Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

any really good decluttering or time saving tips, baby imminent, have toddler, work, am not very practical

7 replies

Gemzooks · 12/02/2009 21:32

I'm a fraud really as have a cleaner once a week so don't have to actually clean, but the main tasks are:

food shopping, cooking, general clearing up the kitchen/toys, laundry, putting clothes away, making beds, sole toddler care 2 days a week, administrative stuff like paying bills, filing papers, (I'm really bad at that). I know it doesn't sound a lot but I'm probably not doing things as efficiently as I could.

and I would also really really like to declutter before this baby comes.

any time saving tips welcome!

OP posts:
Timeisablindguide · 12/02/2009 21:34

Do all the little jobs as they come along as it's easier to do ten minute blitzes than trawl through stuff that needs 30 mins of ocncentration once you have the 2 dcs.

Make use of nap times to do the things you can't do with the toddler around but make sure you also have time for yourself - that's why I do everything in 10min blitzes then it doesn't make me feel like I'm doing housework all day!

Order food shopping online once a week, make use of friends and family who are willing to help out every so often

Timeisablindguide · 12/02/2009 21:35

concentration, I mean

Gemzooks · 12/02/2009 21:38

thanks! problem is I'm so enormous and pregnant that when my toddler has a nap, I have one too, very gratefully! the time just evaporates!!

OP posts:
onepieceofbrusselssprout · 12/02/2009 21:41

Simplify meals as much as possible. Simple pasta dishes, baked potatoes, roast things in the oven and get on with other jobs while they are cooking.

Try and do a ruthless declutter. If I clear out clothes I take them straight to the clothing bank in the supermarket car park. Don't leave it festering in the hall until you remember to get to the charity shop when it is open!

Do laundry every day or two, don't let it build up.

mazzystartled · 12/02/2009 21:45

make sure your dp has learnt to clear up after him/herself
never leave a room/go up or downstair empty handed
do everything as you go along
food shopping online
paperwork 1 evening per week
family clearup time 1 hour every sat am
lower your standards
keep one room tidy, even if you let the rest fester, you have somewhere to retreat
get your storage sorted

Timeisablindguide · 12/02/2009 21:46

Yes, sorry, I thought you mean tips for when you've had your baby and have your toddler around too etc.! I'm glad you nap when your toddler naps at the moment!

Why not set aside a period of time every day when you address your chores/tasks/cooking etc and then it gets everything done and out of the way and you have the rest of the day with your children/resting/etc.

MrsMattie · 12/02/2009 21:49

I am dreadful at domestic stuff, but have been really trying the last few months...

Get a filing cabinet. Seriously. A great big one. It has changed my life. Even though it looks ugly and is bloody huge, now that I have a proper filing system going on and actually use it, I no longer have piles of paper on every bloody surface, and can find bills, certificates etc really quickly.

Really good storage solutions:

Elfa storage systems inside wardrobes (or cheaper versions from Ikea)

Underbed storage boxes/drawers

Pretty storage boxes on top of wardrobes

Storage furniture (stools/bedside tables/coffee tables that you can put stuff inside...

...use all available space to store stuff away! Look at this site. A bit pricey in places, but some great space saving ideas.

I have also bought a lidded seagrass chest/basket for every room in the house (from John Lewis) which I can stuff crap in when I need to do a quick tidy up for guests coming over or just to get the clutter out of the way of an evening.

I have started a few little routines for getting the most basic household stuff done. I wash bedclothes overnight the night before cleaner comes, then bung them in the drier in the morning and ask her to make up the beds. It takes her 10 mins and she is happy to do it.

I definitely second ordering shopping online. I usually order on a Sunday for the shopping to come on the following Saturday morning.

Laundry - the only way I have found to get through it is to just DO IT. Once it's washed, dry it. Once it's dry, fold it and put it away. Dunno about you, but if I leave it for even half a day it will still be sitting in a pile somewhere a week later! . One thing that's helped is having quite a few separate laundry baskets - one for me, one for DH, another in the bedroom for bedding, a small one for tea towels and kitchen cloths in the kitchen, one for towels in the bathroom, one for DS, one for DD. Sounds excessive, but it helps me be organised about what I wash when.

HTH!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread