Household tips and tricks

[MartagonLilies]

I'm struggling quite a bit at the moment, and I'd really like to hear your best shortcuts in all things generally housekeeping.
Anything from organising store cupboard, the after school lull, shopping tips, keeping up with washing (dishes and clothes!) cleaning or anything else.

Take a look at The Organised Mum thread, seems to have lots of practical advice on there.

The Organised Mum Methodwww.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3353745-the-organised-mum-method

I am awful at house and organisation stuff but theses are the things that have really worked for us.

Duvet sets inc sheet folded and stored in the pillowcase. Absolute game changer.

Ikea bags for laundry, and if you have multiple kids they have a bag each, ideally have a tumble dryer so you can wash, dry, fold, return with no faffing.

Take brioche (or whatever your kids will eat that’s easy to eat walking along) for school pick up. Staves off the hangry and shuts them up for a bit.

Find school uniform the night before, bags packed etc.

Always wash up straight away after eating, I know it sounds obvious but it took me years to realise what a difference it makes. Also, keep the kitchen surfaces clutter free because it makes it easier on your brain to keep it clean and tidy.

These. Theses didn’t help at all 😂

I don't do uniform every evening. I do all five sets on a Sunday night, with knickers and socks, in a narrow drawer set with the days of the week on each drawer. And PE kit as required, etc. It makes life SO MUCH easier, although not as much as it would if it were socially acceptable to staple my children's' shoes to their feet so they didn't keep losing them 🙄

Declutter
A place for everything, and everything in its place
Every decent labour-saving device under the sun (dishwasher, tumble dryer, heated airer, cordless vacuum etc)
Cleaner once a week
Laundry every day
Online grocery shopping, including a weekly veg box
Learn to cook well (= healthy, interesting, varied meals with minimum thought and stress)
To-do lists in sections (work, house, social, children etc)
Good teamwork with DH (look after one another, and step in if the other is exhausted)
A good basic wardrobe with outfits for work and home that go together, and a low-maintenance hair and makeup regime (cuts down on time spent wondering what to wear in the morning)
Factor in enough time for sleep and exercise, even if that's just walking to work or the shops every day

These are fab tips! Thank you so much.
I truly need to work at the washing up after each meal thing. I'm a bit of a failure at that, and always regret not doing so!

As above but also have a morning and evening routine, and a meal plan.

Do clothes, bags etc and tidy house in the evening. Put laundry in machine on timer to finish when you wake up so it can go straight into tumble dryer and be ready to fold / put away that night (or follow with more loads). Snack boxes / packed lunches etc prepared in the evening.

Morning - breakfast and everything cleared away, bedrooms tidied and beds made, dishwasher on.

Meal plan, have a eg 2/3/4 week meal plan with meals organised by your schedule (ie how much time you have to make food in the day and when, when to use slow cooker, meals from freezer etc). Book online shopping deliveries twice a week based on your meal plan and add any other regular meals like breakfast or lunch box food

Also - I find best to wash up BEFORE a meal, then all you have to do is rinse plates etc after. Much less daunting!