Can you do OS and work full time too?

november

My first post in Old Style

Not sure if I OS or not however I do work full-time, with a OH who works full-time and 2 kids (16 & 12) the eldest who is at college and works weekends!

My first point is actually, particularly with regard to my OH, I don't see them as 'making me more housework' rather than people who can share housework. If anyone trys to make it my responsibility (even reminders) I get rather annoyed

Ironing? Ummmmmm yes about 2/4 items a week - all my work clothes. I go by the careful hanging routine.

One OS tip I use is washing up liquid does most things and if there isn't lots of bottles its far easier to get people to wipe down the sides in the kitchen after themselves I even passed this one on to a friend.

I also have white vinegar which gets used!!

Windows tend to be done by whoever's turn it is - with washing up liquid and water and one of those window cleaner tools - cheap and quicker than newspaper as you just spray and wipe with the wiper blade. Newspapers was actually the method I used to use as its the one my mum taught me.

Cooking - we tend to do our own and Mr N does tend to use frozen food (separate work hours = separate mealtimes). However for home cooking I cheat a lot e.g. pasta takes 10 minutes and is home cooking Ditto kids. I'm afraid I'll never have an interest or time to make my own veggy burgers though apart from when I get the sosmix out and then I prefer making meatball shapes (spagetti and veggy meatballs).

Clutter - anyone with a full cupboard doesn't need more clothes (that works for kids to declutter) and it gets recycled via the charity shop or recyling box if its beyond use. I also find shutting the door on the kids rooms helps

Shopping unfortunately I don't have time to shop around and rather miss that from when I wasn't working. Do it on Sundays in the supermarket.

Still not sure what i'm doing in OS lol but I think if we are doing what we can then its enough. Push it too far and the resulting nervous breakdown would help no-one

Tondella

Hi guys

Thanks Squeaky for merging my post in with the already informative thread and thanks to everyone who has posted over the last day for sharing your OS tips. I guess now that I read this i am actually more OS than I thought.

I've always cooked most of my meals from scratch, although i am being more disciplined about it now that i am budgeting. I enjoy cooking and don't find it a chore (most nights!), plus as i'm not a big fan of the take away it doesn't often feature on my menu. I cycle to work, just learnt that's OS! I clean the hard water deposits off my shower cubicle with lemon juice and elbow grease, but use Flash multipurpose for the floor, kitchen surfaces. It's only a tiny flat so I'm still on my first bottle, nine months later (I do clean, honest!). I don't have a freezer in my flat, nor is there room to have one, but I do cook double, just have to eat it the next day. And I am an avid de-junker, car booting or giving it to charity shops although since i have discovered how well labelled clothing sells on ebay I must admit there'll be less in the charity bags.

My life is pretty simple at present as it is just me in the flat from monday to Thursday, with OH home for the weekend. I suppose when kids come along it all gets more complicated/more scope for OS. When that happens I hope i have a garden as I'd really love to grow my own fruit and veg. (and own ducks!)

Thanks guys, I feel a little better now!

Magentasue

I think children do complicate the issue. Not when they're younger so much but once they get well into their teens, it's harder just to do one meal for everyone. They spend more time at school/college and have extra-curricular and work commitments.

Then there's the fact that bigger clothes take up more room in the washing machine! There's more washing and more 'stuff'.

You have the choice between insisting everyone helps out when they're around or doing it all yourself. My lot help out - when I'm home all day I do most of it and the more I work the more they do. But if they're helping out, you lose control. Well, I do. I get to the point when I no longer know exactly what's in the fridge/freezer and am grateful if I come home to a meal, whatever it is!

If I do work full-time, I know that I won't want to spend my weekends shopping, cooking and cleaning. Getting up earlier would make a big difference but I'm not a morning person, especially this time of year. As for the rest of the family, they'll help out because it's fair but they won't get the satisfaction I get from OSing. They won't want to peel and chop, they'll heat up. They won't put the washing out on a sunny day, they'll tumble dry and they won't be making bread, pastry, yogurt, soap and wine, it'll all come from a supermarket.

Bargain_Rzl

mah_jong wrote:

For me, planning ahead is the key. I am not as organized as some, I generally have an idea of the weeks dinners/lunches. I slow cook/freeze etc but also am aimiable to sudden bargains! I def know the night before, whats for dinner the next day. I bulk cook soup and to be honest frozen/thawed soup is much nicer than same day cooked soup..... think someone earlier said they liked day 2 soup.

