So much to do, how can I stop being overwhelmed?

dandy-candy

Thank you for ideas so far. I have a few piles of magazines on the side tables I've been meaning to read for months, they will be getting recycled now. I have asked DH to sit down after dinner and discuss what healthy meals he will eat so I can start planning a menu.
I do tend to get in a tiz by overloading my plate with "to do's", its great to have people help me break this down x

lostinrates

You poor lamb. You sound stressed and have had excellent advice. Can we help practically break this down?

dandy-candy wrote: »

2013 has been a badly run year for me, I managed to hang on to a basic house cleaning routine but things like washing bedding was badly neglected. The batch cooking and food planning went out the window, too many take always and last minute food dashes. My weight went up, my money went down - it's been a disaster.


[]batch. Cooking. Combines with health and time. No point putting something not helpful to weight / health in the freezer. Are your old recipes helping you here? If so make a list of those you'd like to do, if not spend ten minutes here or there looking for things to list that WOULD suit your needs. Lasagne/ shepards pie etc batch cook well but are rare eats here, too calOrific sadly. [/COLOR]


I really really need help getting reorganised and dodging the black dog that manages to bite when I feel things aren't going to plan.

In 2014 I need to:
Declutter the attic and garage.( IMO the attic is a spring or autumn job. In winter its freezing and in summer baking. Pick a weather appropriate weekend and get your kids up there with you.

Garage...use a fine weekend so you can put things outside, again, enrole family. One to do tip runs,( you or partner) one to prepare stuff for tip runs ( a teen) the other teen helps the other parent sort other stuff. Obviously teens can swap and share roles.

Lose weight and start some form of exercise. as you get in to order making conscious food choices will help , making it an extra burden will not help, work at it, but be kind to your self at the same time.

Get a house routine going to keep everywhere clean and a rota for sheets, towels, clothes.do this NOW, before school starts, get them into routine immediately.
Plan a menu that is cheap but also healthy, DH and I are both over weight and he has high cholesterol.
Batch cook so I can have quick meals ready to bung in the oven when I'm having a down day.
Get the kids (teens) in a routine for tidying their rooms and homework.

As soon as I start looking at all I need to do I feel like hiding under the duvet! I really don't know where to start, do I try doing one thing on the list regularly before starting another, or do I do a half effort on everything?

I have to get organised and I know I will get moaned at by the kids about healthy food, homework and tidying, and that can really get me down and put me off. Can anyone please give me tips on how to start this? I can't have another wasted year like this last one has been. It sounds really soppy but it would mean so much to me if I could achieve a well run home.

Please give me any tips or suggestions on how to tackle this list!

I think getting your kids (and oh) helping is key. Your husband could strip the bed and bung it in the machine if that's causing a problem. Your kids should certainly be doing their own if they are teens, give them their own days....not weekend days, but days that consider any after school activities or heavy homework nights....


We'll help you, but you nee to get the practical help in place at home. And they need to get these skills in place for themselves anyway.

System

I would love some tips on getting the teens to do more (without it just being a constant battle ground).

The biggest piece of advice I can give you if you want something done is don't ask them to do it but TELL them to do it.

Not 'will you wash up for me please?'
But 'I want you to wash up for me please'. Say it as though you mean it.

If its not done then you don't go out of your way to do something nice for them that they appreciate.

dandy-candy

Ty LIR, I hadn't even thought about certain times of year being better for different jobs but that makes so much sense
DH is wonderful about lending a hand, kids not so much - they are wise to the fact that if they moan enough they get off the hook. That really must change!

Mrs_Cheshire

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

I forgot to add, as I LOVE making lists... If it helps I'm willing to share mine as a starting point. It's easier to amend someone else's sometimes then start from scratch x

I'd love to see your list please!

lostinrates

Judi wrote: »

The biggest piece of advice I can give you if you want something done is don't ask them to do it but TELL them to do it.

Not 'will you wash up for me please?'
But 'I want you to wash up for me please'. Say it as though you mean it.

If its not done then you don't go out of your way to do something nice for them that they appreciate.

My parents sang off this hymn sheet.

If I moaned I would be given a less pleasurable task to do or additional ones.

If I refused then they refused to do things that were in my interest. Tough, sure. Effective, yes.:o.

Hard_Up_Hester

My own children are all grown up now, but I work in a secondary school, the best suggestion I have for getting teens to help around the house is to buy a cattle prod, lol.
If your children are younger than teens, get them helping from a young age, that way it becomes ingrained before they become teenagers.
Hester

dandy-candy

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

I'd love to see your list please!

Yes pls JG, I find reading others ideas very inspirational

Molly41

Use bribery - i will pay my youngest son an allowance for cleaning the house as he is actually very good at it. Maybe work out a system of rewards.

Pitlanepiglet

Don't forget you don't do your kids any favours by letting them get away with not helping out. Get them into good habits now.