New years resolution, to be more organised in the home - please share your tips

[Honey1975]

Today I spent the morning cleaning and tidying after the christmas chaos before more family arrived to stay. I have been feeling overwhelmed with the amount of stuff needing doing before christmas since I finished work and the state of the place was starting to affect my mood. Once I'd had a good tidy up today I felt so much better.

The trouble is an organised home does not come easily to me. I work part time but when I'm not at work I'm at home with the dc's although I am hoping to start having Friday's off.

I am never on top of the housework, washing, ironing, meal planning, food shopping etc. I am always scrabbling around for clean clothes to throw on for work, and trying to cobble meals together at the last minute. It frequently all gets on top of me and it doesn't help that sometimes I'm too exhausted to do much in the afternoons as I have a chronic condition which can wipe me out. Thinvs then build up and I ger even more behind and more stressed.

Getting on top of things today made me feel so good that I want to try and make some new years resolutions that will help my home and the family run more efficiently. At the moment there is a lot of stress and tension when things are not done as I feel irritated and stressed which then rubs off on the children.

I'd love to hear what other mums do in terms of routines for all the things that need doing to keep the home running smoothly as I have lost my way and am desperate to make 2018 better.

Meal planning before an online Tesco delivery.
One room cleaned every day, one type of washing on each day (dark/white/towels etc)
I have an ongoing list of things I need to do. 2 to be achieved each day.
I've had a convo with DH this week that I'm having a cleaner in next December to do a thorough clean, as I always get stressed about the Christmas clean.
I'm with you on the phone/iPad addiction though. My New Years resolution is to not fiddle with it until my list of jobs is done each evening (I get in from work around 4.30) and to have Friday evening completely tech free.

Gazelda do you arrange to have your tesco delivery on the same day every week? I really want to do this but can't decide if it's better to have one on a Friday in time for the weekend or a Sunday ready for the week ahead?

I have a condition, since toddler that makes me very tired. So I have a few 'tricks' that help.

Why have you got no clean clothes? That's crazy. Either you have too many or too few. Sort that for starters.

1. I deal with things straight away. I get the email from the school with the calendar, I put everything on the calendar in the dining room, also on my mobile phone. Then, I don't get caught by anything.

If DS2 needs a costume day, as soon as I hear about it, I'll order a secondhand one off eBay for like £3 then I've got in the cupboard .

as soon as I find out that ds2 been invited to birthday party, I normally have a few cards in the drawer, and and I'll buy a present ASAP.

2)I have a well-stocked kitchen and tonnes in the freezer. I batch cook a lot. So if tired, I can pull out a bag of chilli or meatballs already in spag Bol sauce in a zip lock bag, and then we can have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Easily.

3. I try and keep on top of things. I do One wash mid week and wash come Friday night, straight after school. and then I get all their school shirts ironed and put away before Sunday night so they're ready for the next week.

I'll give the place a quick hoover, quick wipe of the kitchen floor and the downstairs toilet floor and then at least everything looks semi reasonable.

semi reasonable is good enough.

Re delivery. Just stop dithering. And just DO IT. Do one for Friday, thus week and then do one for Sunday next week.

and see how you get on. yourll learn very quickly and then you decide no I don't like it that way and I'll order more milk on the Friday or no I'm not going to do the Friday any more I'll stick to the Sunday.

just do it and then your find it frees you up.

Honey I have the midweek saver plan (cheapest available from Tesco, I think it's £30for the year). So I can have as man deliveries I like on Tuesday, weds and thurs. I generally go for weds early evening as I've rarely got anything else on that day.

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Get rid of half of your stuff. It has made such a difference to me. The old ‘a place for everything’, so if it doesn’t have a place either find one, or get rid. If all your t shirts can’t fit in a drawer then you need another drawer or less t-shirts (looking at you DH 😡). It makes tidying up quick and easy, which leaves more time for other stuff.
I have a meal plan for four weeks, including the variations for fussy DCs. Each day has a basic carb - e.g Monday = bread, Tuesday = rice, Weds = potato etc. Then the meal is planned around that: bread - beans on toast, pizza; rice - curry, chilli; potato - roast, shepherds pie etc.
Saturday isn’t planned so there is room for variety.
DH is responsible for ironing and he cooks for us. Kids are responsible for bins, clearing the table and tidying their room. I will add to this as they get older.
It’s not perfect, my house is rarely ‘guest ready’, but we’re getting there!

Oblomov thanks for those useful ideas and yes you're right I do nees to stop dithering!!

Elisheva I love the idea of a four week meal plan as I can just never think what to have due to all the different requirements!!

Learn too make food from leftovers. For example, frying/reheating leftover veg the next evening. Adding onions, mushrooms, chilli or cheese can make it quite different. Example use could be in wraps or omelette/frittata.
Use quick veg like spinach, frozen veg to make quick pasta or rice.
Make basic dish that everyone likes then add the extra bit to cater for different requirement e.g. rice or pasta dish for everyone with something quick like sausages, fish fingers, quorn bits, chilli sauce, or pesto etc added according to taste.
Fruit veg like tomatoes, courgettes, chilli and pepper keeps better in a fruit bowl with no bananas and are quick to cook.

