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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Can I fit this much life admin in a week?

143 replies

ChesterDraws4Sale · 24/09/2022 07:14

I’m moving from part-time to full-time work in October and will have one week off between jobs.

I’m thinking this is my chance to get everything sorted in my life before I have no time. 2 primary age DCs.

I’ll have 6 hours a day, a total of 30 hours.

Heres the plan.
Batch cook dinners
Deep clean the house
See friends for coffees
Maybe plan Christmas?

AIBU to think that will fit into 1 week? Don’t want to set myself up to fail. What else can I be doing with my wonderful week of organisation time to make life easier once I’m working full time?

OP posts:
JenniferBarkley · 24/09/2022 09:11

Definitely prioritise getting some rest and seeing friends. The rest will happen regardless.

The batch cooking is a good idea to give yourselves a couple of easy nights a week at first, but don't miss out on the nice stuff for the sake of it - you could get a Bolognese on while you do dinner after school.

Honestly it will be completely fine. Definitely get a cleaner if you can at all. Anne

JenniferBarkley · 24/09/2022 09:11

And make sure your DH is ready to step up.

Crunchymum · 24/09/2022 09:12

How is deep cleaning and meeting friends for coffee "life admin" ?

But yes perfectly doable.

Greenapplesandpears · 24/09/2022 09:15

Yes I think you could get it done. It sounds doable. I have 7 dc and each day we do 2 hours of housework and 2 hours of life admin/organising

lemoncurdling · 24/09/2022 09:24

I would try to do as much laundry as you can / clear any backlog

OxanaVorontsova · 24/09/2022 09:27

YABU to call it life admin and to think it’ll take a week!

WhatsitWiggle · 24/09/2022 09:36

OP take a look at Organised Mum. You can do the clutter buster if that's an issue, or just follow the daily/weekly guides to get on top of tidying and cleaning. I've been using it for 6 months now whilst working full time and there's no need for a whole house deep clean.

She also does an Organised Christmas - tasks each week which you can fit around a FT job. That started on 6 September, so spend a morning catching up.

The worst thing for me about being full time is staying on top of the washing/ironing especially in winter. WFH for 3 days hugely helps with the washing part.

I don't set aside time to batch cook, just size up. Eg if I'm doing cottage pie, I'll make double and freeze half.

CanaryShoulderedThorn · 24/09/2022 09:41

Be prepared to be knackered for the first couple of weeks! After that you will soon slip into a routine.

On your week off I would spend 2 days decluttering and making sure everything is in its rightful place.
Im full time and have an essentials cupboard with a sewing box, a first aid kit and a gift wrapping box that also has a few emergency greetings cards and stamps. This saves me time hunting stuff down.

The other days I would do whatever the hell I wanted! Life is too short to spend it all planning.

sst1234 · 24/09/2022 09:42

Is cooking and cleaning now classed as life admin?

TakeawayManAlan · 24/09/2022 09:46

“Planning Christmas” 😂

Fourwhitepaws · 24/09/2022 09:54

Pengwinn · 24/09/2022 07:47

Yes of course, wtf. Some people seem to spend longer planning simple tasks than just doing them.

This. Also the word ’life admin’ makes me want to 🤮.

Of course you can do that in one week. I work full time and do it. It’s just life.

But, the food you batch cook will run out and the clean house will need to be cleaned again next week. So just clean as you go and plan your cooking. Don’t stress, it will be fine op!

MichaelAndEagle · 24/09/2022 09:55

Big declutter would be my priority over the other household chores. That will make it much easier to keep on top of housework when you are FT.
Big clean and batch cooking will only last a week or two and you're back where you are now.

Fourwhitepaws · 24/09/2022 09:59

And I will give DH two designated days to sort dinner. He’s perfectly capable but hadn’t bothered since we had kids.

He sounds like a catch.

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 10:04

Life admin is one of these beyond irritating phrases that should actually be banned by law.

Yeah, you’ll have time to do some cooking, meet friends for coffee and do some cleaning in a week. Christmas is three months away, what do you need to plan for that has to be done now? Just do what the rest of us do and you and your DH buy stuff online in your lunch break as it comes closer to the time.

mountainsunsets · 24/09/2022 10:04

Kissingfrogs25 · 24/09/2022 08:21

That’s an unfair post, it causes many people anxiety worrying about how they will manage. Being organised will give op comfort that everything is in hand.

