What are your weekly/ monthly/ quarterly/ annual tasks?

[Yesnomaybeidontknow]

After being a SAHM for 6 years (which I loved) I’m now heading back to work full time (which I’m really excited for). The problem is I’m not a very organised person, and will do everything by myself, as 2 DC will be at school and my husband is abroad for months on end, no family in the area. A few friends with experience working full time have suggested that the only way to make it work on my own, with 2 DC, is to be ruthlessly organised. I’m quite good w keeping on top of daily jobs (laundry, cooking etc) but not very good at planning the bigger stuff.

I don’t start until September so I’m trying to use this time to plan everything that needs to be done and outsource as much as I can.

This is what I have so far, what would everyone add to this? Or any general tips about how to make going back to work easier?

Weekly jobs:
Order supermarket delivery
Prep for upcoming trips/ costume days/ bake sales
Wash car
Sweep driveway
Batch cook
Laundry
Prep for weekly maths/ spelling tests
Mow lawn
Birthday party gifts for weekend
Change bedding

Monthly jobs
Budget for/ plan any upcoming birthdays or special events
Switch any utilities as necessary
Dry cleaning
Weed patio and drive
1 play date each for DC

6 monthly jobs
Clean oven
Sort out kids clothes, repair replace and donate as necessary, store extras
Review kids’ extra curricular activities, book onto new activities
Choose and plant new plants

Annual jobs
Service car
MOT
Vehicle tax
Book annual holiday
Tax returns in April

^ obviously I’m rubbish at making lists and thinking ahead, but what would you add?

Great list!
I'd add:
Defrost freezer (annual) - I do it in November and then fill it up for Christmas, it's a small flicker of organisation in a chaotic life!
For me, your standards seem high. Could you make some of the weekly jobs fortnightly (e.g mow lawn one week, sweep driveway the next). Washing the car is an annual event at best here! (Cleaning the detritus that accumulates in it, on the other hand, is more regular!)

@thewalrus

Thanks, the freezer is going on the list!

Yeah, I think i should make things less frequent for a while, will downgrade the lawn to fortnightly

I don’t really do the list like this

I do the weekly jobs for sure all the time but monthly and 6 monthly I do not.

I clean the oven out (not with oven pride but a wipe round) weekly to prevent the whole 6 monthly huge messy gross job.

I would tend to probably do summer/spring/autumn/winter jobs.
Spring is sort out garden ready for summer.
Then usually garden maintence is weather dependent so ad hoc and DC help too. I do it when it looks like it needs it! I don’t schedule it

Summer
I know this is when my car is due and 3 family birthdays

The main thing about working FT is that it all goes wrong in the mornings so I always go to bed with a tidy house but I don’t tidy it in the morning very much, it just makes you late and stressed.

I would outsource half of that with your new found salary!

Get a cleaner who will change beds, clean oven and do a deep clean twice a year.

Pay a local teenager to mow lawn, sweep drive.

Reviewing kids activities and utilities is 6 monthly at most.

Be kind to yourself and spend some money to make life easier, you've not been used to having the money so you won't feel any pain.

I might have missed it but have you thought about general house cleaning?
You can get ready made weekly/monthly lists for general housework on Pinterest that might be helpful?

I second getting a cleaner, at least to start with as you adjust to working full-time.

I'd also not worry if things go wrong in the first few months as you adjust.

Daily
Get everything ready for work the night before like clothes, bag, packed lunch
Wear clothes that don't need ironing if possible. Allow enough commute time for bad traffic
If convenient eat your main meal at work in canteen.

I have a diary & each year where I write important birthdays, bills in it
I write my to do lists

Monthly
Pay all bills & check bank statements are correct. Spend some, save some

Ensure you book your holiday at work early with plenty of notice

Every day make some downtime for yourself

Try not to stress when things go wrong (which they will). The situation will get better

Only thing I would add is check the smoke alarms and replace toothbrushes. We do this quarterly.

@PookieDo that’s a great idea to divide the tasks by seasons - then all Xmas stuff can be assigned to winter etc

@WellLetsSayHesSquare thanks those are going on the list!

Thanks everyone, I’m so nervous and these tips are really helping.

I think i will try and get a cleaner before I get started so I/ the cleaner can get a routine going before September

Do not auto renew any bills or insurance. Always look for cheaper deals, it will save you £100s
It's worth spending the time

My goodness - I don't do have the stuff on this list ever let alone weekly. I think you'll be permanently working if you do all this. But maybe I'm lazy...

I wing it day to day.