Life/family admin hacks this way please!

[Canigotosleepyet]

Ok, I count myself as reasonably organised and try to keep up - I have a to-do list (I barely get to look at) with everything from Buy bday present for party to Locate old work pension. I have a list of kids activities by day on the fridge. And I sit down regularly with DP to compare diaries as he travels lots.

But I still find myself failing to keep a houseplant alive because I forget to water them. I just remembered I haven’t checked/cut dc fingernails in ages and I have a bunch of messages I haven’t replied to, birthdays i’ve missed and need to sort halfterm childcare, find a cheap holiday and research a new garden shed as ours has fallen down.

If I think of everything that should be on my to-do list I might cry...

What am I doing wrong?

I'm not sure if this is really going to help, but at the start of every day I look at my to-do list and pick several things off it that im going to do today, and write them out on a separate list. it helps make things seem more manageable and means I don't forget things. try using mumsnet for things like half term child care recommendations, and for cheap holiday ideas, users on here are great at researching (as i'm sure you are already aware!)

Its overwhelming for everyone at times so you are not alone.

Small things help. Here are two of mine:

Next time you buy a birthday card or engagement card or whatever, choose a mixed selection of about six cards and buy a book of stamps. You'll always have something suitable at the last minute.

Each time you cook - something like a bolognese sauce or a casserole - think about making a double portion of the meal and freeze half. That way, you've always got a good homemade meal to pull out of the freezer at short notice if it's been the day from hell. It will need extra time in the oven but while it's cooking, you can tackle other stuff on your To Do list. It's surprising what you can freeze.

I'm sure others will be along soon with other suggestions.

Good luck.

On the fingernails front, I always check my dds nails and ears on a Friday night after bath, and also check for headlice. Rock and roll!

Oo - good tips everyone. Thanks! Like the fingertips at bath time - that’s a good idea.

Buying lots of cards is good (my mil writes all hers for the year in Jan?!)

Any more please?

You’re not doing anything wrong. If you were on top of ALL of those things you would have forgotten to live at all amongst all the to-do-ing

But, re houseplants - if you drink black tea, empty the last bit of your cup onto your house plants as a habit - you never have to think to actually water them and tea acts as a mild plant food 😁

Thank you Callybrid! And I never knew that about tea.