Hillview wrote: ↑Fri Feb 08, 2019 7:44 pm
thanks all for your replies. Yes I'd say our finances are in order. No debt (house is paid for), run a weekly budget, saving for retirement and college. My kids do their own laundry usually (my 13 year old does 100% my 11 year old is maybe 75% solo but getting better) honestly it is MY laundry that isn't getting done. I think dinner is my #1 issue as I'd like to eat all together and sometimes it is late before we can due to schedule and time. I do think some purging a la Maris Kondo would help us as there is a lot of clutter that makes me crazy. I do appreciate reading everyone's opinion and situation. Thank you
Just some thoughts as a working parent. It’s very easy to come home and get totally consumed into home life. Kids activities/homework, making dinner etc. I try to do one home maintenance thing/day so that it’s not piled up over the weekend. Monday/Friday One small load of Laundry in washer in AM, dry when I arrive home and in the evening fold and put away. One weekday I might sit down and organize kid school paperwork/bills, usu Thursday’s. The third day might be clean one or two bathrooms or re-locate items that are out of place either Tuesday or Wednesday. IRobot gets run daily. Years ago I would start the weekend running to conquer all the home tasks piled up from the week. I never finished and would be annoyed and stressed the whole weekend.
For meal time: I always cook the day ahead. So Sunday I have cooked a meal for Sunday and Monday. Monday I cook for Tuesday, Tuesday I cook for Wed and so on. I usually don’t cook Friday. Saturday and Sunday I cook on that day for that day. I used to wake up early every day weekdays and make dinner as I was making breakfast. But this new system works better for me as I can clean the kitchen leisurely as opposed to a mad dash in the AM before work. The reason I do this is because I like to eat as soon as I get home on weeknights as my kids (and I) are usually starving. I round up the kids, we eat and talk. Once that is done I review the HW, run someone to a late activity if needed, bath and bedtime.
During bath time I make dinner for the next day. Our dinners are very simple. We eat a salad everyday. Some roasted protein: usu fish or chicken and either a side grain or veggie. So preparing the meal ahead does not take an inordinate amount of time and it is so nice to know what we are eating the next day. I never leave work wondering what’s for dinner and bristle at the thought when I hear other people complain that they don’t know what to make for their dinner that night. I couldn’t deal with that. After kids bedtime everything gets tupperwared and kitchen cleaned. Then I do the one home maintenance activity. I don’t always get to this but I make a strong effort.
The only thing we outsource at this time is house cleaning twice a month and I just recently started that back up but am thinking of stopping it. I think/know I do a better job cleaning but knowing someone is coming to my house forces me to pick up clutter. For example have my son pick up the pile of books he left in the bathroom and return them to the bookshelves, hang up the still clean clothes that have already been worn instead of letting them lounge on the chair, take down the Xmas decorations, etc.
Last thought, if you are looking to outsource home stuff. Outsource to your kids. Your 13 year old could do your laundry or possibly sheets and towels in addition to his/her clothes. The kids can prep meals before you get home or at least set the table. My kids make the salad. They can pickup items, re-locate things in the house, and do yard work etc. Those nightmare weekends I had struggling to put the house in order was made easy when I set the kids loose. One picked up toys, another swept, and one was cleaning bathrooms. My kids still are fascinated with the spray bottle filled with vinegar/water. The first two three times they grumbled but now they fall right into the routine and the help is tremendous. They each have their favorite activity and they take ownership of it.