New job working full time! How do I fit everything in?

duchy

It is true though

You'll hear a husband commended for doing his fair share of the chores when both couples work.........you never hear a wife commended for doing *her* fifty percent

maman

duchy wrote: »

It is true though

You'll hear a husband commended for doing his fair share of the chores when both couples work.........you never hear a wife commended for doing *her* fifty percent

That reminds me of when my DH gutted and totally refitted our kitchen. He did a fabulous job. Then my DD went out and bought a 'Mummy's Kitchen' fridge magnet!:rotfl:


I must say I too didn't like the tone of OP's original question. What's this about be a 'good wife'?? Is that why se feels she needs to take on everything?


I've had term time only work. Briefly, what we did was give the house a lick and a promise during term time and then every half term do a mini Spring clean (moving furniture, polishing, wiping woodwork etc). Weekday meals were easy, quick things, generally HM from the freezer. Weekends were casseroles and the occasional roast.

GobbledyGook

Well done on the new job!

Organisation is the key for me (I'm not naturally organised so I need lists). List near the front door of what children need each day so they know when they need to sort ballet shoes, swim kit etc. Bags for school done every night before bed and put on floor under coat and next to shoes (it's ALWAYS shoes that can't be found in this house). I also have one of those pocket shoe holders hung up - not very pretty, but practical - and it houses hats/scarves/sunglasses etc so that they can just be grabbed on way out if needed.

Work out specific jobs for the children. They are more than old enough to be setting/clearing the table and washing/drying the dishes (or sorting the dishwasher). Allocate jobs like hoovering to someone, make sure everyone is doing their fair share.

I have enough sets of uniforms that mean I only wash at the weekend. Saturday morning I spend a couple of hours on housework stuff - washings on, some batch cooking done and shopping gets delivered (far quicker and easier than going to the shops - I only go to the butcher and the fruit/veg shop which takes less than 30 mins).

Each night before bed we sort lunches for next day and take something out freezer (from batch cook mostly) for dinner.

Gigervamp

duchy wrote: »

It is true though

You'll hear a husband commended for doing his fair share of the chores when both couples work.........you never hear a wife commended for doing *her* fifty percent

I agree. It's like when a woman goes out for the evening and the man says he's babysitting for her. Makes me mad, they're his kids too!

But, as I said, I'm tired and ill, so my writing skills are compromised. I'd already established in my first post on this thread that the OP shouldn't be doing all the work in the home and I was taking note of the fact that her husband will be out of the house for a bit longer than OP, so there are some things that will need to be her job, such as getting the dinner cooked as she will be home first.

meema4788

Thanks for the tips everyone I really appreciate it. I love the idea of the daily lists for the kids so they know what they need.

Not only am I lucky enough to have got this fab job but even better still its only 2 minutes from where I live so I haven't even got to worry about the traffic.

I think I will draw up a list of daily chores for us all all to do and then will start the online shopping and meal planning. I feel more positive already!

Seanymph

Thanks Spendless.

I did have a pile of teens at home, the last one left two weeks ago - mind you her and the b/f arrived about 2pm today looking hungry she knows my routines....

OH always used to get in at 5pm, and if ED was working her shift started at 6pm. So quite literally in our house dinner was about 5ish, and anyone who came later got reheated.

That was why it was so vital to have slow cooked dinner ready, or something really quick.

If OH got in before me he knew the next stage, or ED did - and whoever got in first walked the dog and did it. But we eat early rather than late.

Now we are alone OH and I aim for about 6pm, so i can work later and don't have to dash home so much - but it still is a real difficulty working out meals for the week and staying on top of it!

clw1

Congratulations on the new job

As the others have if you are now going to work full time then your OH and kids will need to do a bit more around the house to balance it out. Maybe you could make a big list and have a family chat about who does what, perhaps linked to pocket money for the kids.


I find that shopping online is a big help for me as I can do it at lunchtime or in the evenings. I use it for food and for other things like ordering school uniforms, birthday / Christmas presents etc.


I also try to do meal plans and if I cook something like spag bol I'll make extra sauce and pop it in the freezer so that it makes an easy supper for the following week.


I also have a cleaner and that is a big help for me, it's about £20 p/wk but saves lots of stress and arguments in our house.


You mentioned that your youngest is 7 so presumably he'll be at childcare after school while you finish at 4. Maybe sometimes he can stay at the childcare until 5.30 which would give you a quiet hour to wizz round the house and get some chores done in peace - I find it's amazing how much I can do when you don't have kids interrupting / "helping" !

meema4788

Well i've made a start on filling the freezer, whilst I had the oven on to do todays roast dinner, i have done some extra cooking, already done 2 batch of bolognese, a stew and a chilli. Think I'll aim to do this a few times a month then at least there will be some proper teas at hand.

I have done online grocery shopping in the past so think I will start doing that again. My mum is a cleaner so hoping that she might take pity on me and help out, if not I think I will ask her to do it and I will pay her rather than getting a strange in.

Love all the suggestions. Thanks everyone.

lindsaygalaxy

Does everyone else use a slow cooker? I have one and really want to use it when I am at work but I'm scared of leaving it all day in case it catches fire. Am I being daft?

Seanymph

yes, completely daft

It is what they are designed for! Ours goes on at LEAST three times a week.

A whole chicken goes on in the morning, and it cooked and ready when I get in - so some quick jacket pots in the microwave, salad in a bowl - dinner.

A casserole.

Chicken thighs with a couple of pots of salsa on them, some onions and peppers - served with rice and tortillas.

Casserole - beef, sausage.

curry - awesome (I have the BEST recipe for beef curry)

Throw them on, leave it, go to work, come home and eat.

It's priceless.