To the organised Mums out there - how do you do it?!

[RhubarbandCust]

I would love to know your secret!

I have two DCs (4 & 16 months) and work 3 days a week. My working days are easily 10-12hrs and I am shattered at the end of them. But there’s all the household stuff to do e.g. meals, cleaning, admin etc. as well as play dates, swimming lessons. How do you manage to keep on top of it all as well as carve out some time for you? I feel like I am constantly playing catch up with my life and am fast becoming a slummy-mummy. I have not exercised in years and would really like to start doing this again, but never seem to find the time to fit it in.
We have a cleaner and I have a very supportive husband which is great as we have no extended family support where we live.
I’d be really interested to hear how you manage the juggle as i’m definitely struggling.

I would strongly recommend the aptly named Organised Mum Method. It's a routine where you do a little bit every day and it's a game changer.

She also advocates looking after yourself and fitting in exercise so it sounds like a good fit.

www.theorganisedmum.blog

Organised mum method won’t work if you have a cleaner and work long shifts.
Go through all the things that need doing daily, weekly, monthly and yearly then divide them up between you and DH.
Drop standards - does a 16 month old need swimming lessons?
Have set days for things eg wash towels on a Friday, change kids beds on a Monday. How much cleaning are you doing? Does your cleaner need to come more often or do you need to lower your standards.
Online food shopping
My neighbours used to make twice as much food and have the same thing for dinner two days in a row.
Can you use childcare to give yourself time/space.
You have two incredible young children and have only taken a short maternity leave. Life is going to be difficult but something is going to have to give and at the moment it is your mental health.

I buy DD clothes from Sainsbury 25% off sale. I buy her full wardrobe in the next size up in one go on line. That is one job ticked off the list.

I make meals that least 2 nights, then at night get DD's clothes ready for following day/gymbag etc. Leftover food goes in freezer for another time.

I don’t know the answer but feel like I’m constantly cleaning our house. I have two DC (4 and 1yes old) I work five days a week, long commute. But my DH is a SAHD.

We try and share the chores in the evenings, and there’s only so much he can do in the day. He’s in charge of the food shopping, most cooking (I cook Sunday so we have dinner Monday sorted) He also does the day to day cleaning, like hoovering/emptying dish washer. We tag team and I do dish washer/tidy after kids are in bed. I also do three loads of washing at least on a weekend and put it away, and clean the bathroom.

Basically, we work together. The balance isn’t always perfect and I sometimes get annoyed that the house is a tip when I come home. But I know how much of a handful our kids are, and it’s not a tip every night. He has good and bad days like my job. And I’m not his manager, we are a team.

OP, do you and your DH have an agreed ‘this is what each of us are responsible for’ chore wise, and then of course depending on how you’re each getting on you can muck in together? I’d write down all the stuff that needs to get done, and then suggest who has time to do it and work it all out.

I actually find the TOMM method works really well, although I have a cleaner that comes once a week and am out of the house for 10hrs 3-4 days. I do have the flexibility to do a day or two from home most weeks but I certainly don't spend it cleaning.

Apart from that, I'd suggest having a really good declutter. Having stuff everywhere just makes everything seem much worse.

Hi OP, I have 5DC and like you have no family help other than DH. My top tips are:

1. get on top of clutter. If you know that you don’t have time to tidy 100 toys, reduce to 20. You will be surprised at how easy it is to keep on top of it when you have less stuff. Give everything a place. Buy little baskets where you can place things and stay organised. Be brutal. The less stuff the easier it will be.

2. keep a more minimal wardrobe for everyone. Be brutal and donate anything that just takes up space. I pack away my summer clothes in winter and vice versa.

3. once you have decluttered you only have to worry about cleaning. Start little routines. I pour bleach down the loo and spray the sinks when I first get up and then wipe them down after coffee. It is such a quick job when you keep on top of it.

4. again with admin, spend a day decluttering your inbox and paperwork. Set up files and then keep on top of it.

5. TOMM is fantastic to follow. It works on the basis of doing 30 minutes in a room a day. It works on the assumption that you have already decluttered and you are maintaining.

6. put down the phone and social media. If you keep your phone on you listen to some motivational podcasts while you work. I love Charlene Johnson podcasts. They give me a kick up the arse when I need it. I usually listen to one in the morning as it gets me on the right frame of mind.

7. take the pressure off yourself. You work 12 hour shifts and have 2 young children! It will all come together as they get older and you will find your you time again. If no-one has starved to death or caught a flesh eating bug from being unwashed, you are probably more organised than you think.