Help needed with planning

[PinkFluffyBubbles]

Hi, I'm hoping for some practical ideas to help me with planning to actually get stuff done... Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I can never seem to see what needs done until its too late... So I end up doing things last minute (or not at all sometimes) as I'm still picking up the pieces of a job that needed done ages ago that's also been left to the last innings. I have major difficulties identifying the tasks that need doing until it's staring at me... Eg. I forget to do the washing until I have no clean clothes... Or I forgot to buy something for the days dinner until its time to start cooking it and everyone is hungry.
This effects every aspect of daily life and is getting too much for me. I feel like a failure as Im unable to do basic things that myself and my family need. I have 4 children and one on the way and could really do with some advice.
Tia x

To help with meals you could try picking out 7 different recipes for the week, then buy all the ingredients needed for those, then you know exactly what you are cooking and you have all the ingredients ready. Laundry, not sure on that one, I just try to do a load every 2 days. Could your partner take responsibility for the things you find hardest to get done, eg doing laundry every other day? You could maybe try setting aside 30 minutes each day to do the key regular tasks, then just get it done at that time. Keep a list of what they are, or maybe even write it a little weekly plan if what you do when.

You need a routine. It’s boring but it works.

Morning
Dish washer empty
Start the washing machine

Evening

• put load of washing in the machine machine
• check what’s for dinner tomorrow
• take dry washing upstairs and begin to sort
• put on dish washer and clean benches and kitchen/playroom tables

Then have jobs that have set says
Eg Thursday meal plan
Friday - food shopping, wash towels
Sunday - check the calendar and plan for the week/month ahead.