I pop into any supermarket I happen to be passing near closing time and buy up any nice-looking meat cuts/fish/sausages/mince they have on reduced to clear. These go in the freezer till I have time to do anything with them. Then when it's coming up to the weekend I work out how much meat I've got, what I can make it into, and what additional ingredients I'll need. I then have a marathon cooking session on a Saturday afternoon (and usually also one on a weekday evening) which results in the freezer being stocked up with single-portion-sized home-made meals. These are then my lunches to take to work, and my evening meals when I've been working late or can't be bothered.

mah_jong wrote:

Ironing...what little is done, is done whilst watching tv. Its not a chore just exercise whilst relaxing! (re branding the chores!!)

Must get into the habit of doing this. Saturday mornings would be ideal as I have a tendency to slob around in bed all morning watching telly! I share quite a small house and housemate (who owns the place) is always out all day Saturday so I can take over the living room as much as I like!

mah_jong wrote:

Clutter has gone..... I decided on a years program and it worked. Dont decide to everything at once. But a gradual, drawer at a time, works far better. Then keep on top..... pick up stuff before you leave the room.... wipe the sink, bleach round loo etc as you finish in the morning. Fill dishwasher as you go...answer/file your mail on the day you get it

This is a good idea. I'm the world's messiest person and my bedroom looks like a candidate for Life Laundry! My recent resolution has simply been this - which seems manageable "Each day I must tidy up more mess than I make". Hopefully this will be the first strategy that's worked because I'm 27 but you'd think I was 14 to look at the state of my room.

KatrinaC_2

I work about 50 hours a week (sometimes more like 60!), have a small child and have found that the best way to combine OS and work is to remember that it is not my responsibility to run the house single handed.

OH and I try to share the jobs - he irons (thankfully as I am incapable of getting anything crease free) and I do the weekly shop. I batch cook on Sundays and he flings something I've frozen into the oven when he gets home an hour before I do.

For a while I was working full time, doing all the cleaning solo and trying to keep the house immaculate - and I nearly collapsed. Once I grasped that there are actually two adults in the house (and that no one ever dies from a carpet which is hoovered weekly) things got a lot easier.

Kat

Spud_2

....but can I work out what OS means? Please put me out of my misery, this is the first time I've been reading posts under this topic and I've worked out all the abbrevs apart from this one. Doh!

Yorkielass

Spud wrote:

....but can I work out what OS means? Please put me out of my misery, this is the first time I've been reading posts under this topic and I've worked out all the abbrevs apart from this one. Doh!

OS = Old Style - as in the Money Saving Old Style board.

Aril

Hi everyone
I wondered if anyone had any tips for running OS alongside working full time [aswell as being a Mum] which will be me from 7th August [not ideal but post redundancy a necessity]. I know that I am going to have to ask OH to take on more of the domestic stuff which I will find difficult to do. I already menu plan and have set days for doing basic housework. It's all the extra jobs like decorating, cleaning windows etc etc that I'm going to find difficult [sadly employing a servant is not an option!!]
Many thanks
Aril

katglasgow

Hi Aril,
I'm a mum and work 30 hours a week. Like you I menu plan and have days for housework. Most of the time I manage OK. I used to work 37 hrs but was finding it tough so have cut back. If you are doing all this though I think DH needs to be doing the DIY! I think its important to have a balance that you are happy with in terms of jobs and family life. Make sure you still have time to do fun things at the weekend and you're not just cleaning your windows! My house have never been dirtier since I became a mum but I doubt my son will remember that when he looks back - so don't be afraid to let your standards slip abit while the kids are young!

Dobie

Hi Aril
I work full time & have a couple of hours commute each day so although my children are older & have left home it's still a real challenge to fit everything in.

It sounds as if you've already got the basics & I agree with katglasgow, prioritise the REALLY important stuff like time with your family over cleaning.

My DH & I have worked out a compromise on chores that seems to be working well. Things that I think are most important like cleaning bathroom & kitchen, laundry & shopping I take responsibility for. I used to get frustrated when I asked him to help with vacuuming or polishing because he just isn't very thorough so now we alternate those jobs. One week I do the polishing & he vacuums & the next week we swap. That way I know it gets done 'properly' every other week & I can live with that.

I also have a weekly schedule for basic housework & do one extra job at the weekend. Last weekend it was downstairs windows inside & out, this weekend it'll be upstairs. I never clean for more than a couple of hours at weekends, they're too precious. I also bulk cook at least one thing every week to cut down on food preparation time during the week.

I've cut down on shopping time by doing a monthly non perishable on line Tesco shop & having a weekly fruit & veg box delivery. I've got 2 fridge freezers so I can keep plenty in stock & other stuff I pick up at our local Farm shop & Co op, but I've found I can keep this to one short trip a week.

Good luck with your new circumstamces, I hope it works out well for you.


Dobie