidy up time" just like at nursery, so a few times a day we both have a 5 minute clear up, with LO helping (ahem) put toys away or possibly use a baby wipe to wipe their little desk. Usually do that before snack or before a meal.

Hmm, to do lists. I try and have a goal to get 3 things done per day in terms of household/family admin. If things are going well ha ha then I try just to do things as I go along, so there are not too many things on the list. They might be phone calls, forms, whatever. In terms of work To Do, there is a pretty constant influx so I have a fairly rigorous priority system and I set aside some hours when I don't check email so I can get the more complicated work stuff done. They can ring me if they need me in those times! How do you manage it?

[UntidyAn0n]

Hi Mango

I flyladied a bit before the DC and that helped me get a bit of a morning/evening routine. But the same as both of you, if I let it slide for one day then it's back to square 1 and feeling overwhelmed.

No way I'm getting up before kids yet. Youngest not sleeping through yet so I'm still shattered. But I did enjoy that with dd before DS came along. Just to drink my first cuppa in peace!

Lunch fed and tidied so kitchen is looking good. Still not got laundry on. So that next and set kids up with something to give me half an hour to work. Will hopefully send dd out with dh whilst DS naps later to get some work done

What's on your lists for this afternoon?

Wash on
Wash dry
Wash away
Find something to cook for dinner
Do next weeks rota
Set up two new starts on payroll
Make enquiries about new accountant

[UntidyAn0n]

Decided to focus on certain things till they are a habit

Housework - laundry full cycle a day
Children - get outside
Work - deal with calls emails on the day they come in


Washing on out and away
New starts on payroll
Kids out for a walk
Tidy kids room
Dishwasher on before bed
Living room tidied before bed
Chase new accountant enquires
Tidy for cleaner coming tomorrow

Not enough work stuff!!

How's everyone else doing? Fancy joining me on focusing on a habit?

[GrubbyWindows]

Wow untidy I am in super awe of you - I cannot work without childcare. Can't do it at all! So in my books, you are a mega super woman and should be very very proud!!!
Not very helpful practically as a comment, but there you are...

[MiniLop]

Hello! Can I join in? Not in exactly the same boat but I work part time, 2 days from home and have 14 month old DS with me, then 1 day in the office (Friday) and DS goes to a childminder. 2 days a week (and weekends) I'm not working, just at home procrastinating doing housework!

Would love some support to help me organise my time! I always fall behind with house duties when I'm working, even when I'm at home. And DS is currently banging on the front door (from the inside) I think he's desperate to go out!!

[MiniLop]

Just read through the whole thread, I am in the middle of kondo-ing the house. I've done clothing. Now onto paperwork, although I've stalled here, haven't done anything for a few weeks, which I know is really bad, MK emphasises the importance of getting it done quickly, I just don't know where to get the time from, with looking after DS, work and housework all needing my time.

I also hate working in the evening but I can't take too many breaks during the day to hang washing out etc or I'll have to work when DS is in bed, but if I don't do it I'll have to do housework when DS is in bed... It's one or the other! Or it doesn't get done and I end up way behind on the washing (like I am at the moment!!)

[UntidyAn0n]

See.... I can't even keep up with my own thread ! I took a day off housework yesterday but now need a day off work to catch up with it! It only takes a day to turn to chaos doesn't it!

So here goes the massive list, I've decided to start at the top and work down

Strip mine and kids beds
Wash bedding
Remake beds
Change over towels
Put clean laundry away
Tidy clothes in my room
Tidy kids room
Bath kids
Clean bathroom
Leave upstairs tidy after baths
Empty dishwasher
Hoover downstairs
Mop kitchen floor
Dishwasher on after dinner
Kitchen surfaces/highchair cleaned
Living room tidy after dinner
Meal plan
Online shop

Chocolate!
Early night!

Plus could do with getting kiddies outside for an hour

I'm still trying to focus on a load of washing a day but really need to get back into cooking fresh food. Far too much frozen bung it in the oven food recently and the baby thinks food comes out of an ellas kitchen pouch!

Hope you're all ok? Anyone want to post their list?

[UntidyAn0n]

Ok so far I have

Strip mine and kids beds - DONE
Wash bedding - HALF DONE
Remake beds
Change over towels -DONE
Put clean laundry away- DONE
Tidy clothes in my room- DONE
Tidy kids room - BUMP to tomorrow
Bath kids -DONE
Clean bathroom - DONE (with baby wipes)
Leave upstairs tidy after baths. -DONE

Empty dishwasher
Hoover downstairs
Mop kitchen floor
Dishwasher on after dinner
Kitchen surfaces/highchair cleaned
Living room tidy after dinner
Meal plan
Online shop

Chocolate!
Early night!

also squeezed in two reactive work tasks

[celeste83]

UntidyAnOn - Come and join us on the clenaing thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/a2538178-New-cleaning-thread?msgid=60680303#60680303 everyone is relaxed and friendly on there, do as much or little of chores as you wish with a little bit of light chat amongst it all

[NeverNic]

In a similar position. I do have one at preschool part time but the toddler mostly doesn't nap, or at least for a reasonable amount of time. Have found it much harder to stay on top of the house with two - in part because I'm more tired or trying to find time for 1:1 stuff.

I haven't tried kondo-ing. Doesn't appeal to me personally. I find allocating days to set jobs helpful and I try to put the dishwasher on after dinner and unloading before bed, so that I can more easily clear the sides throughout the day.

Roughly my jobs are split:
Monday's weekend detoxing house, big food shop, one external am activity with the kids
Tuesday washing, basic tidy ups and children activities
Wednesday full house tidy
Thursday life admin and kids activities
Friday ironing and bed changes

What really helps me more than anything is a full, child free tidy up . Haven't had one of them for months and it shows!