How is it unfair?

Millions of people work full-time and manage to cook and clean and meet friends for coffee without all this angst.

I would also bet good money that NO father worries about deep-cleaning and batch-cooking!

Oblomov22 · 24/09/2022 10:05

That's not much. I could get that done easily.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 24/09/2022 10:06

Deep clean/declutter will make it easier to keep on top of stuff when you're working full time. Prioritise which rooms need most focus as you may not get the whole house done alongside other things in a week. Any rooms you don't get done, you can declutter/clean one bit at a time when you have time.

I'd do the dirty work in the morning/early afternoon then shower and meet friends for coffee as a reward before the school run!

Good to batch cook some dinners, also spend time planning for meals once they've run out eg more batch cook ideas so you don't end up eating the same things all the time; very quick after work cook ideas like carbonara, wraps, stir fries; store cupboard ideas for when you've run out of fresh meals (tuna pesto pasta for example). You'll get lots of help from MN if you ask for specific suggestions . Make sure your store cupboard is well stocked.

Christmas: if you don't already have this, spend time planning everything you will need for Christmas. Whether you capture it in a notebook, a spreadsheet or an app, you will be able to adapt it for years to come. Make lists of what you need to buy/tick off anything you've already got. Things like candles, serviettes, table cloth, crackers, wrapping paper, ribbon, sellotape , Christmas cards, stamps etc can all be bought well ahead, often as part of your regular supermarket shop.

Another thing would be to check that you have enough work clothes for full time and that the children have enough spare uniform so that you aren't stressing if you have a busy weekend and are struggling to get the washing done.

If you drive to work, fill up with petrol, one less job in what will be a busy first week and every little bit of time adds up!

Please pencil in some time that week to chill and make yourself feel ready - hair; nails; clothes plan. And just chilling a bit!

Good luck x

coodawoodashooda · 24/09/2022 10:09

Declutter rather than deep clean. If you can only choose one. I think you need a day of sitting about too.

fucap · 24/09/2022 10:12

Eh??
It's nothing. That will easily fit into the time.
Even the deep cleaning of the house - unless you live in a mansion.

BrutusMcDogface · 24/09/2022 10:18

Cwcwbird · 24/09/2022 07:43

A day for the cooking, a day for the cleaning, gives you loads of time. Depends what you mean by plan Christmas I suppose. Are you father Christmas? If so you probably should have started that one already....

🤣🤣🤣

sunglassesonthetable · 24/09/2022 10:20

God alive, why is it so fun to be so sneery at OP asking about time planning?

Is this a controversial thread or something?

WTF 😂

Glittertwins · 24/09/2022 10:22

Just cook extra each meal time if you can. If you can't and you are wanting to have a variety of freezer meals ready for later, check your freezer space first!

lechatnoir · 24/09/2022 10:24

Agree with others that the best use of your time will be getting the family on board. Whether that's making sure DH knows cooking twice a week means doing everything including planning and prepping, the Dc if old are on board with chipping in - putting washing away, clearing their rooms and making packed lunches and you either have a cleaner or a family rota for household chores. I've recently done this and it has taken some adjustment and standing g very firm & not just doing it all myself as it saves arguments but we're getting there.

nonstoprenovation · 24/09/2022 10:28

Just take a break, book into a spa, go to the gym, catch up with friends and family for lunch, go and drive and see some sights, have a potter around a new city, treat yourself to a new wardrobe.

Just spend "time" reading relaxing and recharging.

Get a life for a week, why on earth would you do all that mind numbing stuff with your time off? None of it requires a week.

If your going full time fab you'll be earning more so pay a cleaner.

pickledeggnog · 24/09/2022 10:29

sunglassesonthetable · 24/09/2022 10:20

God alive, why is it so fun to be so sneery at OP asking about time planning?

Is this a controversial thread or something?

WTF 😂

Hardly sneering

I personally can't understand why anyone under the age of 80 would struggle with that in a week

I'd be concerned if I couldn't do all the bits listed in a day or two frankly