Thank you for those suggestions Mike.

I currently use a family calendar on the wall and use my iphone for calendar & reminders. Kind of miss having a written diary too as somehow I feel like I remember things better when I write stuff down! What do others do diary wise?

Everything goes on the calendar which syncs across all phones, tablets and Mac. I set alerts for when I need to leave, which then buzzes on my fitbit.

What do others do diary wise? I have a Bullet Journal, like PP. It's great because all my mental load goes in the journal and I don't forget anything and it has made me more organised than I have ever been. Head off to the Bullet Journal thread to take a look. I don't go for the pretty pretty stuff - mine is completely plain and utilitarian.

Cooking is a bit of a nightmare as DS has a restrictive diet and eats the same 3 things on rotation (he has ASD) and DP is a meat and potatoes man (the blandest thing on the menu type) while I like veggie food from around the world. But Monday night is pasta night, Tuesday and Wednesday DP "cooks" sausage and chips and chicken and chips for him and DS while I cook something spicy and simple when I get home later in the evening, Thursday is fish night, Friday is baked potato while Saturday and Sunday is freestyle. I will batch cook several different types of meatballs, mince, lentils and beans so fillings for baked potato or accompaniment for pasta is quickly microwaved so it's individualised for the person. Doing it this way, it doesn't feel like too much of a chore. sigh

I use the 30/30 app to replace self-control. It's basically a timed to-do list, so I set it up with my jobs (including a tea break or TV or anything), then it stops me faffing indefinitely.

I'm hopeless at meal plans because DP's schedule is chaotic and I never know who is home for dinner, but I have a bullet blender and prep freezer bags of layered veg on a Sunday - chopped celery/apple/ginger and top with a handful of kale and spinach leaves. Shove in freezer. Each morning I take the bag out to defrost slightly, then before I go I add water and maybe a squeeze of lemon and blitz, then shove it my bag for work. I found that although the blending takes 30 seconds, the hassle of chopping stopped me in the mornings. This way I know I've had a decent hit of vitamins every day.

And bullet journal.

Hi can I join in?
I started a bullet journal and find that it helps too. I also have a magnetic large weekly planner on the side of the fridge.
W hen I get up I take the washing down and put it in straight away. I empty the dishwasher while the kettle boils. I then make packed lunch as I drink my tea and before I have breakfast. If I can vacuum sitting room before I leave for work I'm doing well.
What I find difficult is that some stuff doesn't have a home. I am trying to de-clutter. I have too much stuff and need to get rid of some( a lot ) of it. I am too sentimental about things people have given me. I feel bad about giving them away so keep them but haven't really got the room. I still have a lot of my kids stuff here but as they get more settled I should just off load it to them and they can then. Decide what to do with it.
I have masses of craft stuff and need to get rid of some.

A rock solid routine is needed.

Work out what dh can take responsibility for

Sunday is usually the best day - all school and work clothes washed, hung and ready for the whole week. One set ready just in case.

Sunday shopping delivery so each meal is planned - do the shopping a week in advance. Cleaning every Sunday so you are ready for week ahead.

Ruthless declutteribg every change of season with two days allocated ( and not moved) for deep spring clean

Running to do list with just three things a day to do

Washing machine and dishwasher on first thing emptied at the end of the day. Waking up earlier so you can have a mini blitz before you leave, and you feel together

Say no to more things so you have more free time, and make time for yourself to relax, you can have the tidiest house in the world but you will still feel overwhelmed unless you make time to relax and calm.

Hi thought I would mention some more things that really have revolutionised my week

A cleaner weekly two hours

A veg box : large one . Includes fruit
It s large and we also get a once monthly cheese selection and grain / pasta selection
But
I've lost about a stone ! Down one dress size
Our diet is a lot healthier
And believe it or not I rarely if Ever goto a supermarket now : oh the joy

Saturday morning
Bread order : collect in village
And visit the butcher : buy usually 3 types of meat which does us for the whole week
Get occasional top up shops from the mini market locally

Now for me this system saves me Hours on a Saturday !!!

I keep a well stocked store cupboard

We have healthier food , less waste and the kids enjoy it

The veg box scheme is linked with a small online shop where I usually order 5 items online which get delivered with the box . Easy .

Just love it

On a Sunday I'm usually up with the kids so I do some food prep then

Altho the veg can be expensive the cost of the basics carrots potatoes etc is cheaper than the supermarket

spiderbabymum can you say which veg box shop it is? I’m considering doing this.

I'm in Glasgow so it's one called locavore based here

They tend to be locally based

Try callling a healthfood shop / local farm shop

Other benefits : seasonal eating , freshness , low carbon footprint , minimal packaging

Thank you

Shamelessly placemarking...