If you go straight to work after dropping dc, do you come home to a messy house?

[Itchybush]

As in breakfast things still on the side, toys spread out, beds unmade, etc. I hate coming home to a messy house after work but I leave with the dc and we arrive home together at night.

Do you just accept it? Or wake up early to tidy up before leaving?

You really don't need to iron uniform for a 5 year old. Give it a shake and hang it up when it comes out of the washing machine. After 2 minutes of your child wearing it, you won't know the difference.

As PPs have said, with young children you can't do everything, so you have to focus on in the important things.

I agree my house is always a mess. I try and do what I can so it's not too bad but I've just had to accept that having small children means mess and chaos.

Shirts when you take them out of the washer give them a really hard shake to get the creases out, pop on coat hangers to dry. Stubborn creases, steam from the bath/shower really does work!!

For my own sanity I have a chalkboard somewhere central but near the door. The weeks timetable is there, it's got space for those one off things, top up shopping list. It's big (bought a roll of the stuff) and always in your face.

Near the door everyone had their own box for things like school/work stuff, hats, gloves - the daily stuff - also handy for school related admin. Plus it saved a lot of mum have you seen? Did start using the coat pegs and a shoe rack

I don't do housework in the mornings. I can barely cope with getting up, ready and out. Coming back to mess is better than trying to deal with mess half asleep, I always have more energy in the evening than the morning anyway.

I am going to make someone unhappy, sorry.
They never really grow out of playing with toys and arty stuff.
My teens loved having the much younger sibling about to cover doing all of that.
One year we did an arts and crafts birthday party, we had loads of teen "volunteers" to help with a bunch of 6 year olds. Gave the teen party bags as a joke and they bloody loved them!

I hate leaving the house in a mess, whatever day of the week it is.

I run and quickly make all the beds whilst I'm waiting for the shower to warm up.
Dishwasher gets emptied as soon as I wake up, whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Means breakfast stuff can get loaded straightaway.
To be honest, we don't really get toys out in the morning, normally we just have the TV on whilst the kids eat breakfast.

yup, walk into to a moderate amount of mess.
I do try and corral the DC a bit into unloading the dishwasher so they can put their stuff in it, and to put things away, but it's all too ineffective.
Getting up 20mins earlier would help, but I choose my choice.

I iron 5 polo shirts on a Sunday night for my 4 yr old. That's his school uniform ironed, the trousers and jumper dont need it.

The little won't eat cereal but will he have a slice of toast? That's enough.

Bags/lunches etc done before bed.

Today my kids go to breakfast club as I have to be in for 8 so no mess as I clean up the night before and get everything we need ready for the morning, tomorrow we leave at normal time so I make sure everything is done before we leave and then Friday I even tho I don't have to leave the same time everything is still done before I do the school run kids are 13,10,9. & 4.

Make beds quickly and put dishes jn the kitchen ready to load in the dishwasher later but anything else gets left. I am not a morning person!

We have always tidied up before we go in the mornings - dishes in dishwasher and washing stacked up for the evening, table clean, toys were never allowed out in the morning but chaos of dressing etc tidied away.

It might be slightly messy as I would never brush the floor or similar before heading out. But we generally leave it neat and ready to head straight into cooking dinner, sorting homework etc when we get in home.

We make the beds before coming down in the morning and leave upstairs neat.

The hardest time was the 18 months when DD came home herself after school (2nd half of 5th class, and all of 6th class) - she'd come in and get changed, make herself some food, do homework and then watch tv/play Xbox etc. But clearing away wasn't on her radar - let alone actually washing up the mess she'd make herself!! So some days it was just a few crumbs and a plate/knife/glass, but others it was full on chopping board, sharp knife, scattered bits of onions, 2 dirty pots, wooden spoon, crumbs, bowls, cups, spilled hot chocolate, and maybe school clothes and a couple of damp towels on the floor upstairs if she had decided on a shower........GRR!!!

Luckily, she's now in secondary, and is not home until nearly bedtime because she does evening study, so it is peace and tranquility!!